It appears year four of the Eric Musselman era in Fayetteville could be a historic one.
That’s the takeaway from a quartet of national sports betting operators, all of whom have Arkansas among the favorites to capture the program’s second national title in 2023.
Less than two weeks after Arkansas’ season came to an end in a 78-69 Elite Eight loss to the Duke Blue Devils, the Razorbacks have bested them — at least when it comes to championship futures.
Arkansas currently finds itself with NCAA title odds that range from +1000 to +1600, ranking between first and sixth.
Here’s an Arkansas sports betting breakdown of where the Razorbacks stand nationally heading into the men’s basketball offseason.
2023 Arkansas NCAA Men’s Basketball Title Odds
| ⭐️ BetMGM Sportsbook | +1000 (T-2nd with Kentucky) |
| ⭐️ Caesars Sportsbook | +1600 (6th) |
| ⭐️ DraftKings Sportsbook | +1400 (5th) |
| ⭐️ FanDuel Sportsbook | +1300 (T-1st with KU and Duke) |
Razorbacks an Early Favorite to Win Title
The Razorbacks' best odds available in state come on BetMGM Sportsbook, which has them at +1000 — tied for second overall alongside SEC rival Kentucky.
Elsewhere, Arkansas is listed at +1300 on FanDuel Sportsbook, which is tied for the No. 1 spot with Kansas and Duke.
The oddsmakers at DraftKings Sportsbook have Arkansas at +1400, which is good for fifth overall, while Caesars Sportsbook gives the Razorbacks the longest odds of the four sites at +1600.
One sportsbook not yet available in Arkansas, BetRivers, has even shorter odds on Arkansas. The Razorbacks are tied for first with Duke at +900.
Betly Sportsbook, which in early March became the first mobile site in Arkansas to launch, has yet to post college basketball futures. The site is partnered with West Memphis’ Southland Casino Racing.
Mobile betting sites and apps partnered with Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff and Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs are expected to launch soon.
Arkansas’ Strong Recruiting Push for 2023
Much of the Razorbacks’ momentum comes on the recruiting trail, where Musselman has managed to reel in a quintet of four-and-five-star prospects.
In the 2023 class is shooting guard Nick Smith, small forwards Jordan Walsh and Anthony Black (all three are ESPN five-star recruits), along with four-star shooting guard Derrian Ford, SF Barry Dunning, and SG Joseph Pinion.
That group combines to give the Razorbacks the No. 2 recruiting class in the nation, according to 247 Sports, ranking behind the Blue Devils and ahead of Alabama, Kansas and Ohio State.
The Razorbacks have yet to release their 2022-23 schedule but will likely tip off the season sometime in early November.
That means residents of the Natural State have a little more than seven months to get geared up for what’s sure to be the most talked-about Razorbacks team since Nolan Richardson’s “40 minutes of hell” teams roamed the courts of the Southeastern Conference in the ‘90s.
