1 College Football Playoff Betting Action Report: 'All the Cash is Being Available In On Texas'
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The college football world was expecting a March Madness kind of feel for the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff, with upsets galore. Instead, the 4 first-round matches underwhelmed, providing plenty of time for vacation shopping. Favorites went a best 4-0 versus the spread, consisting of 3 relatively non-competitive efficiencies by underdogs Indiana, SMU and Tennessee. Sportsbooks and the general public do not appear to believe so. A minimum of in 2 cases.

Both Penn State-Boise State and Texas-Arizona State feature double-digit spreads preferring the lower-seeded Nittany Lions and Longhorns. And the latter has actually been a specifically popular choice with the general public. The Longhorns -12.5 is the most-bet side at BetMGM nationally in terms of total dollars since Monday afternoon.

"All the cash is being available in on Texas," Seamus Magee, a BetMGM trader, wrote in a text to The Athletic. "We need Arizona State to cover +13.5."

The enthusiasm for the Longhorns extends to the futures market also. Remember that massive $1.5 million wager on Texas to win it all at +390 odds? The ticket is still out there at Caesars Sportsbook.

Interestingly, the Longhorns' opponent, Arizona State - the greatest underdog amongst the College Football quarterfinal matchups - is getting the most love from sharp gamblers. The Athletic talked with numerous bookies who had taken sharp action on No. 4 Arizona State - which had actually gotten as high as a 14-point underdog at some books versus No. 5 Texas - to press the line to -12.5 or -12.

John Murray, the executive director at The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, informed us he got a wager on Arizona State +13.5 from a "very reputable player."

Although highly regarded money has been available in on Arizona State to cover, sportsbooks will likely require the Sun Devils to do just that, as public bettors are overdoing Texas.

"We would enjoy to see ASU cover, and then Texas win the game, so we get our Arizona State liability off the futures book," Magee included.
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While the Texas video game will be huge for the books, it isn't the only video game in town. We chatted with several bookmakers to break down where the sports betting action is on the other three College Football quarterfinal matchups. 6 Penn State (-11, 53) at No. 3 Boise State

This game opened Penn State -10.5 at a lot of sportsbooks and has actually approached slightly to an agreement of -11. sports betting on the spread is relatively split at a lot of sportsbooks. The total dollars wagered differs by book, as 52% of bets and 79% of the money at BetMGM nationally are on Boise State -11, while 56% of bets but only 42% of the cash at DraftKings is on Boise State -11.5. Penn State to cover is presently the 2nd most popular CFP wager in regards to total tickets at BetMGM books.
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"We opened Penn State -10.5 and are sitting on Penn State -11," Thomas Gable, sportsbook director at The Borgata in Atlantic City, informed The Athletic. "I would not be shocked if this line approaches a little bit more before kickoff, however I currently welcome any Boise State money."

Ohio State got the Oregon 2nd chance it wanted. Are the Buckeyes all set for revenge?

No. 8 Ohio State (-2.5, 55.5) vs. No. 1 Oregon

Perhaps most surprising to the public is that No. 1 seed Oregon is an underdog against No. 8 Ohio State. These groups fulfilled back on Oct. 7 in Eugene, and Oregon won 32-31 as a 3.5-point home pet dog.

So why is OSU preferred?
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Several oddsmakers The Athletic spoke to before the had Ohio State atop their power ratings, and the lookahead lines for this theoretical matchup were Ohio State -1 or -1.5. One oddsmaker mentioned that Ohio State playing up to its power rating in its dominant first-round win over Tennessee likewise shaped his opening line.

Ohio State opened as a 1- or 1.5-point preferred (depending upon the sportsbook) in this video game before reputable money pressed it to the current line of -2.5. A a little higher majority of wagers at numerous sportsbooks, approximately 60%, are on the Ducks to cover, while near 60% of the money has actually been available in on the Buckeyes. This will likely be the highest-handle game of the 4 come kickoff.

"We did take some reputable money at -1.5, rapidly went to -2.5 where it's stayed," Gable said. "It's decent two-way action at that number today. The total has actually increased 3 points from 52.5 to 55.5, which has been the greatest relocation of any of the totals. Money has all been on the over up until now.
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Joe Brennan, the CEO of Prime sports betting, a sportsbook in Ohio and New Jersey that accommodates sharp wagerers, told The Athletic that "Ohio State opened as a 1-point preferred, and immediately our Ohio bettors believed we were too low. Our opening cost of Ohio State -1 has actually been increased to -2.5 and the overall from 52 to 55."

He did note, though, that the book had actually seen considerable buyback at the present line of Ohio State -2.5 which 52% of the overall dollars at his book were taking the points with the Ducks.

GO DEEPER

The most likely upsets for the College Football Playoff's 2nd round

No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia (-1, 45)
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The favorite flipped in this video game, as Notre Dame opened a 1.5-point preferred and is presently a 1- or 1.5-point underdog at sportsbooks.

What caused the line turn? Put simply, the sports betting action.

Despite the fact that Georgia's beginning QB Carson Beck is out for the season and has actually been changed by relative unknown Gunner Stockton, bettors are gravitating towards the Bulldogs.

Georgia to cover is the most popular versus the spread wager at BetMGM books nationally in terms of ticket count (second-most popular by overall dollars wagered), and it has been "one-way traffic on Georgia," according to Magee. Nearly 70% of bets are on the Bulldogs at several sportsbooks.