When the playoff era of college football began in 2014, it gave new meaning and renewed interest to the national championship game. No longer would BCS polls determine which two teams would play for the title. The playoffs may not be perfect, but they certainly do ensure that the last two teams standing have paid their dues. Now fans, casual bystanders, and most importantly, bettors have an end-of-year event on par with the Super Bowl.
Best National Championship Game Betting Lines
With intense focus on recruiting, spring practice and the regular season, media coverage of college football rarely takes a break. At all points of call, the question of who has the best team in the land drives the discussion. In short, the betting public is obsessed with the college football championship – so much so that the future odds get regular attention from mainstream media sources such as ESPN, CBS and the like. With so many reminders and enticements to partake in the action, finding a good sportsbook becomes an important matter of business.
How To Win At National Championship Bets
In the three-year history of the college football playoffs, three traditional powers have won the title: Ohio State (2014), Alabama (2015) and Clemson (2016). But just because the national championship has run through some of the more likely suspects, doesn’t mean that betting value hasn’t been there for the taking in the future wagering.
During Clemson’s 2016 run to the title, the Tiger’s championship odds ranged from +600 to +1200 at most major sportsbooks during the course of the season. 6/1 and 12/1 and all the possibilities in between aren’t bad odds for a squad that looked every bit the contender. A wise guy selection is not always necessary to profit handsomely in the futures market.
College football championship point spread
Of course, future bets only account for a fractional percentage of the total bets made on the college football championship. In recent years – particularly since the inception of the playoff system – the national championship line has been set at seven points or less, with the favorites winning twice and Clemson winning in 2016 as a 6.5-point underdog. Against the spread or “ATS” betting remains the most popular form of wagering in football, generating plenty of action from casual bettors and serious players alike.
Betting on totals
With so little often separating the only two teams left standing in college football, the total or over/under is often an attractive bet. The total requires the bettor to take a stand on the number of combined points the two teams will score. With a high scoring affair expected between Ohio State and Oregon in the inaugural playoff era championship in 2014, the total was set at 73. “Under” bettors cashed as the final score was 42-20 in favor of OSU.
Prop betting
Like the Super Bowl, the college football national championship game comes with a variety of unique and interesting prop bets. From this menu of novelties, players can wager on events such as the “longest TD of the game” against a preset over/under of total yardage. These bets often fuel gambling creativity, creating unique handicapping angles.
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