What is a point spread in college football betting?

If you're just getting into betting and reading content about it, you'll see the phrase "point spread" mentioned over and over. It's the most popular type of bet in U.S. sports betting, and it's essentially a wager on the margin of victory or defeat in a game. It's especially important within the college football gambling world given the sheer amount of blowouts, especially early in the season. It was invented decades ago to deal with that exact problem: If you're betting on the margin, games can be exciting in the fourth quarter even if a team is up by 30 points. The lines are pretty easy to understand: A sportsbook will list a spread for a game, and the underdog will have a plus sign while the favorite will own a minus sign. If Ohio State was -14 vs. Minnesota, the Buckeyes would "cover" the game if they won by 15 or more points. The Gophers would cover if they won the game or just lost by 13 or fewer points. If Ohio State won by exactly two touchdowns, it would be deemed a push, which triggers a refund.

What is a total or over/under bet in a college football game?

If you don't believe in either team in a game, but you're confident there will be a shootout given poor defenses or some other factor, totals or over/unders are right up your alley. These are bets on how many points will be scored in a game by both teams. Sportsbooks will list a number, and you can bet "over" or "under" that number to win. Sportsbooks list totals for individual teams, too, and you can also bet different timeframes, like the total for just the first half of a matchup.

How do moneylines work in college football betting?

Moneyline bets are also quite popular, and they're extremely simple, too. With these, you're just wagering on which team will win. It doesn't matter how many points are scored or the margin of victory -- just a win at the end of the game. The odds can be tricky at first, but think of American odds in terms of $100 payouts. If Wisconsin is -190 vs. Penn State, you would have to wager $190 to profit $100 if the Badgers were to win. On the Penn State side, the odds might be +150, which means a $100 bet would profit $150. If mental math isn't your thing, check out our betting calculator, where we'll highlight your potential payout for any bet.

Where Can I Bet on College Football?

f you’re in a U.S. state with legal, online sports betting, there are many choices for any given Saturday college football slate. DraftKings is a household name at this point. They started off as a daily fantasy sports (DFS) company a decade ago, and since sports betting launched in 2018 they've quickly established themselves as one of the top sportsbooks in the country. FanDuel is the other DFS-turned-sportsbook giant. They're a trusted name in the space, and they really excel with futures markets. BetMGM is a big name because of its hospitality wing and hotels in Vegas, and they also excel as a sportsbook, offering odds in most legal U.S. states. Check out our sportsbook reviews for more information on what’s available in your state and exclusive sign-up bonuses and promo codes.

NCAAF Public Betting & Money Percentages

Odds Settings

11:30 PM

56%38%

+12.5-110

-11.5-109

12:00 AM

20%77%

+10-107

-10.5-105

1:00 AM

74%26%

-10.5-110

+10.5-105

11:00 PM

47%47%

+3+100

-3-110

1:00 AM

82%18%

-5.5-108

+5.5-110

11:00 PM

73%27%

+8.5-105

-8.5-110

11:30 PM

45%55%

+6.5-104

-7-108

11:00 PM

13%87%

+3-105

-3-110

12:00 AM

33%67%

-27-110

+27.5-106

2:15 AM

47%53%

+9-105

-8.5-110

2:30 AM

31%69%

-2.5-105

+2.5-105

4:00 PM

77%23%

+6.5-105

-6.5-110

4:00 PM

-3.5-110

+3.5-108

4:00 PM

18%82%

+6.5-109

-5.5-115

4:00 PM

42%58%

+16.5+100

-16.5-110

4:00 PM

90%10%

+6.5-104

-6.5-110

4:00 PM

6%94%

+3-108

-3-105

4:00 PM

91%9%

-3.5-112

+4.5-110

4:00 PM

92%8%

-6.5-110

+6.5+100

4:00 PM

+2.5-115

-1.5-110

4:00 PM

68%32%

+21-105

-21-110

4:45 PM

79%21%

+2.5+100

-3-105

6:00 PM

+2.5-110

-1.5-110

6:00 PM

+2.5-105

-2.5-110

7:30 PM

+20.5-105

-20-110

7:30 PM

+3.5-112

-3.5-105

7:30 PM

+10.5-110

-10-110

7:30 PM

+22.5-110

-21.5-110

7:30 PM

+2.5-108

-2.5-110

7:30 PM

+6.5-104

-6.5-110

7:30 PM

60%40%

-8.5-110

+8.5-110

7:30 PM

+1.5-109

-1-110

7:30 PM

+4.5-110

-3.5-110

7:30 PM

-2.5-110

+2.5-105

7:30 PM

50%50%

+19.5-110

-19-110

7:30 PM

67%33%

-9.5-110

+10-108

7:30 PM

+13.5-105

-13.5-110

7:30 PM

+17-105

-17.5+100

7:30 PM

57%43%

-1-110

+1-108

8:00 PM

-10-108

+9.5-105

8:00 PM

44%56%

+3.5-105

-3.5-110

8:00 PM

-2.5-110

+2.5-110

8:00 PM

+7-110

-6.5-110

8:00 PM

+11.5-110

-11.5-106

8:00 PM

75%25%

-7-115

+7.5-105

8:15 PM

17%83%

-14.5-110

+15.5-110

11:00 PM

91%9%

-3-105

+3-105

11:00 PM

+26.5-110

-26.5-110

11:00 PM

-6.5-110

+6.5-105

11:30 PM

90%10%

+10.5-110

-10-112

11:30 PM

-6-110

+6.5-110

11:30 PM

25%69%

+3.5-110

-3.5-110

11:30 PM

25%75%

+13.5-110

-13-108

11:30 PM

67%33%

-3-110

+3-110

11:45 PM

+2.5-110

-2-112

12:00 AM

-7.5-108

+7.5-110

12:00 AM

67%33%

-14.5-110

+14.5-106

2:00 AM

67%33%

-6-112

+6.5-108

2:30 AM

29%71%

+6.5-105

-6.5-110

Scheduled	Open	Best Odds	% of Bets
11:30 PM Troy TROY 301 S. Alabama USA 302	+13.5 -13.5	+12.5-110 -11.5-109	56% 38%
12:00 AM Kennesaw St KENN 303 Middle Tenn MTSU 304	+9.5 -9.5	+10-107 -10.5-105	20% 77%
1:00 AM LA Tech LT 305 N. Mexico St NMSU 306	-8.5 +8.5	-10.5-110 +10.5-105	74% 26%
11:00 PM W. Kentucky WKU 307 Sam Houston SHSU 308	-1 +1	+3+100 -3-110	47% 47%
1:00 AM FIU FIU 309 UTEP UTEP 310	-1.5 +1.5	-5.5-108 +5.5-110	82% 18%
11:00 PM Georgia State GAST 315 Marshall MRSH 316	+7 -7	+8.5-105 -8.5-110	73% 27%
11:30 PM Boston Col BC 313 VA Tech VT 314	+7 -7	+6.5-104 -7-108	45% 55%
11:00 PM Florida St FSU 317 Duke DUKE 318	+4.5 -4.5	+3-105 -3-110	13% 87%
12:00 AM Oregon ORE 319 Purdue PUR 320	-32.5 +32.5	-27-110 +27.5-106	33% 67%
2:15 AM OK State OKST 321 BYU BYU 322	+5.5 -5.5	+9-105 -8.5-110	47% 53%
2:30 AM Fresno State FRES 389 Nevada NEV 390	-6.5 +6.5	-2.5-105 +2.5-105	31% 69%
4:00 PM Auburn AUB 409 Missouri MIZ 410	+9.5 -9.5	+6.5-105 -6.5-110	77% 23%
4:00 PM Louisiana UL 349 Coastal Car CC 350	-3 +3	-3.5-110 +3.5-108
4:00 PM Nebraska NEB 419 Indiana IU 420	+3.5 -3.5	+6.5-109 -5.5-115	18% 82%
4:00 PM E. Carolina ECU 327 Army ARMY 328	+13.5 -13.5	+16.5+100 -16.5-110	42% 58%
4:00 PM UCLA UCLA 371 Rutgers RUT 372	+8.5 -8.5	+6.5-104 -6.5-110	90% 10%
4:00 PM Arizona St ASU 355 Cincinnati CIN 356	+3.5 -3.5	+3-108 -3-105	6% 94%
4:00 PM Miami (FL) MIA 331 Louisville LOU 332	+1 -1	-3.5-112 +4.5-110	91% 9%
4:00 PM Wisconsin WIS 377 Northwestern NW 378	-7.5 +7.5	-6.5-110 +6.5+100	92% 8%
4:00 PM Wake Forest WF 325 UConn UCONN 326	-4.5 +4.5	+2.5-115 -1.5-110
4:00 PM Virginia UVA 353 Clemson CLEM 354	+21.5 -21.5	+21-105 -21-110	68% 32%
4:45 PM S. Carolina SC 365 Oklahoma OU 366	+5.5 -5.5	+2.5+100 -3-105	79% 21%
6:00 PM C. Michigan CMU 351 E. Michigan EMU 352	+1.5 -1.5	+2.5-110 -1.5-110
6:00 PM Tulsa TLSA 335 Temple TEM 336	PK PK	+2.5-105 -2.5-110
7:30 PM Kent State KENT 363 Bowling Green BGSU 364	+24.5 -24.5	+20.5-105 -20-110
7:30 PM FL Atlantic FAU 407 UTSA UTSA 408	+6 -6	+3.5-112 -3.5-105
7:30 PM NC State NCST 391 California CAL 392	+7.5 -7.5	+10.5-110 -10-110
7:30 PM Rice RICE 403 Tulane TULN 404	+23.5 -23.5	+22.5-110 -21.5-110
7:30 PM Toledo TOL 367 N. Illinois NIU 368	+1 -1	+2.5-108 -2.5-110
7:30 PM Houston HOU 397 Kansas KU 398	+9.5 -9.5	+6.5-104 -6.5-110
7:30 PM Notre Dame ND 347 GA Tech GT 348	+1.5 -1.5	-8.5-110 +8.5-110	60% 40%
7:30 PM W. Michigan WMU 337 Buffalo BUFF 338	-1 +1	+1.5-109 -1-110
7:30 PM Ohio OHIO 333 Miami (OH) M-OH 334	+4.5 -4.5	+4.5-110 -3.5-110
7:30 PM Alabama BAMA 345 Tennessee TENN 346	-2.5 +2.5	-2.5-110 +2.5-105
7:30 PM Hawaii HAW 411 Washington St WSU 412	+19.5 -19.5	+19.5-110 -19-110	50% 50%
7:30 PM Texas St TXST 341 Old Dominion ODU 342	-7.5 +7.5	-9.5-110 +10-108	67% 33%
7:30 PM UAB UAB 369 S. Florida USF 370	+16 -16	+13.5-105 -13.5-110
7:30 PM Charlotte CHA 343 Navy NAVY 344	+16.5 -16.5	+17-105 -17.5+100
7:30 PM Michigan MICH 375 Illinois ILL 376	-1.5 +1.5	-1-110 +1-108	57% 43%
8:00 PM JMU JMU 329 GA Southern GASO 330	-5.5 +5.5	-10-108 +9.5-105
8:00 PM Colorado COLO 387 Arizona ARI 388	+4.5 -4.5	+3.5-105 -3.5-110	44% 56%
8:00 PM New Mexico UNM 379 Utah State USU 380	-2.5 +2.5	-2.5-110 +2.5-110
8:00 PM Baylor BAY 361 Texas Tech TTU 362	+8.5 -8.5	+7-110 -6.5-110
8:00 PM Wyoming WYO 385 San Jose St SJSU 386	+11 -11	+11.5-110 -11.5-106
8:00 PM USC USC 373 Maryland UMD 374	-5.5 +5.5	-7-115 +7.5-105	75% 25%
8:15 PM Texas A&M TA&M 405 Mississippi St MSST 406	-15.5 +15.5	-14.5-110 +15.5-110	17% 83%
11:00 PM LSU LSU 399 Arkansas ARK 400	-9.5 +9.5	-3-105 +3-105	91% 9%
11:00 PM Ball State BALL 395 Vanderbilt VAN 396	+24.5 -24.5	+26.5-110 -26.5-110
11:00 PM Arkansas St ARST 417 Southern Miss USM 418	-7 +7	-6.5-110 +6.5-105
11:30 PM North Texas UNT 359 Memphis MEM 360	+12.5 -12.5	+10.5-110 -10-112	90% 10%
11:30 PM Iowa IOWA 415 Michigan St MSU 416	-6.5 +6.5	-6-110 +6.5-110
11:30 PM Georgia UGA 401 Texas TEX 402	-1.5 +1.5	+3.5-110 -3.5-110	25% 69%
11:30 PM UCF UCF 323 Iowa State ISU 324	+10.5 -10.5	+13.5-110 -13-108	25% 75%
11:30 PM K State KSU 357 West Virginia WVU 358	-1.5 +1.5	-3-110 +3-110	67% 33%
11:45 PM Kentucky UK 339 Florida FLA 340	-1.5 +1.5	+2.5-110 -2-112
12:00 AM Colorado St CSU 383 Air Force AFA 384	-8 +8	-7.5-108 +7.5-110
12:00 AM SMU SMU 393 Stanford STAN 394	-12.5 +12.5	-14.5-110 +14.5-106	67% 33%
2:00 AM UNLV UNLV 413 Oregon St ORST 414	-4 +4	-6-112 +6.5-108	67% 33%
2:30 AM TCU TCU 381 Utah UTAH 382	+6.5 -6.5	+6.5-105 -6.5-110	29% 71%

Because of its popularity and sheer volume of games, there are fewer sports in the world that have as much money bet on them every year than college football. That will only continue to grow, too, as sports betting works itself into the mainstream and more states legalize betting and come online.

With more public money entering the market, there's more opportunities to spot edges on bets using The Action Network's data and tools.

How to Use Public Betting and Money Percentages in College Football Betting

We house betting data from numerous U.S. online sportsbooks, including "percentage of bets" and "percentage of money" on every college football game and major bet type.

Percentage (%) of bets: The percentage of wagers on a particular side of a game. For example, if Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt had 20,000 total bets that we've tracked and 12,000 of those are on the Vols, we'd say that Tennessee has received 60% of the bets.
Percentage (%) of money: This is the same thing except for the money. If we know the total handle, we can then calculate the percentage of money on one side or another of a bet.

Combining those two factors can help college football bettors eye bets that might be worth making. The reason is because not all bets are the same amount of money. Some bettors might place just $10 on a game, while professional bettors -- sometimes called "sharps" -- might wager $10,000.

Thus, the difference between the percentage of money and the percentage of bets can often highlight the games in which pro bettors are getting down action. And, well, they're professional and bet high amounts for a reason: It could be profitable to take those sides.

It's also important to look at the total number of bets we're tracking, which you can see on the far right of the table above. The reason is because you don't want to put too much stock in a money vs. bet difference that has a small sample of bets. Utilizing all four factors -- bet percentage, money percentage, bet vs. money percentage (the delta), and total bets -- is recommended when using betting data to gain an advantage.