College Football Week 1 betting recap reveals that USC covering was massive for sportsbooks across the nation.
For the last few days, bettors had the opportunity to engage with college football Week 1 odds, which proved to be quite satisfactory due to several high-profile matchups.
Georgia and Notre Dame emerged as favorites among the betting crowd. However, the highlight of the weekend was undoubtedly the LSU-USC clash in Las Vegas, where the Trojans, as underdogs, celebrated a thrilling 27-20 victory.
“The USC-LSU game was our entire weekend. We needed USC ‘bigly,’” remarked Scott Shelton from BetMGM Nevada.
Oddsmakers from Las Vegas and beyond shared insights to summarize the weekend’s college football betting landscape.
Fight On
The odds for the LSU-USC matchup had been available for months, with some sportsbooks posting lines as early as late May.
BetMGM opened with LSU as a 6.5-point favorite.
No changes occurred until August 21, when the Tigers’ line adjusted to -4.5, and just hours before kickoff, it dropped to -4.
Securing not only a cover for Southern Cal but also an outright win was monumental for the sportsbooks. The Trojans clinched victory with a 13-yard touchdown run by Woody Marks with just eight seconds to spare.
“USC covering was massive. USC on the moneyline was even better,” Shelton added.
A few miles away at the South Point, sportsbook director Chris Andrews echoed the positive sentiment regarding the outcome.
“It was a good result. The only losing outcomes for us were LSU and Under, and LSU winning by 4 points was not ideal. We dodged a few bullets there,” Andrews stated.
The total closed at 66.5, and despite a fair amount of offensive action, neither team capitalized fully, allowing the Under to hit comfortably.
Before kickoff at Circa Sports, sportsbook operations manager Jeff Benson noted the betting trends.
“The favorite and Over were the popular picks, which is not surprising for a prime-time standalone game.”
The Circa team was pleased with the final outcome, as Benson shared on X after the game:
Bulldogs and Irishmen
Georgia showcased its dominance as the nation’s top-ranked team in its opener against No. 14 Clemson. Playing in a quasi-neutral setting at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Bulldogs triumphed with a 34-3 victory as 10.5-point favorites.
In another notable game, No. 7 Notre Dame faced No. 20 Texas A&M in College Station, Texas. The Fighting Irish, closing as 3-point underdogs, managed to secure a 23-13 win.
These victories proved beneficial for the betting public.
“Numerous Notre Dame and Georgia parlays cashed in on Saturday, leading to favorable results for bettors,” said Seamus Magee, trading manager at BetMGM.
“Interestingly, we actually needed Georgia to win. I don’t expect that to happen frequently, but it was nice to have it,” Andrews noted, before discussing Notre Dame’s success. “That win was beneficial for us as well. We had strong action throughout the weekend, resulting in a mix of wins and losses. Overall, it was a positive week.”
Coach Prime Wins, Doesn’t Cover
The college football weekend kicked off in earnest on Thursday night, drawing attention to Deion Sanders and his Colorado Buffaloes. Coach Prime and his team faced a tough challenge against North Dakota State, a perennial contender in the FCS championship.
Colorado emerged victorious with a 31-26 win at home but fell short of covering the spread as an 11.5-point favorite.
“The spread and total were favorable outcomes,” noted Cameron Drucker, a senior trader at BetMGM, highlighting that the total closed at 55.5. “However, we faced significant losses on player props for Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders.”
For instance, Sanders’ Over/Under for touchdown passes was set at 2.5. He threw three touchdowns to Hunter and added another to Jimmy Horn Jr., accumulating 445 passing yards.
I Like Big Bets and I Cannot Lie
While there were not many major wagers reported in the college football Week 1 odds market, a significant bet was placed before the LSU-USC game on Sunday night.
Unfortunately, it didn’t pan out for the bettor. A customer at Caesars Sports placed a hefty $50,000 wager on LSU -4, which resulted in a painful loss.
On a brighter note, other Caesars bettors celebrated substantial parlay wins. One individual placed a $1,000 bet on a six-leg parlay and walked away with an impressive $161,266.
Another bettor scored a comparatively modest $100 on an eight-team parlay, all on favorites, ranging from Penn State -7.5 against West Virginia to Texas -35 over Colorado State.
All eight teams covered their spreads, resulting in a payout of $17,571 for that lucky bettor. That’s a solid return on investment for just a hundred bucks.
Caesars also recorded a notable College Football Playoff championship bet, with a customer wagering $13,500 on Alabama at +1400 odds to win it all. Should the Crimson Tide succeed, that bettor stands to gain $189,000, bringing the total payout to $202,500.
