Caesars Sportsbook recently released its Big Ten hoops title odds, and the Illinois basketball team finds itself slotted at fifth with a respectable +1200 to win the conference championship.
As discussed on Locked On Illini with host Sunny Verma and me, this ranking places the Illini behind Purdue (+150), Michigan (+360), Ohio State (+575), and UCLA (+750). While the odds might not scream "favorite," they signal a team ready to compete at a high level in what promises to be a fiercely competitive Big Ten season.
The Illini’s fifth-place projection could spark some surprise for Illini fans. Illinois’ roster this year is a healthy mix of veteran talent and new additions. With players like Kylan Boswell and Tomislav Ivisic returning, and adding the promising Andrej Stojakovic, Illinois boasts a versatile and experienced lineup.
Brad Underwood's roster construction is loaded with quality players who have played a lot of basketball and have well-defined roles, positioning them as a sleeper to outperform their odds.
Although a team like Ohio State has higher odds and returns more of its star players from last year, they are still banking on improvement for the Buckeyes, which is much less reliable than the chemistry Illinois will aim to build throughout the season.
While Purdue and Michigan lead the pack, Illinois should be up there as well and could argue to have the second-best odds. But for now, bettors will need to live with +1200 odds that offer tremendous value for a program with a proven coach in Underwood and a roster built for success.
The Big Ten is one of the toughest conferences in college basketball, but Illinois has the pieces to make noise. Don’t sleep on the Illini—they’re ready to prove the oddsmakers wrong and light up Champaign with a thrilling 2025 campaign!