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Kentucky enters Mark Pope’s third season with a rebuilt roster, the best shooter in college basketball and plenty of pressure to finally make a March run.
That shooter is Milan Momcilovic. The Iowa State transfer knocked down 48.7% of his 3-pointers last season, the best in the country, and he picked Kentucky over Louisville and Arizona in early June. His commitment came days after center Malachi Moreno pulled out of the NBA Draft, and that one-week stretch completely changed how this offseason felt in Lexington.
Pope needed both of them. Last season’s roster was one of the most expensive in the sport, and it still went 22-14 with a 10-8 mark in the SEC. The Wildcats survived Santa Clara in overtime in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, then Iowa State ran them off the floor, 82-63.
Kentucky also hasn’t reached the Elite Eight since 2019, the longest drought between Elite Eight trips in program history. That’s not a stat anyone in Big Blue Nation wants to hear.
The good news is that this roster looks more balanced. Washington transfer Zoom Diallo and Furman transfer Alex Wilkins give Pope two guards who can create, something last year’s team badly lacked. Kam Williams is back, too, and international big man Ousmane N’Diaye arrives after playing in Italy’s top league.
Still, nobody is handing Kentucky anything in the SEC. The Wildcats were picked seventh in the league’s preseason media poll, and the betting market has them well behind Florida, Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee.
We break down our best bets for the Wildcats in 2026-27, including their win total, futures and whether Momcilovic is worth a Wooden Award long shot. Plus, new users can bet $10 on college basketball futures and get $200 in Bonus Bets win or lose at bet365 Sportsbook.
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Kentucky Wildcats odds for the 2026-27 season
Where to bet on the Kentucky Wildcats
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Kentucky SEC win total prediction
Last season’s Kentucky team won just four true road games, and that’s the number that matters most for this bet. The Wildcats finished 10-8 in SEC play, which would’ve been a push-proof win on this line, but they needed to go nearly unbeaten at Rupp Arena to get there.
This year’s group has the tools to travel better, starting with Zoom Diallo. He averaged 15.7 points and 4.5 assists at Washington, and he’s a physical, downhill guard who can get into the paint when a possession goes sideways. Pope didn’t have that last season, and it showed in many of the close road losses.
The home schedule should do plenty of the heavy lifting. Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas and Auburn all have to come to Lexington, and LSU, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss round out the Rupp slate. Kentucky should be favored in most of those games, and stealing even a couple of the big ones puts the over in great shape.
It’s the road trips that will keep this from being a comfortable sweat. Kentucky opens league play at Oklahoma on Jan. 2, then has to visit Missouri, Mississippi State, Texas, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Georgia and Vanderbilt before closing at Florida on March 6. Missouri also beat them at Rupp last January, which was part of an 0-2 start to SEC play, so this team can’t afford to sleepwalk early.
The juice is my biggest hesitation. Laying -150 on a team that finished right at this number a year ago isn’t ideal. Still, I trust this roster more than last year’s, and I think Kentucky finishes comfortably above .500 in conference play.
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Kentucky best futures bets for 2026-27
At +850, the market is treating Kentucky like a top-15 team. The SEC media picked them seventh in their own league, and I’m much closer to that view.
The roster has talent. Alex Wilkins averaged 17.8 points and 4.7 assists as a freshman at Furman and scored 21 on UConn in the NCAA Tournament, so he won’t be rattled in a big game. Malachi Moreno made the All-SEC Freshman Team after shooting 58.2% from the field, and he should get easier looks with better guards around him.
I just don’t think this team is as talented as their price may suggest. Wilkins shot just 32.8% from three at Furman, and he’s jumping from the SoCon to the SEC. Diallo and Momcilovic are both new, too, and Pope is counting on three transfers to become a cohesive core in one season.
It’s a tough price to get behind.
Florida is the clear favorite at +110, and for good reason. The Gators bring back most of a championship core, and Kentucky has to play them in Gainesville in the regular-season finale.
That said, the rest of the league is a jumble. Alabama (+610), Texas (+880) and Tennessee (+910) all have questions, and Kentucky has the type of shooting that can win a lot of games in a row. Williams matched the program record with eight 3-pointers against Bellarmine last season, and he gives Pope another floor spacer next to Momcilovic.
It’s a pass, but I won’t talk you off of it.
Kentucky National Championship odds
Kentucky is +3500 at FanDuel, tied for 14th on the board and behind several teams they’ll see on their schedule, including Kansas and Virginia.
The talent is there, but consistency is the issue. In the Iowa State loss, Kentucky turned it over 12 times in the first half alone and never recovered. Pope called his team disoriented afterward, and that kind of night has happened too often in his first two seasons.
The nonconference slate will tell us a lot. Kentucky faces Kansas in Chicago, Indiana in Indianapolis, Virginia on the road, Louisville at Rupp, and North Carolina at Madison Square Garden before Christmas.
At +3500, I’m passing.
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Kentucky Wooden Award candidate
Momcilovic is the biggest name on the roster, and he’s priced as a long shot at +5000. Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr. (+850) and Florida’s Thomas Haugh (+1000) lead the board.
His shooting is what makes him dangerous. Momcilovic averaged 16.9 points last season and hit a school-record 136 3-pointers at Iowa State. He had eight threes in a game twice, including one against Arizona in the Big 12 Tournament.
The problem is that Wooden voters tend to favor players who do a bit of everything. Momcilovic is a scorer first, and he won’t put up big rebounding or assist numbers. With Diallo and Wilkins handling the ball, he might not see enough shots to post the gaudy averages it usually takes.
I’ll pass on this one unless he gets off to a blazing start. If Kentucky is a top-10 team in January and he’s averaging 20 a night, this price will be gone. For now, it’s more of a sprinkle than a real play.
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Kentucky schedule analysis
Kentucky warmed up with a 69-49 exhibition win over Little Rock last week, and the regular season opens Nov. 3 at home against Manhattan. James Madison visits on Nov. 6.
The first big test comes quickly. Kentucky faces Kansas on Nov. 10 at the United Center in the Champions Classic, then gets Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Nov. 20.
December is loaded. The Wildcats visit Virginia on Dec. 2 in the SEC/ACC Challenge, host rival Louisville on Dec. 12 and face North Carolina at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 19. Louisville beat Kentucky on their home floor last season, so expect that one to have plenty of juice at Rupp.
SEC play opens Jan. 2 at Oklahoma, followed by a home date with Ole Miss and a trip to Missouri. Kentucky should be favored in most of its January games, which gives them a chance to avoid another slow start in league play.
The first Tennessee matchup comes Jan. 23 at Rupp. Kentucky has swept the Volunteers in the regular season three of the last four years, including both meetings a year ago. The rematch in Knoxville comes Feb. 13.
February is the grind. The Wildcats host Alabama, South Carolina, Arkansas and Auburn but also have to travel to Ole Miss, Tennessee, Georgia and Vanderbilt. That stretch will likely decide whether they finish in the top four and earn a double-bye.
Kentucky hosts Texas A&M in early March before closing the regular season at Florida on March 6. The SEC Tournament runs March 10-14 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
