Below, we will discuss the leading contenders for college football’s most coveted personal trophy and the corresponding Heisman Trophy odds. USC has the most Heisman Trophy Award winners with eight, while quarterbacks have won the award a record 36 times since its creation in 1935.
Let’s check out the Heisman trophy odds, courtesy of BetMGM (check our BetMGM Review), and use this information to analyze the contenders and the sleepers to watch throughout the season.
2025-26 Heisman Trophy Odds
| Candidate | Odds |
|---|---|
| John Mateer (Oklahoma) | +800 |
| Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) | +850 |
| Carson Beck (Miami) | +1000 |
| Devon Dampier (Utah) | +1000 |
| Dante Moore (Oregon) | +1100 |
| Arch Manning (Texas) | +1200 |
| Gunner Stockton (Georgia) | +1400 |
| Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) | +1500 |
| LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina) | +1500 |
| Drew Allar (Penn State) | +1600 |
Heisman Trophy Contenders, Sleepers to Watch
Garrett Nussmeier (+850)
We are still very early in the season, and we have already seen this Heisman Trophy Award board shake out drastically.
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, once atop the preseason rankings, has fallen precipitously. Although Arch Manning is still in the running, his stock has taken a tumble as well after his lackluster performance against Florida State.
However, LSU’s Garret Nussmeier is still one of the lowest odds on the board and remains one of the favorites to take home the hardware after he led his team to consecutive victories by upsetting then No. 4 Clemson and followed that up with a 23-7 win over Louisiana Tech.
LSU is currently ranked third in the nation, and Nussmeier has a nasty offensive line in front of him that should keep him upright and allow him to pad his stats. At Heisman Trophy odds of +850, I wouldn’t say he’s a bargain, but he definitely qualifies as a value bet.
Arch Manning (+1200)
The latest heir to the throne in the House of Manning, Arch, has also seen his stock fall after a middling opening week performance against the defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes. However, he followed that up by torching the San Jose State secondary for four touchdowns and 295 yards through the air in the Longhorns’ 38-7 Week 2 victory.
I am writing Manning’s Week 1 performance off to a case of the jitters, and I suspect we will see the hype train kick into overdrive when young Arch begins delivering on all of his massive potential.
At this point, his odds have fallen from +700 as a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite to a tantalizing +1200. It’s hard not to like those odds!
Gunner Stockton (+1400)
The Bulldogs are loaded again this year, and if you’re born with a name like Gunner and you have ascended to the pinnacle of college football, then you’ve got to be on this Heisman list somewhere. It just so happens that the Georgia quarterback is in the mix after his team won its first two games.
But the key to picking out a Heisman Trophy winner so early in the season is not necessarily what the player has done but what he is poised to do. In this case, Gunner Stockton could lead his charges to a national title and build an impressive resume along the way that will allow him to capture the award.
As of this writing, Stockton has only two passing TDs, no picks, and 417 yards.
However, he can move the chains with his feet, as his 86 rushing yards as well as two rushing touchdowns will attest. Those stats alone won’t get many jumping on the Gunner Stockton Heisman Trophy bandwagon, but just give the kid time, allow him to assimilate into this offense and his starting role in it, and watch him fly!
Heisman Betting Tips and Trends
If you are interested in betting on the Heisman Trophy, make sure to take advantage of the many tools available at OddsTrader. Review the teams’ opening schedule and find out if the offenses have a chance to get to know each other, courtesy of the weak defenses they may face in the early going.
Building confidence early is a major advantage, and we will likely see this chemistry come about early and continue to improve.
Make sure to scour the IR; the injury bug can bite any player at any time, so don’t get caught without information. There is plenty of it out there, and the sooner you have it, the better your decisions will be going forward.
Lastly, the leading Heisman candidate will likely feast on the weak defenses they will face early in their respective schedules, which means the generous odds you see right now may plummet once the season begins. So, make sure you open accounts at multiple online sportsbooks and get the sharpest number for your Heisman futures and game-by-game point spreads, totals, and moneyline odds.
Below are the last five Heisman Trophy winners of the last five years:
- Travis Hunter (CB/WR – Colorado – 2024)
- Jayden Daniels (QB – LSU – 2023)
- Caleb Williams (QB – USC – 2022)
- Bryce Young (QB – Alabama – 2021)
- DeVonta Smith (WR – Alabama – 2020)
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*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
