SELECT SCORE:
It won’t be long before we begin scanning the college football odds and making our bets on the sides and/or totals. But what about the props? Let’s talk about college football touchdown scorer props and be prepared to make some money!
Betting on the Touchdown Makers
In order to bet a prop, you have to know what it is and how to win. Let’s make one thing perfectly clear, a quarterback throwing a touchdown pass does not constitute a touchdown for said quarterback in this prop bet. However, the man catching the pass and scampering into the endzone will be credited with the touchdown as far as this prop bet is concerned. The same is true for the running back, quarterback, or any offensive player breaking the plane of the endzone and scoring a TD, as well as the defensive player running back a pick-six. All of these are eligible as touchdown scorer props.
One version of a TD scorer prop will look something like, ‘Will Player X score a touchdown at some point during the game?’, and then you will see the accompanying college football odds for each player listed. But does that include overtime? You better check with your sportsbook before you bet because rules can vary from one book to another.
Don’t be a fish, understand the parameters of the wager and do your homework so that it’s not just action you are getting for the entirety of the game but a winning result as well. After all, isn’t that why you’re betting in the first place?
Do Your Due Diligence
We all seem to gravitate to the superstars when making prop bets because we have their body of work etched in our minds. Last season, Alabama’s DeVonta Smith was an absolute freak, catching 117 passes for 1856 yards and 23 receiving touchdowns over 13 games. And as good as the Heisman Trophy winner was in 2020, he still averaged less than two touchdowns per game.
But take note, only four others in the history of college football caught more in a single season including bowl games with Troy Edwards (27, LA Tech, 1998), Randy Moss (26, Marshall, 1997), Stedman Bailey (25, West Virginia, 2012), and Davante Adams (24, Fresno State, 2013) leading the way as the only receivers who put up better TD stats than Mr. Smith, circa 2020.
Therefore, the novice might see a total of two TDs on Smith and think it’s a bargain to go over when, in fact, he didn’t even average two TDs per game, let alone hit paydirt for three in order to cash in that particular scenario. If you are wondering, Smith scored three or more TDs in four of his 13 games last season for the Tide. And by the way, two of those four contests came in the CFP when the Mac Jones to DeVonta Smith connection blistered not only Notre Dame for 130 yards and three touchdowns but also Ohio State for a whopping 215 receiving yards and three TD strikes.
Let’s also understand that matchups matter so if there is a fierce pass defense that is likely to double cover the star receiver then you might want to shift gears and either bet number two wideout or, perhaps, the lead running back for a rushing TD. The reverse can be said for stout-run defenses that could be vulnerable to the pass. Just make sure to do your homework and don’t get caught looking back because even though hindsight is 20/20 – it doesn’t pay the bills.
Get the Best Odds
Like any wager you make, getting the best number is crucial if you want to be a winner over the long haul of the college football season. That’s why it is so important to have multiple outs (sportsbooks) where you can compare the college football odds/point spreads and choose the best odds or sharpest point spread because it truly does matter. Below you can see an example of how OddsTrader helps with this.
And while you’re at it, make sure you are playing with only top-rated books. There are so many shops that will delay paying or not pay at all that if you don’t see them listed here at OddsTrader then it is a caveat emptor, buyer beware, because it is one thing to sweat the game but never the payout!
