Florida Atlantic guard Johnell Davis, right, responds after taking the ball from Kansas State forward Ismael Massoud (25) as time ended in an Elite 8 college basketball video game in the NCAA Tournament's East Region final, Saturday, March 25, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)San Diego State head coach Brian Dutcher holds the remains of the web and is raised in the air by his team after a Elite 8 college basketball video game between Creighton and San Diego State in the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Sunday, March 26, 2023, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)San Diego State forward Keshad Johnson (0) heads to the basket versus Creighton guard Baylor Scheierman (55) in the 2nd half of a Elite 8 college basketball video game in the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Sunday, March 26, 2023, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)San Diego State guard Matt Bradley (20) and Creighton guard Baylor Scheierman (55) vie for a loose ball in the 2nd half of a Elite 8 college basketball game in the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Sunday, March 26, 2023, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)San Diego State guard Matt Bradley tosses paper after a Elite 8 college basketball video game between Creighton and San Diego State, in the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Sunday, March 26, 2023, in Louisville, Ky.
The Final Four semifinals will be played on April Fools' Day. But this is no joke: For the first time since seeding started in 1979, no group seeded better than No. 4 has actually made the Final Four.

The nationwide semifinals will include a No. 9 seed in Florida Atlantic, two 5s in San Diego State and Miami and a 4 in Connecticut, the only blue blood in the quartet with four championship games.

" Who would have thunk FAU would get in there?" Caesars Sportsbook assistant director of trading Adam Pullen said.

Several wagerers took fliers on the Owls at long shots, consisting of one at the Westgate SuperBook who bet $500 to win $200,000 on them to make the Final Four at 400-1.

They cashed their ticket after Florida Atlantic upset Tennessee as a 4½½ -point underdog Thursday in the Sweet 16 and knocked off Kansas State as a 1½½ -point' canine Saturday in the Elite Eight.

The 35-3 Owls were as high as 2,500-1 this season at Caesars to win the national title, and Pullen said the book took numerous wagers at those odds.

" Sometimes it's a good idea to take a stab at a few of those long shots," he stated. "A lot of people think you're simply tossing your money away. But certainly that's not the case.

" Finding those long shots is just a fish story. FAU showed me wrong. They showed everyone incorrect."

San Diego State, which was as high as 125-1, ousted leading total seed Alabama in the Sweet 16 as 7½½ -point 'pets. The Aztecs (+2 ½) edged Creighton 57-56 on a totally free throw with 1.2 seconds left Sunday to become the very first Mountain West conference group to reach the Final Four.

San Diego State is favored by 1½ ½ over Florida Atlantic in Saturday's very first semifinal.

" San Diego State and Florida Atlantic doesn't truly seem like a Final Four video game to me," SuperBook director John Murray said. "All four teams are playing truly well right now, but I do not know if the matches will bring in casual bettors as much as the majority of Final Fours.

" But this is type of how college basketball is going to be now with the transfer portal and the one-and-done format."

Miami, which was as high as 250-1 to win the nationwide title, removed No. 1 seed Houston as a 7½½ -point underdog Thursday and erased a 13-point second-half deficit to Texas on Sunday in an 88-81 win as 3½½ -point

' dogs. Connecticut squashed Gonzaga 82-54 on Saturday and has won all four NCAA Tournament games by a minimum of 15 points while going 4-0 ATS.

The Huskies, who were as high as 60-1 this season, are the -120 favorites to win the nationwide title. They're preferred by 5½ ½ over Miami after the line opened at 5.

" They definitely appear like the class of the field right now," Murray said. "But if you had actually asked me going into the weekend who the two best teams were, I would've stated Houston and Alabama, and they both went out Friday night."

Miami is the biggest liability at the Westgate, which is on the hook for 6 figures if the Hurricanes win the title.

Station Casinos does effectively with San Diego State and Florida Atlantic futures and remains in decent shape with Miami and UConn. Caesars likewise remains in a great area on all 4 groups after Houston furniture shopkeeper Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale lost a $1 million bet at the book on the Cougars to win the title.

Mixed bag for books

The Westgate took a hit Saturday with Florida Atlantic advancing to the Final Four, and gamblers likewise dealt the SuperBook and Caesars a big loss on Connecticut's blowout of Gonzaga.

However the books had a strong four-day stretch total Thursday through Sunday, as underdogs went 7-5 ATS with 7 outright wins.

" In Miami's last two video games, it knocked out Houston and Texas. At any time a No. 1 and No. 2 seed goes down, it's generally good for our side of the counter," Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said.

Overs went 8-4 and are on a 14-6 pursue unders began the competition 33-11.

" We actually required to keep the San Diego State-Creighton video game under," Esposito said.

The game stayed way under the overall of 134½½, as the Aztecs extended their under streak to 12-0.

Last Man Standing

The Last Man Standing college basketball removal contest at Station Casinos is down to 8 entrants from a beginning field of 2,525. The prize for the $25 entry contest is $51,000.

Contact press reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.