Betting Options For SEC Championship

SEC Conference Tournament

Making sense of College Basketball this season has been a bit of a challenge. There have been a ton of talented teams and there has been quite a bit of fluctuation in the top-25 rankings. I suppose we can say that about any year, but there really are only two teams that have been considered elite for the majority of the year, and one of them stumbled their way to the end of the season (more on that in a moment). With that being said, the SEC had the most competitive conference this year and this tournament should be wild. Who should we bet on to take it down?

Auburn +150 

For the majority of the season, Auburn was the top-ranked team in the nation. It was rightfully so that they carried that moniker, but over the past couple of weeks, we saw that they might not be as elite as we thought. Maybe that is taking it a step too far, but they did drop their last two games of the SEC play, g losing to Texas A&M on the road and then dropping in overtime to Alabama. They still have the #1 seed for the bracket, but I think we should be getting better value as there are at least four teams that could win this and more that could upset. I won't put a bet on Auburn, but I'd be more inclined to take them for the NCAA Tournament where they will still likely have a #1 seed. 

ATHENS, GEORGIA - JANUARY 18: Chad Baker-Mazara #10 of the Auburn Tigers dunks during the second half against the Georgia Bulldogs at Stegeman Coliseum on January 18, 2025 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Florida +270 

This is the team that I like the most to win the tournament. Florida has been outstanding this season and been able to somewhat fly under the radar. Their worst loss was against a Tennessee team that they embarrassed in their first matchup, so not all that shocking. Their best win was against the aforementioned Auburn team - one that Florida was on the road for and captured the win. They finished second in the standings and I think have a great shot and value at +270. Grab them. 

Alabama +425 

If you're looking for the team with the best scorer in the SEC, I think Mark Sears and Alabama have a really good argument. I don't love the team, and think they don't play enough defense, but we've already seen a ton of success from them last year in the NCAA Tournament, so they have more than enough experience. I like Alabama, but I do think it would be hard for them to win this. Perhaps the argument against both Florida and Alabama is their paths would eventually meet and that battle may wear them out for Auburn or whoever waits in the championship. 

Value - Texas A&M +2500, Kentucky +1900

I didn't put Tennessee in here because I think that while they are good, I also think they might be the most vulnerable. Texas A&M's odds are just a bit too high for me which is why I think we get value. It would be surprising to see them or Kentucky hoist the conference championship, but it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities.  I think they can beat Tennessee if they get there. They would also need to beat Auburn and someone else to win the championship though. Kentucky has a difficult path as well and really hasn't been consistent enough to warrant a bet, but at 19:1, I think they should have odds around 14:1, so there is value. 

I am taking Florida to win it, but I might put a quarter unit on Texas A&M and on Kentucky as I think both have some enticing numbers behind them. I'm sure you can find a breakdown on each team's justification for winning, but with the tournament starting, I wanted to give some perspective for a last minute bet. 

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