Kansas Basketball Opens as Betting Underdog in Houston Showdown

No. 8 Kansas and No. 2 Houston are set to tip off on Monday in one of the biggest matchups of the regular season. With both teams coming off home losses yesterday, each will be looking to return to the win column and keep its Big 12 title hopes alive.

Ahead of the matchup, sportsbooks began releasing betting odds for the contest. The early indication is that they favor UH inside Allen Fieldhouse.

For the fourth time this season and the sixth time ever, the Jayhawks will open as underdogs in the Phog under Bill Self. KU has been a home dog more times at home this season alone than it was in the first 22 years of Self's tenure.

Kansas Jayhawks mascot Big Jay gets the crowd hyped during the game against BYU Cougars inside Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 31, 2026. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kansas vs. Houston Basketball Betting Outlook

Spread: +1.5 Kansas (-105), -1.5 Houston (-115)
Moneyline: Kansas +114, Houston -137
Over/Under: 135.5 points

Kansas entering games in Allen Fieldhouse as a home underdog used to be one of the rarest occurrences in college basketball. Now, it appears to be a regular theme, even with a top-10 squad.

From 2003 until 2021, the Jayhawks had never been listed as a non-favorite in their home venue. The first time it happened was in 2021 when Baylor came to Lawrence, a game KU would win by double digits.

The second time it occurred was in February 2024 against this same Houston program. Like the first matchup, KU won that contest by 13 points.

After his team's loss two years ago, Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson said he had no idea why his team was labeled the favorite going into the game, calling the sportsbooks' work "sacrilege."

"Somebody made a mistake and told me we were actually favored in this game," Sampson said. "That's sacrilege. How is Kansas not favored in any game, especially here?"

Interestingly, UH went into Lawrence as a 1.5-point underdog in Allen Fieldhouse last year and won an improbable double-overtime thriller. Both schools hold one win apiece in the arena since UH joined the conference a few years ago.

In the 2025-26 campaign alone, Self and Co. have been betting underdogs at home three times (the fourth being tomorrow). They hold a 2-1 record in those games, with the lone loss coming to UConn and the wins coming against Iowa State and Arizona, a pair of previously undefeated squads.

Although the 1.5-point margin is slim, it is still somewhat surprising to see KU viewed this low by oddsmakers, even after Saturday's dreadful defeat to Cincinnati. While the line could shift by one point, it appears all but certain that the Jayhawks will again make history as the underdog in their own gym for the fourth time in less than four months.

Odds courtesy of FanDuel and DraftKings Sportsbook. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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