Houston, Iowa State, BYU: Big 12 Tournament Best Bets

• Houston (+105) favored to win the Big 12 Tournament, closely followed by Texas Tech (+390) and Iowa State (+600)
• Arizona (+750), Kansas (+1200), BYU (+1500) could provide value with longer odds

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The first round of the Big 12 Tournament tips off Tuesday in Kansas City as one of the most highly anticipated conference tournaments begins with a matchup between Cincinnati and Oklahoma State.

Houston is red hot entering the tournament, earning the top seed and the shortest odds to win the title at +105. The Cougars posted a 19-1 conference record and have lost just one game since December.

2025 Big 12 Tournament Odds

• Houston: +105
• Texas Tech: +390
• Iowa State: +600
• Arizona: +750
• Kansas: +1200
• BYU: +1500
• Baylor: +3500
• West Virginia: +10000
• Cincinnati: +15000
• Kansas State: +20000
• Arizona State: +25000
• UCF: +25000
• TCU: +25000
• Utah: +25000
• Colorado: +30000
• Oklahoma State: +30000

Five Ranked Teams… And Kansas

Houston at +105 is a great value, as college basketball betting sites could easily have given the Cougars much shorter odds given their recent dominance.

Texas Tech is the only team to have beaten Houston in conference play, but was defeated by the Cougars in their second matchup later in the season.

Houston and Texas Tech are similar on paper, both featuring efficient offenses at a slow pace with elite three point shooting, but Houston’s defense is in a different tier than the Red Raiders.

Texas Tech also went 1-4 against ranked opponents in the regular season, a bad sign heading into March.

Iowa State could spell trouble for anyone they play. They boast a top ten defense and an up-tempo scoring attack led by senior guard Curtis Jones, averaging 17 points per game while shooting 42.1% from the field and 36.6% from deep. They lost at Houston in February by nine points, faring better than most.

The Cyclones also won the conference tournament last season, defeating Houston in the championship game. At +600 odds, Iowa State could make people a lot of money.

Arizona is led by Caleb Love, a true Jekyll and Hyde player. He has consistently been inefficient throughout his college career, shooting under 40% from the field in four of his five collegiate seasons.

Steer clear of Arizona unless you enjoy losing money.

Kansas entered the season as the consensus top seed in the nation, only to be quickly dethroned and unranked. Their defense is undoubtedly elite, but their lack of shot making from the perimeter will prevent them from making any noise in March.

BYU is an interesting team because of their efficient three-point based offense, ranking 18th in the country in three-point attempts per game and 36th in three-point percentage.

They got obliterated by Houston in January, losing 86-55, casting doubt amongst legal sports betting sites about their chances to take down the conference favorites. But, they enter the tournament on an eight game winning streak, including wins over Iowa State, Arizona, and Kansas in that span.

They are blistering hot and have an offense that will be tough for any team to slow down.

• Safe Pick: Houston +105
• Best Bet: Iowa State +600
• Contender With Long Odds: BYU +1500

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