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Football is the only sport in the United States where the college level is more popular than the professional ranks in a significant portion of the country. Saturdays in the fall are for college football, and the best of the best play in the NCAA Southeastern Conference, home to many of the strongest programs in the country.
The SEC enjoys a massive viewership, and many of those people watching also like to wager on the games. Betting is an easy way to add some excitement to the games and potentially make some money while you do it. The wave of sports betting legalization sweeping the country is making it easier than ever to wager on games, including SEC football games.
This page will cover the key aspects of betting on SEC football, from the basics to some more advanced tips. Whether you’re an experienced SEC football bettor or have never placed a wager in your life, there likely will be something for you in this guide. Continue reading to learn about betting on SEC football.
Odds to win SEC Championship
How to read college football betting odds
A critical part of any wager is the odds that are associated with it. The odds tell us how much we stand to win if the wager is successful. Reading odds is a crucial skill and we can go over the basics right here. Legal US sportsbooks use the American odds format as the default option.
Sportsbooks display odds as positive and negative numbers. Positive odds indicate an underdog. The number indicates how much money you could win from a $100 bet. For example, let’s say that you bet on the Florida Gators to win their next game, and their odds are +150. You could bet $100 to win $150, returning a total of $250 if they win.
On the other hand, negative odds indicate a favorite. In this case, the number shows how much you would need to bet to win $100. For example, if you bet on Auburn to win at odds of -200, you would need to wager $200 to win $100, potentially returning $300 in total.
Popular bets for college football
Betting on college football is a broad subject because of the number of wagers that are available. You’ll have a variety of options to bet on and wagers to place. Here are some of the most common types of bets for college football.
- Point spread: This is what sportsbooks use to facilitate betting on games where two teams of uneven strength are playing against each other. The favorite will have to win by a certain number of points, while the underdog will need to finish within that number or win outright.
- Moneyline: The moneyline is a straightforward bet where all you are doing is picking one side to win the game. There are no complications; whichever team comes out on top is all that matters.
- Over/under: A bet on how much scoring there will be in the game, also known as a total bet. Before every game, sportsbooks will release a line with a projected scoring level for the two teams combined. You can then bet on whether the actual combined score will be over or under that line.
- Parlays: Combine multiple bets into one ticket. The advantage of doing this is that the odds become very good, often with the potential for a significant return. The disadvantage of parlay betting is that if even one of your picks loses, you’re out of luck. These are high-risk/high-reward bets.
- Teasers: Similar to parlays in that you combine multiple wagers, but in a teaser, you can adjust the lines in your favor in exchange for weaker odds. Teasers can come in different sizes, such as three, six or seven points.
- Futures: Futures bets have an extended period between when you place them and when you know the result. An example would be placing a bet at the beginning of the season on a team to win the college football national title. These can offer significant returns but also can be challenging to win.
- Props: Wagers on the smaller events within the game that don’t directly impact the outcome. These can be bets on everything from the performance of a specific player to how many field goals one team will make in a game.
Live betting during SEC football games
Technological advancements have been a boon for sports betting. One of the things to come out of this is live betting. This is when you wager on a game as it unfolds in real time, and it’s quickly becoming a favorite for bettors, not only in college football but across all sports.
Check your sportsbook during games to see what live lines and odds it offers. Some bettors prefer this method because you can get a feel for the game before risking your money.
How to watch SEC football games
Given the SEC’s popularity, there are many ways for you to watch the games. For watching on TV every Saturday, the SEC has its own network. In addition, big games also will appear on the major sports channels. Besides watching on TV, you may find SEC football on a few different apps, including ESPN. For those who have ESPN+, you can also stream SEC football games through that platform.
Getting the best lines for your SEC bets
One habit that can set an experienced bettor apart from a rookie is shopping for the best lines. Different sportsbooks may offer slightly different odds for the same bet. You want to ensure that you are maximizing your potential profit and comparing the lines from other sportsbooks to find the best deal.
Novice bettors may be surprised at how much the line for the same selection can differ at two sportsbooks. Not taking the time to check other sportsbooks and finding the best SEC Championship game odds could end up costing you money.
To help shop for lines, you may want to open accounts at multiple sportsbooks. This way, you can easily place a bet wherever the best line is. You can also take advantage of the best Florida welcome bonuses and bonus bets that each sportsbook offers, as well as other promotions.
SEC football teams
Fourteen schools make up the SEC. These schools reside in two divisions, each consisting of seven teams. Every year, the winner of each division plays against its counterpart in the SEC championship game.
| School | Location | Stadium | Coach | Rival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Bryant Denny Stadium | Nick Saban | Auburn |
| Arkansas | Fayetteville, Arkansas | Razorback Stadium | Sam Pittman | LSU |
| Auburn | Auburn, Alabama | Jordan Hare Stadium | Bryan Harsin | Alabama |
| Florida | Gainesville, Florida | Ben Hill Griffin Stadium | Dan Mullen | Georgia |
| Georgia | Athens, Georgia | Sanford Stadium | Kirby Smart | Florida |
| Kentucky | Lexington, Kentucky | Kroger Field | Mark Stoops | Tennessee |
| Louisiana State | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Tiger Stadium | Ed Orgeron | Alabama |
| Missouri | Columbia, Missouri | Faurot Field | Eliah Drinkwitz | Arkansas |
| Mississippi | Oxford, Mississippi | Vaught-Hemingway Stadium | Lane Kiffin | Mississippi State |
| Mississippi State | Starkville, Mississippi | Davis Wade Stadium | Mike Leach | Mississippi |
| South Carolina | Columbia, South Carolina | Williams Brice Stadium | Shane Beamer | Georgia |
| Tennessee | Knoxville, Tennessee | Neyland Stadium | Josh Heupel | Georgia |
| Texas A&M | College Station, Texas | Kyle Field | Jimbo Fisher | Arkansas |
| Vanderbilt | Nashville, Tennessee | Vanderbilt Stadium | Clark Lea | Tennessee |
Why the SEC is special
When it comes to college football, the SEC isn’t like the rest of the conferences. There is more pressure on each team, more competition and a higher standard of excellence that each team attempts to adhere to. The result is high-quality football and an astonishing number of alumni who have gone on to successful NFL careers.
One of the best parts about SEC football is the care and excitement that comes with every game. Student sections are always rabid, and every game has a level of energy that only accompanies the most intense games in other conferences.
The talent level in the SEC is also a level above the rest of college football. The SEC always has representatives near the top, if not at the top, of the national polls from the start to the end of the season. It also will always have teams in contention for the national championship and competing in the College Football Playoff.
Biggest SEC football rivalries
The SEC is home to some of college football’s best rivalries. These games always carry a little extra weight. While it was tough to narrow down the biggest SEC rivalries from the extensive list, here are some of the fiercest:
Auburn vs. Georgia
These two schools have played each other 125 times in what is known as the “Deep South’s oldest rivalry.” Georgia holds the series lead with a 61-56-8 record. The first time these two teams played was in 1892, and they have played each other in most of the years since that date, only occasionally missing a year due to extraordinary circumstances.
Alabama vs. Auburn
Imagine not liking one another so much that you decide you’re not going to play each other for more than four decades. That’s what happened between the Crimson Tide and the Tigers after they chose to remain off of one another’s schedule for 41 seasons. Those days are behind us now, and the rivalry is definitely renewed. Alabama has the edge in the all-time Iron Bowl series up to 2021 with a 47-37-1 record.
Florida vs. Georgia
While the exact year these two teams first played each other is unclear, this is one of the most hotly contested SEC games every season. The two schools have played every year since 1926, except for when the game was canceled one season due to World War II. Georgia leads the series with either 52 or 53 wins, 44 losses and two ties. Each school contests the exact number of wins. See Florida vs Georgia odds here.
Tennessee vs. Alabama
Known as the “Third Saturday in October” because that is when the rivalry has historically played out, this one dates back to a game in 1901 that ended in a 6-6 tie. Alabama holds the all-time lead with a record of 57-38-8. Every year the winner hands out victory cigars to its players and then self-reports an NCAA violation due to the tobacco content.