College Football Betting in Florida

Online sports betting is not yet active in Florida. This page will be updated with the latest promos, news and odds once Florida sportsbooks launch.

Football is a distinct sport in that the college level compares well to most other professional sports in terms of popularity. Americans across the country follow college football with the same dedication that they do their local professional team. No matter if they cheer for their alma mater or the local school, fans around the country often feel a strong sense of loyalty when it comes to NCAA football.

In Florida, the college football tradition is a strong one as there are several schools in the area that have decorated histories. The University of Miami, University of Florida, and Florida State University all have multiple national titles to their names.

As sports betting makes its way to the state of Florida, college football will likely be one of the most popular sports that people try their hand at. If you’re someone who wants to get into sports betting and make your team’s games a bit more exciting, or someone who has the basics down but is looking for a more in-depth understanding, this guide is for you. It will cover the key points about betting on college football in Florida, including what to make of the odds and the various bets you can place.

How to read college football odds

The most important part of any bet, besides the selection, is the sportsbook odds. These will determine your potential return, and before you start betting, you should know how to read them. Most of the odds for college football games in Florida will appear in American format by default, so it’s important to be able to read American-style odds.

A positive odds number represents a team with an implied probability of 50% or lower. The odds number represents how much you could potentially win on a $100 bet. For example, if the University of Miami had odds of +150 for a game, you could bet $100 to potentially win $150, resulting in a total return of $250.

On the other hand, any selection with a negative odds number has an implied probability of above 50%. When you see a negative number, it means that you need to bet that much for a chance to win $100. For example, if Florida State had odds of -200, you would need to bet $200 to win $100, resulting in a total potential return of $300.

Live NCAAF betting odds

One subsection of sports betting that has become increasingly popular in recent years is live betting. This is when you place wagers on a game as it plays out in real-time. Technological advancements have helped live betting flourish as bettors can check live odds at unprecedented speed.

The majority of bets that are available before the game begins will continue to be there after kickoff. Sportsbooks will frequently update the odds to reflect the happenings of the game. One of the major benefits of betting on a game live is that you can factor in information from the start of the game.

For example, if one team or even a key player gets off to a hot start, that can inform your bets. Some examples of common in game bets are betting on the moneyline or spread of a game, just as one might do before the game starts.

Best FL sportsbooks for betting on college football

Legal sports betting has encouraged competition among the major sportsbook companies. This has been a good thing for bettors, as the quality of offerings has gotten better as sportsbooks try to outdo one another. If you are just getting started, it can be difficult to know which sportsbook is the best to go with.

All the licensed sportsbooks will have to adhere to regulations that make them suitable options. However, there are a few differences among the various companies that you should know about before you start betting on college football games.

Common college football bets

While sportsbooks have grown to offer an increasing variety of bets, there are certain staples that everyone should understand. These bets will be available at every single regulated sportsbook. Here are all of the most common college football bets explained.

Point spread

The point spread is a popular betting option across a variety of sports and helps facilitate betting on games where the two teams are clearly unequal. Considering college football has a huge talent discrepancy between the best and worst teams, it’s widely popular.

It works by handicapping the better team by forcing it to win by a certain number of points. For example, if the Florida Gators point spread is set at -3, that means they must win by more than three points. On the other side, if the Florida State Seminoles spread is +3, then they must avoid losing by more than three points, either by losing by a smaller margin or winning outright. If the final score lands exactly on the spread, that is a push and the sportsbook will return all bets.

Moneyline

The moneyline is the most basic bet in all of sports. It’s simply a bet on a team to win the game, no matter what else happens. While you may think that betting the moneyline is an easy way to make money, the sportsbooks make things harder by adjusting the odds on each team.

For example, if the Iowa Hawkeyes were playing against the Florida Gators in the Outback Bowl, the Hawkeyes might have their college football moneyline odds at -200 while the Gators have theirs at +150. This way you have to think not only about which team will win the game but also which side offers better value after considering the odds.

Over/under

The over/under is the last of the three main bets for individual games, and it’s the only one that doesn’t care which team wins the game. Instead, you are betting on the total combined score of the game. Before the opening kickoff, the sportsbooks will release a line for an estimated combined score. You can then bet if the game will go over or under that line.

For example, the line for a game between Florida State and Miami might be 63. You would then have the option of betting if the combined final score would be higher or lower than 63.

Parlays

Parlays can offer huge potential payouts. They work by combining multiple bets onto one ticket. The odds increase exponentially as you add selections to the ticket, meaning that a small stake can result in large winnings. However, the downside is that if you get just one selection wrong, you win nothing.

An example might be parlaying the moneyline of two teams together such as the Florida State Seminoles and Miami Hurricanes. If one of those teams loses, then you lose your bet. These are riskier bets, so consider them in moderation.

Teasers

Teasers are similar to parlays in that they work by combining multiple bets onto one ticket. The difference is that a teaser moves the line in your favor in exchange for weaker odds. For example, a four-point teaser involving multiple spread bets would move all spreads four points in your favor.

Futures

Futures bets are wagers on long-term events. For example, the bets mentioned above such as the Heisman Trophy winner and SEC winner are both futures. Betting on the Miami Hurricanes to win their conference would be another example of a futures bet.

Futures bets often have big odds because of the difficulty in predicting an event that is so far into the future. They can offer big potential payouts, but remember that there is a reason that the odds are so good and that it’s because of the difficulty.

Props

Prop bets are wagers on the smaller events within a game. Bettors of all levels can usually find a prop to wager on, as they often are exciting. They are also often smaller betting markets, which means that the college football betting lines can be softer.

One example of a college football prop bet may be betting on how many field goals Florida State will have in the first half. Other props have to do with the performance of individual players such as betting on how many touchdowns one team’s quarterback will have.

College football betting tips for beginners

Before you start placing wagers on college football, here are a few tips to keep in mind. These are things that experienced bettors have learned over time but that novices may struggle with.

• Don’t be afraid of big spreads: Bettors who are more familiar with other sports may be surprised at how big the spreads can be for college football. This is because there is a huge skill difference between the best and worst teams. Some bettors may opt to stay away from these huge spreads or always take the underdog, but you would be surprised at the value that you can find on both sides from games like these.
• Don’t play too many parlays: Parlays are an attractive option for novices who are lured in by the massive potential payouts. However, experienced bettors will know that even though the odds are high, they do not match the probability of the bet hitting.
• Keep track of your bets: The most important thing you can do is to keep track of your bets. This is an easy step that you can take that will improve your betting without taking very much time or effort. This will allow you to see where your money is going, what bets you do well on and which you do poorly on.

How to determine payouts on NCAAF bets

Before you place your wager, you are going to want to know how much it pays out. While Florida’s online sportsbooks will do this for you, it’s still a good skill to have. If you are using the fractional or decimal odds format, then all it takes is some basic math to figure it out. With American odds, there is a simple formula that you can use to figure out the total payout.

For any selection with odds that are a positive number in American format you can use the following:

• Potential profit = Stake x (odds / 100)

And for any selection with negative odds in American format you can make the odds number positive and use this formula:

• Potential profit = Stake / (odds / 100)

Using these formulas will help you figure out how much you stand to win from any one bet and potentially help you make better choices with that information.

Shopping lines for NCAAF games

One underrated way to become a more profitable bettor with very little effort is to shop for lines. This means checking all sportsbooks for their odds for a selection and then picking the best one. Odds can sometimes vary a surprising amount among sportsbooks, and if you’re not shopping lines, you could be leaving money on the table.

For this reason, accounts at multiple sportsbooks can be helpful. Then, before placing a wager, you can examine each sportsbook and find the one that is offering the best college football betting odds for you.