Here are the odds for Kentucky basketball, football to win titles on first day of sports betting
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When in-person sports betting comes to Kentucky on Thursday, UK fans will have the opportunity to immediately place several bets related to the Wildcats.
While a point spread for Kentucky football’s game against Eastern Kentucky has not yet been released (sportsbooks do not always release lines for games against FCS opponents), Caesars Sportsbook, which is partnering with Keeneland and Red Mile for in-person betting, has published odds for several other UK teams.
Here are five bets you could make related to the Wildcats this week.
Kentucky football to win national championship (+15000)
The Wildcats do claim the 1950 national championship, citing a Jeff Sagarin ranking released more than 40 years after Kentucky beat No. 1 Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl, but Kentucky has finished in the top 10 of the final Associated Press poll once since 1950. In the last year of the four-team playoff format, Kentucky would need an unprecedented season to even play for the national championship. If you’re optimistic, the good news is with games against Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama on the schedule it would be difficult for the playoff committee to ignore a UK team that reached the Southeastern Conference championship game without a loss.
Kentucky football to win the SEC championship (+6000)
UK is one of two teams to never win the the SEC East since the league split to two divisions in 1992. The Wildcats will need to make history then in the final season of the two division format for you to cash in on this bet. Kentucky has finished second in the East twice since 2018 but will almost certainly need to finally break through against No. 1 Georgia to reach the conference championship. Do that, and the Wildcats would still need to beat the West champion for this bet to cash in. Kentucky has yet to beat a West team away from Kroger Field in Mark Stoops’ tenure.
Kentucky football over 7.5 wins (+110)
After a season-opening victory over Ball State, the Wildcats need seven more regular season wins to win this bet. Assuming Kentucky takes care of business the next two weeks against Eastern Kentucky and Akron, Stoops’ team would need five wins from its eight SEC games and the Governor’s Cup rivalry against Louisville. Kentucky would be the favorite in four of those games if they were played today: at Vanderbilt, Florida, Missouri and at Louisville. UK is almost certain to be a substantial underdog in the road game at Georgia and home games against Tennessee and Alabama. Road games at Mississippi State and South Carolina could determine if Kentucky gets to eight regular season wins for the third time since 1984.
Kentucky basketball to win the 2024 national championship (+1200)
The Wildcats checked in at No. 17 in ESPN’s way-too-early 2023-24 ranking released in August, but Caesars has only one team with better odds to win the 2024 title (Kansas, +1100). That seems like a vote of confidence in John Calipari’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class. If you believe Calipari can rediscover the magic that had Kentucky reach four Final Fours and win one championship in his first six seasons with teams built around freshmen, this might be the bet for you. If you buy the theory that experience matters most in March, you probably want to look elsewhere.
Kentucky women’s basketball to win the 2024 national championship (+100000)
Nothing about the UK women’s basketball program’s history suggests the Wildcats will be a title contender this season, but considering a $10 bet would win you $10,000 if Kyra Elzy leads Kentucky to its first championship, you might as well try if you have any hope the Wildcats are being underrated after a 12-19 season.
This story was originally published September 6, 2023 at 6:30 AM.
