Kentucky basketball has the fifth-best odds to win the NCAA championship

With (legal) sports gambling in Kentucky right around the corner, there is no doubt some folks new to the phenomenon will be tempted to shake a few coins out of their piggy bank and place a wager on the Wildcats.

Now that the hype around this year’s team has dramatically shifted and could continue to accelerate if the ‘Cats land the recruitment of 7-foot-2-inch Croatian unicorn, Zvonimir Ivisic, that excitement will only continue to mount.

There is no doubt a few bucks will be placed on Kentucky winning the national championship, something that, collectively, they have the fifth-best odds of winning.

While Las Vegas is incredibly accurate at setting lines for individual games, future bets (like who will win a given championship) are often shaped by the bettors, meaning popularity often trumps merit. This might be evident by the fact that Kentucky is in the middle of the way-too-early top 25 polls, yet top-five when it comes to odds to win it all.

Kansas, Duke, Michigan State, and Purdue are the teams with average odds better than Kentucky, however Houston, and defending champion UConn have similar or better odds depending on the book. Arkansas, Arizona, and Marquette round out the top 10.

Fanduel gives you the best return on your dollar with 20-1 odds, while Draft Kings is offering a mere 14-1 payout if the ‘Cats cut down the nets in Phoenix in 2024.

Traditionally, future bets like this aren’t the best ways to make money, but if nothing else, they are fun to follow. If you do choose to break open the piggy bank, gamble responsibly.