Kentucky's Loss to Saint Peter’s a Gigantic Win for Sportsbooks

Neil Parker

Last Updated: March 18, 2022 6:42 AM EDT • 1 min 23 sec read. Twitter link Google News Link

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 17: Head coach John Calipari and TyTy Washington Jr. #3 of the Kentucky Wildcats look on during the second half against the Saint Peter's Peacocks in the first round game of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 17, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Dylan Buell/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Dylan Buell / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

The No. 2 seed Kentucky Wildcats lost 85-79 in overtime to the No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s Peacocks as 18-point favorites on Thursday.

While it was obviously a crushing loss for the Wildcats, it was a huge win for Sportsbooks.

This BetMGM bettor wasn’t alone, though. The sportsbook released 7.2 percent of tickets and 7.9 percent of the betting handle was on Kentucky to win the 2022 Men’s Basketball National Championship.

It’s also worth noting that Kentucky still has the third highest handle percentage at BetMGM – an obvious win for the sportsbook.

The Peacocks upset was also the fifth largest in tournament history.

No. 15 Norfolk State won as 21-point underdogs over No. 2 MissouriNo. 16 UMBC won as 20.5-point underdogs over No. 1 VirginiaNo. 15 Coppin State won as 18.5-point underdogs over No. 2 South CarolinaNo. 15 Santa Clara won as 18.5-point underdogs over No. 2 ArizonaNo. 15 Saint Peters won as 18-point underdogs over No. 2 Kentucky

Check out the latest comprehensive and most trusted Sportsbook Reviews by SBR here.

The DraftKings Sportsbook betting insights released ahead of the tip-off between the Wildcats and Peacocks showed 68 percent of tickets and 66 percent of the betting handle were on Kentucky covering the 18-point spread.

However, it’s worth noting that Saint Peter’s was listed at +1600 to pull off the moneyline upset and received 52 percent of the tickets and 76 percent of the betting handle. However, given that Kentucky was -3800 to win outright, there probably were minimal wagers on the Wildcats given the short odds.

The Wildcats were also a popular bet at FanDuel Sportsbook:

How about these braves bettors who spread their feathers and rolled the dice on the Peacocks:

https://twitter.com/FDSportsbook/status/1504647098456846371https://twitter.com/DKSportsbook/status/1504635880992038912

Saint Peter’s plays the No. 7 seed Murray State Racers on Saturday, March 19, but there aren't currently odds for the game at any major sportsbooks.

Caesars Sportsbook has Saint Peter’s at +50000 to win the National Championship, whereas DraftKings and FanDuel don’t have the Peacocks listed at all.

Make sure to keep an eye on our Live Odds page throughout the week to get the best lines possible and connect with others in the SBR community on our popular sports betting forum.

Written By:
Neil Parker

A lifelong Cowboys, Cubs, Maple Leafs and Gators supporter, Neil has been covering sports in print and online since 2011. His past stops include USA TODAY, theScore, DraftKings Playbook and RotoWire among others. He's a graduate of St. Thomas University and Acadia University and spends ample time at KenWo Golf Club.