Bowl Season Betting Info

[NYK]

Re: Bowl Season Betting Info

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: Monday, January 2 (1 p.m. ET)

Western Michigan Broncos (13-0 SU, 9-4 ATS): This is the biggest bowl game in the history of Western Michigan football, so you don’t have to worry about whether or not head coach P.J. Fleck will have his team ready to play. What you may need to worry about, however, is the size and strength advantage Wisconsin will possess in the trenches. Still, Western Michigan is a perfect 4-0 ATS over its last four games against Big Ten opposition.

Wisconsin Badgers (10-3 SU, 9-3-1 ATS): The Badgers are a ridiculously profitable 11-3-1 ATS over their last 15 games overall and a picture-perfect 5-0 ATS over their last five encounters with MAC opponents. But after watching a six-game winning streak evaporate in the Big Ten Championship game against Penn State after leading 28-7 late in the first half, you can’t help but wonder whether or not the Badgers are properly motivated for this matchup.

[NYK]

Re: Bowl Season Betting Info

Outback Bowl: Monday, January 2 (1 p.m. ET)

Florida Gators (8-4 SU, 4-7-1 ATS): Florida’s final two games of the 2016 season featured a step up in competition that the Gators handled rather poorly courtesy of a 31-13 defeat at Florida State one week before a 54-16 slaughtering at the hands of Alabama. However, despite the fact that Florida is an abysmal 0-7 ATS over its last seven non-conference matchups, the Gators are 5-2 ATS over their last seven bowl games and 6-2 ATS over their last eight neutral site showdowns.

Iowa Hawkeyes (8-4 SU, 6-6 ATS): The Hawkeyes concluded the 2016 campaign with a three-game winning and covering streak that came against Michigan, Illinois and Nebraska, so it’s safe to say that Iowa is feeling the mojo right about now. However, be advised that head coach Kirk Ferentz is on a four-game bowl losing streak, not to mention the fact that Iowa is just 1-4-1 ATS over its last six neutral site matchups.

[NYK]

Re: Bowl Season Betting Info

Rose Bowl: Monday, January 2 (5 p.m. ET)

USC Trojans (9-3 SU, 8-4 ATS): Talk about a couple of teams that caught fire at the right time. As it pertains to the Men of Troy, USC is riding an eight-game winning streak in which the Trojans have defeated the opposition by an average of 19.8 points per contest. Additionally, the Trojans are 6-0 ATS over their last six games overall, but 1-4 ATS over their last five matchups with Big Ten opposition.

Penn State Nittany Lions (11-2 SU, 9-3-1 ATS): A 49-10 loss at Michigan on September 24 was the last time this Penn State program tasted defeat, as the Nittany Lions enter the Rose Bowl on a nine-game winning streak that featured eight point spread covers. But does James Franklin’s squad have both the manpower and firepower to hang with the white-hot Trojans? This should be a good one.

[NYK]

Re: Bowl Season Betting Info

Allstate Sugar Bowl: Monday, January 2 (8:30 p.m. ET)

Auburn Tigers (8-4 SU, 9-3 ATS): This game features one of the bigger line moves of bowl season to date, as Auburn has already been adjusted from +6 to +3. The good news for the Tigers is the fact that quarterback Sean White (shoulder) and defensive backs Joshua Holsey (ankle) and Johnathan Ford (ankle) are listed as probable for the Sugar Bowl. In addition, Auburn is 4-1 ATS over its last four bowl games and 5-0 ATS over its last five non-conference matchups.

Oklahoma Sooners (10-2 SU, 6-6 ATS): In classic Bob Stoops fashion, the Sooners turned a rocky start (1-2) into a tremendous finish (9-0) that featured three consecutive point spread covers to close out the season. However, bettors must take into account the fact that Oklahoma is 0-6 ATS over its last six neutral site games, 0-5 ATS over its last five non-conference games and 3-7 ATS over its last 10 bowl games.

[NYK]

Re: Bowl Season Betting Info

In mid-December, an MGM casino guest placed six-figure bets on Arkansas State, BYU, Mississippi State, Florida State, Louisville and Air Force. The gambler was described as a "house player," generally meaning a high-roller, but not necessarily a sophisticated sports bettor.

[NYK]

Re: Bowl Season Betting Info

On Tuesday at the MGM, a sophisticated sports bettor placed a $5,000 limit bet on Auburn +4.5 against Oklahoma in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Limits will increase closer to kickoff.

[NYK]

Re: Bowl Season Betting Info

Out of the first $7,027 bet at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook on the Sugar Bowl, $7,000 was on the favored Sooners. Oklahoma opened as a 5.5-point favorite, but was only laying 3.5 at several shops as of Dec. 14.

[NYK]

Re: Bowl Season Betting Info

The largest bowl bet placed at a William Hill sportsbook in Nevada as of Dec. 14: A $44,000 pop on Temple -13 versus Wake Forest in the Military Bowl on Dec. 27. Because of the big bet, which was placed Dec. 10, more money had been bet on the Military Bowl than had been bet on the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl between Alabama and Washington at William Hill.

[NYK]

Re: Bowl Season Betting Info

Temple also attracted big money at the South Point sportsbook. "We took some big play on Temple," South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews said. "Not sure how sophisticated it was, but it was big." The Military Bowl line had grown to Owls -14 at several sportsbooks as of Dec. 14.


Andrews believes Alabama would be a 7-point favorite over Ohio State in a potential national championship game matchup. "I've heard guys say higher, but I think 7 is a good number," Andrews added.

[NYK]

Re: Bowl Season Betting Info

Ed Salmons, head football oddsmaker at the SuperBook, thinks Alabama would be favored over Ohio State by somewhere between 7.5 and 9.5 points.

[NYK]

Re: Bowl Season Betting Info

Golden Nugget oddsmaker Aaron Kessler's projected lines for potential championship game matchups: Ohio State vs. Alabama -9.5; Clemson vs. Alabama -11; Washington vs. Ohio State -4; Washington vs. Clemson -3.

[NYK]

Re: Bowl Season Betting Info

Alabama grew to as much as a 17-point favorite over Washington in the days directly after the point spread on Peach Bowl was posted at Station Casino. But as of Dec. 14, the line had settled back to Crimson Tide -16, with even action. Station's sportsbook director Jason McCormick reported 51 percent of the bets were on Alabama.

[NYK]

Re: Bowl Season Betting Info

Six times as much money had been wagered on Alabama as had been bet on Washington as of Dec. 14 at the South Point.

[NYK]

Re: Bowl Season Betting Info

The SuperBook took a limit bet on Ohio State -3 versus Clemson in mid-December. "That was definitely sharp," Salmons (head football oddsmaker at the SuperBook) said.

[NYK]

Re: Bowl Season Betting Info

The SuperBook also took early action, characterized by Salmons as sharp, on Florida State +7, Stanford -3 and Pittsburgh -3.5.