How to Bet on College Football Online: 2022 NCAA Football betting guide
College Football season is here and fall is upon us. The tailgates outside the stadium are in full effect with the meat on the grill, the crowds rushing into the stadium and everyone smiling with excitement to see if their favorite school will triumph. Whether you’re enjoying the festivities from your couch or the stadium, why not make the viewing experience more interesting by betting?
This betting guide will delve into the different types of bets in college football and provide tips and strategies to prepare you before throwing money on the big game.
Betting on College Football Basics: Wager Types and Betting Terms Explained
The following list contains the most common types of college football bets.
Moneyline bet
Betting the moneyline is when a gambler is selecting one team to win straight up.
If you were betting on Florida vs. Texas A&M for a regular season SEC matchup and the odds were offered at a sportsbook as:
Florida +145
Texas A&M -170
Florida is the underdog and the bookmaker is implying there is less probability that the Gators will win the game. If you bet $100 on them and they win, you would pocket $145 as well as your $100 wager back so you’d have $245 total.
If you bet on Texas A&M, and the team came out victorious, you would’ve needed to bet $170 to win $100. If the Aggies were to win, a person would pocket a $100 profit as well as their initial $170 wager back. So they’d have a total of $270.
Spread bet
The spread of a game is how many points a team is favored to win or lose by.
For example, if you saw a matchup featuring the University of North Texas (-6) vs. Tulane (+6) on your sportsbook, it signifies that should you bet on North Texas, it needs to win by seven or more points to win the bet, six for a push, and if less, the wager loses.
If Tulane (+6) covers and loses the game 51-47, by a margin of less than 6, you’d win your bet.
Spread betting odds will often be near even money ranging from -115 to +105.
Over/Under (Total)
The over/under is the combined total of scores from both teams. Bettors are selecting whether the projected total created by the bookies will be over or under that set number.
For example, if UCLA and USC had a total of 60 for a PAC-12 matchup, the combined score from each team would have to add up to over 60 points for a bettor to come out victorious with an “over” betting slip. If UCLA won 32-30 the over would hit.
The under would be the opposite scenario. Bettors would be rooting that the total score stays under 60 and for the teams to have trouble scoring in a defensive battle such as a scoreline of UCLA 20 USC 17.
The odds for the over/under are usually locked in around -110, close to even money.
Player Prop Bet
Anything pertinent to player statistics or an outcome is a player prop.
Bettors can place a wager on how a certain athlete will perform in a game and whether or not they’ll go over or under the oddsmaker’s predicted statistic such as in the scenario below.
Haynes King over/under 304.5 passing yards (-110 odds each way). In this scenario, you can bet the Texas A&M quarterback will throw for more or less than 304.5 passing yards.
College Football Betting Tips and Strategies
It’s not smart to lay down a wager without having knowledge of a matchup. These betting tips will provide insight into how research can make a difference.
Shop around for the best lines
There are over 120 division one college football teams. This means that there are a ton of games every weekend which makes it difficult for bookmakers to always get each line correct.
Try looking at a variety of sportsbooks for different lines. You might find one team at much better value on one site such as Caesars compared to Pointsbet. Doing this saves you money in the long run.
** If you wish to read more about comparing sportsbooks, read our Best College Football betting sites article. **
Do your research beforehand
As simple as it might sound, many gamblers don’t put in the time and effort to read analysis and news before they bet.
It’s important to find out what players are injured or suspended as well as what the weather is going to be.
Key players make a major impact on the game. It’s important to know if the player is going to be active for the match before throwing money down. Certain players also impact lines. If a star quarterback is questionable heading into the game and is ruled out, the odds will change.
Knowing the weather is important too. Especially for over/under bets. If the forecast indicates heavy rain or snow, the game probably won’t be a high-scoring shootout.
College Football FAQs Explained
The following questions are commonly asked by gamblers and football fans:
What are parlays and why do they have high payouts?
A parlay is one bet that involves two or more bets linked together for a higher potential cashout. If a parlay is to be successful, every outcome or team selected must win. If you put more bets in the parlay, the riskier the bet becomes but there is a possibility to win more money. The bet has a high risk, but a high reward.
For example, if a bettor placed a parlay it could look like this:
Parlay (3 Picks)
+1615
Alabama (-21) (-105)
Kansas +360
Iowa (-3.5) (-110)
The bettor would need Alabama to cover by 21 in their matchup, Kansas to win straight up and Iowa to win by 4 or more in order to successfully cash the parlay. Since it is so unlikely these three outcomes will occur, the odds are +1615.
If the person who placed the bet put $100 down, the payout would be $1,615.
Parlays are an easy way to lose money but are often seen boosted by books and on sports shows because they can provide huge wins.
What is a ranked matchup?
When two teams ranked in the top 25 by the College Football Playoff Committee or the Associated Press play each other, it is considered a ranked matchup.
These games are often highly touted and discussed throughout the week by the media and pundits.
Top 10 matchups garner the most attention and are seen as “potential future playoff games.”
What do buying points mean?
When betting on the spread of a game, some books will offer you to “buy points”.
If a bettor saw Kansas State (+7.5) vs. Missouri (-7.5) at -110 odds for the spread and was offered to buy half a point at -120, then they could take either team’s spread at – or +8 points.
Buying points can help make the gambler feel “safer”. Bettors are creating an alternate spread when they purchase points.
How to pick the best sportsbook for College Football betting
The following list of sportsbooks offer competitive odds and multiple promotions for college football betting.
Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars is ESTNN’s top pick for a sportsbook to bet on NCAA football this season. The book offers new users a bonus of up to $1,250 along with 1,000 reward credits and 1,000 tier credits. They can be redeemed for room rates and free bets.
BetMGM
BetMGM is giving its new players a risk-free bet of up to $1,000. Use our promo code: WABPLAY during sign-up to apply it.
DraftKings
DraftKings is currently giving new players a promotion where all they need to do is wager $5 to receive a $150 bonus in their account.
The sportsbook is also offering a special bonus for college football. During the first deposit, new users can claim a $1,000 bonus. The site will match up to 20% of your deposit, up to $1,000.
BetRivers
BetRivers is a newer sportsbook that has been capturing the eyes of gamblers.
Type in our promotional code: PLAYMAX when signing up on BetRivers to be awarded a bonus of up to a $500-second chance wager.
FanDuel
This sportsbook and daily fantasy website has a college football special going on for new members.
A $1,000 “No Sweat First Bet” is being offered where new users can get up to $1,000 back if they lose their first bet.
Choosing a sportsbook can be difficult with so many options. It’s important to consider all the factors including bonuses, promotions, reputation, payouts, customer service and mobile app options.
**If you’re wanting to learn about what sportsbooks offer good mobile apps, then read our best college football betting apps 2022 article.**