NCAAF Bowl Odds
NCAAF Bowl Odds
College football fans in Illinois eagerly anticipate the bowl games more than the regular season. They enjoy everything from the Rose Bowl to the Orange Bowl and all games in between. Illinois sports bettors will swarm the state’s legal sportsbooks to place their bets.
In our guide to college bowl game betting in Illinois, we answer questions such as: How are teams chosen for college bowl games? What is the annual number of bowl games? How are the betting lines and odds for bowl games determined in Illinois? Discover these answers and more in our comprehensive guide.
Live NCAA football bowl game lines
Check below for the most recent live lines at Illinois online sportsbooks for NCAA football matches. To navigate straight to the sportsbook, click on the odds for your selected game, claim the specified bonus, and create a new account. You can switch between point spreads, moneylines, and total odds using the drop-down menu.
2021-22 college football bowl schedule
This is a list detailing the key bowl games for the 2021-22 season, including their location, broadcast platform, and time. Please be aware that all times are provided in Eastern Time.
College Football Playoff
| Date | Bowl | Location | Time | Network | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 31 | Cotton Bowl | Arlington, TX | 3:30 PM | ESPN | Cincinnati vs. Alabama |
| Dec. 31 | Orange Bowl | Miami, FL | 7:30 PM | ESPN | Georgia vs. Michigan |
| Jan. 10, 2022 | CFP National Championship | Indianapolis, IN | 8:00 PM | ESPN | CFP Winners |
Selection Committee bowl games
| Date | Bowl | Location | Time | Network | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 30 | Peach Bowl | Atlanta, GA | 7:00 PM | ESPN | Pittsburgh vs. Michigan State |
| Jan. 1 | Allstate Sugar Bowl | New Orleans, LA | 8:45 PM | ESPN | Baylor vs. Ole Miss |
| Jan. 1 | Rose Bowl | Pasadena, CA | 5:00 PM | ESPN | Utah vs. Ohio State |
| Jan. 1 | Fiesta Bowl | Glendale, AZ | 1:00 PM | ESPN | Oklahoma State vs. Notre Dame |
Other bowl games
View the complete list of Bowl games in the odds feed above.
Bet on college football bowl games in Illinois
Bowl games, the most thrilling time of the year, is what every Saturday during the season leads up to, making it one of the best days for sports bettors and college football enthusiasts.
Betting at legal sportsbooks on almost any college football bowl game is permitted in Illinois. However, the state has a specific rule that bets on Illinois college teams can only be placed in person at a retail sportsbook. Therefore, if the University of Illinois Fighting Illini or the Northwestern Wildcats make it to the postseason games, online betting on them is not legal for Illinois bettors. This regulation is applicable to all college athletic programs within the state.
To place a bet on your preferred NCAAF bowl game, you will need an account with an online sportsbook in Illinois.
Firstly, click on the link provided on this page which will direct you to the online sportsbook. There, you can retrieve your bonus bets and proceed to download the sportsbook app of your preference. Whether you opt for DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook or any of the numerous legal betting apps available in Illinois, it is essential to have the app on your phone for betting purposes.
Follow the instructions on your device’s online sportsbook to download the app for either Apple or Android. The app requires your permission to use your phone’s geolocation software for it to function properly, which is a necessary step.
Next, you’ll need to set up an IL betting account. Regardless of your chosen sportsbook, the procedure is largely the same. You need to locate and click on the “sign up” or “register” button on the main screen.
Next, you will have to give information including your name, date of birth, address, phone number, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Before finalizing your registration, you must read and agree to the terms and conditions.
Ensure you capitalize on any bonus bets or deposit bonuses that come with your new registration at the sportsbook. These incentives are almost always available, so it’s important you seek them out for your benefit. Many of these can be found directly on our website, with many being exclusive to our readers.
Remember that every bonus or bonus bet offer comes with wagering requirements. Always ensure to read the terms and conditions before placing any bets.
Next, you’ll need to make your initial deposit. The methods you can use to deposit at a legitimate sportsbook may consist of a bank transfer, debit card, cash deposit at a physical store, or using an e-wallet.
Next, it’s all about placing your bets. The procedure is straightforward: locate what you wish to bet on and select it. Decide on the type of bet you want and the amount you’d like to stake, and then it will prompt you to validate your selections. Once you’ve done this, your bet will be visible on your bet slip in the app. After confirming your bets, you’ve officially placed a wager.
College bowl odds and bet types
Many of the same betting opportunities are available in college football as in other sports, particularly its professional equivalent, the NFL.
Various types of bets are available for college football, with the most popular ones known across the sports and NFL betting landscape. Standard options at Illinois sportsbooks include Moneylines, point spreads, totals, parlays, prop bets, futures, and live betting.
Moneyline
The simplest form of betting is Moneyline bets, where you just choose the team you believe will win the match. Teams expected to win carry negative odds, while the underdogs carry positive odds. Let’s consider an example:
| Michigan +110 |
| Ohio State -220 |
Ohio State is predicted to win the matchup, necessitating a $220 stake to win $100 if your prediction is accurate. However, a $100 bet on Michigan could yield a $110 win.
Point spread
When using point spreads, you need to consider a projected margin of victory. The team expected to win must do so by more points than the line suggests, while the team expected to lose can do so by a smaller margin and still result in winning bets on that side. Let’s illustrate this with an example:
| Nebraska +7.5 (-110) |
| Michigan State -7.5 (-110) |
This example illustrates Nebraska as the underdog and Michigan State as the favorite, with a point line of 7.5. A successful bet on Nebraska requires the Cornhuskers to either lose by no more than seven points or achieve an outright win. On the other hand, for Michigan State to win, they must lead by at least eight points.
Totals
Over/Under wagers, also known as total bets, are set by oddsmakers who determine a projected total score for a game. Your task is to decide whether you think the actual total score will be higher or lower than this projected total. Your bet isn’t dependent on choosing the winning team, but rather if the combined score of both teams will be more or less than the predicted total.
In a hypothetical match between Iowa State and Wisconsin, a sportsbook might display the following odds for the college bowl game:
| Over 55.5 (-110) |
| Under 55.5 (-110) |
Bets on the under would win if the two teams total 55 points or less. If they score 56 points or more, then the right choice would have been bets on the over.
Parlays
Parlays involve making two or more bets on the same slip, with all selections needing to be correct for a payout to occur.
For instance, suppose you made moneyline bets and opted for Michigan to defeat Ohio State, Michigan State to be defeated by Nebraska, and Wisconsin to overcome Iowa State. If all these predictions come true, you stand to win a substantial amount of money. The payouts are significantly greater in a parlay, but so are the risks. If just one of your selections is incorrect, you lose the entire bet.
Props
Prop bets, also known as “side bets,” are wagers placed on specific outcomes within a game. These could include predicting which player will score the first touchdown, which team will be leading after three quarters, or even what color Gatorade will be poured on the victorious coach. The variety of these bets depends on the sportsbook and the game’s popularity. For instance, the Super Bowl often sees a multitude of prop bets.
Futures
Futures bets refer to the stakes you place on potential events, like choosing a player to win the Heisman Trophy or predicting the college football national champion. The odds for these bets will vary as the season progresses.
Live bets
In-game betting, also referred to as live betting, is a feature commonly found only on internet-based sportsbooks and betting applications. These bets are placed during a game and primarily focus on on-field performances on the day of the game. Wagers can be made at any time during the game, with odds continuously changing based on the game’s unfolding events.
College football championship odds
The College Football National Championship game will take place shortly after the New Year begins. Below are some of the specifics.
- Date: January 10, 2021
- Location is Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN.
- ESPN will broadcast at 8 p.m. EST.
- Teams: TBD
- Favorites in the futures market: Alabama, Georgia, Michigan
Betting on the New Year’s Six
New Year’s is the time of the year when football is at its most exciting, especially with six of the best games being played. These games, known as the New Year’s Six, include the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Peach Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Orange Bowl.
Two of the New Year’s Six games serve as the semifinal matches for the College Football Playoff. The hosting bowls rotate in a three-year cycle, with the pairings being Rose/Sugar, Orange/Cotton, and Fiesta/Peach.
The College Football Playoff Selection Committee determines the matchups for these six bowl games, seeding and pairing the top four teams for the two semifinal bowl games, and then arranging the remaining New Year’s Six games. Since the inception of the College Football Playoff in 2014, 84 teams have competed in a New Year’s Six game, with only 10 ranked lower than No. 12.
The 12 teams chosen for the six games need to comprise the champions from ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC. Additionally, they must include the top-ranked champion from the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, and Sun Belt.
Betting on the college football semifinals
Each season, the College Football Playoff selection committee has the responsibility of ranking, seeding, and deciding the matchups for the semifinal games. Generally, the emphasis is on the top 12 teams in the nation, with the leading four securing a place in the College Football Playoff. The CFP Selection Committee is not obligated to adhere to any other polls when deciding its ranking or seedings.
5 things to know when betting college bowl games
1. Coaches might not have the same team come time for bowl games
At times, college football coaches are poached by other teams prior to the bowl games. This results in some colleges commencing their year’s final game with a temporary head coach. It’s vital to stay updated with all the news before placing your bets, as such a significant change can upset the dynamics of a team.
2. Players are going to sit out
Top college football players may opt out of their school’s bowl game, particularly if their team isn’t contending for the national championship. This is usually because they anticipate being high selections in the NFL draft and want to evade potential injuries. However, there’s no need for excessive worry. Most star college players have capable substitutes, and it’s likely that the rest of the team will still participate in the game.
3. The point spread may not be a factor
Bowl games are unusual phenomena as a team may not always be motivated, particularly if it didn’t meet its expectations prior to the postseason.
In 2018, out of the 39 bowl games that were fully played (with one being incomplete due to weather conditions), 34 games were won either by the favorite covering the point spread or by the underdog winning outright. The same scenario occurred in 36 out of the 40 bowl games played in 2017.
Therefore, if you believe that an underdog can cover the point spread, you might want to also consider placing a bet on that team on the moneyline.
4. The names change, but the games remain the same
Not only are we referring to the peculiar names like Sugar, Orange, Fiesta or Rose when we mention college bowl games, but also the more bizarre ones such as the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl, the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl, and the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl.
The names of bowl games frequently change due to sponsorships, meaning new names emerge regularly. However, the games remain prestigious events, offering NCAA football players an additional opportunity for victory before their season concludes.
5. Look for teams that finish strong
The teams that have the highest likelihood of emerging victorious in the postseason are often those that conclude their season with a solid performance. This could be because they embarked on a victorious streak and clinched their conference title. Alternatively, it could be because they accumulated a chain of victories prior to the season’s end. Or even if they didn’t necessarily win, did they rise to the occasion and deliver their finest performances against stiffer opposition as the season was drawing to a close?
Search for the teams that showed resilience in challenging games, that secured victories in the games they were underdogs in, and that dominated. Such teams are more likely to contribute significantly to their respective bowl games.
When do college bowl game lines come out?
Oddsmakers, who analyze Saturday’s games, usually determine the point spreads and other matchup odds for the upcoming regular season games by the previous Sunday morning.
Bowl games have a slightly different format. The betting lines for these standalone bowls are typically released shortly after their matchups are announced. Similarly, the odds for the College Football Playoff games are made available soon after the announcement of the four teams participating and their respective matchups. Then, the odds for the national championship are updated once the semifinal games conclude.
As soon as all the games conclude, you can immediately delve into the futures betting market. The futures betting odds on the next NCAA football champion are released by oddsmakers within hours after the national championship game ends.