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Another bowl season is almost upon us. There are more than 40 games to choose from along with a new element that is here to stay. Let’s go into the details, both old and new, about how to bet on bowl games at the top-rated sportsbooks.Â
Understanding Who Wants to Give a Strong Effort
These games are all about head-to-head matchups and motivation. A strong running team facing a weak run-stopping opponent is extremely important to know. This is very easy to find and arguably the best one is the NCAA.com website where you can break them all down and find edges in numerous categories.
The other aspect you want to know is who wants to play. Is one team coming off a few seasons of 9-3 and playing in quality bowls, but this season is 6-6 and was invited in an ordinary bowl conflict where the weather isn’t even somewhat warm?
Or, what a club that produced its first winning season in five years and was 9-3? Nobody on this team has ever played in a bowl game besides a transfer, making it an exciting possibility. Add in this squad could become the first in a decade or more at that university to post a rare double-digit win season. That’s motivation!
Coaching Experience Matters and So Does Leaving for Bigger Bucks
Preparing for a bowl game is a different experience. Coaches have to learn the proper balance of rewarding the players and making sure they have a fun, memorable experience while still having them focus on winning the game.
That is not a simple operation and most have to learn their particular process. A lot of this falls to the captains or seniors of the team. Some years you might have exceptional leadership and those seniors want to leave as winners. Others see it as a reward and want to have fun, enjoy the moment and the swag they receive, with the game just part of the whole package.
Often, team websites have reporters who know the vibe before flying to a destination and what goes on after they arrive. This is frequently excellent insight.
In early December, pink slips are handed out and coaching jobs open up. Some are coveted, others are the next step toward the upper echelon. If an existing head coach and several assistants are headed for greener pastures, you have to quickly ascertain damage control. This involves the shock factor and what it means to the program and players. More often than not it is a real negative.
Location Is Bigger Than You Think
Though this is not an anchor for making bowl picks, the distance for traveling is important. Most of the minor bowls always prefer to have one team that is relatively close in proximity. Of course, having both squads from a drivable distance is preferred for attendance.
Though it varies from year to year, typically, the team that is closer in proximity wins and covers more spreads. As to why, less travel is a bonus, usually having more crowd support is also and the locals that go to games tend to root for a regional team. The other side of the equation is if a team finds out their fans will not even fill their ticket allotment, that could be a negative, especially if they ended the season poorly.
Draft Dodgers and Transfer Portal
Here is a bar bet you can win against people that are college football fans, but not football bettors. Christian McCaffrey (Stanford) was the first collegiate player to opt put of a bowl game. He was later followed by Leonard Fournette (LSU), which set the table for the world we live in today.
This is arguably the single biggest factor in betting bowl games. If a team loses half its starters or more to opt-outs or the transfer portal, that is a lot of new faces to retool in a short time. If those players are stars, the impact can be even greater.
The sides and totals can move seven or more points and be very disruptive to traditional bowl betting applications. You cannot follow each and every team on a daily basis, but one should check within a week after the bowl assignment was handed out, roughly, ten days before the game, and again 24 to 48 hours before the game is played.
Betting Early for Value Is No Longer Important
One of the adages of sports betting is getting the best number, whether it’s early or late. With Opt-Outs and the transfer portal, lines are changing fast and furious. Getting down early might make your bet obsolete by game time.
Instead, it makes the most sense to have the latest information from all aspects to make the smartest bet possible.
New(er) Playoffs Tournament
Most of the usual handicapping formulas will still apply. Though opt-outs will decrease in playing for a championship, there will still be key players who won’t want to risk their expected NFL careers. You have to follow this.
Early rounds of the playoffs will have home games. It will take some time to understand the significance of what this will mean from a wagering perspective. It would seem coaching and skill position players will take on greater significance, having to win three to four games to take home a national championship.
As the years go by, there will be changes to the format along with the number of teams, thus paying attention can help you win more bets.
