Introduction
Betting on college football is different from betting on professional football. With so many games happening each week, especially on Saturdays, there are many opportunities to place bets. This guide explains the basic types of bets, including spread bets, moneylines, totals, parlays, teasers, and halftime bets, which you can explore further when using a platform like Sbobet88 for your wagers.
Spread Bets
A spread bet is the most common way to bet on college football. The spread is a number set by bookmakers to make the game more even for betting. It represents the number of points a team is expected to win or lose by. If a team is an underdog, their spread will have a “+” sign, while the favourite will have a “-” sign.
For example:
Team | Spread | Final Score |
Michigan | +3 -115 | 30 |
Ohio State | -3 -105 | 31 |
If you bet on Michigan at +3, you would win the bet if Michigan either wins or loses by less than 3 points. The ‘juice’ (-115 in this case) is the fee charged by the bookmaker. To win ₹10,000, a bettor would need to place a ₹11,500 bet.
Moneyline
A moneyline bet is simply choosing which team will win the game, without considering the spread. Different odds are set to reflect the likelihood of each team winning.
For example:
Team | Moneyline | Final Score |
Michigan State | +260 | 7 |
Alabama | -375 | 49 |
In this example, betting ₹37,500 on Alabama would win ₹10,000 if Alabama wins. If you bet on Michigan State, a ₹10,000 bet would win ₹26,000 if they pulled off an upset.
1st Quarter and Halftime Lines
College football games are divided into quarters and halves. Bookmakers offer bets on just the first quarter or the first half. The first quarter line is usually one-fourth of the full game’s spread, while the first half line is about half of the full spread.
Halftime Bets
Halftime bets allow you to place wagers based on what happens in the first half. These bets are available only during halftime.
For example:
Team | Halftime Score | Halftime Spread | Final Score |
Duke | 10 | +10 | 28 |
North Carolina | 21 | -10 | 35 |
If you bet on Duke at +10 for the second half, they would have covered the spread by losing by only 7 points in the entire game, even though they still lost overall.
Totals (Over/Under Bets)
Totals, also known as Over/Under (O/U) bets, focus on the total number of points scored by both teams. The bookmaker sets a predicted total, and bettors choose whether the actual combined score will be over or under that number.
For example, if the total for a game is set at 55 points:
If the final score is 30-28 (total 58), an Over bet wins.
If the final score is 27-24 (total 51), an Under bet wins.
This type of bet is popular because it allows people to bet without choosing a winning team.
Conclusion
Betting on college football offers many options, from spread bets and moneyline to halftime bets and totals. Understanding these basic bet types can help you make better decisions and enjoy the game more. Always bet responsibly and manage your bankroll wisely.