How to Read NCAAF Odds

Understanding NCAAF odds is essential for anyone interested in college football betting. The three main NCAAF betting markets are the moneyline, spread, and total or over/under.

College Football Moneyline

In a college football moneyline bet, you simply pick which team you believe will win the game. The odds for favorites are indicated with a minus sign (e.g. -150), which signifies the amount you’d need to bet to win $100. While underdogs are denoted with a plus sign (e.g. +105) indicating the amount you’d win if you bet $100.

You’ll see a far larger disparity in the college football odds compared to the NFL. Larger odds differences reflect a higher variance in team strengths. Understanding the correlation between the college football moneyline and spread is crucial as it helps bettors evaluate the predicted closeness of the contest.

College Football Spread

The spread is a number set by sportsbooks to indicate the expected difference in score between two teams. One of the major differences in college football spread betting is you may see many vastly larger numbers on Saturday spreads than their NFL counterparts. Betting on the spread involves picking whether the favorite will win by more points than the set number or if the underdog will keep the game closer than the spread and possibly win outright.

For example, if Alabama is favored by 7.5 points over Texas A&M, they need to win by 8 or more points for your bet to hit. Keep in mind, a wide spread also indicates a large moneyline number on the favorite.

College Football Over/Under (Totals)

The total, or over/under bet, is a wager on the combined score of both teams in a game. Sportsbooks set a line, and college football bettors chose whether the total points in their game of choice will go over or under that number.

For example, the total of last year’s college football National Championship game between Michigan and Washington was set at 55.5 points. The Wolverines blew the doors of the Huskies in a 34-13 beatdown, meaning UNDER bettors profited. Both sides of the total using pay out at around the same odds of around -110, which makes it a popular choice for bettors looking to place a wager without choosing a side.