Kentucky Wildcats and Duke Blue Devils have best odds to win 2016 college basketball championship

The college basketball season is upon us, and the regular season will be opening in just two weeks.

We already knew who the biggest contenders are. North Carolina, Maryland and Kentucky figure to open the season as the top three teams in some order. The Wildcats and Tar Heels shared the top spot in the preseason Coaches Top 25 Poll, while the ESPN poll d the Terrapins on top with UK sitting at No. 3.

However, it's the Wildcats who are the oddsmakers' favorite to win the next NCAA Championship. The latest odds from Bovada have the Cats on top with 7-1 odds to win the championship. It's a bit of a surprise who comes in at No. 2 with Duke having the next-best odds at 8-1.

Maryland and UNC are tied for the third-best odds at 10-1, followed by Kansas at 12-1. UK will play those very Jayhawks in Fog Allen Fieldhouse, as well as Duke in Chicago for the Champion's Classic. The Tar Heels will actually host the Terrapins in Big Ten-ACC Challenge this fall, so we'll get to see many of the top contenders getting a shot at one another before the NCAA Tournament even begins.

Here are the updated odds to win the 2015-16 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship:

Odds on 5/21/15           Current Odds

Kentucky                      10/1                              7/1

Duke                           10/1                              8/1

Maryland                       9/1                                10/1

North Carolina               10/1                              10/1

Kansas                         16/1                              12/1

Virginia                       20/1                              18/1

California                     20/1                              20/1

Michigan State              16/1                              20/1

Arizona                        20/1                              25/1

Gonzaga                       25/1                              25/1     

Michigan                       33/1                              25/1

UConn                          50/1                              25/1

Villanova                      25/1                              25/1

Wichita State                 25/1                              25/1

Iowa State                     20/1                              33/1

Indiana                        25/1                              40/1

Oklahoma                     28/1                              40/1

Purdue                         33/1                              40/1

Texas                          50/1                              40/1

Louisville                     40/1                              50/1

LSU                            50/1                              50/1

Florida State                 100/1                            66/1

Georgetown                  100/1                            66/1

Notre Dame                  50/1                              66/1

Syracuse                      50/1                              66/1

Butler                         75/1                              75/1

NC State                       75/1                              75/1

Ohio State                    50/1                              75/1

Utah                           50/1                              75/1

Wisconsin                     50/1                              75/1

Arizona State                500/1                            100/1

Baylor                         75/1                              100/1

Cincinnati                     100/1                            100/1   

Dayton                         100/1                            100/1

Florida                        66/1                              100/1

Georgia                        100/1                            100/1

Iowa                           100/1                            100/1

Miami FL                       66/1                              100/1

Oregon                         150/1                            100/1

Providence                   100/1                            100/1   

San Diego State            100/1                            100/1

Texas A&M                   50/1                              100/1

UCLA                           100/1                            100/1

Vanderbilt                     125/1                            100/1

West Virginia                 100/1                            100/1

Illinois                       100/1                            150/1

Marquette                     200/1                            150/1

Alabama                       200/1                            250/1

Arkansas                      150/1                            250/1

Auburn                         100/1                            250/1

Colorado                      300/1                            250/1

Memphis                       200/1                            250/1

Minnesota                     300/1                            250/1

Ole Miss                       300/1                            250/1

Pittsburgh                     200/1                            250/1

South Carolina              300/1                            250/1

St. John's                     300/1                            250/1

UNLV                           200/1                            250/1

VCU                            200/1                            250/1

Xavier                         200/1                            250/1

BYU                            300/1                            500/1

Kansas State                500/1                            500/1

Missouri                       300/1                            500/1

Nebraska                      500/1                            500/1

Oklahoma State            300/1                            500/1

Penn State                    500/1                            500/1

Stanford                       250/1                            500/1

Temple                         300/1                            500/1

Tennessee                    500/1                            500/1

USC                            500/1                            500/1

Wake Forest                 500/1                            500/1

Washington                   300/1                            500/1