The Early Favorites to win 2019 March Madness

The college basketball season has been underway since late 2018, however, with the arrival of March Madness, the season is about to kick into full gear. The 2019 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament is scheduled to begin on March 19, and the tournament is sure to provide plenty of twists and turns before concluding on April 8.

The Villanova Wildcats enter the tournament as the defending champions having defeated the Michigan Wolverines in the 2018 Championship Game, however, 68 teams will be vying to take their crown. So, with just a week to go until the tip-off, here are the favorites to lift the trophy on April 8.

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#5 Kentucky - Current Odds: +900

Kentucky will be looking to win their first March Madness since 2012

While Kentucky has not matched the heights of last season, few teams raise their game for March Madness like the Wildcats. The team has reached at least the Sweet Sixteen stage in three of the past four seasons, and Kentucky has a number of players that can cause issues for opposing teams.

20-year-old forward PJ Washington is averaging nearly 15 points per game, while Kentucky's promising guard, Tyler Herro, was just named the SEC Newcomer of the Year. Ultimately the Wildcats are historically overachievers, and the teams latest crop of talent once again has a shot at taking home the title.

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#4 Virginia - Current Odds: +800

The Virginia Cavaliers enter the tournament with the best defense in the country

Despite not getting the same amount of media exposure as the likes of Duke, Virginia has quietly enjoyed a strong season. The team's success has been fuelled by the best defense in the country, while Virginia's offense has also improved in recent weeks.

After struggling to score the basketball for much of the season, Virginia has reached at least 70 points in each of its last four contests, including dropping 81 on Georgia Tech. Due to this, Virginia enters the tournament among the favorites, however, the Cavaliers may come unstuck against Duke, as Zion and co. have already inflicted two defeats on Virginia so far this year.

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#3 Gonzaga - Current Odds: +800

The Gonzaga Bulldogs enter this year's March Madness having lost just once since December

After going 30-3 during the regular season, Gonzaga enters this year's March Madness as the second favorites to lift the trophy. Up until their shock loss to Saint Mary's earlier this week, Gonzaga hadn't experienced defeat since way back in December, winning 20 games along the way.

Nevertheless, despite the recent setback, Gonzaga boasts the nation’s leading offense, and the team has reached 100 points on four occasions so far this season. The Zags have also been recently boosted by Killian Tillie's return to fitness, as the Frenchman recently returned after missing more than a month.

Ultimately, there is no doubting that the Bulls have the best offense in this year's tournament, and it will take a huge defensive effort from a rival to stop them walking away with the title.

#1 Duke - Latest Odds: +210

Duke will be hard to stop

The Blue Devils enter March Madness as the clear favorites thanks to an incredible season that has led to comparisons to the University of Michigan's famous 'Fab Five'. Duke's roster boasts an array of potential future NBA stars, and RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish, and Zion Williamson are all projected to be top 5 picks in this year's draft.

Most notably, Williamson has been widely heralded as the new LeBron James, and the 18-year-old is expected to be taken as the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft. His ball-handling skills and athleticism defy his size, although, Williamson's fitness is in doubt heading into the tournament due to a knee injury.

Without Williamson, Duke has won just three of their last five games, so evidently, the team's chances will take a hit if without their teenage sensation. With that said, Williamson is unlikely to miss the entire tournament, and even if the worst was to happen, Duke still has the talent to take home the trophy.