Before the SEC season gets underway on Saturday, HawgBeat is unveiling a new weekly feature: SEC Bets. Each week, we'll take a look at the money lines, spreads, totals and more for each game in the 10-game, all-SEC 2020 slate. You can find the opening lines every Monday in HawgBeat's 10 thoughts from the weekend and we'll end the week with our own SEC bets on Friday.
Get your bookie on speed dial... we're going gambling:
*Winnings are calculated using $100 per bet, lines provided by Bovada*
With that money line, how can you not throw at least a dollar (or 10) at the Hogs?
But seriously, we'll put a bet in for Arkansas to cover the spread. We have no solid idea of what the Georgia offense will look like on Saturday under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken but given the Hogs are at home and it's the second-largest spread against the Hogs at home since 1997, we'll put the money on a backdoor cover.
We'll pass on an over/under bet.
Florida was just predicted to win the East by the SEC media. They have an experienced returner in Kyle Trask and they didn't have an offseason coaching staff change. We'll bet on the Gators to cover at 13.5.
The Tigers lost a lot of talent after winning the National Championship but with a team that recruits like they do, talent gets replenished. The LSU offense won't have the same fire power, especially without Ja'Marr Chase and I'm not sure Mississippi State will be able to throw against the LSU secondary with a lot of success, which is what Mike Leach's offense needs to do so... We'll bet on LSU to cover the spread and we'll bet on the under.
I feel pretty strongly about Tennessee finally showing off the talent they always seem to under-deliver with. They won six straight to finish the 2019 season and they return eight starters on both sides of the ball. We're going to bet on Tennessee to cover and take the win money line. That's a $280 bet for a potential $200 payout–I think Tennessee's got this.
Pass.
I'm taking Alabama -28 all day.
Both Auburn and Kentucky are ranked in the top 25 but the differences in talent between the two programs have me confident in the Tigers on Saturday at home. We'll place a bet on Auburn to cover.
