College Football Betting Already Underway as the 2019 Season Kicks Off in a Month

Posted on: July 24, 2019, 11:55h. 

Last updated on: August 2, 2021, 01:04h.

Steve Bittenbender Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Sports Betting, Horse Racing.

The 2019 college football season is now just a month away.

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence holds the College Football National Championship trophy after leading the Tigers past Alabama last January. Clemson once again is favored to win the national title, and Lawrence finds himself as a favorite for the Heisman Trophy. (Image: ClemsonTigers.com)

The University of Miami and the University of Florida will meet in Orlando on Aug. 24 in the made-for-TV Camping World Kickoff, one of two games that will be played on the first Saturday of the season. It marks the first time these two in-state rivals have met in six years, and this year’s matchup will feature a Florida team featured in several preseason top 10 rankings.

Not surprisingly, Jeff Sherman, the vice president of risk management for the Westgate SuperBook, told Casino.org that the Miami-Florida game is one of the games seeing the most action at the Las Vegas sportsbook.

Currently, the SuperBook has the Gators as a 6.5-point favorite over Miami, and Sherman said bettors have put more money in early betting on the favorites to cover against the Hurricanes.

Two other early season games drawing gamblers attention at the SuperBook are a pair of Aug. 31 games. Pittsburgh will host Virginia in a game that should go a long way in determining the winner in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division.

Despite the Cavaliers starting the season on the road, the SuperBook has them as three-point favorites. However, bettors have placed more money on the underdog Panthers.

Another underdog drawing bettors’ interest at the SuperBook is Oregon. The Ducks are currently getting three points for their game against Auburn in the AdvoCare Classic in Arlington, Texas.

Familiar Teams National Title Favorites

The college football landscape has been dominated by Clemson and Alabama in recent years as the two schools have alternated as national champions the past four seasons.

Oddsmakers believe those two schools have the best chances of winning the title again. A quick look at several sportsbooks show Clemson, the defending champions, as the favorites, but the Crimson Tide are right on their heels at each of the books.

Odds are current as of Wednesday.

Baldini’s, an independent sportsbook located in Sparks, Nev., near Reno, told Casino.org that the most money and tickets have been written on the Crimson Tide.

At the SuperBook, Sherman said the most money has been wagered on Alabama to win the national title. However, as far as the ticket volume goes, the SuperBook has written more for the University of Texas than any other school.

The Longhorns odds are currently +2500 at the SuperBook, meaning a $100 bet would net $2500. The Longhorns, one of the most popular programs in college football, appear to be on the upswing thanks to coach Tom Herman.

Last year, in his just second year at Austin, he guided the team to a 10-4 record, the Longhorn’s first 10-win season since 2009. They ended the year with a 28-21 win over No. 6 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

Texas, like Florida, will likely enter the season with a top 10 ranking. The Horns are considered the primary challenger to Oklahoma this season in the Big 12.

Heisman Trophy Odds

Just as oddsmakers believe the national title will come down to either Clemson or Alabama, the two teams’ star quarterbacks also find themselves as the oddsmakers’ favorites for this year’s Heisman Trophy, which will go to college football’s most outstanding player.

The SuperBook lists Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa as co-favorites at +300. In early betting so far, Sherman said the book has handled the most money and written the most tickets for Lawrence.

William Hill lists Tagovailoa as its favorite, with odds of +260 compared to +300 for Lawrence. Elsewhere, Lawrence stands as the favorite over Tagovailoa at PointsBet (+225/+250), FanDuel (+200/+350), and Draft Kings (+175/+225).