There is nothing like the excitement of watching a college football game. And having a financial investment in the outcome only adds to the thrill. Now, if you are going to make a wager then it should be an informed, educated decision that will give you an edge over the average person who bets with their heart and not with their head.
Fortunately, you have come to the right place for all the key metrics you will need to handicap like the pros. OddsTrader is command central for valuable tips and tools for NCAAF bettors who believe winning over the long grind of the college football season is paramount to enjoying their favorite sport.
Below we will discuss the OddsTrader NCAAF Computer Picks as a dynamic resource that can be used in making your college football picks throughout the season.
What Are College Football Computer Picks?
Computers are equipped to do virtually any job much faster and far more efficiently than humans are capable. At OddsTrader, we have proprietary algorithms that incorporate all of the vital elements of a college football matchup.
OddsTrader’s NCAAF computer picks take into account critical aspects of each team’s offensive and defensive abilities. It also considers any matchup liabilities or advantages one team might have over the other. This data is also used for totals, aka over/under, in each game as well.
Thousands of simulations are run based on all of these criteria and OddsTrader will render the most frequent result for your consideration. It is an excellent weapon in your arsenal and one we strongly suggest you use as part of your handicapping process.
How Do College Football Computer Picks Work?
You don’t need to be a software engineer to understand the results of the computer picks generated by the OddsTrader algorithm. It’s clear, concise, and easy to understand even for those who might not be all that tech-savvy.
What you will find is the predicted score and total of each game. This information can then be compared to the college football odds (point spreads, moneylines, over/under) on each of those contests. This will give you a basis of comparison and allow you to determine whether there is an inherent advantage based on the disparity between what the computer picks conclude versus the oddsmakers’ lines.
If there is a substantial difference between the two then that indicates a strong play which will be signaled by the consensus graded choice. Not all plays are the same and if the computer prediction aligns closely with the oddsmakers’ lines then it is likely a game you should pass, as there is no advantage, at least according to the computer selection.
How to Use College Football Computer Picks
We must understand that the OddsTrader algorithm for its college football computer picks is not a panacea to perfect handicapping. There is no silver bullet, no magic lantern, and no guarantee to cover the spread.
However, what you do have access to is simply another powerful tool to use in your handicapping process. It is up to you to scour the injury reports for late scratches and monitor the weather conditions at the time of kickoff.
Depending on your natural tendencies to reflexively side with the favorite or the underdog, the over or the under, this will often color your opinion as to how you interpret the results. The ideal way to handicap is to remove any bias you may have and clinically examine the results, devoid of emotion, much like the algorithm that made the picks!
Do College Football Computer Picks Guarantee Success?
As stated above, there is no such thing as a lock. Although professional touts who sell their picks might convince you otherwise, the fact is no one has a crystal ball and that includes the computers and algorithms that you will find at OddsTrader or anywhere else.
But what the computer picks can provide is an arithmetic approach to factoring in a substantial amount of information and condensing it into a result. There will be injuries that occur during the game, bad bounces, questionable calls by the refs, and any number of unknown factors that can flip the script.
The computer picks cannot account for the unknown but it can do an amazing job calculating the available vital statistics.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Using NCAAF Computer Picks
Advantages
An intellectual judgment should not be colored by emotion. Professional handicappers who bet for a living understand there can be no room for betting on a team just because they happen to play for your hometown.
We should also point out that sports bettors can go on “tilt” after a bad loss or chase their wagers with bigger bets just to get even from previous losses. The computer has no emotion and no tendency to skew the way it processes based on a loss in a previous game. This is another major advantage over the way humans cap games.
Disadvantages
Perhaps the greatest reason to watch and follow college football is the school spirit and intense rivalries between the teams. A raucous student body can elevate the adrenaline of the players to a fever pitch and there is no accounting for that other than the statistics generated by home teams when playing in front of the fan friendlies during a home game.
A revenge game or consecutive road games can also factor into an equation that algorithms cannot integrate into the equation. When injuries occur, if there is no adequate information on the backups, it can derail the predicted results.
That’s why the OddsTrader NCAAF computer picks should be part of your handicapping process and not the entirety of it.
Do College Football Computer Picks Bring Value to Sports Betting?
Computer picks are only as good as the information inputted. If garbage goes in then there will be garbage going out. However, if the algorithm is sharp and the statistics are current and plentiful then the degree of success will increase. It’s not magic, it’s metrics.
Again, this needs to be just one piece of your handicapping puzzle and if the results bolster your original supposition, then perhaps it should be graded as a strong play. However, if the computer picks contradict your thinking, then you should examine the other tools that OddsTrader has available for you and make your decision based on the whole, not the part.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the decision is yours as to how much you want to rely on OT’s algorithm in your college football picks. While professionals will spend hours upon hours researching, most recreational bettors have neither the time nor the inclination to do so.
Therefore, this is a free tool at your disposal to use in any way you see fit. It is not the only resource available at OddsTrader and you should familiarize yourself with our Power Rankings and other handicapping weapons we provide like our ATS standings.
College Football Computer Picks FAQ
Will College Football Computer Picks Always Win?
The short answer is no. However, it is a way to increase your chances of covering the spread or total in every game you bet. Just make sure to limit the amount you are betting to a reasonable sum and don’t chase your losses. Money management is imperative.
The litmus test for a successful college football handicapper is a 60 percent cover rate or better and this is another tool to help get you there.
Why Should I Use College Football Computer Picks?
If used correctly and as another resource for your betting process, it can provide more information than you would otherwise have.
The more tools at your disposal the better you will handicap and this is a powerful weapon that is provided free at OddsTrader exclusively for our readers. Other free products from OddsTrader that you can use in the 2022 college football season are: ATS Standings and Betting Trends NCAAF Power Rankings
What Is the Best Way to Use College Football Computer Picks?
Identify your strengths and weaknesses as a college football capper and focus on the positive and try to eliminate the negative.
The OddsTrader computer picks will do all the number-crunching but it is up to you to determine whether it makes sense.