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The 2026 Men’s NIT is still in its opening phase, but the board has already started to tighten. Some teams have moved into the second round, others are still trying to survive the first, and that makes this futures market feel smaller and more actionable than a typical full-field tournament board.
Auburn sits at the top at +325, and that price makes sense because the Tigers have already advanced and still hold a favorable home path. Still, Tulsa deserves stronger betting attention at a bigger number after already banking a win and keeping its path on campus for now.
Let’s take a look at the latest NIT odds and make our College Basketball pick for the NIT Championship.
What Is the NIT Tournament?
The NIT, or National Invitation Tournament, is actually the oldest major college basketball tournament in the U.S. Founded in 1938, it began one year ahead of the NCAA tournament. Unlike the NCAA tournament, preliminary round NIT games are played on the campus or home arena of the higher seeded team. The semifinals and finals of the NIT are held annually at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Over the years, the NIT expanded from its original six teams to its current 32-team format. In the early years, college basketball teams could compete in both tournaments. City College of New York (CCNY) is the only college basketball program to have ever won the NIT and NCAA championships in the same year (1950). Ironically, CCNY defeated Bradley University in both championship games.
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NIT Tournament Schedule
The schedule is compact and easy to track from here. The first round is still being completed, then the event moves quickly through the second round and quarterfinals before shifting to Indianapolis for the final two rounds.
- First Round — March 17-18
- Second Round — March 21-22
- Quarterfinals — March 24-25
- Semifinals — April 2 at Hinkle Fieldhouse
- Championship — April 5 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
NIT Tournament Location
The setup matters for futures bettors because home court is still part of the equation for most of the path. The first three rounds are played at campus sites, with higher-seeded teams hosting when applicable, before the tournament finishes in Indianapolis with the semifinals at Hinkle Fieldhouse and the championship at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
NIT Tournament Odds
Check out the latest men’s NIT Tournament odds courtesy of the best sports betting sites:
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Auburn | +325 |
| New Mexico | +375 |
| Wake Forest | +650 |
| Tulsa | +800 |
| Oklahoma State | +1100 |
| Nevada | +1200 |
Auburn is the market favorite, with New Mexico right behind it on a short board. Wake Forest is still within range, but Tulsa stands out as the most interesting value play because it has already moved forward and still offers a meaningfully longer number than the two teams at the top.
NIT Tournament Predictions
Auburn (+325)
Auburn has already done the most important thing at this stage. The Tigers beat South Alabama 78-67 in the opener and moved into the second round, where Seattle U is next in the Auburn Region.
That matters because Auburn has already removed one layer of risk from the ticket. It also keeps a home-path advantage in place through the quarterfinals as a No. 1 seed, which is a major reason the Tigers sit at the top of the board.
Recent form helps the case. Auburn beat Mississippi State in the SEC Tournament and followed that with its home NIT win, while Kevin Overton has given the team a real scoring anchor after putting up 21 in the opener and 22 against Mississippi State before that.
The concern is price. Auburn is only 18-16 overall and went 7-11 in SEC play, so bettors are paying a premium for path and current standing rather than a clean full-season profile. It is the safest option, but not the most generous one.
New Mexico (+375)
New Mexico has not yet banked its first NIT win, but the Lobos still own one of the strongest pure résumé cases on the board. They entered this stage as the No. 1 seed in the Albuquerque Region and opened at home against Sam Houston.
The record is stronger than Auburn’s at 23-10, and the path is still favorable. New Mexico sits above a quadrant that includes California and Colorado State as the next strongest seeds, which gives the Lobos a reasonable route if they handle business early.
Jake Hall gives them a reliable focal point after averaging 16.0 points per game. That kind of lead scorer matters in a short tournament, especially when the early rounds are still on campus and margin-for-error games can swing on one perimeter creator.
The issue is that +375 is not far enough off Auburn’s number to fully compensate for the extra step still left to take. New Mexico looks like a legitimate contender, but the price feels a little tight.
Wake Forest (+650)
Wake Forest sits in a more interesting range of the board. The Demon Deacons opened as the No. 1 seed in the Winston-Salem Region and were scheduled to start at home against Navy on March 18.
The upside starts with Juke Harris. He averaged 21.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, giving Wake Forest one of the better individual shot-creators among the teams still near the top of the market. In a tournament like this, having the best scorer on the floor can carry real weight.
Wake also showed some late competitiveness by beating Virginia Tech 95-89 in overtime in the ACC Tournament before falling to Clemson. The problem is that the overall profile is still modest at 17-16, and unlike Auburn or Tulsa, Wake had not yet secured its first NIT result on this board.
At +650, the number is playable only if you trust the ceiling more than the season-long inconsistency. There is upside here, but it is more of a selective value shot than a clean futures anchor.
Tulsa (+800)
Tulsa is the most appealing betting case on the board. The Golden Hurricane already advanced by beating Stephen F. Austin 89-84 in overtime, and that immediately changed the value conversation around their futures number.
That opener mattered because Tulsa now has one less hurdle to clear while still sitting at +800. The Golden Hurricane remain at home for the second round against UNLV, and the other side of the regional path includes Oklahoma State and Wichita State.
The profile is strong enough to justify the ticket. Tulsa is 27-7, carries No. 1 seed status, and brings an explosive offensive identity led by David Green, who averaged 16.1 points per game. Among the teams outside the two shortest prices, this is the best mix of record, standing, and current path.
The concern is that Tulsa did need overtime to get through Stephen F. Austin, and the regional road is not empty. But this is still the number that best balances risk and payout. Auburn is the safer option, but Tulsa is the stronger futures buy.
Auburn is the cleanest conservative play because it already advanced and still owns the shortest route on paper. Tulsa, though, gives bettors the better value position with one win already secured and a much better return attached to the ticket.
NIT Tournament Winners
Recent NIT history matters because this event regularly produces credible programs with enough structure to handle a short postseason run. It is not just about brand name. Teams that settle in quickly and take advantage of the format can close these fields out.
| Year | Winner | Conference |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Seton Hall | Big East |
| 2023 | North Texas | Conference USA |
| 2022 | Xavier | Big East |
| 2021 | Memphis | American Athletic |
| 2019 | Texas | Big 12 |
| 2018 | Penn State | Big Ten |
| 2017 | TCU | Big 12 |
| 2016 | George Washington | Atlantic-10 |
| 2015 | Stanford | Pac-12 |
| 2014 | Minnesota | Big Ten |
That recent list shows a mix of power-conference and non-power winners, which is a useful reminder for this year’s board. Brand matters less than path, form, and whether the number still gives you room to be right.
