The Kentucky Wildcats, recently the greatest powerhouse in college basketball, are looking to rebuild that reputation this season, but it will be an uphill climb. Coach John Calipari has put together a young team that sits at No. 16 in the AP Top 25 preseason rankings.
Today, we’re digging into the Kentucky Wildcats Basketball futures odds and a full season preview — seeing who’s putting money on the Wildcats and where to make the best bets on a rising team.
The top Kentucky online sportsbooks already have odds out for NCAA Basketball, with futures odds for conference titles, total conference wins, Final Four, and the National Championship.
Best Kentucky Sports Betting Bonuses
Planning to wager on college basketball? Here are some of the best Kentucky sports betting bonuses across the top Kentucky sportsbooks right now:
Kentucky Wildcats Best Bets and Futures Odds
The SEC is a strong conference this year, with four teams (Kentucky, Alabama, Auburn, and Tennessee) that have been ranked No. 1 at some point in the last five seasons. The conference has 61 NBA draft picks since 2018 and 92 alumni on NBA opening-night rosters.
But, despite all that investment, the last time an SEC team won the title was when Kentucky took it in 2012. That 12-season drought looms large. For the Wildcats, this is a season to test their mettle and build on young talent.
Coach Calipari spent two years working with older players who were mostly transfers. But this year, he’s back to eight freshmen, two sophomores, no juniors, and only two seniors. Of course, his freshmen are the best nationally.
We’ll see if Calipari can remake the magic of Kentucky’s dominant streak of over a decade ago. Here’s how oddsmakers are sorting out the Wildcats against the competition.
Kentucky’s Odds to Make it to the Final Four
Kentucky falls near the top for Final Four potentials with +475 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook, behind just Kansas, Duke, and Purdue.
FanDuel Sportsbook has them ranked lower, tied with Marquette, Connecticut, Arizona, Tennessee, and Creighton behind five other teams. But that means we like the odds on FanDuel for this one. They’re longer at +600, so you’ll get more bang for your buck.
Kentucky’s Odds to Win the SEC Title
Kentucky has a better shot of winning the SEC Title. Their main competitors are the No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers, No. 14 Arkansas Razorbacks, No. 15 Texas A&M Aggies, No. 24 Alabama Crimson Tide. Auburn, Mississippi State, Missouri, and Florida also received votes.
If you want to bet on Kentucky to win the SEC, the longest odds and best payout right now are on FanDuel and BetMGM at 60-to-1 (+600).
Kentucky National Championship Odds
The Wildcats are a much longer shot to win the College Football National Championship with a range of odds between +1200 on Caesars Sportsbook to +2000 on FanDuel. We’re not putting our money on it, but now is the time to do it if you’re planning to take this wager.
Kentucky Basketball: Biggest Games of the Season
The Wildcats tip off their first game of the season on Monday, Nov. 6, against New Mexico State. But, of course, not every game is created equal. Here are the top matchups to keep an eye on as a sports fan and a sports bettor.
- vs. No. 1 Kansas (Nov. 14)
- vs. No. 13 Miami (Nov. 28)
- vs. No. 19 North Carolina (Dec. 16)
- @ Louisville (Dec. 21)
- @ Florida (Jan. 6)
- @ No. 14 Arkansas (Jan. 27)
- vs. No. 9 Tennessee (Feb. 3)
- vs. No. 11 Gonzaga (Feb. 10)
- vs. No. 24 Alabama (Feb. 24)
- vs. No. 14 Arkansas (Mar. 2)
- @ No. 9 Tennessee (Mar. 9)
