How to Bet On College Football – 2023 NCAAF Betting Guide

College football fans can take joy in the fact that there are a number of options to bet on college football through legal, regulated sportsbooks in the United States. For years, college football fans were left to sketchy or illegal betting methods through offshore books or unregulated entities, but with the recent legalization trends, many states in the U.S. offer fans legal ways to bet through regulated sportsbooks. On this page, you’ll find a complete guide how to bet on college football, covering everything through the sportsbooks available and the types of bets you might consider when betting on college football this season.

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Live 2023 College Football Odds

We are still a little way off the start of the 2023 college football season. Be sure to check back regularly as we’ll have live odds for all the teams below, automatically updating every week!

Live 2023 College Football Promos

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How to Bet on College Football: Preseason

Ahead of the college football preseason, there are several different types of bets that you can place. If you’re looking for how to bet on college football ahead of the 2023 preseason, take a look below:

  • Heisman Trophy Futures: The Heisman Trophy is one of the most talked about awards in American sports in which the most outstanding player in all of college football is awarded entry into this exclusive club. Betting on who will win the Heisman each year is very common, especially in the preseason when you might find some wild odds around your favorite longshot. Check out the live Heisman Odds.
  • Win Totals: At the start of each year, sportsbooks will put out an estimated win total number for most major college football teams and bettors can bet both sides of this number (e.g. that the team will either win more games than the number, or fewer). An example win total number might be that the sportsbook lists the Alabama Crimson Tide to win 10.5 games this year. The bettor can take the over if they believe the Tide will win 11 or more games in the regular season, or the under if they believe the Tide will win 10 games of fewer.
  • Championship Odds: Another very fun preseason bet is betting on a team to win a conference championship or even the national championship. Note that while these bets receive a lot of preseason interest, these bets are typically available throughout the regular season as well. The odds simply adjust based on what teams are doing week-to-week. You can check out the latest SEC Championship Odds, the Big Ten Championship Odds and the National Championship Odds.

How to Bet on College Football: Postseason

The conversation around who will make the postseason, who should get in, and who will end up on the outside looking in is a conversation that dominates much of college football fandom for a big chunk of the regular season. As such, the betting action is also very interesting and very popular.

College football fans can be on teams making the CFP before and during the college football season. Of course, the odds will shift based on wins and losses as the regular season progresses. But, if you have a knack for knowing how a certain team or program typically can progress throughout a season, you might be able to see something others don’t.

Moreover, because of the structure of college football, you have to factor in other external factors. For instance, not every conference is created equally. You know that the top SEC teams will have to likely face another very tough opponent in the SEC Championship Game at the end of the year. Does this lessen their chances to make the Playoff? This is quite different from other conferences such as the Pac-12 or ACC where a dominate team like Clemson might play a vastly inferior team in their respective conference championship game. Additionally, conference reputation definitely plays a role. The selection committee is made up of humans, and humans are affected by the way leagues are talked about and compared. Strength of schedule matters.

It’s because of all of these things that makes betting on which teams make the CFP very interesting. If you want to find out more on how to bet on the college football postseason, take a look below at the latest 2023 odds.

Here are the latest odds on teams to make the College Football Playoff:

College Football Betting Terms

As you examine the live odds above, you’ll notice a few different types of bets or sets of odds available. Alongside other types of sports betting, college football betting offers players plenty of choice on different types of wagers. However, the different terms can often be confusing. First, you’ll notice that each game typically has a spread, a moneyline and an over/under (O/U). It’s important to understand the different terms when placing wagers. If you want to find out more on how to bet on college football, you’ll find a full list of college betting terms below:

  • Moneylines: Moneyline bets are about as simple as it gets. You’re simply predicting the outright winner of the game without any spread or anything. Seems simple right? Well, you also need to factor in the odds. Since in most games, one team will be favored over the other, the sportsbooks factor this into moneyline bets by adding in odds. Let’s look at an example. If Alabama is again favored by 3 points, the odds on the moneyline bet might be something like -140. This means that you’d have to bet $140 for Alabama to win the game in order to win $100. Or if you’re betting on an underdog to win outright such as Ohio State which is considered an underdog by 3 points, the moneyline odds might be something like +180. Then, if you bet $100 for Ohio State to win outright, you’d win $180 if they win.
  • Point Spreads: When betting on the spread in college football, you have to factor this number into the final score when making your bet and understanding the result. The spread essentially evens out the odds when factoring in that one team is likely better than the other. Let’s look at an example. If Alabama is a -3 favorite over Ohio State in a college football game, it would mean that Alabama is favored by three points. If you bet on Alabama -3, you will win the bet if Alabama wins by four points or more (If they win by 3, it is called a “push” which is similar to what you might consider a tie in sports. You’ll just get your money back.). If you bet on Alabama -3 and then Alabama wins by two points or fewer, or loses outright to Ohio State, you’ll lose the bet. If you bet Ohio State +3, then you will win the bet if Ohio State wins outright or loses by two or fewer points.
  • Over/Under: Over/under bets are unique in that if you’re making this type of bet, you don’t care who wins or loses the game. All you are doing is making a prediction on how many total points are scored in the college football game. If an over/under line on the Alabama vs. Ohio State game is 59.5, then you can make a bet on either the over 59.5 number or under the 59.5. If you take the over, you don’t care if the score is 35-30 or 59-2, you just want a combination of at least 60 points so you win the bet.
  • Props: A prop bet is simply a wager placed on the side based on a smaller aspect within a game. This could be focussed on accomplishments of an individual player or team, or it could be something that may or may not happen during the game, such as a specific number of tackles by a certain player or yardage made by a specific player.
  • Team Props: A team prop is a wager on how a specific team performs in certain areas. This could be based on points scored, yardage or tackles made or other stats.
  • Game Props: A game prop is a wager on a specific outcome of the game. This could be the total number of points scored in the match, margin of victory for either team or the chance of a shutout.
  • Totals: Prior to the start of a college football games, sportsbooks will set a predicted total for points scored in each game. Bettors can then place a wager whether the actual score will be over or under this predicted total. College football totals can range anything from the 30 point mark up to over 60 points.
  • Yardage: Unlike betting on NFL or other sports, college football betting does not allow for player props on every state where sports betting is legal. Therefore, placing yardage wagers for key players is the most popular alternative and can be done in an over/under format.
  • Parlays: A parlay is a multi-leg wager in which you have multiple wagers under the same bet, such as multiple Moneylines. All wagers have to come in for you to win the bet.
  • Futures: A futures bet is a longer-term wager that is placed on a season long outcome. Sportsbooks will typically release futures odds after the offseason.
  • Regular Season Wins: Prior to the first game of the season, sportsbook often release a prediction for the number of regular season wins each team will achieve. Bettors can then place over/under bets on whether their favourite team will win more of less games than those predicted.
  • Live or In-Game Betting: Live in-game betting is becoming more popular amongst fans and sportsbooks are continuing to offer more in-game college bets. In-game betting allows players to place wagers during a game, allowing you to capture live and up-to-date odds.
  • National Championship: As part of the futures market, you can place a wager on the winner of the national championship. Odds will be released prior to the start of the season and will include odds for each participating team.
  • Heisman Trophy: One of the most popular wagers in the futures market, bettors can place a wager predicting the winner of the Heisman Trophy. The odds for the winner of the Heisman Trophy will continue to change throughout the season based on team and individual performances.

How to Bet on College Football: Step-by-Step

  1. Before you jump into college football betting, it’s important to make yourself aware of any restrictions in place where you live. Further along this guide you’ll find a list of any restrictions in place in your state.
  2. First, you’ll need to choose a sportsbook to place your wagers with. In this guide you’ll find some of the best available college football promos to take advantage of from the likes of DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM. Be aware that age and eligibility requirements may vary by location. You will also need to be physically located in a state where sports betting is legal.
  3. Click on on of the great promo links above where you will be promoted to create an account. The sign-up process for all sportsbook is fairly quick a hassle free. Make sure to follow the initial prompts to create an account. You will then be required to enter your personal information, such as date of birth and social security number so that the sportsbook can verify you identity.
  4. You can choose to place wagers via your desktop or through your mobile. If you wish to place bets on your mobile, we encourage you to download the app for whichever sportsbook you choose, as apps from the major sportsbook provide a comprehensive betting experience.
  5. You will then need to add funds to your account. You can do this via different methods, including credit/debit card, PayPal or via eCheck. Depending on the bonus you have chosen, this may be where you need to enter your promotional code.
  6. Then you are free to choose your bet and place your wager!

College Betting Rules: State by State

College football betting has grown in popularity over recent years and each season, more bettors are looking to place wagers on their favorite team. Before placing your first wager, find out how to bet on college football in your state by looking at the restrictions in place below:

State Sports Betting Launch Date Restrictions
Arizona September 2021 College prop bets not permitted.
Colorado May 2020 College prop bets not permitted.
Connecticut October 2021 Betting on in-state college teams not permitted (unless playing in a tournament).
Illinois June 2020 Can only place wagers on in-state college teams with pregame, in-person bets.
Indiana October 2019 Prop betting permitted for pregame only.
Iowa August 2019 Prop bets on individual college athletes not permitted.
Kansas September 2022 None.
Maryland November 2022 None.
Massachusetts March 2023 Betting on in-state college teams not permitted (unless playing in a tournament).
Michigan January 2021 None.
Nevada 10+ years ago. None.
New Hampshire December 2019 Betting on in-state college teams or events not permitted.
New Jersey August 2018 Betting on in-state college teams or events not permitted.
New York January 2022 Betting on in-state college teams or events not permitted.
Ohio January 2023 None.
Oregon October 2019 College bets must be placed in person at a retail sportsbook.
Pennsylvania May 2019 Prop bets on college athletes not permitted.
Rhode Island September 2019 Betting on in-state college teams or events not permitted.
Tennessee November 2020 Prop bets on college athletes or in-game college props of any sort not permitted.
Virginia January 2021 College prop bets or betting on in-state college teams not permitted.
Washington, DC June 2020 Betting on college games taking place in the district or colleges that call the district home not permitted.
West Virginia August 2019 None.
Wyoming September 2021 None.

How to Bet on College football Responsibly

If you’re new to college football betting, it’s important to start slow. Maybe place a small bet on the spread of one of the big games that you plan to watch. You’ll likely find out quickly that the entertainment value (or the anxiety) increases dramatically when you have something on the line during the game! Here are a few tips to consider when starting to bet on college football:

  • Start small: You can often times bet as little as $5 or $10 on a single game. Definitely start small and just enjoy the entertainment value of betting on college football.
  • Keep it simple: While there are a myriad of betting options available to seasoned bettors, keep it pretty simple in the beginning. Stay away from wild parlays and in-game betting until you really understand and get the hang of it.
  • Play the long game: If you plan to start betting, play the long game. Don’t expect to make a bunch of money quickly. Instead, focus on learning and getting used to how odds are released and evolve between the release date and gametime. Perhaps, most importantly, understand that it’s not easy! It takes getting crushed by a bad beat to fully understand and appreciate how hard predicting some of these outcomes can be. Focus on learning, keep your bets small and manageable, and enjoy the fun.

College Football Betting Frequently Asked Questions

Can you bet on college football?

Yes, you are able to book on college football in most live states. Be sure to check local state restrictions.

Is it legal to bet on college football online?

If you are in a U.S. state which permits online sports betting, in most cases you can then also bet on college football. Some states may have rules preventing betting on the college teams local to its specific state, but still generally allow betting on college football.

What types of bets are available for college football?

There are several types of bets available for college football including point spread bets, moneyline bets, over/under bets, and prop bets.

What factors should I consider when betting on college football?

When betting on college football, you should consider a variety of factors including team rankings, recent performance, injuries, weather conditions, and home field advantage.

Which sportsbooks let you bet on college football?

You can bet on college football on all the major sportsbooks such as FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, Barstool, etc. Each sportsbook abides by local laws and regulations depending on the state where the user resides.

What is the best way to bet on college football?

The easiest way to start betting online is to be in a state which permits legal online sports betting, and then signing up for a sportsbook account. Then, you can begin making bets on college football and other sports.

How much should I bet on college football games?

The amount you should bet on college football games depends on your overall bankroll and personal betting strategy. It's important to never bet more than you can afford to lose and to have a clear plan in place for managing your betting funds.

Kevin Duffey
A graduate of the University of Florida and founder of Saturday Down South, Kevin is a college football enthusiast.
Sports Betting

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Odds and Resources

Heisman Odds

SEC Championship Odds

National Championship Odds

Big Ten Championship Odds

How to Bet On College Football

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