James Madison Dukes Odds

James Madison Dukes 2024 Season Preview

Since joining FBS in 2022, James Madison football has been wildly successful, posting a 19-5 record. Unfortunately, the Dukes haven’t been allowed to play for a Sun Belt title due to transfer rules.

The 2024 season could prove difficult, given that long-time head coach Curt Cignetti bolted for Indiana. However, the Dukes hired a solid replacement in Bob Chesney, who has consistently coached winning teams at the Division III, Division II, and FCS levels – most recently with Holy Cross.

Most believe James Madison will be a force in the Sun Belt this season. The Dukes have the fourth-shortest betting odds to win the conference – you can track James Madison's conference title odds all season – and they rank 73rd nationally in our college football betting power ratings.

Here’s how to bet on James Madison football this year, alongside other information.

Betting on James Madison

There are several ways to bet on James Madison football this season, including game-to-game markets such as moneylines, point spreads and totals (the over/under).

For more odds, check out our college football odds page.

Betting James Madison Moneylines

As mentioned, the Dukes have posted a 19-3 record since joining FBS. That means they’re also 19-3 on the moneyline during that stretch, given a moneyline wager is a bet on a team to win the game outright.

Here’s how a hypothetical moneyline bet might look at a sportsbook like DraftKings or FanDuel:

• James Madison ML: -120
• Louisiana ML: +100

The minus (-) and plus (+) signs distinguish the favorite from the underdog; James Madison is the favorite in this hypothetical and is thus expected to win.

It’s easiest to understand American odds in $100 increments.

A wager on James Madison’s moneyline at -120 odds means a $120 wager on the Dukes would net $100 in profit, excluding the initial $100 wager that would also be returned in the event of a victory.

Conversely, a $100 wager on Louisana’s moneyline at +100 odds would net $100 in profit, excluding the initial $100 wager that would be returned upon winning.

For more moneyline odds, check out our college football odds page.

Betting James Madison Point Spreads

Typically, bettors play the point spread when betting teams rather than the moneyline.

A point spread wager is a bet on a team’s margin of victory or defeat, thus representing the great equalizer in sports betting. Even the best college football teams are expected to beat the spread only 50% of the time.

Here’s how a point spread bet might look at sportsbooks like bet365 or BetMGM:

• James Madison -2.5 (-110)
• Louisiana +2.5 (-110)

There are two parts to every point spread: the spread itself, representing the margin of victory, and the odds, which is what your payout would be. In our hypothetical example, James Madison is a 2.5-point favorite, meaning the Dukes must win by three points or more to cover the spread. And if you’re betting that at -110 odds, you must wager $110 for every $100 you want to win.

Conversely, Louisiana would have to either win outright or lose by two or fewer points to cover their underdog spread. Again, you’d have to wager $110 for every $100 you want to win.

If you’re still confused, I suggest reading up on how to use American odds or checking out our odds calculator before placing any future wagers.

Betting James Madison Totals

There are three major markets in sports betting: the moneyline, spread, and over/under. Let’s discuss the third.

In a total wager, you’re predicting whether the total number of points scored by both teams in the match will be higher or lower than whatever the sportsbook lists.

For example, take this James Madison vs. Coastal Carolina game from late November of the 2023 season, where the total was set at 51.5 points:

• Over 51.5 (-110)
• Under 51.5 (-110)

If you bet the over, you would need at least 52 total points between the Hawkeyes and Cornhuskers for your bet to cash. If you bet the under, you would need 51 or fewer points.

Like the point spread, there’s a corresponding payout with the over and under. In this case, you’d need to wager $110 to win $100 on either the over or the under.

James Madison won 56-14 in this real-life example, so the two combined for 60 points and cashed the over. A $110 wager on the over would have netted you $100 in profit.

James Madison Player Props & More

College football player props are limited state-by-state, so it’s often challenging to find prop bets in this market.

If player props are available, you would see things like yardage over/under for specific players (passing, rushing, receiving), to score touchdown props for quarterbacks, wide receivers, and running backs, alongside much more.

If college football props aren’t available in your state, I’d highly recommend checking out a platform like PrizePicks. This site is regulated as a Daily Fantasy Sports site and allows you to pick and pair player props for payouts.