Best March Madness Bets Today (March 22)

Here are the best March Madness bets today for Saturday, March 22, 2025. FTN is home to the tools, research, models, data, and experts you need to become a smarter sports bettor.

Here are FTN’s best CBB bets for today. To see more picks from our team, check out our bet tracker.

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March Madness Best Bets Today (March 22, 2025)

Arkansas +7.5 vs. St. John’s

-114, FanDuel

Saturday’s second-round clash between 2-seed St. John’s and 10-seed Arkansas is packed with storylines, but the best value lies with the underdog Razorbacks at +7.5 (-114 on FanDuel). While St. John’s comes in with a sparkling 31-4 record and a dominant run through the Big East, this spread feels too wide considering how Arkansas matches up. The Razorbacks are built on size and athleticism, with 6’11” Jonas Aidoo and 6’10” Trevon Brazile anchoring a frontcourt that just helped take down No. 7 Kansas. That length poses real problems for a Red Storm team whose tallest starter is 6’9″, especially given how much Arkansas thrives in physical games. They’ve quietly gone 6-4 in their last 10 while shooting nearly 46% from the field, and they’re finally healthy with five-star freshman Boogie Fland back in the lineup.

Beyond the matchup, this game carries historic weight thanks to the sideline showdown between Rick Pitino and John Calipari—two Hall of Famers with over 1,700 combined wins, three national titles, and decades of history dating back to their days at UMass and Kentucky. Pitino cautioned not to overlook this Arkansas team, calling them the most athletic opponent St. John’s has faced all season. Calipari has Arkansas believing after a rocky SEC season, and his tournament pedigree is too strong to ignore in an underdog spot. With their size, momentum, and a head coach who’s been here countless times, the Razorbacks are live—and 7.5 points is too many to give them in a game that could go down to the wire.

Auburn -9 vs Creighton

-110, Caesars

Auburn is laying 9 points at Caesars against Creighton, and we’re backing the Tigers to win and cover in Saturday’s second-round matchup. Bruce Pearl’s squad earned the No. 1 overall seed for a reason—they’re deep, balanced, and elite on both ends of the floor. The Tigers have five players averaging double figures, led by Johni Broome (18.7 PPG, 10.6 RPG), and just steamrolled Alabama State 83-63 in their tournament opener. Auburn ranks among the best in the country in defensive efficiency and holds opponents to just 40.8% shooting, a major concern for a Creighton team that relies heavily on its shot-making to stay competitive.

Our FTN model agrees with the line and actually projects Auburn to win by 10, reinforcing value on the current -9 number. Creighton has been solid—coming off a win over Louisville—but this is a big step up in class. The Bluejays haven’t faced a team with Auburn’s size, depth, and pace. While Ryan Kalkbrenner presents a challenge inside, Auburn has the bodies to rotate and wear him down over 40 minutes. Even more encouraging? FTN’s Mike Randle, who’s up over 40 units betting sides this season, is also backing Auburn here. With elite two-way play, a dominant frontcourt, and a favorable matchup across the board, Auburn is in a strong position to cover and advance to the Sweet 16 with authority.