Betting on college football and professional sports is still not federally legal, but residents in more than 20 states can place bets at live sportsbooks. Most other states in the U.S. Have introduced some sort. Just like the NFL, college football’s most popular wager is the spread bet. The spread is a type of bet that equalizes the chance of winning a wager (see example below). The spread, or line, for college football is generally released days in advance of the game (these release dates will vary due to college football’s games.

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This page will serve as your guide for betting on college football in the US. It will break down the basics of CFB betting, compare odds at legal sportsbooks in the US, and delineate the strategies that work best in the college game when compared to the NFL.

It’s never easy to consistently beat oddsmakers and win in sports betting, but this guide should help you get closer to cashing 50 percent of the time. Remember that even a 52 percent cash rate is a success in sports betting, and sports betting experts usually only cash 60 percent of the time at most.

We’ll also help you find the best sportsbooks and apps to bet on during the 2019 college football season.

With the current state of things amid a worldwide pandemic, odds and futures betting will remain incredibly fluid and great care should be taken when placing bets. Factors to heavily consider include: players contracting COVID-19, teams canceling games, and upsets due to an increased number of players sitting.

Following college beat reporters on Twitter and frequently checking in here at TheLines will help you stay ahead of the curve during the ever-changing landscape. Most importantly, stay water and taper expectations throughout the season. Even though uncertainty defines this upcoming season, intelligent and adaptable bettors could capitalize on the market.

Best college football betting apps

There are a number of apps available for sports betting in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Iowa, West Virginia and Indiana, with more states planning to go online by the end of the year. Here is a list of some of the top US sportsbooks apps:

College football betting odds

How to bet on college football

There are several ways to bet on most sporting events and college football is no exception. Here are some of the options for CFB betting, including some tips on when you might want to go with that specific type of wage:

• Moneyline: Taking the Moneyline means you’re betting on the winning team regardless of the margin of victory. Underdogs will get plus-odds on the Moneyline and the favorites will have negative odds. For example, if a team is heavily favored they will be listed as Alabama (-2300), meaning that a successful $230 bet on the Crimson Tide would only pay out $10.
• Point Spread: The Point Spread is different in that it accounts for the expected margin of victory. In the NFL, the biggest favorites are usually giving 13-16 points, meaning a bet (likely at something close to -110 odds) is only successful if the favorite wins by 16-plus. These spreads can be much, much bigger in college. When playing the lowly Illinois Fighting Illini, Big Ten powerhouse Ohio State can often be favored by 40 points or more. This changes the game in terms of taking the favorite in the hopes of a truly one-sided affair.
• Point Total:Since these point spreads are often set at such a lofty number, gamblers may lean towards betting the overall total of a game. The total is often presented with an equal odds proposition of taking the Over or Under. Some sites offer the opportunity to bet on the expected point total of one team (23.5 points for example).
• Proposition Bets: There are often an extensive number of Prop (or proposition) Bets where gamblers can wager on the individual performance of a player, the type of score to open a game, and the specific margin of victory. These options are often more expansive in prime time and bowl games. Gamblers can choose to combine multiple propositions on a game, or multiple bets on different games, into a Parlay. This wager is an all-or-nothing proposition which only pays out if all (anywhere between 2 and a dozen) bets are successful. The more bets added to a Parlay, the greater the potential payout.
• Teaser: A form of Parlay that involves a combination of two to ten wagers in which you can adjust the point spread or total to your specifications. These bets are therefore more likely to succeed, but the payouts are smaller than in a Parlay.

NCAA markets and futures betting

The options listed above are for betting on individual games, but gamblers can also wager on NCAA futures. Rather than betting on an individual game, futures offer gamblers the opportunity to bet on the eventual National Champion, conference champions, or the number of wins that a team will accrue during the regular season.
There are also futures bets available on postseason awards, such as the Heisman Trophy. Here is a rundown of the favorites on FanDuel Sportsbook to win the 2020-2021 Heisman Trophy before the season:

• Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) +200
• Spencer Rattler (Oklahoma) +900
• D’Eriq King (Miami) +1400
• Myles Brennan (LSU) +1400
• Sam Ehlinger (Texas) +1400

Odds on futures bets will change throughout the season if a key player gets hurt, or a contender upsets another contender. Since only four teams have a shot at the National Title in the CFB Playoff format, teams that start to fall out of the playoff picture will suddenly have very long odds. COVID-19 could also have a major impact on the award.

The odds for the futures bets on the National Champion came out shortly after the 2019-20 CFB season ended. Here is a quick rundown of the odds:

How these lines will be affected has yet to be released, as the status of the CFP remains up in the air due to the evolving nature of the ongoing pandemic. Keep updated with the goings on at theLines with regards to National Championship odds.

There is also a futures section on most books where you bet the conference champion. The FBS conferences on books are the AAC, ACC, Big 10, Big 12, C-USA, MAC, MWC, Pac 12, and SEC. While most of these conferences have several contenders with relatively even odds, top-heavy conferences such as the Mountain West will have perennial powerhouse Boise State as more likely than not to win the conference. Alabama is also expected to win the SEC for the fifth time in six years.

Strategies differ when betting on individual games versus futures. Timing is of paramount importance when betting futures, since you can effectively “buy low” on a player or team that’s struggling early in the season and get much better odds. Taking a futures bet towards the end of the season when the Heisman candidates are pretty much solidified will not be very profitable. Game lines are much more simple in terms of betting before the opening kickoff, or taking advantage of “live betting” in states where online gambling is legal and available.

College football power rankings

1. Alabama: Alabama is the best team in college football and there’s, to this point, no argument against that. They won the SEC Championship game by a slim margin over Florida, but somehow felt like they dominated wire-to-wire. (Previous: 1)

2. Clemson: When Trevor Lawrence plays for Clemson, there might not be a better team in the nation. They ran all over Notre Dame in a revenge game for the ages and secured their second seed in the CFP. (Previous: 4)

3. Ohio State: Northwestern had Ohio State on the ropes in the first quarter of the Big Ten Championship game, but the Buckeyes proved their might in the second half. Trey Sermon set a program record for 325 yards rushing in a game and Ohio State is in for their fourth CFP berth. (Previous: 2)

4. Cincinnati: The Bearcats topped off an unbeaten season with an AAC Championship game win over #24 Tulsa. It took a last-second field goal, but Cincinnati’s pedigree shouldn’t be questioned. It was unfortunate that they didn’t receive consideration for the CFP, but they get a chance to prove the committee wrong against Georgia in the Peach Bowl. (Previous: 5)

5. Texas A&M: Texas A&M finished the season with their only loss being Alabama. That’s a tough loss, but it was a 28-point blowout. Those who believe the Aggies should have found their way into the fourth CFP spot have a legitimate argument– it was an impressive season for them. (Previous: 6)

6. Notre Dame: The Irish found their way into the College Football Playoff, but are massive underdogs as they face Alabama. They’re a good team, but Clemson proved that they don’t belong in the top tier in the country. (Previous: 3)

7. Indiana: The Hoosiers were left for dead after losing star quarterback Michael Penix Jr. That is, until they weren’t. Indiana proved they’re more than Penix on the back of a sturdy defense. Their only loss this season was a nailbiter to Ohio State and Indiana is in business. (Previous: 8)

8. Oklahoma: Oklahoma was able to take care of business in the Big 12 and bring home their 50th conference title. While their two losses keeps them firmly short of the CFP, they get Florida in the Cotton Bowl in what might be the best bowl matchup of the year. (Previous: 9)

9. Florida: It’s an uncomfortable truth, but the Florida Gators are still an excellent football team. They kept their game with Alabama within one score– something no one else on their schedule has done (not Georgia, not Texas A&M). Their offense is as explosive as any, and three wins or not, they’re a top team. (Previous: 10)

10. Georgia: While 2020 has hardly been Georgia’s best year in recent memory, the Dawgs are still capable of playing with anyone in the nation. Two losses bumps them down the list, but compared to teams like Iowa State or Northwestern, Georgia is coming out on top. (Previous: NR)

ACC power rankings

1. Clemson: A bounceback beatdown of Notre Dame and an ACC Championship solidifies the Tigers as the best team in the conference.

2. Notre Dame: When Clemson is healthy, there’s a clear divide between one and two. Notre Dame is clearly two, but there’s a gap when both teams are at full strength.

3. North Carolina: It’s a major dropoff between two and thee in the ACC, but UNC continues their win-and-move-on recipe this season. They blew the doors off Miami this past week and hurdle them for the third spot.

4. Miami: Despite getting blown out by UNC, Miami doesn’t fall too far. They only have two losses on the year, both to ranked opponents, and have proven their might in a 48-0 win over Duke a couple weeks ago. It’s not the prettiest fourth place, but it’s where they belong.

5. NC State: 8-3 is 8-3. NC State lacks a statement win, but their record is undeniable in the conference.

Big 12 power rankings

1. Oklahoma: The Sooners proved their worth. They brought home their 50th conference championship this season and solidified a spot in the Cotton Bowl.

2. Iowa State: The Cyclones came up just short in the Big 12 title game. It was a good showing, but they ultimately lacked experience enough to take care of Oklahoma twice in one year.

3. Texas: No matter how you dice this one, someone’s going to disagree. They lost to Iowa State and tumbled out of the AP Top 25, but they still have the jump on Oklahoma State. They’re not a pretty third, but third is where they belong.

4. TCU: TCU is 6-4 with wins over Texas and Oklahoma State; they’re also 4-1 over their last five games after starting 1-3. The Horned Frogs are a mid-level team, but they’ve been winning football games.

5. Oklahoma State: Oklahoma State has waffled in every prove-it game this season (vs Oklahoma and vs Texas). Luckily for the Cowboys, the rest of the Big 12 is in rough shape.

Big Ten power rankings

1. Ohio State: The Buckeyes are exactly as good as advertised. It wasn’t an ideal first half, but Ohio State won their fourth straight Big Ten championship and deserve the top spot.

2. Indiana: Indiana competed better with Ohio State than Northwestern did, coming up bigger in the second half as opposed to the first. The Hoosiers are an excellent football team worthy of the second spot.

3. Northwestern: It was an inspiring first half, but the lack of offense and questionable play calling cost the Wildcats a Big Ten championship against a hobbled Ohio State team.

4. Iowa: Iowa held Wisconsin to one score for the third consecutive game (the Badgers’ first time doing so since 1990). The Hawkeyes are a legitimate contender– potentially the last contender in the conference.

5. Minnesota: This is where the Big Ten lays this year. 3-4 Minnesota rounds up the top five based on record alone. There’s no merit in their resume, but the rest of the Big Ten didn’t get the memo that football season had started.

Pac-12 power rankings

1. Washington: Washington had the Pac-12 Championship berth, but COVID complications within the program caused them to drop out. That doesn’t mean they aren’t deserving of the spot– or the second rank on this list– though.

2. Colorado: The Buffs were upended by an inspired performance from a dangerous Utah team for their first loss of the season. Colorado’s still in good shape coming up on the year’s final power rankings.

3. Oregon: Wait– the conference champions third on the list? Yep. Oregon lucked into their championship spot but won it nonetheless. Run it back against USC, or either team above Oregon, and we aren’t confident they would win.

4. USC: Kedon Slovis had a chance, but ultimately choked away a Pac-12 championship. It showed that those close games weren’t just competitive teams, it’s that USC might just be a few possessions away from being sub-0.500.

5. UCLA: Three losses isn’t ideal, but they came at the hands of ranked Colorado, (at the time) ranked Oregon, and unbeaten USC on a final-second touchdown. The Bruins are solid.

SEC power rankings

1. Alabama: Not much needs to be said about Alabama: SEC champions, undefeated season, and top seed in the CFP.

2. Texas A&M: Texas A&M wins, but they win ugly. A 17-14 nail biter with listless Vanderbilt and 20-7 slap fight with unranked LSU isn’t great to see on their resume, but the Aggies are one of just two zero- or one-loss teams in the SEC.

3. Florida: A competitive outing with Alabama wasn’t enough to bury their shoe-gate game from a week ago. Florida is a very good football team, but they’ve lost to both teams above them.

4. Georgia: Georgia has been quiet since being beaten soundly by Alabama and Florida. They’re a talented team, but 2020 isn’t the Dawgs’ year.

5. Auburn: Three of Auburn’s four losses this year have come at the hands of top-5 Georgia, Alabama, and Texas A&M. It’s a tough sledding for the Tigers.

College football betting tips

As mentioned above, CFB has more teams and far less parity than the NFL. That leads to some lopsided scores and lofty spreads. It can be difficult to find the right side of the line, but here are some analytics to consider:

Home Field Advantage — How historically strong is a particular team at home? Are you considering a school with a particularly dedicated fan base such as Auburn? Or betting a mid-major matchup between two schools in the MAC that will likely be played with light fanfare?

Rivalries — There are only a few games during the CFB season, but some count for more than others. The top teams in each conference often schedule a huge H2H rivalry game towards the end of the season, such as “The Game” between Ohio State and Michigan. It doesn’t always have to be the top teams, though, as Alabama has a more fierce rivalry with Auburn than SEC competitor Georgia. The intensity of those rivalry games can often lead to closer finishes and that should be accounted for when betting point spreads.

Weather & Conditions — The weather can play a huge factor in the outcome of games and number of points scored. Obviously, poor weather makes it tougher to pass, catch, and kick, which often leads to fewer points. Some run-heavy teams thrive in inclement weather and teams from the south or west coast could struggle if playing on the road in a harsher climate.

Pace — As the average number of plays a team runs per game, this can primarily help you identify fast-paced games that are likely to go over the total, or slow-paced games that will go Under.

PPP — Another key factor in CFB that can help you determine both the point total and potential winner against the spread is the number of explosive plays a team averages. This can be measured in points per play (PPP) and teams that average more PPP than their opponents tend to win over 80 percent of matchups. If both teams average a lot of explosive plays and both defenses struggle to contain big plays, the Over becomes a much better proposition.

Offensive efficiency — The ability of a team to finish drives (offensive efficiency) can serve as a great indicator for which teams are capable of covering the spread and which games are likely to go Over (or Under) an expected point total. Pass yards per attempt is another indicator of which teams are successful on offense in terms of controlling possession and creating points.

Defensive efficiency — When betting on the point total, consider which teams have greater defensive efficiency. Teams with a consistent ability to create turnovers are far more likely to stay close in games when they’re an underdog, or pull away and cover the spread.

Win Probability — This is an advanced tool that can help tremendously with live betting. Algorithms can provide the likelihood of a team holding on for the win and that makes for a very safe bet.

Injuries and Player Factors — Finally, you have to consider the health of key players and any potential storylines about a rift between a player and the coaching staff. Coaches have all the power in CFB and sometimes players will underperform if they feel slighted or otherwise mistreated.

Each game brings its own criteria in terms of analytics and there is almost always ample time to crunch the numbers and find an edge.

CFB betting vs. NFL betting

With so many more games on a CFB slate, it’s difficult for oddsmakers to dedicate as much time into researching each matchup. Sometimes oddsmakers will nail the line for high-profile games in the “Power Five” conferences, but will lose track of the mid-major games. That opens the door for savvy bettors to hammer a line that they think is off the mark.

There are significant differences in the format of each game. CFB teams can carry up to 70 players and certain programs will use nearly everyone on the team to maintain a fast-paced style (popularized by Chip Kelly at Oregon).

There is slightly less betting activity in college compared to the NFL, and far less coverage in terms of injury updates. Changes might be coming, but right now the NCAA doesn’t require CFB teams to release injury reports. The ACC used to require a pre-game injury report from teams, but has since nixed that requirement.

While information on injuries isn’t nearly as transparent in CFB, savvy bettors can find out information via twitter and websites to indicate if a key player is going to be at all limited or potentially inactive. This is a potential area to gain an edge since there is plenty of local media coverage and fan investment even if the coaches aren’t required to tip their hand.

CFB betting predictions

In recent years, Clemson and Alabama have vied for the title as the undisputed kings of CFB. Last season, we saw LSU put together one of the best college football teams of all time. Now Futures on the CFP are a bit more open and the odds are likely to change throughout the season, especially with such a volatile landscape during the COVID-19 pandemic. Keep up to date on developing stories with our betting analysis on PlayPicks.com. We’ll also break down the matchups of individual games to get you primed for bets each Saturday.

Is college football betting legal?

When the Supreme Court overturned the Professional Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in May of 2018, it opened the door for individual states to legalize sports gambling. Beginning with New Jersey (the original plaintiff in the PASPA case), several states quickly moved to legalize and regulate the industry within state lines. Betting on college football and professional sports is still not federally legal, but residents in more than 20 states can place bets at live sportsbooks.

Most other states in the U.S. have introduced some sort of bill that would legalize sports gambling. Of course, some states are far closer than others to legalizing the industry. Visit our individual sports betting pages at TheLines.com to get a look at the status in each state.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many college football bowl games are there?

There were 40 bowl games at the end of the 2019-20 CFB season. For the modified 2020-21 season, win eligibility requirements were waived by the NCAA and every team will be considered eligible. However, not every team will be selected for the 39 bowl games, as only 78 teams can fill those spots.

When are college bowl games announced?

The schedule for the 2020-2021 CFB season is available online for every team in the FBS. The college bowl game schedule is typically announced after the conference championship games in December.

How do spreads work in college football?

Favorites are handicapped by a point spread and bettors that take the favorite on a point spread will need the team to win by more than that number (-14 for example). Conversely, underdogs will pay out bets on the spread if they lose by 14 points or fewer in that example.

What is the over / under in college football?

Point totals in CFB are generally much higher than the NFL because of the increased pace of play and lack of even talent and coordination on the defensive side of the ball.

How many Division 1 football teams are there?

There are currently 130 FBS football teams in Division 1 and 127 teams in the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision). The FCS is comprised of 14 conferences and the FBS is comprised of 10 conferences, plus seven independent teams (note: Notre Dame has officially joined the ACC for 2020-21, but did not specify if this affiliation would last beyond the season).

How many players can be on a college football team?

Programs in the FBS are able to give 85 players financial aid, but only 63 can receive full scholarships. There is no specific limit on how many players can dress for a game per NCAA rules, but conferences such as the Big Ten limit the number to 70 players. The NCAA does require that a maximum of 105 players take part in preseason camp.

Where is the national championship game in 2021?

The 2020 College Football Playoff is scheduled to take place in three different stadiums. The 2020-21 semifinals will be made up of the Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA) and the Sugar Bowl (New Orleans, LA) and are scheduled to take place Jan. 1. The National Championship is scheduled to be held Jan. 11 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

What is the purpose of college bowl games?

Bowl games have become a holiday tradition and an exciting goal for players, coaches, and fans to cap their seasons. While the CFP has seemingly overshadowed the other bowl games, players remain invested in ending their season or careers on a high note.

What happens to my futures bet should the season be canceled? Postponed?

In the event of a canceled college football season, futures bets would be voided, and all wagers would be returned to the bettor. Should the season be postponed, the futures would hold true until the season is fulfilled.

How will the champion be determined in 2020?

The College Football Playoff intends to be held in 2020-21, as announced by the NCAA. Per the College Football Playoff Committee’s official website, “With recent schedule changes for the regular season, it makes sense for the committee to make its final rankings after the conference championship games, when it can get a complete picture of the season. The selection committee members understand the need to be flexible as we all navigate uncharted waters this season, and this move will allow them to evaluate all the available information.”

Which college football teams are competing in the 2020-21 season?

All conferences have announced a start date for competition after the Big Ten, Pac-12, Mountain West, and MAC announced postponements to their fall football season. 127 of the 130 teams will compete at some point with varied amounts of games played.

How does betting on college football work?

Much like wagering on all of the other major team sports, betting on college football is similar. However, there are some nuances, but we’ll get to that in a bit.

First off, let’s take a look at where you can place your best bets.

Betting on college football using an app

If you prefer to have more flexibility on when and where to place a bet, then you should seek out a sportsbook with a robust mobile offering. Nearly all of the major football betting sites will have a mobileapp available for download for both Android and iOS platforms.

Once you have chosen your preferred site or sites from our list above, look for the corresponding mobile offering on the sportsbook’s website. After downloading, log in and take a look around.

For the most part, operators will do their best to mirror the mobile experience to what you will find online, albeit a little smaller scale. Placing a bet on mobile is generally easy, and you shouldn’t miss a beat once you get the hang of the app itself.

Is betting on college football legal?

The answer will vary depending on the state in which you live.

On May 14, 2018, the US Supreme Court weighed in on the topic. In a nutshell, the high court placed the decision in the hands of the states themselves.

Since then, several states have gone all-in and fully legalized sports betting. Others have legalized it in some form, while legislation is pending in other states.

Sports betting is in legal in a number of states. These, plus the latest information on more US states, are listed in-depth in our guide to US sports betting. These three states, however, have the most extensive places and methods for legal sports betting.

• Pennsylvania: Sports betting is legal for online and retail sportsbooks.
• New Jersey: The first state to act after the SCOTUS ruling, online and retail sports betting is entirely legal in the Garden State.
• Nevada: Continues to be completely legal in Nevada.

Bills have at least been introduced in several other states, while others have yet to take substantive action. Here is a complete list of where you can bet on College football legally in the US.

California sports betting and sports betting in Florida are in the list of states where online wagering is still not legal.

What is the biggest difference between NFL betting vs. college football?

One of the most significant differences between betting on college football versus the NFL is the number of teams in a given week.

There are 32franchises in the NFL. That means that there will be a maximum of 16games on a given week.

Each team gets a byeweek during the regular season, so the number of games on the weekly schedule can range between 13 and 15 contests. Generally, bye weeks take place in the middle of the season, so the beginning and end of the year will see full slates of games.

For college football, 130programs play at the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) level, which is sometimes also referred to as Division I. Below the FBS is the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision. Below that are Division II/III programs.

For betting industry purposes, the majority of the attention is to FBS.

When college football games are played

With 130 teams, the weekly schedules are jam-packed. The majority of the action takes place on Saturdays. College football gets underway at the end of August, usually at least a week ahead of the start of the NFL’s regular season.

For the first week, there’s typically a Sunday and a Monday football game as well since there isn’t any competition with NFL viewership. Thursday and Friday’s games are standard parts of the schedule throughout the season, and there will also be some midweek games as the season moves along.

Learning college football betting

The NFL is king in terms of media attention. It would be tough for a story regarding the league to slip through the cracks.

For college, the major programs will receive a ton of attention as well, but information on smaller schools can often be more challenging to come by. That’s an area in which bettors can gain an edge over the long run. The time devoted to digging for potential nuggets of information can help to spot opportunities that other bettors or sportsbooks may miss.

This info can help when a powerful school is matched up with a smaller program. Generally, the larger program will be huge favorites. Spreads of 20 points are greater are not uncommon at all. You can sometimes uncover value here.

In addition, the less attention paid to college football by the sportsbooks and bettors can occasionally lead to softer lines that are ripe to be exploited.

Experience means a great deal in college football. Programs that have solid continuity at the key coaching positions are generally built to last. For other schools, turnover at critical spots is not uncommon when poor results are achieved.

The experience factor also applies to the players on the field. In the NFL, we are dealing with professionals who have proven to be the best of the best. At the college level, we’ll see first-year players mixed in with seniors.

Of course, inexperienced players can make more mistakes than their experienced teammates. This is especially true in the early part of the season. Teams with coaching staffs who have been together a while and also have a good amount of returningstarters can be ready to burst out of the gate.

Programs that have lost a lot of players to graduation or by moving on to the next level can take some time to get going. The same applies to teams with newcoaches, but there are always exceptions to those two rules.

College football betting lines

Looking at a college football oddsboard can be intimidating at first glance due to the sheer number of games weekly. On the bright side, no rule says you have to handicap every one of them.

For example, some seasoned bettors prefer to stick with a conference or two that they know particularly well. Plenty of folks will focus solely on the big games and nationally televised affairs. Also, there will be those who prefer to focus on not-so-popular games.

There is no golden rule on which approach to take. It all comes down to personal preferences, as well as the amount of research time you have at your disposal.

For the gamelines themselves, they appear exactly as they would for an NFL game. You will find point spreads and total points, as well as moneyline opportunities if you prefer just to pick straight winners. One caveat to the moneyline approach is that betting on a massive favorite will not generate much in the way of returns.

Point-spread bets receive the most attention. Your goal is to figure out who will win the game and by how much. If a team is favored by seven points, you have to determine if the margin of victory will be within that parameter or outside of it.

It’s challenging, but that’s also part of the fun. Few things in life can be more satisfying than seeing your hard work pay off and translate into results.

How to shop for lines

As you become more familiar with college football lines, you will begin to recognize valuable and not-so-valuable opportunities. The lines from the various sportsbooks are generally similar, but that doesn’t mean they are all exactly alike.

That’s where the concept of lineshopping comes into the frame. When a book opens up a line for a game, it can shift based on the action it takes in.

For example, a seven-point favorite can suddenly be whittled down to a six and a half-point favorite, or go in the opposite direction and rise to seven and a half points.

While that may not sound like a significant difference, it certainly is. This is especially true for games that you may be on the fence. The extra half-point of security can make a difference for your peace of mind, not to mention your bankroll.

As you gain experience with sports betting, you will undoubtedly come across your preferred platforms and sportsbooks. It’s perfectly fine to keep the majority of your action there, but don’t be afraid to shop around for better deals.

Shifts in the point spread, game totals and moneyline values can happen throughout the week at various books. If you have a game or several games that you are particularly keen on, take the time to look around and see what other operators have to offer.

You never know when you’re going to find an attractive opportunity you weren’t expecting.

NCAA teams

As we mentioned up above, there are 130 teams at the FBS level. The teams are usually spread across 10conferences, but there are currently six schools that have independent status and no direct affiliation.

The conferences are further broken down into two categories: Power Five and Group of Five. In general, the Power Five conferences include the bigger programs, while the school in Group of Five are in the middle or lower in terms of overall power.

There is some crossover in which more prominent programs have down years. Also, for Group of Five schools which are playing exceptionally well and attracting a lot of talent. However, it makes for a fair rule of thumb to follow.

This is also where the researchcomponent comes in handy. Betting markets sometimes discount the smaller programs when they are matched up with a school that looks stronger on paper. However, anything can happen after kickoff, and there have been plenty of upsets over the years.

How To Bet On College Football In Vegas

Best of the best in the NCAA

If you begin to study college football, you’ll begin to recognize some patterns.

Success often breeds additional success. Many programs will remain strong for several years at a time, while others can have trouble getting out of a constant downward trend.

This can help tremendously with your handicapping, as you’ll begin to get a feel for which teams are more reliable. After all, it’s easier to count on a program that continually excels as opposed to one that seems to have trouble getting out of its own way.

Let’s take a look at the best of the best in a few categories:

• Most Wins: Michigan is tops on the list of total wins, followed by Ohio State and Texas. Other top programs are right behind them, including Alabama and Notre Dame.
• Most Championships: The history of college football stretches back to 1869. Princeton and Yale are at the top of the list in spite of not being top football programs for some time. Behind them are powerhouses Alabama and Notre Dame with 22 championships each.
• Most Players Who Get Drafted: USC is atop the list for most players drafted all-time as well as first-round selections. For the most recent draft, Alabama had the most players drafted.
• Best Coach In College Football: Two coaches are generally considered the best in the current college football landscape: Dabo Swinney of Clemson and Nick Saban of Alabama.

It’s important to remember that no two seasons will be exactly alike. However, schools that consistently put a reliable product on the field tend to continue that trend and vice versa.

College football predictions

Predicting the outcome of games can quickly evolve from a curiosity to a passionate hobby. Just like the various approaches to tackling the big college football schedule we outlined up above, there are several ways to attack it.

For some folks, the research component is a big part of the enjoyment. Those in this category tend to have their systems that rely upon crucial pieces of intel. They will often work toward continually tweaking and trying to perfect their model.

There’s also a large group of people who prefer to take a hands-off approach. Those in this category may rely on a handful of trusted sources to help them make their handicapping decisions. There are even subscriptionservices and individual game picks available for people who prefer to have others do the leg work.

In between these two approaches are many other ways to play the game known as sports betting. Once again, there’s no right or wrong way. It all comes down to what you are most comfortable with, what brings you the most enjoyment and hopefully, what allows you to cash more tickets in the long run.

How To Bet On College Football Games

For those just starting up, start with the basics and build up from there. Look for key metrics like average points scored and allowed yardage for and against, and turnovers.

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Besides, there are plenty of free services out there that release power ranking and other metrics.

Power rankings attempt to conceptualize the overall strength of a team into a single number. The better ones out there can be quite useful when you are trying to figure out point spreads.

College football bowl games 2020-21

After the college football regular season is done, it’s time for bowl season. The schedule of what you can look forward to in 2020-21 is still very much TBD. Check back later in the season to see what’s scheduled. For more on the history of college bowl game sponsors, check our A-Z list here:

The bottom line on college betting

College football is one of the more popular sports in the US, both from a general interest level and from a handicapping perspective. For many seasoned gamblers, college football season is the best time of the year.

Beyond being fun and enjoyable, the massive volume of weekly games opens up numerous profit opportunities. Some bettors love to dive in and break down as many games as they can handle, while others prefer to specialize and focus on a select few contests each week.

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The same applies to the break down of the games themselves. Some bettors prefer to do their research and another group that relies on trusted sources.

Whether you prefer a hands-on or hands-off approach, there will be plenty of opportunities. Enjoy the season.