SEC Tournament Predictions, Betting Odds & Favorites to Win 2025

• After falling just short of a 2024 SEC regular season championship, the Auburn Tigers ran the SEC Tournament table, knocking off South Carolina, Mississippi State, and Florida to win their third tournament championship.

• Kentucky has 32 SEC Tournament championships, which is the most of any team in the conference. Alabama is in second place with eight tournament championships, while Tennessee has five.

• Alabama enters as the de facto favorite to win the 2025 SEC Tournament after bringing back Mark Sears, Jarin Stevenson, and Grant Nelson.

Last season, the SEC had a handful of highly competitive teams, with just one game separating first place (Tennessee) from fifth place (Alabama). While the SEC is primarily known for its elite football programs and history, several strong teams have entered the NCAA Tournaments, including the Crimson Tide team that made it to the Final Four last year.

What can we expect from college basketball and the SEC this season, and which of the conference’s teams have a legitimate shot at taking home the 2025 SEC Tournament championship? Let’s get into it below!

SEC Tournament Betting Odds

The 2025 SEC Tournament odds are not yet available since the season has not started, and seeds will not be assigned until the end of the conference’s regular season; however, once they drop, we will update them here.

Favorites to Win the 2025 SEC Tournament

Even though specific odds for each team will not be available until late February, we can speculate which of these teams will be our favorite to win the 2025 SEC Tournament. Take a look below.

Tennessee Volunteers

Suffering a loss as substantial as superstar two-guard Dalton Knecht’s departure would be enough to sink most programs, at least temporarily. However, head coach Rick Barnes has enough returning and incoming talent to potentially offset the loss of Knecht.

The return of talented two-way player Zakai Zeigler, arguably the most talented on-ball point guard in college basketball, will help Barnes and company retain the same elite perimeter defense that helped them win 27 games despite having the eighth-hardest schedule in the nation, per KenPom’s opponent-adjusted efficiency margin metric.

In fact, Tennessee ranked third in adjusted defensive efficiency last season and could put together another exceptional year on that end of the floor. The Vols were impressive beyond just the advanced metric, too, holding opponents to an effective field goal percentage of just 45.3%, which was good for sixth in the country.

Still, the Vols were too reliant on Knecht’s offense to compete with the top two or three teams nationally. Scoring depth will be vital this upcoming season if they want to be an elite team again.

Luckily, Barnes has prioritized adding a few more scoring pieces this offseason, snagging near-20-point-per-game scorer Chaz Lanier from North Florida and highly-touted forward Darlinstone Dubar from Hofstra. 

Lanier will slide into the off-guard slot and hope to fill in Knecht’s production as much as possible, while Dubar will add much-needed frontcourt scoring to a team that had very little last year.

Barnes added Felix Okpara, a 6-foot-11 center from Ohio State, and Igor Milicic Jr., a 6-foot-10 stretch power forward, to an already solid transfer portal campaign. Okpara had a successful season, averaging just shy of seven points and seven rebounds per game in only 24 minutes; he also took a step forward later in the season, posting double-digit points in four of his final six games.

Meanwhile, Milicic is fresh off an All-AAC season for the Charlotte 49ers. He averaged just shy of 13 points and nine rebounds per game on a highly efficient 49/38/82 shooting split. Milicic is the type of player that Barnes has been missing: a stretch forward who can knock down 3s at a high clip and has the aptitude in the paint to rebound at a high level.

This Tennessee team will have a much more well-distributed offensive attack and should still be a force on the defensive end of the floor. The Vols’ frontcourt additions, including Darlinstone, Milicic, and Okpara, should boost that unit substantially while Lanier looks to fill in offensively for Knecht.

Per usual, expect Tennessee to be very competitive in the SEC and have a legitimate shot at winning the SEC Tournament in 2025.

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Texas Longhorns

This Texas Longhorns squad will look much different than the 2023-24 team. Only one starter from last year’s team will be returning: Kadin Shedrick, a 6-foot-11 super senior center who averaged 7.7 points and three rebounds per game during the 2023-24 campaign.

Still, Rodney Terry remained unfazed by all the departures, securing the 15th-best transfer portal class in the country. Terry’s group of transfers includes Arthur Kaluma, Jordan Pope, Tramon Mark, Jayson Kent, Malik Presley, and Julian Larry. Talk about some serious talent.

Terry also signed 5-star freshman wing Tre Johnson, who is likely a top-ten pick in the 2025 NBA Draft if he avoids injury and provides the offensive punch for Texas he is expected to bring. 

Between Johnson, Pope (17.6 PPG, 3.4 APG, 2.6 RPG on a 45/37/88 shooting split last season), and Mark (16.2 PPG and 4.3 RPG on 48% shooting from the field last season), Texas will have one of the best starting backcourts in the country. 

What’s scary about this team is that they have several excellent guard options off the bench, including Larry (11.0 PPG and 4.8 APG on 52.5% shooting from the floor and 46.2% from deep last year) and Chendall Weaver, who had a great season in 2023-24 for Texas after playing at UT Arlington his freshman season.

Then, there’s the improved frontcourt, which has a more seasoned Shedrick, an exceptional combo forward in Kaluma (14.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG), and a highly efficient power forward in Kent (13.5 PPG and 8.1 RPG on a field goal percentage of 63.9%).

With this haul, Texas will be amongst the deepest teams in the SEC and the nation; it will have much better positional size than last season without two 6-footers in the starting lineup (Max Abmas and Tyrese Hunter) and a more consistent and cohesive offensive attack. Terry could take this team to heights unseen and unknown if they come together.

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Alabama Crimson Tide

The Alabama Crimson Tide were preparing for life without star point guard Mark Sears after his incredible performance in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Sears averaged 24.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, but his efficiency was astounding; he shot 53.2% from the field and 45.5% from deep during the tournament.

However, once Sears announced his return for this upcoming season, the Crimson Tide’s outlook improved dramatically, even if they were already going to be talented. 

In fact, Sears joined 6-foot-11 forward Grant Nelson, a three-level scoring threat; Jarin Stevenson, a former top-50 recruit who’s expected to take a giant leap this season; Mo Dioubate, a physical defensive presence; and Latrell Wrightsell Jr, a do-it-all guard, as key returners for this upcoming season.

If that is not inspiring enough for Bama fans, they should wait until they hear this list of incoming transfers. 

The Crimson Tide snagged South Florida’s top scorer, Chris Youngblood (15.3 PPG on a 46/42/83 shooting split), Pepperdine standout, Houston Mallette (14.7 PPG on a 43/42/82 shooting split), and Auburn’s former consensus 5-star point guard, Aden Holloway (7.3 PPG) in the transfer portal.

Two of those three players (Youngblood and Mallette) are elite 3-point shooting weapons (40% or better from behind the arc) to add to returning snipers Sears and Wrightsell. Nelson should also take a step forward in his 3-point shooting, as that will be a crucial swing skill for him to make it to the next level. 

The Crimson Tide finished last season as the second-ranked offensive team nationally, per KenPom, and they objectively have a more talented offense this season. That is a scary thought.

Alabama becomes an even scarier opponent now that it has an elite rim protector and center option in Clifford Omoruyi, the former Rutgers anchor. Last season, Alabama’s most exploitable weakness was its defense, particularly in the paint; it ranked 111th in adjusted defensive efficiency (KenPom), 76th in block percentage, and 197th in opponent two-point percentage. 

With Omoruyi as the interior anchor, the Crimson Tide should be a significantly improved defensive team. Further, Nelson gets to play power forward defensively, which is his natural spot.

Somehow, the Crimson Tide got much better this offseason, which means trouble for the rest of the SEC.

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Auburn Tigers

Auburn’s offseason was going to hinge on whether or not SEC Tournament MVP Johni Broome, a 6-foot-10 forward, would return for his senior season. Luckily for head coach Bruce Pearl and the rest of the Auburn program, Broome opted to come back.

Broome helped guide the Tigers to a 27-8 overall record and an SEC Tournament championship, averaging 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game on an efficient 54.8% shooting from the floor and 35.4% from downtown; he expanded his game to the 3-point line last season and should continue to hone that skill this year, making him nearly unguardable at the collegiate level.

Broome is likely the best two-way frontcourt player in the country, locking down the paint on one end and providing primary scoring for the Tigers on the other end. 

So, how good was Broome defensively last season? He helped Auburn rank first in block percentage, first in opponent two-point percentage, and first in opponent effective field goal percentage. Frankly, he anchored one of the country’s best defenses (sixth in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom).

To improve even more in the offseason, Peal and the Tigers brought back their best guard, Denver Jones (9.1 PPG), and their best small forward, Chad Baker-Mazara (10.0 PPG). That trio of players would already make the Tigers an SEC Tournament contender, but they knew there was still work to be done.

Auburn got busy in the transfer portal, adding Furman standout JP Pegues (18.4 PPG, 4.8 APG, and 4.3 RPG) to solve its lead guard issues; ultimately, guard play was the difference between the Tigers being a genuine title contender and losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. 

Further, the Tigers snagged Georgia Tech wing Miles Kelly (13.9 PPG and 5.5 RPG). Kelly’s efficiency will have to improve, but if he locks down defensively and can swoop in and snag the rebounds that Baker-Mazara and Broome can’t get to, he will be the perfect addition to this frontcourt.

Even though the Tigers were upset in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament and only entered it with a No. 4 seed, college basketball analytics guru KenPom had them fourth overall in the nation in his adjusted efficiency margin metric. And Auburn got better this offseason, so expect another fantastic season for this program.

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Arkansas Razorbacks

The Arkansas Razorbacks will make some substantial changes heading into the 2024-25 regular season. For one, they have a new head coach: John Calipari. 

After another early exit from the NCAA Tournament, Calipari and Kentucky seemed to fall out of love with each other. And it certainly did not hurt Arkansas’ chances of landing Coach Cal with all of the NIL promises (between $5 and $7 million per year) given to him if he joined the program.

And, to absolutely no one’s surprise, the Razorbacks finished with the top overall ranking in the transfer portal, bringing along several former Kentucky players, including D.J. Wagner, Adou Thiero, and Zvonimir Ivisic. 

Coach Cal also snagged Jonas Aidoo (11.4 PPG) from Tennessee and Johnell Davis (18.2 PPG and 6.3 RPG on a 48/41/86 shooting split) from Florida Atlantic while somehow convincing power forward Trevon Brazile to stay.

But that’s not all. Cal managed to bring over two top-25 recruits, Karter Knox and Boogie Fland, to Arkansas with him, infusing even more talent into this deep roster.

The Razorbacks had an underwhelming season last year, but a lot has changed, including most players and the head coach. Still, this new-look team will need some time to mesh with one another and develop chemistry. 

By the time the SEC Tournament rolls around, they should be ready to compete with the best teams in the conference, including Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, and Florida.

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Florida Gators

Don’t sleep on the Florida Gators. After putting together a respectable 24-12 season, the Gators will return their best player from last year’s team: Walter Clayton Jr. 

During the 2023-24 campaign, Clayton averaged 17.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game on roughly 43% shooting from the field, 37% from behind the arc, and 88% from the charity stripe. 

Clayton will be among the best returning guards in the country, joining players like R.J. Davis, Mark Sears, and a few others as elite scorers and legitimate game-shifting talents.

The Gators also bring back two more of their top-six scorers, Will Richard and Alex Condon, who posted 11.4 and 7.7 points per game, respectively; Condon also pulled down 6.4 rebounds and collected 1.2 blocks per game.

Florida didn’t bring in a ton of outside talent, but what it got will fit in perfectly with its style of play. The Gators were able to steal Alijah Martin from Florida Atlantic; he was one of the key players during the Owls’ run to the Final Four in 2023. 

Last season, Martin posted 13.1 points while reeling in 5.9 rebounds per game; it wasn’t his most efficient campaign, but he has proven capable of being a sniper from deep and a secondary scorer for a top-tier team, which will fit in nicely next to a bonafide star like Clayton.

Additionally, Florida rounded out its starting lineup by grabbing Rueben Chinyelu, an interior anchor for last season’s Washington State team that made the NCAA Tournament. Chinyelu’s size, physicality, and paint presence will be paramount for Florida in a conference like the SEC.

Florida’s offense finished 12th (per KenPom) last year and 17th in adjusted tempo. Expect this team to play fast and score many points; it will be hard to outscore or outpace them in 2024-25.

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Kentucky Wildcats

Like Arkansas, much has changed for the Kentucky Wildcats, a program that had given their previous head coach, John Calipari, a lifetime deal. However, expectations in Lexington are always high; despite previous accomplishments, shortcomings are only tolerated for so long.

In the wake of Coach Cal’s departure to Arkansas, the Wildcats had to find a solution quickly, as the pool of talented head coaches who could head up a program like theirs was nearly empty, to say the least. Ultimately, Kentucky settled on BYU Cougars head coach Mark Pope, a former Wildcat who had a successful collegiate career in the 90s.

Pope had to get busy in the transfer portal upon his hiring. He did just that, bringing in former West Virginia guard Kerr Kriisa (11.0 PPG and 4.7 APG on a 43/42/78 split), Oklahoma guard Otega Oweh (11.4 PPG and 3.8 RPG on 49% shooting and 38% from deep), Wake Forest standout forward Andrew Carr (13.5 PPG and 6.8 RPG on a 53/37/78 split), and Drexel center Amari Williams (12.2 PPG and 7.8 RPG).

And then, of course, Pope dragged BYU’s best combo forward, Jaxson Robinson (14.2 PPG), along with him to Lexington, rounding out the projected starting lineup for the new-look Wildcats. 

But Pope still had work to do to add depth to this Wildcats squad; he brought in San Diego State guard Lamont Butler Jr., Dayton sharpshooter Koby Brea, and Oklahoma State center Brandon Garrison.

Kentucky will be an exciting squad because, unlike in previous seasons, this program will be full of upperclassmen, with only a few freshmen taking up roster spots. 

Whether this becomes Pope’s strategy moving forward or if most of these guys turn into one-year rentals will tell us a lot about the direction of this program. However, for now, the Wildcats will be competitive with their combination of experience, talent, and depth.

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SEC Championship Winner - My Pick

Alabama Crimson Tide

The potential defensive shortcomings almost seem irrelevant because what SEC teams have even a remote shot at outscoring the Crimson Tide this upcoming season? 

After rounding out the 2023-24 campaign as the second-ranked offensive team in the nation (per KenPom’s adjO), ‘Bama brings back Sears, who might be the best player in college basketball, as well as Nelson, a unicorn 6-foot-11 forward who continues to improve each day on his existing skill set. 

Head coach Nate Oats signed four highly touted transfers: Aden Holloway, Cliff Omoruyi, Chris Youngblood, and Houston Mallette.

Further, expect the Tide’s third returnee, Stevenson, to take a monstrous leap forward this year, giving the Crimson Tide another potential star in the making on their roster.

Five-star freshman Derrion Reid will also be a contributor this upcoming season, giving Alabama one of the deeper teams in the nation. And the Crimson Tide will undoubtedly be the top offense.

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Who Won the SEC Tournament in 2024?

The No. 4 seeded Auburn Tigers strolled through the SEC Tournament gauntlet, winning games against South Carolina, Mississippi State, and Florida to claim the title.

After three huge upsets in the quarterfinals, including the No. 9 Mississippi State Bulldogs slaying the No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers, the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies knocking off the No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats, and the No. 6 Florida Gators beating the No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide, the Auburn Tigers were able to coast through the tournament without too much trouble.

As a result, two-way star forward Johni Broome took home the SEC Tournament MVP in 2024; unfortunately, the Tigers experienced a quick NCAA Tournament exit the following week.

SEC Tournament History

From 1993 until 2011, the SEC Tournament was structured in a divisional format, with an Eastern and Western Division. However, that structure was abandoned for the 2011-12 season and, since then, has been under a format that allows the top four seeds to have “double byes” while the bottom four teams play in the opening games.

The SEC Tournament has a storied history. The first tournament took place in 1933, long before many other conferences were incepted. 

Now, the league has 16 total teams, making winning an SEC Tournament difficult for these programs. This means that the likelihood of any team catching up to the Kentucky Wildcats and their 32 total SEC Tournament championships is highly unlikely, especially since the second-place program is the Alabama Crimson Tide with just eight.

Our table below features the past 15 SEC Tournament champions, including the most recent winner, Auburn.

How to Choose the Best Sportsbook for Betting on the SEC Tournament 

To bet on the SEC Tournament, you must figure out which sportsbook you want to use. A few key factors to consider when selecting a sportsbook to bet on the SEC Tournament include first-time user bonuses, payment options (withdrawal and deposit), withdrawal times, user interface, navigability, the frequency of ongoing promotions, brand awareness, listed odds, and so much more.

To simplify the process, we listed some key aspects of the three best sportsbooks available today: BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, and FanDuel Sportsbook. Look below to see if any of those three sportsbooks pop out. Regardless of your choice, all major sportsbooks have plenty of benefits; this process is just about figuring out which is most important to you, the bettor, and then pair you with the applicable sportsbook.

How to Read SEC Tournament Odds

SEC Tournament odds are formatted with American odds, so if you are in the United States and use any significant sportsbooks, you are unlikely to see fractional or decimal odds associated with college basketball. However, there is a conversion that you can do to calculate fractional or decimal odds.

For this section, we will explain American odds, as they are the most frequent when betting on college basketball.

American odds seem complicated until you get the hang of it. As is the case with every sport, there will always be favorites. If the Boston Celtics are facing the Detroit Pistons at home, Boston will win that game more often than not. 

Therefore, Boston would be considered the favorite. For example, Boston might be -250 to win that home game against Detroit. If there is a minus in front of the odds, that means that the team or player is a favorite and has greater than a 50% probability of winning that bet.

In that case, you would have to bet $250 to make $100; the payout is less because Boston is projected to win. 

Conversely, the Pistons might be +275 to win that game. A plus sign in front of American odds indicates that the team or player is an underdog with less than a 50% chance of winning that game or event.

The betting implications are flipped for an underdog, so you only have to bet $100 to win $275.

Once you get the hang of it, the American odds are easily digestible, making your life easier when you bet on the SEC Tournament this upcoming season!