Vegas thinks Racers are among favorites to win The Valley

MBB: Murray State will open the season November 3rd against Omaha

Mathis Courbon drives to the basket during a recent practice. (Photo: Murray State Athletics)

Fewer than three weeks from the start of the 2025-26 college basketball season, you can often get a feel of how the experts are feeling about the upcoming season by looking at the betting markets. At least according to one betting site, the Racers are part of a logjam of favorites heading into the season.

Caesars Sportsbook has five teams with the same odds to win the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title: Murray State, Bradley, Belmont, Northern Iowa and Illinois State. After those five, there is a drop off to the next tier of Drake, Southern Illinois and UIC.

For entertainment purposes only, here are the betting odds to win the Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship:

• Murray State +400

• Belmont +400

• Bradley +400

• Illinois State +400

• Northern Iowa +400

• Drake +1500

• Southern Illinois +1600

• UIC +2500

• Indiana State +5500

• Evansville +7000

• Valparaiso +10000