Though the basics are the same, there is a world of difference between making football bets between college football and the NFL.
In the professional ranks, you have a semblance of sameness, looking over players that have been on the same team for a while. That could change if teammates retire, are traded, or go the free agent route, otherwise, there is general continuity.
In college, though, a perennial Top 10 program can have substantial runs of 5 to 10 years if the head coach remains at the same school in that period. Otherwise, there are more moving parts, especially with the transfer rules changed.
With so many choices today from sportsbooks and college football having more than four times as many teams to choose from (131 vs. 32), the task can be cumbersome without guardrails.
Futures Bets to Win the National Championship
Though something different will happen now and again, for the most part, the teams with the six lowest NCAAF odds are likely to deliver the national championship and a winning bet.
Today, because of the financial resources, most elite programs have a top-flight head coach and staff. Those programs have built-in advantages for recruiting.
If a coach can sell top players on the fact that every game can be seen by NFL scouts on television or in person and they can showcase their talents, while learning first-rate instructions that can make them a high NFL draft pick, that’s where the best players want to play.
Maybe when an eight or 12-team playoff arrives and one or two of the best teams could get knocked off, nevertheless, beating the betting odds starts with the cream of the crop.
How to Choose Season Win Totals and Conference Champions Wisely
The wisest way to beat the sportsbooks in these two wagers is to consider your interests and location. If you have lived in the South or the Midwest your whole life, when it comes to college football, you are most likely an SEC or Big Ten fan or bettor.
These are the teams you know and you understand the culture of how football is played in those regions. That alone allows you to dig in and generate the most information possible, having extra insights on each conference.
At the same time, you might have more than a working knowledge about how the Sun Belt works or the MAC depending on where you reside if you are more of a regional fan or college football bettor.
Stick to What You Know
If you happen to be from ACC country or the West Coast and moved to Miami or Kansas City, for example, your allegiance remains intact to your conference. Your interest remains unchanged being a diehard fan of your conference.
The point is, to stay with what you know, research everything you can about the conference and team you care about, and that passion will drive you to make the best possible choices.
Understand who has the best talent, a high-level quarterback, and skilled position players. Will any team be able to win the battles at the line of scrimmage or can they be overpowered?
Will a club with a 6.5 or 7.5 win total be able to handle those weaker than themselves but be unable to compete with the top tier? And how does this analysis stand up against their season schedule? Answer those questions and you are ready to compete.
Betting the Heisman Trophy and Other Individual Awards
It is imperative to not only know a player’s past for these awards but also what kind of talent they have around them.
Does a quarterback or running back that finished in the Top 3 of Heisman voting the year prior return most of the offensive line and or quality pass catchers? Or did the best players graduate from those positions and less experienced individuals take their place? These are facts you have to know.
When it comes to the Heisman and awards like this:
- Maxwell Award
- Walter Camp Award
- Home Depot Award
- Jim Thorpe Award
- Davey O’Brien Award
- Rimington Award
- Lou Groza Award
- Butkus Award
You don’t have to place bets before the season, you can let the market play out and jump in where you see the value and a possible winner.
We hope this helped you and good luck this college football season!
