2021 NCAA Tournament Elite 8 Tuesday betting trends: Bettors leaning favored Gonzaga, Michigan over USC, UCLA, respectively

Half of the 2021 NCAA Tournament's Final Four is set with second-seeded Houston in as the Midwest Region champion and top-seeded Baylor winning the South Region on Monday. The final two spots for Saturday's national semifinals in Indianapolis will be filled Tuesday night, and bettors at William Hill Sportsbook expect No. 1 Gonzaga to cover an 8.5-point spread against No. 6 USC in the West Region, and No. 1 Michigan to cover at -6.5 against No. 11 UCLA in the East.

Bettors won big at the book for Monday's two games as 84 percent of all money wagered on Oregon State-Houston was on the underdog Beavers at +7.5. OSU was a bit lucky to cover in the 67-61 loss thanks to a late meaningless three-pointer and then opting not to foul Houston in the final seconds. The Cougars became the first team to play four double-digit seeds to reach the Final Four.

Baylor has opened as a 5-point favorite vs. Houston. The Bears were also 7.5-point favorites on Monday vs. No. 3 Arkansas and won 81-72 to make bettors happy as 71 percent of all money wagered on that game was on Baylor giving the points. The Bears are in the Final Four for the first time in, ironically, 71 years. Baylor is +250 to win the tournament and Houston +450.

Unbeaten and tournament favorite Gonzaga is an 8.5-point favorite over Southern Cal as that spread has dropped a half-point from its opening despite 65 percent of all money wagered and 65 percent of all tickets sold on that game on the Zags. They have won an NCAA Division I record 26 straight games by double digits and remain +130 favorites to win their first national title.

Michigan opened as high as -7.5 vs. UCLA but is down to -6.5 despite taking 70 percent of all money wagered and 65 percent of all tickets sold on the spread. The Wolverines are +600 fourth favorites to win it all because they are stuck in the same half of the potential Final Four with Gonzaga. Michigan is the only school located east of the Mississippi River still playing. 

USC (+1600) and UCLA (+3000) are in the Elite Eight in the same season for the first time and could stage an all-Los Angeles Final Four. William Hill offers a yes-only prop at +1800 (maximum bet of $100) that both Pac-12 schools pull upsets Tuesday.

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