CFP National Championship Betting Preview: Alabama Favored Over Ohio State

Just ten days after upsetting the 7.5 favorite Clemson Tigers in the Sugar Bowl, the Ohio State Buckeyes are once again predicted to lose, but this time by 8.5 points to the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The NCAAF Championship odds often differ when venturing from book to book, and the same is true for tonight’s game, as the line fluctuates between 8.5 to 9 points depending on where you look.

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Alabama Crimson Tide

  • Miami Gardens, Florida
  • 8:00 PM EST on ESPN
Point SpreadMoney LineOver/Under
BovadaAlabama -8.5ALA -290, OSU +24075.0
MyBookieAlabama -8.5ALA -240, OSU +30075.0
BetOnlineAlabama -9.0ALA -270, OSU +32074.0

The above table’s college football betting odds reveal the importance of belonging to more than one sportsbook. For instance, if you want to wager on Ohio State to outright win the game, you’ll want to bet with BetOnline and their +320 money line odds.

Those +320 odds equate to $3.20 for each $1 wagered if Ohio State wins the NCAAF National Championship. The other two betting sites are paying out less, so limiting yourself to just one book also limits your earning potential.

Because the Crimson Tide is so heavily favored, their money line odds require bettors to risk more than the house. That makes it all the more important to shop the odds and earn the most from your betting dollar.

If you aren’t so sure about the spread and want to lay some action on the Tide and their money line odds, MyBookie is where you should place your bet on Alabama. The -240 odds that they’ve posted allows bettors to win $1 for every $2.40 risked on the Crimson Tide.

Bovada and MyBookie offer the best point spread if you are looking for Ohio State to cover, granting an extra half-point to the Buckeyes.

While a half-point may seem insignificant, it provides value because the separation can remove the ability for the bet to push, or tie.

Using the 8.5 point margin, Ohio State will cover if they lose the game by 8 or less, and alternatively, will fail to cover if they lose by 9 or more.

Betting on the Buckeyes and their 9 point spread requires them to lose by 8 or less to cover, and a loss of 10 or more will also result in a loss of the wager.

If you bet on Ohio State +9.0 and they lose by exactly 9, then the bet is a push. Some books handle pushes differently, but it typically results in a canceled bet, and essentially, a waste of time for all involved.

Although there is near unity on all fronts when it comes to the over/under, the one-point of differential offered by Bovada and MyBookie over BetOnline is not inconsequential.

The over/under is one of the most accurately forecasted betting options for lines in all sports, and oddsmakers often nail the total exactly.

The one point of difference can once again mean the difference between a push and a definitive outcome, so having the option to select between more than one over/under total is crucial to making a winning bet.

These are just a few of the many reasons that we recommend belonging to all three of the above books. You can’t go wrong with any of the college football betting sites listed above when wagering on tonight’s NCAAF CFP National Championship, so shop all three and enjoy the big game!

Source: CBS Sports