The SEC enters 2025-26 after a historic season in which it sent a record 14 teams to the NCAA Tournament. The league dominated the non-conference portion of the schedule, going a ridiculous 185-23. But most importantly, Florida capped off a dream season by bringing home the National Championship trophy to Gainesville.
While 14 tournament teams may never happen again, the SEC should remain squarely in contention for the nation’s best league. So, here's my SEC college basketball predictions and futures below.
Note: Odds are from bet365
2025-26 SEC Regular Season Title Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Florida | +290 |
| Kentucky | +700 |
| Arkansas | +700 |
| Auburn | +700 |
| Alabama | +700 |
| Tennessee | +800 |
| Texas | +1400 |
| Missouri | +1600 |
| Ole Miss | +2000 |
| Mississippi State | +2000 |
| Texas A&M | +2500 |
| Vanderbilt | +3000 |
| Oklahoma | +3000 |
| LSU | +5000 |
| South Carolina | +8000 |
| Georgia | +10000 |
SEC Favorites
Florida Gators (+260)
The Gators are the betting favorites to capture the conference crown, as they’re positioned right around +200 to +250 in the market.
Head coach Todd Golden’s roster features arguably the best frontcourt in the nation, with Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh as All-American candidates flanked by veterans Micah Handlogten and Rueben Chinyelu.
Florida’s ceiling will be determined by its new backcourt, featuring transfers Xaivian Lee (Princeton) and Boogie Fland (Arkansas).
The Gators’ offense should be a bona fide top-10 attack, and its defense should remain stout with its returning interior.
Kentucky Wildcats (+325)
The Wildcats spent a reported $22 million (seriously) on their roster this offseason, giving Mark Pope one of the deepest and most talented group of players in the country.
Perhaps the only reason Kentucky isn’t ahead of Florida in the market is the injury to star center Jayden Quaintance, an Arizona State transfer who’s without a definitive timetable to return.
But Kentucky has other weapons, including returning potential All-American Otega Oweh and a gaggle of transfers highlighted by Jaland Lowe, Denzel Aberdeen and Mouhamed Dioubate.
Pope runs some of the best offensive sets in the nation. Now he’ll just need the defensive end of the floor to pull its weight.
Pope has had one top-50 defense in his 10-year coaching career.
Arkansas Razorbacks (+750)
The Razorbacks are sitting around +500 in the market, the third shortest odds in the SEC.
John Calipari’s Hogs disappointed last season, limping to an 8-10 conference mark before an NCAA Tournament run made casuals forget about how ordinary they were all year.
Expect improvement in the second year under Coach Cal, though.
The Hogs have blue chip point guard Darius Acuff Jr. running the show and former top recruits D.J. Wagner and Karter Knox back in the fold.
Arkansas has plenty of talent on paper to win the SEC, but there are better bets to be made.
SEC Best Futures Bets
Kentucky Wildcats
Big Blue Nation at anything above +400 is worth a look. We recently saw a sneak preview of how good this squad could be in its exhibition contest win against No. 1 Purdue.
Tennessee Volunteers
You can find the Vols as high as +900 on the market, an intriguing price on a program that has finished in the KenPom top 10 for four straight seasons and is No. 9 heading into the year.
The Vols have one of the best point guards in the nation in Maryland transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie and a top-10 freshman in Nate Ament.
Rick Barnes’ defense has ranked inside the KenPom top five for five straight seasons, giving Tennessee a mega-high floor.
Best Value Bet
Vanderbilt Commodores
The Commodores are having a moment. Football and basketball are aligning for the usual SEC bottom feeder.
Vandy made an incredible hire bringing in Mark Byington last season, as he quickly ended the school’s seven-year NCAA Tournament drought.
Now the Commodores are looking to contend near the top of the conference. KenPom ranks Vandy as the SEC’s fourth-best team heading into the year, but markets have the ‘Dores around 30/1, the 12th-shortest odds in the conference at some sites.
That’s ridiculous.
SEC Player to Target for Props
Labaron Philon Jr. (Alabama)
Alabama’s point guard is in store for a career year. He not only will make the famous “freshman to sophomore leap,” but he also is the Tide’s undisputed alpha.
In Nate Oats’ system, a system that consistently plays at one of the fastest tempos in the country, Philon could put up video game numbers.
Targeting his points, assists and/or 3-point make overs could be good bets early in the season before books catch up with how truly special he is.
