UCLA Bruins NCAA Basketball Betting
UCLA has made 52 March Madness appearances and reached the Final Four 19 times—most recently in 2021. That makes the Bruins one of the most prolific programs in college basketball history.
A rabid fan base that extends from the team’s Southern California home all across the country should make the UCLA basketball team big betting favorites if legal and regulated California sports betting arrives. For now, the Bruins are a popular option for Golden State residents using social sportsbooks and DFS sites.
Below, learn how to make picks on UCLA basketball, including today’s Bruins game lines, Final Four and NCAA Championship odds and much more.
How to make picks for UCLA basketball games
With no legal sports betting in California, residents can scratch the itch by using a social sportsbook or DFS platform. These are legal options, as no real money is involved. Social sportsbooks may have a similar feel to a traditional sportsbook, but customers are not wagering their own money. DFS platforms typically allow you to pick “more” or “less” for a specific player or team with prop-style selections.
For Californians who don’t wish to leave the state to place a legal bet in one of the surrounding states, this is the best option.
Where to bet on UCLA games outside of California
You cannot place a bet on UCLA while physically in California. That state has not legalized sports betting, and it doesn’t appear as though that change is coming soon. Sportsbooks’ geolocation services make it so your apps will not let you place bets inside the Golden State. One option residents have, though, is to travel to one of California’s three neighboring states.
Nevada, Arizona, and Oregon all have sports betting that’s fully legal and regulated. While in-person registration is required in Nevada, you can download and install Arizona and Oregon sports betting apps here in California.
You can also sign up for an account, make a deposit and you’ll be ready to place a bet as soon as you step across the state line. For example, here’s how to do that at DraftKings Sportsbook, which is available in both states:
- Go to the DraftKings Sportsbook website and pick either the Arizona or Oregon link;
- Download and install the DraftKings app through the download link on the page;
- Enter all required information on the registration form and accept all terms and conditions;
- Deposit into your account using credit or debit cards, online banking info or payment processors like PayPal;
- Look around the UCLA betting markets, but don’t forget you won’t be able to place college basketball bets until you leave California.
What a UCLA basketball game line would look like
Let’s say you cross over to Ariona before UCLA tips off against USC. A typical set of UCLA/USC grudge-match lines might look like this:
| Moneyline | Spread | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | -340 | -6.5 (-110) | Over 136.5 (-110) |
| USC | +260 | +6.5 (-110) | Under 136.5 (-110) |
DraftKings might have the moneyline you see here. Betting the Bruins’ -340 moneyline means laying $340 to win $100 (plus your bet back). In the meantime, betting on USC as +260 underdogs mean laying $100 to win $260 (plus your bet back). Either way, you’re betting on a straight-up win.
Then, the BetMGM app might show the spread line you see here. Betting on the UCLA spread means picking them to win by seven or more. Going the other way, USC needs to win outright or lose by fewer than seven points. The odds at -110 means winners get paid $100, plus their bet back, for every $110 wagered.
Finally, FanDuel Sportsbook might post the totals line you see here. Betting the over means predicting 137 total points or more will be scored. Betting the under means predicting 136 total points or fewer will be scored. Once again, the odds at -110 means winners get paid $100, plus their bet back, for every $110 wagered.
UCLA basketball live betting
California sports betting apps should bring live NCAA basketball betting with them, if the industry is ever legalized here. That means you’ll be able to bet on Bruins games in the middle of the action at odds that constantly shift.
For example, DraftKings might have UCLA as -200 moneyline favorites over Arizona prior to a game. But if the Bruins take a big lead early, the live odds will balloon to -400. If you believe the Bruins will maintain that lead, bet those new odds quickly. They’ll get less and less favorable as UCLA runs away with the contest.
Until sports betting is legalized in California, your best option for making these sort of selections is to make live picks using DFS apps and social sportsbooks. Similarly to live betting, a DFS platform or social sportsbook might have different amounts for a certain player or teams “more” or “less” statistical category depending on how the game flows.
Where do the UCLA Bruins play?
- Arena: Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion (Pauley Pavilion)
- Address: 301 Westwood Plaza
- Location: Los Angeles, California
- Owner: The Regents of the University of California
- Operator: UCLA
- Basketball Capacity: 13,800
- Record attendance: 13,727 set on March 2, 2013, vs. Arizona Wildcats
- Open Since: 1965
- Construction cost: $5 million
- Renovation: $136 million renovation in 2012
UCLA March Madness history
UCLA has appeared in 52 NCAA tournaments. The Bruins have made 19 Final Fours and won it all an NCAA record 11 times.
That said, 10 of the wins came under coach John Wooden in the 1960s and 1970s. The Bruins won seven consecutive championships from 1967 through 1973 but have managed just one in the modern era since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. That was the school’s 11th title in 1995.
Still, the Bruins have appeared in 29 tournaments since 1985, making five Final Fours, seven Elite Eights and 17 Sweet Sixteens.
The Bruins went to three consecutive Final Fours from 2006 to 2008 and got there again in 2021. Before moving to the Big Ten Conference in 2024, UCLA won four Pac-12 Conference Tournaments post-1985.
UCLA players in the NBA
UCLA has produced some of the greatest players in NBA history, including legends like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Reggie Miller. The list of former Bruins in the NBA today includes:
- Russell Westbrook – Lakers
- Jrue Holiday – Bucks
- Zach LaVine – Bulls
- Kyle Anderson – Grizzlies
- Lonzo Ball – Bulls
- Moses Brown – Cavaliers
- Aaron Holiday – Suns
- Kevon Looney – Warriors
- Kevin Love – Cavaliers
- Norman Powell – Clippers
- Adem Bona – 76ers
- Jaylen Clark – Timberwolves
- Jaime Jaquez Jr. – Heat
- Johnny Juzang – Jazz
- Peyton Watson – Nuggets
- Amari Bailey – Hornets
UCLA coaching staff
The UCLA men’s basketball coaching staff features:
- Mick Cronin – Head Basketball Coach
- Darren Savino – Associate Head Coach
- Rod Palmer – Assistant Coach
- Nate Georgeton – Assistant Coach
- Nemanja Jovanovic – Assistant Coach
- Brendyn Taylor – Assistant Coach
UCLA basketball all-time leaders
Here’s a look at some UCLA basketball career stat leaders:
- Points Per Game: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 29.0 (1966-67)
- Rebounds Per Game: Bill Walton – 16.9 (1972-73)
- Assists Per Game: Pooh Richardson – 7.6 (1988-89)
- Blocks Per Game: Jelani McCoy – 3.3 (1995-96)
- 3-Point Field Goal Percentage: Jason Kapono – 45.7 (2000-01)
- Minutes Played Per Game: Reggie Miller – 38.3 (1985-86)
How to watch UCLA basketball in California
UCLA games air on TV stations including the Big Ten Network, Peacock, TBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, CBS, and FS1.
Related Pages:
UCLA basketball FAQ
Tickets for UCLA basketball games inside Pauley Pavilion can cost you more than $400 on the high end, or even as low as less than $15, depending on the game.
UCLA has won a record 11 national titles. The Bruins just joined the Big Ten in 2024 and have not won a conference title yet.
Before moving to the Big Ten, the Bruins resided in the PAC-12 Conference. They won the PAC-12 Tournament four times, most recently in 2014.
UCLA Bruins men’s basketball retired numbers include:
- 11 – Don Barksdale
- 25 – Gail Goodrich
- 31 – Ed O’Bannon
- 31 – Reggie Miller
- 32 – Bill Walton
- 33 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- 35 – Sidney Wicks
- 42 – Walt Hazzard
- 52 – Jamaal Wilkes
- 54 – Marques Johnson
“Hail to the Hills of Westwood” is the UCLA fight song. Joe Bruin the bear is the team mascot.
“Bruin” is another name for a bear, particularly a brown bear. UCLA used different bear-related nicknames for its sports teams until settling on “Bruins” in 1928.