Wooden Award Odds 2025: Broome Closes Gap With Flagg Despite Auburn's Losses

Just as Duke's Cooper Flagg was beginning to run away as the Wooden Award odds favorite, Auburn's Johni Broome has been closing the gap heading into conference tournaments.
While Flagg remains a minus-money favorite at our March Madness betting sites to become just the fourth freshman to win the award, Broome isn't far behind. The Tigers' big man closed out the regular season with a 34-point performance in a losing effort against Alabama.
With the regular season over, the pair will continue to jockey for position on the oddsboard until voting closes following the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, all while leading the two biggest March Madness odds favorites.
📊 Wooden Award odds 2025
Wooden Award odds from our best sports betting apps.
- Cooper Flagg: Despite Flagg being the clear choice to go No. 1 by the NBA draft odds, his Wooden Award odds have been pinballing for the last month while lengthening from -425 to this current price after a lackluster game against North Carolina
- Johni Broome: Broome had been a monster for the projected No. 1 overall seed in our SBR bracketology since returning from injury, with his odds as short as -230 at one point before quieter games and Auburn losses lengthened him to plus money again
🎲 Wooden Award odds betting insights
Below are betting insights from BetMGM for this year's Wooden Award.
Highest ticket percentage
- Cooper Flagg: 29.1%
- Johni Broome: 19.6%
- Braden Smith: 12%
Highest handle percentage
- Cooper Flagg: 70.3%
- Johni Broome: 15.6%
- Mark Sears: 3.2%
Biggest liabilities
- Cooper Flagg
- Johni Broome
- Braden Smith
🏆 Wooden Award odds favorites 2025
😈 Cooper Flagg Wooden Award odds (-210)

The top recruit in the country, Flagg entered the season viewed as the likely No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and he hasn't disappointed. He has Duke positioned to compete for the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, with the Blue Devils among the March Madness favorites.
Flagg has proven to be more than a versatile scorer, too, with his defense, rebounding, and passing making him one of the most significant all-around threats in the country and EvanMiya's No. 1 rated player. His odds shortened drastically when Broome went down, and Flagg's price was only getting shorter until the Blue Devils lost to Clemson and Broome turned up the heat during his return from injury.
When Flagg was +200 two weeks ago, we highlighted why it was the perfect time to bet on him in our Wooden Award odds breakdown. Now it's a tougher sell, with a $10 winning bet at BetMGM paying just a $4.76 profit.
While Flagg is clearly the leader in the clubhouse, Broome playing in the far more competitive conference could give him an edge if he puts on a show during the SEC Tournament. However, these odds will likely shorten again to -400, so bet Flagg now if he's your pick.
Best odds: -210 via BetMGM | Implied probability: 67.74%
🐯 Johni Broome Wooden Award odds (+325)

A shot-blocking machine that swallows up rebounds and can score with the best of them, Broome is a dominant two-way player. A third-team All-American last season, he's upped his game this year and looks like the clear best player in a conference that's been the tops in the country by a mile.
Thanks to Broome, Bracket Matrix projects Auburn to earn the top seed in the NCAA Tournament, which is why his plus-money odds had been a wild value before shortening to -230 following a win over Ole Miss two weeks ago. However, losses to Texas A&M and Alabama complicate things, along with the low-scoring output against Kentucky.
When his odds were that short prior to his less-than-stellar games, Broome wasn't worth betting on yet. But now it's a lot more interesting with the odds this long, with a $10 bet paying a $21 profit at BetRivers. But if the season ended today, the award would almost definitely go to Flagg.
The SEC may set a record with how many teams it sends to the NCAA Tournament. So there's a reasonable argument that if Broome dominates the SEC Tournament, he'll still get a shot to win this race. I also expect the voters to favor a fifth-year senior over a one-and-done freshman.
Best odds: +210 via BetRivers | Implied probability: 32.26%
🔢 Wooden Award opening odds
Wooden Award opening odds via FanDuel.
- RJ Davis, North Carolina: +700
- Cooper Flagg, Duke: +700
- Hunter Dickinson, Kansas: +750
- Mark Sears, Alabama: +900
- AJ Storr, Kansas: +2000
- LJ Cryer, Houston: +2000
- Johni Broome, Auburn: +3000
- Johnell Davis, Arkansas: +3000
- Khalif Battle, Gonzaga: +3500
- VJ Edgecombe, Baylor: +3500
- Caleb Love, Arizona: +4000
- Ace Bailey, Rutgers: +4000
- Tyrese Proctor, Duke: +4000
- Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga: +4000
- Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton: +4000
- Dylan Harper, Rutgers: +4000
- Liam McNeeley, UConn: +4000
- Zeke Mayo, Kansas: +4000
- Grant Nelson, Alabama: +4500
- Graham Ike, Gonzaga: +4500
- Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State: +4500
- Kam Jones, Marquette: +5000
📈 Wooden Award betting history
Year | Name | Opening odds |
---|---|---|
2024 | Zach Edey, Purdue | +175 |
2023 | Zach Edey, Purdue | +3500 |
2022 | Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky | +4000 |
2021 | Luka Garza, Iowa | +250 |
2020 | Obi Toppin, Dayton | N/A |
2019 | Zion Williamson, Duke | N/A |
2018 | Jalen Brunson, Villanova | N/A |
2017 | Frank Mason, Kansas | N/A |
2016 | Buddy Hield, Oklahoma | N/A |
2015 | Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin | N/A |
2014 | Doug McDermott, Creighton | N/A |
2013 | Trey Burke, Michigan | N/A |
💡How to bet on the Wooden Award
Betting on Wooden Award odds is pretty straightforward. Start by choosing a reputable sportsbook that offers Wooden Award futures.
Look at the odds for different players; for example, if RJ Davis is at +400 and Mark Sears is at +800, Davis is more favored to win. Decide how much you want to wager and place your bet. If you put $100 on Davis at +400 and he wins, you’ll get $500 back ($400 profit + $100 stake).
Follow player performances throughout the season to track how your bet is doing.
But why do odds change in future markets? It’s all about performance and perception. If a player excels or underperforms, their odds will adjust. Injuries to the player or competitors can significantly impact their Wooden Award chances.
The success of the player’s team can also influence their odds. Public betting trends are important too; if many people are betting on a particular player, sportsbooks might change the odds to manage their risk.
Expert analysis and predictions can also sway betting patterns and odds. Understanding these factors can help you make more informed bets and possibly catch some favorable odds shifts.
📖 How to read Wooden Award odds
When reading Wooden Award odds, the odds are typically displayed in formats like +300 or -150.
Positive odds (e.g., +300) indicate how much profit you’d make on a $100 bet. For instance, a $100 bet at +300 odds would win you $300, plus your original $100 stake, totaling $400. Negative odds (e.g., -150) show how much you need to bet to win $100. So, a $150 bet at -150 odds would win you $100, plus your $150 stake, totaling $250.
These odds also reflect the implied probability of a player winning the Wooden Award. Lower odds (e.g., +200) suggest a higher chance of winning, while higher odds (e.g., +1000) indicate a lower chance. Sportsbooks adjust these odds based on various factors, including player performance, injuries, team success, and betting patterns.
For example, if Hunter Dickinson has +300 odds and LJ Cryer has +800 odds, Dickinson is considered more likely to win. If you bet $100 on Dickinson and he wins, you’d get $400 back ($300 profit + $100 stake).
❓ Wooden Award FAQs
Who is the Wooden Award favorite?
Duke's Cooper Flagg is the Wooden Award favorite, with his -210 odds representing an implied win probability of 67.74% via our odds converter.
Has a freshman ever won the Wooden Award?
Only three freshmen have won the Wooden Award. Most recently, Duke's Zion Williamson won it as a freshman in 2019. The other two freshman winners were Kentucky's Anthony Davis (2012) and Texas' Kevin Durant (2007).
Who won the Wooden Award last year?
Purdue big man Zach Edey won his second straight Wooden Award, joining Ralph Sampson as the only player to ever win two. Edey was the consensus betting favorite (-2500) to win the Wooden Award, as those odds implied a probability of 96.15% that Edey would win the award.
When will the Wooden Award be decided?
Last year's Wooden Award ceremony took place on April 10, when Edey was announced as the award winner after his record-setting career at Purdue.
What is the difference between the Wooden Award and the Naismith Award?
Although both are college basketball player of the year awards, the voting processes are different.
The Naismith Award is voted on by a board of NCAA basketball administrators, media members, and head coaches. The Wooden Award is voted on by more than 1,000 sports writers and former winners, and also takes into consideration a player's academic performance and character on top of their play.
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