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Kentucky guard Antonio Reeves (12) drives to the net against Canada forward Adam Paige (17) during the first half of the Men’s Gold game at Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto on July 16.

John E. Sokolowski

USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky basketball has failed to make the Sweet 16 in each of the last three full seasons despite being ranked in the preseason top-10 in each of those campaigns. No one’s cooling on John Calipari’s Wildcats — especially with the cast they have returning in 2023 and the new faces that are sure to make an instant impact — but the pressure is mounting for Kentucky to put together postseason success.

Many Kentucky sports betting sites believe in this year’s edition, with BetMGM and DraftKings giving the Wildcats +1400 odds to win the 2023-24 national championship.

We know Calipari is in a league of his own on the recruiting trail—but he waded into new waters in the transfer portal this offseason. West Virginia’s Tre Mitchell will provide a dominant inside presence to balance returning guard Antonio Reeves, who averaged 14.4 points last year. Those two will be the reason why Kentucky contends in the SEC—according to Caesars Sportsbook they’re +280 favorites to win the SEC for the first time since 2020—to help their seeding on the path back to the Final Four.

It Comes Down To Freshmen

As always, the freshmen will be the story. The country’s top recruiting class includes five-star, blue chip prospects in Justin Edwards and D.J. Wagner along with four-star guard Robert Dillingham. When the time goes, you can use the Kentucky sports betting apps to wager on Kentucky. DraftKings currently has the Wildcats listed at +450 to make the Final Four, so it’s clear they believe in the incoming class.

Add in a supporting cast that includes Ugonna Onyenso and Aaron Bradshaw and you’ve got a title-worthy team. They’ll need to get a great draw in March and battle it out with the other favorites in college basketball in Purdue, Duke, Kansas, Marquette, and Michigan State, but Cal’s group is talented enough to cut down the nets in Phoenix next April.

If you decide to use DraftKings, don’t forget the DraftKings Kentucky promo code when signing up.

Online Betting Coming in late September

Starting on Sept. 28, bettors in the Bluegrass State will be able to start placing legal sports bets online. So, bettors who see value in Coach Cal’s squad can use the Caesars Sportsbook Kentucky promo code when betting on Kentucky futures. We don’t know what the Caesars Kentucky offer will be, but with the current national offer you’ll either earn cash profit if your bet is a winner or receive a single matching bonus bet equal to the amount you wagered if it loses up to $1,250.

It features to be one of the premier Kentucky sports betting promos —no matter what. Under the national offer bettors will also receive 1,000 Tier Credits and 1,000 Rewards Credits upon signing up.

This is a head start on Caesars’ rewards program, with bettors being able to rack up credits with each bet they make and ultimately cash them in for even more bonuses.

Responsible Gambling
Always gamble responsibly. All licensed and legal operators in the United States have resources available to bettors, including educational guides on how to spot problem gaming, links to support services and tools to self-exclude for a set period of time. Support is available at the National Council on Problem Gaming, 1-800-GAMBLER and American Addiction Centers. Be sure to only wager on gambling sites that are licensed and regulated by the gaming regulatory body in your state. That ensures games are fair, bets are honored, customers’ funds are secure and that there are legal protections for the consumer.

Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.

Mark Strotman is a veteran sports journalist who has covered the Bulls and the NBA since 2012. His work has appeared on ESPN.com, FoxSports.com, Chicago Tribune and Yahoo Sports. He can be reached at gamblingmc@gdcgroup.com.

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