Duke vs UNC Best Odds: Who Is Favored To Win?
In their last matchup on March 14, Duke was favored against UNC and came away with a narrow three-point win, falling short of the 6.5-point spread projected by FanDuel North Carolina.
It’s still too early for this year’s odds, but I’ll be watching closely for updates.
| 📈 Spread | Duke -6.5 |
| 💰 Moneyline | Duke -325 |
| 📊 Total | O/U 157.5 |
| ✅ Last Verified | December 22, 2025 |
In their last ten meetings, Duke has won six while North Carolina has won four. The most recent game saw Duke defeat UNC 70–65 in the 2025 ACC Tournament semifinals. North Carolina’s wins in that span include a March Madness March Madness victory over Duke in the 2022 Final Four, which sent the Tar Heels to the National Championship game.
🔥 MORE: NC Sports Betting Bonus
UNC vs Duke: Consider This Before Making Your Picks
Before you place a wager on the UNC vs Duke odd this season, take a look at the most important notes from our expert research. 👇
- Recent Matchup History: Duke won the last matchup against UNC on March 14, with a score of 74-71. Duke is currently on a three-game winning streak against UNC.
- Overall History: Looking at games dating back to January 27, 1999, Duke has a winning record against UNC with 38 wins and 24 losses.
- Home and Away Records: UNC's home record against Duke is 12 wins and 17 losses, while their away record is 10 wins and 18 losses.
- 2024-25 Season Schedule: Duke dominated UNC last season, sweeping the Tar Hills in two games and then beating them again in the ACC Tournament.
Analyzing this information can help you make informed predictions for the upcoming UNC vs Duke games.
📲 MORE: BetMGM North Carolina Bonus Code
UNC vs Duke Spread
With odds not yet available for the next Duke vs. UNC game, we will take a look at last year’s matchup lines. The UNC vs Duke spread was 6.5 points in favor of the Blue Devils, but Duke narrowly won 74–71. If their current form continues, Duke could enter their upcoming February matchup with an even larger point spread in their favor.
UNC vs Duke Moneyline
The moneyline for Duke vs UNC was -350 in favor of the Blue Devils based on how their seasons were going. Duke got the victory, and with them ranked No. 3 early in the season compared to UNC’s No. 16 ranking, we expect the moneyline to favor Duke again.
Duke/Carolina Prop Bets
Game props for Duke-UNC are not available yet atDraftKings North Carolina, but here are the props from last year:
| 🏀 Race to 15 Pts (1st Half) | UNC +125, Duke -170 |
| 🏀 Race to 20 Pts (1st Half) | UNC +145, Duke -195 |
| 🏀 Largest Comeback (5+) | -115 |
| 🏀 Largest Comeback (10+) | +425 |
| 🏀 Largest Lead (20 Or More) | +9000 |
| ✅ Last Verified | December 22, 2025 |
Prop bets are wagers you can make on an individual player or an individual market for one team. You can bet on prop odds for points, rebounds or assists for certain players, and you can also be on team totals and team stats, as well.
Duke vs UNC Predictions
UNC has shown balance and depth, highlighted by wins over top-ranked opponents, sitting at 11-1 and ranked in the top 15–20 nationally. Meanwhile, Duke has also started 11-1 with statement victories over the nation’s best, currently ranked No. 3.
📲 MORE: DraftKings NC Promo Code
Duke Predictions: Chances To Win vs UNC
The Duke vs North Carolina rivalry is one of college basketball’s most intense, producing thrilling, hard-fought contests year after year. While upsets are always possible and rankings don’t guarantee outcomes, Duke’s performance last season, and their strong start this year, suggests they may have the edge heading into this year’s matchups.
How The Blue Devils Beat The Tar Heels
- 📈 Strengths: Defense. Duke ranks at the top in two-point defense and overall efficiency,
- 📉 Weaknesses: Turnovers. Free-throw percentage and turnover rate remain areas needing improvement.
Duke has many advantages this season, most notably their elite defense.
In previous matchups, Duke has capitalized on UNC’s turnovers, converting them into quick scoring opportunities and gaining early momentum. Depth is another key strength, with bench players providing meaningful minutes to keep the offense flowing while allowing starters to stay fresh and avoid foul trouble.
Duke’s strengths include elite two-point defense, a balanced attack led by Caleb Foster and freshman Cameron Boozer, and sharp coaching from Jon Scheyer. The Blue Devils excel at turning stops into fast-break points, forcing turnovers, and integrating key returners with top freshmen, keeping them ranked No. 2 or No. 3 nationally. However, weaknesses remain, including guard scoring against strong defenses, as well as the team’s free-throw percentage and turnover rate.
We’ll have a clearer picture of how these two teams match up as the season progresses.
🏀 MORE: Duke Odds for 2026
UNC Predictions: Chances To Win vs Duke
After losing all three matchups to Duke last season, North Carolina enters 2026 with something to prove. To remain competitive, the Tar Heels must improve offensive consistency and find ways to create cleaner looks against Duke’s pressure defense. While Duke is favored early, the atmosphere at Chapel Hill or Durham can play a major role.
How The Tar Heels Beat The Blue Devils
- 📈 Strengths: Depth. UNC has depth across its roster, with nine to ten players capable of contributing and hitting shots from all areas.
- 📉 Weaknesses: Inconsistent offense. UNC has struggled with efficient three-point and free-throw shooting, limiting their offensive consistency.
UNC has overhauled its roster with a mix of transfers and freshmen, and how quickly this new group gels will shape the team’s ceiling.
The Tar Heels look noticeably stronger in the frontcourt this season, led by Caleb Wilson, Seth Trimble, and Henri Veesaar, providing more size, versatility, and rebounding ability than a year ago. Combined with strong three-point shooting from multiple players, UNC boasts depth and balance that make them a serious ACC contender. Excelling in the paint with tough interior defense and improved height and length, the Tar Heels are also elite at defending two-point shots.
However, they still struggle with consistent offense and playmaking. UNC needs its key players to establish offensive rhythm, particularly from deep and at the free-throw line, while solidifying guard play to match their improved size and defensive potential.
🏀 MORE: UNC Odds for 2025
History of Carolina-Duke Games
Since 1999, the Blue Devils have a record of 38–24 against the Tar Heels and a surprising 17–12 mark in Chapel Hill. North Carolina was the underdog in every game last season, and we expect they will be the underdog again this year.
Over the last several games, the point total for this matchup has remained flat. Last season, the total went under in all three meetings.
All-Time Record: Carolina vs Duke
North Carolina leads the all-time series 145-120. By the rivalry’s 100th anniversary in 2020, UNC and Duke were dead even across their last 100 meetings, with each side putting up the exact same total: 7,746 points.
All-Time Best Duke vs UNC Games
Duke vs UNC is not just one of the strongest rivalries in college basketball, but in all of sports. It's hosted some of the NCAA greats (Mike Krzyzewski, Dean Smith, Roy Williams, Michael Jordan, Christian Laettner) and turned others into household names (Zion Williamson, Tyler Hansbrough, JJ Redick, Grayson Allen).
Narrowing down their top games is a challenge with over 250 all-time matchups, but I'll give it my best shot.
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Duke 77, UNC 75 in ACC Tournament (March 10, 1984) Duke upset No. 1-ranked UNC, led by future Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, after going 1-8 against the Tar Heels in the previous four seasons. You could argue this game kicked off the Duke-UNC rivalry we know today. -
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UNC 81, Duke 77 in Final Four (April 2, 2022) The Tar Heels sent legendary Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski into retirement in the first ever Final Four meeting between these two teams. -
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Duke 77, UNC 75 (Feb. 28, 1998) A matchup between top-3 teams, No. 1 Duke beat UNC on a buzzer beater from Roshown McLeod. Both teams would go on to advance far in March Madness that season. -
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UNC 96, Duke 92 in OT (March 2, 1974) Sports Illustrated calls this game the "gold standard for miracle comebacks in college basketball." UNC rallied to send this game to overtime with just 17 seconds left in regulation.
Duke-UNC Odds FAQ
In their last matchup, Duke was favored in the Duke–UNC game by 6.5 points at FanDuel Sportsbook. The ESPN Matchup Predictor gave Duke a 76.5% chance of beating UNC in Chapel Hill on March 14. Duke won the matchup 71–74.
This season, the rivalry kicks off with the first matchup on February 7 at UNC, where the Tar Heels will look to defend home court. The highly anticipated return game is set for March 7 at Duke. Duke went 3-0 last season against UNC.
The UNC Tar Heels are 145-120 all time vs the Duke Blue Devils. The two ACC arch rivals have faced off 265 times as of 2025. That means North Carolina has a .547 all-time win percentage vs Duke.
UNC won the first basketball game in its rivalry vs Duke. The game took place on January 24, 1920, at then-Trinity College, and these two teams have gone on to face each other at least twice a year for over 100 years.
Author
Robert B. Hayek has been writing about sports for over a decade and is currently a member of the Gambling.com Group team. In his spare time, he runs the largest sports meetup group in Orange County, CA, actively participating in every sport imaginable. He is also a published author of five thriller novels, all available on Amazon.
