Odds To Win SEC Championship: Alabama Heads The Field

Last season the LSU Tigers, led by Heisman Trophy winner and first overall NFL draft pick Joe Burrow, ran through the regular season en route to an undefeated campaign and their first national title since 2007. However, the Tigers are fifth on the oddsboard at +800 to repeat as SEC champions after having 14 players selected in the draft. It is the Alabama Crimson Tide who sit atop the oddsboard at +175 to win the SEC.

Online sportsbook BetOnline has listed Alabama as the favorite at +175, followed by Georgia at +300, Florida at +500, Texas A&M at +700, LSU at +800, Auburn at +1200, Tennessee at +2000, Kentucky at +2500, Mississippi State at +2500 and South Carolina at +4000 to round out the top 10 teams on the oddsboard.

Here’s a look at the full list of odds to win the 2020 SEC championship:

Odds as of April 27 at BetOnline

Why Is Alabama The Favorite?

For the better part of a decade, Alabama has been the team to fear in the SEC and has appeared in five of six College Football Playoffs, falling short last year for the first time since the format was introduced. Not only are the Crimson Tide the favorite to win the SEC, but they are also third on the oddsboard to win the national title. Alabama has the second-best recruiting class for 2020, with four five-star recruits, including the two top-rated weak-side defensive edges in Will Anderson and Chris Braswell.

The team will have a new look on both sides of the ball with the likes of Tua Tagovailoa, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs departing from the offence and Trevon Diggs, Raekwon Davis and Xavier McKinney among the defensive stalwarts who won’t be returning.

That said, the machine that is Alabama is a next-man-up program. Look for WR DeVonta Smith to lead the charge offensively; he could have declared for the NFL draft but decided to return for another year. No doubt the Crimson Tide will be feisty and they are always worthy of being the preseason betting favorite.

Which Team Is Providing Better Value Than Alabama?

Although Georgia had the top recruiting class for 2020, the team that I like to challenge for the SEC title this season is the Florida Gators at +500.

The Gators showed resiliency last season after starting QB Feleipe Franks suffered a season-ending injury in Week 3. In stepped Kyle Trask, who hadn’t made a start since high school. The squad went on to finish with a strong 11-2 record, losing only to Georgia and LSU and earning a bowl win over Virginia.

Florida has the eighth-best 2020 recruiting class, loading up on defense after losing a handful of players from last year’s core. A couple of notable additions are third-ranked defensive tackle Gervon Dexter and fifth-ranked outside linebacker Derek Wingo. I like the Gators’ schedule, though the game with Georgia could make or break their season. I think they have the ability to be in the mix for their first SEC title since 2008.

Understanding SEC Championship Odds

When it comes to college football, the SEC is a powerhouse with some of the top schools in the Division 1 landscape. When you check out your NCAAF sportsbook of choice, you’ll see futures odds laid out like so:

Alabama Crimson Tide -160

LSU Tigers +150

Georgia Bulldogs +500

Texas A&M Aggies +1000

The Crimson Tide are the favorites. You can tell this by the minus sign (-). The other teams are underdogs. You can see this because of the plus sign (+). When there is no clear fave (lack of minus sign), the squad with the lowest odds would be it.

Let’s pretend you love LSU’s odds and place a $50 bet on the Tigers. If they won, you’d get a payout of $125 – your original $50 is returned coupled with your winnings of $75. If you think Texas A&M has a better shot at the championship, that same $50 would give you $550 – your original money is returned along with your prize of $500. A bet on the Aggies is riskier, which is why the wager would come with a bigger reward. But, you shouldn’t bet dogs blindly. Do your research before making a bet to ensure that your bet isn’t a long shot.

What is a Futures bet on SEC Championship Odds?

If you were to bet on a school’s odds to win the SEC championship, you’d be making a futures bet. This is a bet made on events that have yet to happen. Sure, all sports betting is on stuff that hasn’t happened yet; however, with futures you can bet weeks or even months in advance. As soon as the odds are announced, you can bet. If you see odds you like in July, take them because oddsmakers adjust the lines as the college football season unfolds.