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How to bet on NCAA football

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How does NCAAF betting work?

In the US and Canada, college football is known as National Collegiate Athletic Association Football, or more commonly NCAA football or NCAAF. Betting on college football is extremely popular, due to the fast-paced and high-scoring nature of most games.

There are several different levels of college football, but sports bettors primarily focus on Division I, which splits 130 schools into 10 different conferences. The top five conferences are referred to as the “Power Five,” while the others are called the “Group of Five.”

A college football team will typically play 12 to 14 regular season games each year, with a majority of those coming against teams that are in the same conference.

The top four NCAAF teams across all 10 conferences also qualify for the College Football Playoffs. The winner of both semi-finals play in the College Football Playoff National Championship, which determines the overall NCAA football champion for that year. Naturally, this is by far the most wagered on game in NCAAF betting.

Football_NCAA_Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Jordan Addison
© Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

The best NCAAF sportsbooks

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What NCAAF odds can you get?

There are plenty of different markets available for NCAAF betting, including most of the typical football lines. The most popular NCAAF betting markets include:

  • Moneyline bets: This is a simple bet on the outright winner of a game, regardless of the score.

  • Point spread bets: Locking in a point spread bet involves betting on a team to win or lose an NCAAF game by more or less than a margin set by the sportsbook.

  • Total or over/under bets: This means predicting if the number of points two teams score between them in an NCAAF game will be over or under a pre-set amount. NCAAF over/under bets can also be placed on statistics relating to the performance of certain players or teams.

  • Parlays: A parlay is a bet that incorporates multiple wagers, which are combined for better odds. You can place a same-game NCAAF parlay (several selections on the same game) or a multi-NCAAF game parlay (several selections across different games).

  • Prop bets: These can be made on several different events not directly related to the outcome of the game. For example, betting on whether or not a winning coach will have a bucket of Gatorade poured on them at the end of the game, or even which color that Gatorade will be.

  • Futures: College football futures allow you to wager on long-term events, such as which team will win a certain conference or that year’s College Football Playoff National Championship.

NCAAF betting tips

Choose your favorites

It is easier said than done to keep track of all 130 NCAAF teams and 10 different conferences.

Select a few to follow specifically and base most of your bets around those to ensure that you can learn more about certain teams and conferences as the season progresses.

Watch out for slumps

NCAAF seasons are relatively short, meaning that a team who started their campaign with a winning streak may not see their odds lengthen by much following a couple of losses. Keep an eye out for teams who have suffered a recent dip in form and weigh up if their next game may be a good opportunity to bet on underdog opponents.

Look at trends

While you should not solely rely on previous results between two teams to inform your betting, in college football there are trends worth being aware of.

Look out for matchups featuring one team who tend to get the better of their opponents, regardless of their form otherwise.

Follow the team news

In college football, team news is everything. An injury to a key player can have a massive impact on a team’s chances of winning a match, so knowing exactly who they’ll be relying on for their next game is important.

Get the best odds

As with any sport, the odds you are betting on are just as important as the market or event. Make sure you have access to multiple sportsbooks to shop for the best value and therefore, the best payout when your bets do win.

Know the stats

There are always NCAAF stats to hand that you can use to gauge how a team or player is performing beyond their results. Look out for things such as how many points they tend to score and allow per game and how their records at home and on the road compare.

NCAAF games today

The NCAAF season runs from late August until January, with a majority of games during that time played between Thursday and Saturday (with a few exceptions).

They are often scheduled throughout the day, providing opportunities to wager on non-stop action for several hours at a time.

Given the number of games, teams, and conferences involved, following NCAAF and making educated bets on it may seem like a pretty overwhelming task.

Luckily, BET.CA has everything you need to keep up with every single game, including the latest odds, scores, stats, and upcoming matchups.

Let us do the leg work so you don’t have to worry about anything but watching the fantastic spectacle that is NCAA football.

Football_NCAA_Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young
© Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

NCAAF key information

📅 Year founded:

1978

🔢 Number of teams:

131

🏆 Most NCAAF championships:

Yale (18)

🥇 Current champions:

Georgia Bulldogs

🏈 Championship game:

College Football Playoff National Championship

👑 Current MVP:

Off: DeVonta Smith, Def: Christian Barmore

NCAAF betting FAQs

What are the best sportsbooks for NCAAF betting?
When does the college football season begin?
How can I watch NCAAF matches in Canada?

BET.CA's football guides are written by our experienced team, who have spent years following the NFL, CFL, and NCAA football. Their expertise and advice will help you get the most out of your football betting.

BET.CA staff
BET.CA staff