Are you placing an all-out wager on Kentucky basketball? Two bookmakers hope that doesn’t occur.

For the passionate supporters of Kentucky basketball, the team’s eighth national title would be a dream come true. Additionally, it would be the greatest nightmare for the biggest two bookmakers in America.
The biggest weakness for DraftKings and BetMGM is the Wildcats. With these numbers as of Monday, the UK is leading the nation at BetMGM in terms of ticket percentage (the percentage of total bets) at 11.6 and handling percentage (the percentage of total money) at 13.0, just behind the reigning national champion UConn (14.6%). With 18% of tickets and 24% of the handle at DraftKings as of this week’s start, Kentucky leads the country in both categories.

It is hardly surprising that such figures are significantly higher in the Bluegrass State. At BetMGM, almost 70% of wagers placed inside the state of Kentucky—or 75% of all wagers—are placed on the Wildcats to win the whole pot. At DraftKings, the percentages are considerably higher: In Kentucky, 75% of wagers, or 81% of the total, are on coach John Calipari’s squad to win the NCAA Tournament in 2024.

According to Steve Bittenbender, there is still value to be discovered on the UK despite the volume of bets made there.
Writer and analyst for BetKentucky.com Bittenbender stated, “For a futures market — where they’re winning the national title — I would recommend that for anyone.” However, I would advise them to act rationally. The odds in Kentucky might be quite profitable, depending on the sportsbook you visit.One of the best things about futures odds is that they are available to you as soon as they are determined. You are thus committed to those 30-1 odds for the duration of the season if you enter and accept the wager at that price. If Kentucky wins this year, it will result in a great, substantial payout for the bettors should they cut the nets in April.”
Bittenbender acknowledges that it’s “tough to judge” the Wildcats as a betting team because of the high level of squad change they typically see each season.
“However, you also need to consider the people Kentucky attracts. They consistently bring in a high class of candidates, he said. “Players at the bottom of the top 50 or something like are not what you’re looking for. The elite of the elite is what you are seeing. Thus, that is rather helpful.
The Wildcats’ chances of winning the national title range from 22-1 at BetMGM and DraftKings to 35-1 at FanDuel, but Bittenbender has a theory: he thinks their chances “probably are a little shorter” than those of a club with a comparable profile every year.
“Just because of the backing that they have, anyone who’s a Kentucky fan is probably going to bet on Kentucky to win the national title — especially here in Kentucky,” he said. “I believe that very few people do not believe that Kentucky is a consistent national contender. This might have an impact on a sportsbook that decides to drop a player from a 20-1 shot to a 15-1 chance in order to lessen their liabilities.
After delving further into betting on certain UK games, Bittenbender emphasized what is perhaps the team’s most distinctive feature: its explosive offensive. The Wildcats are third in Division I with an average of about 90 points per game. Bittenbender said that when Kentucky hits the floor, “the over always is in play” as a result.
He did, however, advise the UK supporters “who live and die with each loss” to inhale deeply.
Await the arrival of calmer heads before making a wager.
“If you go on (X, the platform formerly known as) Twitter to post, ‘Fire Calipari’ or something like that, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that you bet on Kentucky,” he said. “But if you’re able to withstand the losses and understand that’s how a season goes, then I would have no problem saying, ‘OK, go ahead and bet on your team to win.’”

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