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College football betting can be a great way to add another level of excitement to a favorite pastime. College betting can be even more interesting and surprising than betting on NFL games. There are more players and unknown factors in college games than professional football. When it comes to how to bet, professional and college games are very similar. Below is a discussion of the different types of bets available for college football games. |
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There are two different betting lines to consider when placing bets. The point spread involves giving points to the underdog or subtracting points from the favored team in order to level the odds. The point spread will have (+) points listed for the underdog and (-) points listed for the favorite. |
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Point spread example: Ohio State -7 at Michigan State +7In this case Ohio State must win by more than 7 points in order for the bettor to win a wager on Ohio State. A wager on Michigan State would win if Michigan wins or Ohio State wins by less than 7 points. |
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The other important betting line is the money line. The money line involves the payoff on a bet. This is another method oddsmakers use to even the odds between two teams. |
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Money line example: Ohio State -1.60 at Michigan State +1.50A winning bet of $160 dollars placed on Ohio State would result in a payoff of $100. A winning bet of $100 on Michigan State would win $150. |
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A common college football bet is the straight bet. To win a straight bet the team must beat the point spread, either by winning by a certain amount or losing by under a certain amount. Point spreads may vary at any time. |
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Over and under bets are known as total bets. The total is the estimated combined score of the two college teams played in a game. An over bet is a bet that the total combined score will be over the estimate. Conversely, the under is a bet that the combined score will be under the estimate. |
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The point spread is not involved in a money line wager. For a money line wager the team must simply win the game for the bet to win. The payoff for a money line bet is determined by the money line itself. Both money line and total bets may be made on just the first or second half of the game instead of the entire game. These are known as halftime bets. |
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Parlay bets are linked wagers on two or more games. The bets are connected and a loss of any one parlay bet will result in a loss of all the bets. Parlays are much more difficult to win but result in significantly higher payouts than single bets. |
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A teaser bet is a bet on two or more teams where the point spread is adjusted in the favor of the bettor. The greater number of teams selected in a teaser bet will result in a higher payout rate. |
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Futures bets are wagers on future events such as division champions or bowl games. The odds for futures are usually very simple 3 to 1 or 5 to 1 style odds. There are also over/under type futures bets on things like total victories for a given team throughout the season. |
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Proposition bets, also called exotics, basically cover everything else. A proposition bet can be anything from which team will win the coin toss to how many interceptions there will be to which team will score last touchdown etc. Proposition bets tend to be more common at online sportsbooks. |
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One of the most important things to remember when betting on college football is to do your research. The best way to succeed at any sports betting is to be well informed. Also remember that point spreads and money lines are based partly on perceptions of public wagering. A strong public favorite may create a line biased towards the favored team. Look for anomalies in the betting lines and remember to bet according to the facts and not just by picking your favorite teams. Good luck and remember to half fun! |
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