A Caesars Sportsbook bettor wagered $1.5 million on Texas to win the nationwide title to kick off what sportsbooks count on to be an enormous betting deal with on the inaugural 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoff.
The wager, which was positioned at +390 odds, would web a revenue of $5.75 million if the Longhorns win all of it. A Caesars bettor additionally misplaced a $500,000 money-line wager on Texas (-135) on Saturday when it was defeated 22-19 in time beyond regulation by Georgia within the SEC championship recreation.
The No. 5 Longhorns are 11-point house favorites over No. 12 Clemson of their CFP first-round recreation Dec. 21 after the road opened at 11½ on Sunday. If Texas wins, it’ll play No. 4 Arizona State within the CFP quarterfinals.
No. 8 Ohio State is a 7½-point house favourite over No. 9 Tennessee of their first-round matchup Dec. 21 after sharp bettors backed the Buckeyes at -7.
“Proper once we opened Ohio State, they laid -7,” Westgate vice chairman of race and sports activities John Murray mentioned. “We obtained as much as 8 and we’re again all the way down to 7½, however for certain there was some sharp cash on Ohio State.”
No. 7 Notre Dame is a consensus 7½-point house favourite over No. 10 Indiana of their first-round matchup Dec. 20. The road is 8 on the South Level. It’s additionally 8 at Station Sports activities, which reported sharp motion on the Combating Irish at -7½.
“We noticed a bit sharp motion on Ohio State that pushed us up from 7 to 7½, and we noticed a bit sharp motion on Notre Dame, which pushed us up,” Pink Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito mentioned.
Title path paved for Penn State
No. 6 Penn State is a consensus 8½-point house favourite over No. 11 SMU of their first-round recreation Dec. 21. The Nittany Lions, who will play No. 3 Boise State within the CFP quarterfinals in the event that they beat the Mustangs, moved to the fifth favourite to win the nationwide title behind Oregon (+350), Texas (+350), Georgia (+380) and Ohio State (+525).
“Penn State opened (Sunday) up at (12-1) and has since landed on +650, contemplating their path to the CFP championship,” Caesars head of soccer Joey Feazel mentioned. “Notre Dame was the sufferer of that change, going from +750 to 10-1 primarily based on their path, and Ohio State additionally obtained a bump from +450 to +525.”
If the Irish beat the Hoosiers, they’ll face No. 2 Georgia within the quarterfinals. If Ohio State beats Tennessee, it can face No. 1 Oregon within the quarterfinals.
“I used to be confused as to why Penn State obtained such a sweetheart draw. They get to play SMU, then they get to play Boise State within the subsequent recreation,” Murray mentioned. “I believed Notre Dame had a nasty draw, actually, for them to be seeded beneath Penn State. And in the event that they do beat Indiana, they’ve obtained to play Georgia.
“However from a playing perspective, I really like the Faculty Soccer Playoff. It’s going to be nice for enterprise.”
With all 4 favorites favored by greater than a landing, Murray expects to be bombarded with money-line parlays and teasers.
“If you happen to get all of the favorites to return in, the books are actually going to be scrambling on Saturday evening, the twenty first, as a result of they’re going to wish Tennessee for his or her lungs,” he mentioned. “There’s going to be a lot cash line, teaser and parlay motion going to Ohio State.”
Pink Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito additionally expects the CFP to spice up enterprise in bowl video games.
“The bowl system has not been the identical for the final a number of years with youngsters sitting out for the NFL draft and getting into the switch portal,” he mentioned. “Getting these video games that imply one thing, I believe you’ll see an enormous deal with on the playoff video games.”
Bowl traces
Cal is a 4-point favourite over UNLV at Caesars within the LA Bowl on Dec. 18 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The entire is 51½. The Rebels are +126 on the cash line.
Texas A&M is a 2½-point favourite over USC within the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 27 at Allegiant Stadium. The entire is 50½. The Trojans are +118 on the cash line.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at [email protected]. Comply with @tdewey33 on X.
