The SEC has been the best conference in college basketball this season and it shows when you look at the odds for their conference tournament. The team with the sixth-best odds, Alabama (+1500) is also +6000 to win the national title. The top 6 teams in the conference are all inside of the top 22 in the current KenPom rankings, and the top 3 teams are all in the top 7 in defensive efficiency in the country.
Looking closer at the national title odds, Kentucky, Auburn, and Tennessee are all in the top 5, and none of those three were our best bet for the SEC Tournament. What a year for this conference! Before we jump into our favorite bets for the SEC tourney, here is a look at the current odds for every team:
Latest Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook
SEC Team | Tournament Odds |
---|---|
Kentucky | +190 |
Auburn | +260 |
Tennessee | +330 |
Arkansas | +750 |
LSU | +1000 |
Alabama | +1500 |
Florida | +4000 |
SEC Team | Tournament Odds |
---|---|
Mississippi State | +5000 |
Texas A&M | +7000 |
Vanderbilt | +1000 |
Ole Miss | +25000 |
Missouri | +50000 |
Georgia | +50000 |
As is the case for the Big 10 tournament, it is really hard to make an argument for betting on any of the top 3 teams in the SEC. There are too many true contenders here to place a +190 - +330 futures bet.
There is also a depth issue in the SEC. Unlike the Big 10, which has 9 teams that could legitimately make a run and win the tournament, the bottom half of the SEC has no chance here. All of these teams were well below .500 in the conference and had miserable road records this season.
This turns the attention of this article to Tennessee, Auburn, LSU, Alabama, and Florida. Here are our best bets for the SEC tournament:
Best Available Odds: +750 at DraftKings
The Hogs are, in my opinion, the most underrated team in the country. Over their last 16 games, in the toughest conference in the country, they have just 2 losses. Those losses, by 1 Alabama on the road and by 2 to #1 Tennessee on the road. They have wins over teams that were at the time; 16th, 12th, 6th, and 1st in the country. They are 40th in defensive efficiency and 16th in offensive efficiency, and in conference play, they are the top defense.
Best Available Odds: +6000 at FanDuel
The Gators are currently on the outside looking in for the big dance. Lunardi has them as the next 4 out, so they will need to get to the SEC finals to have a shot at moving into the NCAA Tournament and obviously winning the SEC tourney would also grant them a bid. They've already proved capable of beating Auburn, so anyone they face is beatable for the Gators.
Bill Christy is a seasoned bettor who operates his own handicapping business. He provides in-depth analysis and identifies edges across several sports at EatWatchBet, including the NFL, NBA, CBB, and UFC. Follow Bill on Twitter at @LarrysLocks2