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Two Las Vegas sports books install Kentucky as early 2013-14 favorite

John Calipari

Kentucky head coach John Calipari yells to his team from the sidelines during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Georgia in Athens, Ga., Thursday, March 7, 2013. (AP Photo/The Athens Banner-Herald, AJ Reynolds) MAGAZINES OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT; TV OUT

AP

In the aftermath of Andrew Wiggins’ decision to attend Kansas, many opined that John Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats would be fine due to the arrival of an eight-member recruiting class that includes six McDonald’s All-Americans.

The folks in Las Vegas seem to be in agreement.

Both Vegas Insider and Bovada have installed the Wildcats as the early favorites (5/1 odds on both sports books) to cut down the nets at Dallas Cowboys Stadium next April.

The interesting thing about the futures are the differences after Kentucky. While Bovada has Kansas in at 11/2 odds (second-best odds on the book) the Jayhawks aren’t as highly regarded by Vegas Insider, which has Kansas’ odds set at 15/1.

Following Kentucky on Vegas Insider’s board are Duke and defending national champion Louisville at 12/1, with Arizona, Florida and Michigan State joining Kansas at 15/1.

As for the Bovada odds, Kansas is followed by Louisville (17/2), Michigan State (12/1), Duke (14/1) and Arizona (15/1). North Carolina, which was one of the four finalists in the Wiggins “sweepstakes,” has its odds set at 16/1 on Bovada’s book and 25/1 on Vegas Insider’s book.

Florida State, considered by many to be the favorite to land Wiggins, has odds of 75/1 (Bovada) and 80/1 (Vegas Insider).

Some other interesting odds that stick out are Syracuse sitting at 40/1 on Vegas Insider (25/1 on Bovada) and Oklahoma State (50/1 odds on both books).

The Orange will makes its move to the ACC without three starters from this past season’s Final Four team but Jim Boeheim still has plenty of talent to work with, led by forward C.J. Fair and incoming freshmen Tyler Ennis and Tyler Roberson.

As for Oklahoma State, Travis Ford’s team was hailed as the extremely early favorite in the Big 12 following the decisions of Marcus Smart, Markel Brown and Le’Bryan Nash to return to Stillwater.

But with Kansas landing Wiggins that has changed in the eyes of more than a few prognosticators, which could turn the Cowboys into a value pick for bettors.

h/t CBS Sports

Raphielle can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.