With summer almost behind us, college football betting starts to pick up the pace, including on College Football Playoff national championship odds. The numbers have been on the board since January, and to no one’s surprise, Alabama is again the favorite to win it all.
Still, several other teams are drawing action in the college football championship betting market. That includes a longer shot currently residing in the Big 12, but looking toward a future in the SEC.
Props.com takes a look at odds to win the college football championship.
College Football Playoff Championship Odds 2021-22
| Alabama | +180 |
| Clemson | +500 |
| Oklahoma | +500 |
| Ohio State | +500 |
| Iowa State | +3000 |
| Texas A&M | +3000 |
| Texas | +3000 |
| LSU | +4000 |
| Notre Dame | +5000 |
| USC | +6000 |
| Wisconsin | +6000 |
| Florida | +6000 |
| Penn State | +6000 |
| Miami FL | +6000 |
| Oregon | +6000 |
| North Carolina | +8000 |
| Michigan | +8000 |
| Oklahoma State | +10000 |
| Iowa | +10000 |
| Arizona State | +10000 |
Odds via The Superbook on September 1, 2021
Latest College Football Championship Betting Action
Back on Jan. 12, a day after Alabama won the 2020-21 national title in a rout over Ohio State, The SuperBook opened the Crimson Tide as short +180 favorites to repeat this season. As of Aug. 31, Alabama is tick longer at +200 on the college football championship odds board, with no other team shorter than +500.
Alabama’s price, per usual, isn’t too alluring so far.
“I’d call the interest in Alabama pretty typical. Not a ton of tickets, because the odds are so low and people would rather take a flier on a long shot,” SuperBook executive director John Murray told Props.com. “But there are bigger bets on the Tide, and we are a small loser to them. One guy played them for $30,000 at +200 to win it all, and $30,000 at -140 to win the SEC.”
That national championship wager would turn a profit of $60,000 if the Crimson Tide hoist the trophy on the night of Jan. 10 at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium. Alabama trails a few teams in ticket count but is No. 1 in money, in part due to that one large play.
Texas A&M is No. 1 in tickets, followed by Oklahoma, Georgia and Clemson. In terms of money wagered, Oklahoma follows Alabama, with Clemson third and trendy long-shot Texas fourth. Texas A&M is +2,500, after opening +5,000; Oklahoma is the +500 co-second choice, after opening +800; Georgia is +800, stretching from its +500 opener; and Clemson joins Oklahoma at +500, the same price the Tigers opened at in January.
Ohio State is also +500 at The SuperBook.
“We are in good shape on all the top contenders besides Alabama and Oklahoma, both of which are very small losers,” Murray said. “Ohio State, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Florida, Michigan and Penn State are all very positive outcomes. But there’s not much point in analyzing that now. A lot can and will change between now and January.”
Long-Shot Longhorns Draw Action
That said, Murray and The SuperBook risk room are keeping an eye on the aforementioned Longhorns.
“Texas has been a big mover off some heavy action. We opened the Longhorns at 100/1, took a bunch of wagers there, lowered them to 80/1 and took a $5,000 bet to win $400,000,” Murray said. “We are now all the way down to 30/1, because there’s been so much continued support for the Longhorns.”
Murray also noted the Miami Hurricanes, who opened at +10,000 (100/1) and are now +6,000.
“We took a bunch of bets on them, including one ticket for $2,500 at 100/1, to win $250,000. But I think they will have their hands full in Week 1,” Murray said. Indeed, the Hurricanes’ season opener is against No. 1 Alabama in a neutral-site game at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Georgia slid from the co-second choice at +500 to the fifth choice at +1,000, a move stemming from limited interest and The SuperBook managing the market. The Bulldogs then rebounded a bit to +800, though they’re still the fifth choice.
“It’s not because we don’t like Georgia,” Murray said. “It’s just because we aren’t seeing much action on the Bulldogs, and we want to maintain the same hold percentage. As we shorten teams like Alabama, Oklahoma, etc., we raise teams like Georgia and LSU to maintain that fair hold.”
LSU opened +2,500 at The SuperBook and is now +4,000.