The 2018-19 season marked the first time since the 2003-04 campaign that the Kansas Jayhawks didn’t finish as the regular-season champion or co-champion of the Big 12. The Kansas State Wildcats and Texas Tech Red Raiders were co-champions a year ago with 14-4 conference records, but it is Kansas that tops the oddsboard to be crowned the Big 12 regular-season champ again in 2019-20 at +200.
Online sportsbook Sportsbook has made the Kansas Jayhawks the favorites at +200, followed by the Baylor Bears and Texas Tech Red Raiders at +400, the Oklahoma Sooners at +600, the West Virginia Mountaineers at +1000, the Texas Longhorns at +1200, the Iowa State Cyclones at +2000, the Kansas State Wildcats and Oklahoma State Cowboys at +2500, and the TCU Horned Frogs at +3300 to round out the teams on the Big 12 board.
Be sure to check out the Big Ten Conference regular-season odds preview.
Why is Kansas the Favorite?
The Jayhawks have all the talent they need on the floor in guard Devon Dotson and center Udoka Azubuike, assuming they stay healthy. That being said, it appears Dotson may be sidelined to begin the season as he hurt his ankle in the preseason and is in a walking boot. It is off-court issues that could be a distraction and a cause for concern for Kansas. There are ongoing investigations after the NCAA charged the team with five Level I violations that could lead to a suspension for head coach Bill Self or a punishment as severe as a postseason ban. Even so, this will likely get kicked down the road and there won’t be anything of note until after the season.
The squad did lose five-star recruit Quentin Grimes to Houston via transfer and last year’s leading scorer, Dedric Lawson (19.4 ppg), is playing in the NBA G League. The Jayhawks did bring in four four-star recruits, including three forwards, that should help provide some good depth and fill in some holes. Overall, Kansas’ core of Devon Dotson, Ochai Agbaji and Udoka Azubuike is among the best in the nation and if the Jayhawks keep the off-court issues away from the court, they should cruise in the Big 12.
Who has the Best Shot Outside of Kansas?
Although it’s not overly sexy or a shot in the dark, it appears that the Baylor Bears could put some pressure on the Jayhawks. Baylor finished fourth in the Big 12 last season with a 10-8 conference record but will enter 2019-20 without Makai Mason, its leading scorer from last year. However, the rest of the team’s top four scorers are returning, led by Tristan Clark, who was extremely efficient with a 73.7 shooting percentage from the floor.
The Bears’ depth is outstanding and provides the team the ability to switch to more offensive or defensive styles to exploit an opponent’s weakness. I don’t believe Baylor’s starting five is as good as Kansas’, but when the benches get involved, especially if there is any foul trouble, the Bears definitely could have the edge and will be strong.
Be sure to check Odds Shark’s NCAA Basketball section often for full college hoops coverage.
Here’s a look at the full list of odds for the Big 12 regular-season champion:
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kansas Jayhawks | +200 |
| Baylor Bears | +400 |
| Texas Tech Red Raiders | +400 |
| Oklahoma Sooners | +600 |
| West Virginia Mountaineers | +1000 |
| Texas Longhorns | +1200 |
| Iowa State Cyclones | +2000 |
| Kansas State Wildcats | +2500 |
| Oklahoma State Cowboys | +2500 |
| TCU Horned Frogs | +3300 |
Odds as of October 31 at Sportsbook
How to Understand Big 12 Odds
At any NCAA basketball betting site you’ll see odds for the Big 12 championship listed like this:
Kansas Jayhawks +450
Baylor Bears +675
TCU Horned Frogs +800
Because this is a prop bet – more on that below – there may not be a clear frontrunner. Generally, favorites are shown with the minus sign (-) and underdogs with the plus sign (+). In this case, the team with the lowest odds would be the fave (Kansas) and the rest are dogs.
If you think TCU is going to tear it up and take the conference, and you bet $50, you’d get a payout of $450 – your original money is returned along with your winnings of $400. Our Odds Calculator will show you how much you’d win based on the odds and amount bet.
What is a College Basketball Prop Bet?
Short for proposition, this is a bet on the occurrence or nonoccurrence of certain player or team milestones that may not correlate directly to the outcome of a specific game. The prop here is a school’s chances of winning the Big 12 conference.
When oddsmaker’s set the line, the action will move as the season progresses. The closer we get to the March Madness, you’ll notice the odds shifting as some teams dominate while others descend in the rankings. If you see odds you like, its best to take them early to get maximum betting value. Grabbing a squad at +500 is better than getting them at +100.
