When Was the Last Time Kentucky Won the NCAA Tournament? (Odds to Win 2025 March Madness)

The Kentucky Wildcats became a team that was known over the past few years as under-performing in the NCAA Tournament and failing to make it to the second weekend. They got over that hump this season, advancing to the Sweet 16 after winning and covering the spread against both Troy and Illinois.

Now, the Wildcats get to face a fellow SEC team, Tennessee, in the Sweet 16, a team they've already beat twice in the regular season.

Let's take a look at Kentucky's tournament history and then I'll dive into their odds of making a deep tournament run.

Has Kentucky Ever Won the NCAA Tournament?

Yes, Kentucky has won the NCAA Tournament eight times in school history with its most recent occurring in 2012. The Wildcats have the second most NCAA Tournament championships in college basketball history, only UCLA has more with 11.

Here are their best finishes in the NCAA Tournament:

National champions: 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, 1998, 2012
Tournament runner-up: 1966, 1975, 1997, 2014
Final Four: 1942, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1966, 1975, 1978, 1984, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015
Elite Eight: 1942, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019
Sweet 16: 1951, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988*, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2025

Kentucky will be making its 45th Sweet 16 appearance, the most in NCAA Tournament history. Nine more than any other team. This will be the Wildcats' first Sweet 16 appearance since 2019.

Kentucky NCAA Tournament Odds

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Midwest Region Odds

Houston -115
Tennessee +240
Kentucky +650
Purdue +700

Kentucky National Championship Odds

Kentucky +6500

Despite being a No. 3 seed, Kentucky is little chance of winning the National Championship according to the betting odds. At +650, they have an implied probability of 13.33% of advancing to the Final Four. The Wildcats are victims of what has been a chalky tournament bracket with seven of the right No. 1 and No. 2 seeds advancing to the Sweet 16.

At 65-1 to win it all, the Wildcats have the 11th best odds of winning the National Championship. Ole Miss, BYU, Michigan, Purdue, and Arkansas are the only teams with longer odds.

Kentucky is a 4.5-point underdog to Tennessee in the Sweet 16.

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