College Football vs. NFL: Differences for Online Bettors

April 25, 2022 by Staff

College football is a whole different ball game when it comes to sports betting. This post will highlight the key differences between college football and NFL betting strategies. First, let us see where you can bet on NCAAF and NFL games in the USA.

Where Can You Bet on College Football Online in the USA?

Most major online sportsbooks in the USA provide access to all NFL betting markets, but the same is not valid for all NCAA football divisions.
The state of Nevada was the first to allow NCAA football bets at brick-and-mortar sportsbooks only. Now, you can make college football bets online in Nevada and Iowa, Colorado, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and New Jersey.

The New York sports betting regulator hasn't legalized college football wagering yet. However, online bettors usually take a trip to neighboring New Jersey, where NCAAF bets are allowed. Online sportsbooks like DraftKings have unique location trackers to prevent illegal betting.

NFL Teams Are More Popular than College Squads

NFL teams are widely popular in the USA and Canada, and their quarterbacks are as famous as Hollywood stars.College teams are widely unknown, although the NCAAF betting card is quite long. This makes future bets almost unpredictable.

College Footballers Aren't Professionals.

The key difference between college football and NFL is that the former is not played on a professional level. This makes college football betting markets more volatile than their NFL counterparts.

Although match results are harder to predict, college games are more exciting to watch, and online odds are higher across all markets. So, if your online bet wins, it will bring you a small fortune.

Common NCAA & NFL Bets

College Football vs. NFL Money Line Bets

Because the gaps between college teams are wider, you can see moneyline bets of +6600 or even higher. Online sportsbooks like Bet MGM typically give the widest moneyline margins.

By contrast, NFL money lines typically are between +200 and -200. One of the reasons for this anomaly is that NCAA does not hold a pre-season draft session.

Spreads

The wider talent gap between the different NCAA divisions accounts for some pretty amazing point spreads.

Top college teams like the Alabama Crimson Tide typically get point spreads of -28 points, which they usually convert. By contrast, a typical NFL spread varies between +7 and -7 points.

Over/Under Bets

As a rule, college football games are more challenging to predict than NFL matches because college athletes are still young and emotional.
Many sports betting sites provide total NCAAF odds of 60.5 or higher, whereas the NFL over/under odds hover around 30.5.

College Football Betting Tips

It is hard to say if these simple will bring you a long winning streak of online college football bets, but they can at least provide a good starting point.

Money Line & Totals

If you are new to college football, begin with total bets,which are the easiest to predict. If you go for money line bets, focus on historic rivalries like Michigan vs. Ohio State or USC vs. Notre Dame.

Exploit Half-time Lines

They are only allowed during the interval, so don't miss your chance to grab the bull by the horns. If one of the teams is trailing less than ten points behind their opponents, you can bet on a draw or a win for the underdog!