College Football Betting 101

One of the great things about writing about sports for a living is that there’s always an excuse to watch the big game, even on a holiday weekend.

And let’s be honest, if you’re going to be watching, it’s always a little more fun to have some money on the game. Come on, don’t lie, we know that’s why you were so into the WNBA Finals. You’re not fooling anybody.

It’s time to hand out some helpful hints, on who and how to bet.

Sometimes It’s Best To Go Off The Radar:

We know you’re tempted to bet Alabama, Florida and Texas every weekend, after all, they’re the teams you’ve seen the most and know the best. Unfortunately, the same is true for the people who make college football point spreads. They know every little detail about these teams, meaning the lines will usually be as close to the final outcome as you can get.

And remember, with less people betting on those games, the point spread is less likely to move as the week goes on, protecting your money.

Experience Matters, Especially At Quarterback:

In 2009, Central Michigan, Middle Tennessee State and Temple were a combined 18 games over .500 against the spread. You know what they all have in common? They start either a junior or senior at quarterback.

Now let’s look at Michigan, which is 5-6 ATS and the USC Trojans, just 2-8 against the odds makers. What do they have in common? They both start true freshmen at quarterback.

Coincidence? I think not.

Bet On Underdogs In Early Kickoffs:

This is an interesting theory, but one that I think is important to mention as you learn to handicap college football, and as you see more and more "systems" come your way. It seems that teams giving big points usually struggle (at least to cover the spread) against big underdogs.

The reason? Well usually the opponent isn’t as big a name, otherwise they’d be playing in a more prime time spot. Also, the crowd usually isn’t as into it, which in turn usually means the players aren’t either.

Also remember, these are college kids. When did you write your final papers when you were in college, at one in the afternoon, or one in the morning? I thought so.

Finally, Trust Your Gut:

Your first inclination is probably the right one. Yet for some reason you always listen to your brothers-best friend’s-cousin, because he “stayed up really late last weekend to watch Utah State, and they’re totally due for a good game.”

Question, if they’re totally due, then why’d they lose 45-3, huh?