CFB title odds update: Highest ticket counts, popular bets, and liabilities
It's Clemson and Alabama for this year's national title, then everyone else. No, literally.
Caesars has a three-way market for the 2020 national championship, with Clemson priced at +225, Alabama at +235, and the entire field at +115. But that doesn't mean the shop isn't seeing action on other contenders and long shots.
"We've taken bets all the way from Akron to Tulane to Western Michigan," Caesars oddsmaker Motoi Pearson told theScore on Friday. "With the idea of offering all 130 schools, we wanted to cater to any major college football fan who just loves the product or may have been an alma mater to a school that usually doesn't get posted."
Here's how Caesars has seen action in the futures market fluctuate throughout the season, per Pearson.
Highest ticket counts (in order)
| Team | Open | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 15-1 | 10-1 |
| Georgia | 6-1 | 7-1 |
| Oklahoma | 20-1 | 12-1 |
| Michigan | 20-1 | 12-1 |
| Texas | 15-1 | 20-1 |
| Alabama | 5-2 | 9-4 |
| Notre Dame | 40-1 | 35-1 |
| Nebraska | 100-1 | 40-1 |
| Clemson | 2-1 | 12-5 |
| LSU | 30-1 | 25-1 |
The leader of the pack, Ohio State, is penciled in for another ~10-win season despite some turnover at head coach and quarterback. Ryan Day's squad will be led by Georgia transfer and dual-threat Justin Fields, who's looking to ring in another Big Ten title and playoff berth for the Buckeyes. In the same conference, Nebraska's been a public darling all offseason. Not only have the Cornhuskers' title odds been cut from 100-1 to 40-1, there's been plenty of love for quarterback Adrian Martinez, who's one of the popular bets for Heisman at Caesars so far.
Other popular bets
| Team | Open | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 40-1 | 35-1 |
| Miami (FL) | 150-1 | 60-1 |
| Florida | 25-1 | 35-1 |
| Auburn | 40-1 | 50-1 |
| Texas A&M | 30-1 | 50-1 |
Quarterback Justin Herbert returning to Oregon makes the Ducks a sneaky pick in a Power Five conference that's been left out of the postseason the last two campaigns. Both Florida schools always have a tremendous amount of upside and the Gators notably return 77 percent of their production, though playing in the SEC figures to give them a tough path to the playoff. With Auburn and Texas A&M also seeing action, bettors are hoping for a sleeping giant to break through in the SEC.
Liabilities on contenders
| Team | Open | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | 100-1 | 40-1 |
| Notre Dame | 40-1 | 35-1 |
| Ohio State | 15-1 | 10-1 |
| Oklahoma | 20-1 | 12-1 |
| Michigan | 20-1 | 12-1 |
| Texas | 15-1 | 20-1 |
All blue-blood programs are here to give the shop a sweat, including a couple coming off playoff berths (Notre Dame and Oklahoma) and others looking to live up to expectations (Texas and Michigan). There's a good chance a title winner not named Alabama or Clemson comes from this field, though Georgia bettors might want to have a word.
Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.