Betting on an individual game, especially in the unpredictable sport of college football, can be a risky endeavor that might come down to luck, good or bad.
However, if you have tabs on a team that might be better or worse than the experts think, you might consider betting the win totals.
Most sportsbooks offer season win totals for most of the teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Perhaps you’re convinced it’ll be another great year for Oklahoma and are willing to wager the Sooners will beat their total of 10. Or maybe you think Michigan will disappoint, so you bet under the total of 9.
Either way, season win totals provide a margin for error that’s not present in single game bets and can be a fun way to follow a bet for the length of an entire season.
What are College Football Win Totals?
In most futures wagers, bettors are trying to predict the winner of a conference title or College Football Playoff championship. But another popular type of futures bets is the win total, in which bettors take a number provided by the house and predict whether the given team will win more or less than (over or under) that number.
The bet is decided in similar fashion to an individual game total. If the total includes a half-number, such as 7.5 or 9.5, then there is a clear winner. So if a team with a total of 7.5 wins 9 games, the over wins. If a team with a total of 9.5 wins 9 games, the under wins.
When the line is a whole number, the possibility of a push exists. For instance, if a team’s season win total is 8 and it goes exactly 8-4, then the bet is a push. That means the original bet is returned with no additional winnings.
Typically, conference championship games, bowl games and CFP games are not included in a team’s season win total. Sportsbooks usually designate this technicality by calling a line “Regular Season Wins.”
Usually, the house takes a slightly higher rake in win total bets. Instead of a 10 percent rake (each side is -110) on a single-game bet, the line might be -115 or -120 to each side. This is because bettors generally have a higher margin for error with a full-season bet than with a single-game or futures bet.
Strategies for Betting Season Win Totals
There are many factors to consider when betting college football season win totals. Start with how many games a team won the previous year, then decide how it might change. Bettors should be sure to dissect how much talent a team loses to graduation or the NFL draft, how much it returns and how much immediate impact, if any, it might get from recruiting. They should also be aware of any coaching changes or other factors, such as an offseason injury or suspension of a key player, that could change the way a team plays.
Of course, in college football, strength of schedule varies wildly, both from conference to conference and within a single conference. In most of the major conferences, teams are split into divisions and draw only two or three teams from the opposite division while playing all the teams in their own division.
For instance, in the Southeastern Conference, LSU draws the tough assignment of Georgia and Florida from the SEC East in addition to playing Alabama, Auburn and the rest of the SEC West. Meanwhile, South Carolina plays Vanderbilt and Kentucky from the SEC East while drawing Ole Miss and Texas A&M from the SEC West. Perhaps that explains why LSU and South Carolina have an identical 7.5 win total, even though the Tigers appear to have a stronger team.
Of course, non-conference schedules also vary wildly from team to team and are important to consider.
Injuries during the season, especially to a key player such as a quarterback, can waylay any team’s season. Of course, if you bet the under, that might be a good thing.
However, there is a larger margin for error with season win totals, because good and bad luck tends to even out more over the course of a season than in a single game. That makes season win totals a good place to look for value — if you’re willing to let a sportsbook hold your money for the course of an entire season.
2018 College Football Season Win Totals
(Odds from Bovada)
American Athletic Conference
Central Florida Knights 9.5 wins (over -105, under -125)
Cincinnati Bearcats 5 wins (over -135, under +105)
Connecticut Huskies 3 wins (over -135, under +105)
East Carolina Pirates 3.5 wins (over +140, under -170)
Houston Cougars 8 wins (over +110, under -140)
Memphis Tigers 8.5 wins (over -110, under -120)
Navy Midshipmen 7 wins (over -140, under +110)
SMU Mustangs 5.5 wins (over +105, under -135)
South Florida Bulls 8.5 wins (over +115, under -145)
Temple Owls 6.5 wins (over -140, under +110)
Tulane Green Wave 5.5 wins (over +110, under -140)
Tulsa Golden Hurricane 4 wins (over -140, under +110)
Atlantic Coast Conference
Boston College Eagles 6.5 wins (over -155, under +125)
Clemson Tigers 11 wins (over -130, under EVEN)
Duke Blue Devils 6 wins (over -140, under +110)
Florida State Seminoles 8 wins (over -130, under EVEN)
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 6 wins (over -120, under -110)
Louisville Cardinals 7 wins (over EVEN, under -130)
Miami Hurricanes 9.5 wins (over -125, under -105)
North Carolina Tar Heels 5.5 wins (over -115, under -115)
NC State Wolfpack 7.5 wins (over +105, under -135)
Pittsburgh Panthers 5 wins (over -150, under +120)
Syracuse Orange 5.5 wins (over -105, under -125)
Virginia Cavaliers 5 wins (over +170, under -210)
Virginia Tech Hokies 8.5 wins (over +110, under -140)
Wake Forest Demon Deacons 6.5 wins (over -115, under -115)
Big Ten Conference
Illinois Fighting Illini 4 wins (over +125, under -155)
Indiana Hoosiers 5 wins (over -140, under +110)
Iowa Hawkeyes 7.5 wins (over -135, under +105)
Maryland Terrapins 5 wins (over -160, under +130)
Michigan Wolverines 9 wins (over -155, under +125)
Michigan State Spartans 9 wins (over -110, under -120)
Minnesota Golden Gophers 6 wins (over +105, under -135)
Nebraska Cornhuskers 6.5 wins (over -130, under EVEN)
Northwestern Wildcats 6.5 wins (over +130, under -160)
Ohio State Buckeyes 10.5 wins (over +120, under -150)
Penn State Nittany Lions 9.5 wins (over -115, under -115)
Purdue Boilermakers 6 wins (over +105, under -135)
Rutgers Scarlet Knights 4 wins (over +155, under -190)
Wisconsin Badgers 10 wins (over -110, under -120)
Big 12 Conference
Baylor Bears 6 wins (over +105, under -135)
Kansas Jayhawks 3 wins (over +115, under -145)
Kansas State Wildcats 6.5 wins (over -160, under +130)
Iowa State Cyclones 6.5 wins (over -120, under -110)
Oklahoma Sooners 10 wins (over -125, under -105)
Oklahoma State Cowboys 8 wins (over -120, under -110)
TCU Horned Frogs 7.5 wins (over -140, under +110)
Texas Longhorns 8.5 wins (over -130, under EVEN)
Texas Tech Red Raiders 6 wins (over -130, under EVEN)
West Virginia Mountaineers 7 wins (over -220, under +180)
Conference USA
Charlotte 49ers 3.5 wins (over +125, under -155)
Florida Atlantic Owls 8.5 wins (over -115, under -115)
Florida International Golden Panthers 5 wins (over -125, under -105)
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 7 wins (over -125, under -105)
Marshall Thundering Herd 8 wins (over -130, under EVEN)
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders 7 wins (over +110, under -140)
North Texas Mean Green 8 wins (over +115, under -145)
Old Dominion Monarchs 5.5 wins (over -170, under +140)
Rice Owls 3 wins (over -150, under +120)
Southern Miss Golden Eagles 6.5 wins (over +120, under -150)
UAB Blazers 7.5 wins (over +105, under -135)
UTEP Miners 2.5 wins (over +110, under -140)
UTSA Roadrunners 5 wins (over -110, under -120)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 5 wins (over -125, under -105)
Independent
Army Black Knights 7 wins (over -155, under +125)
BYU Cougars 5.5 wins (over -155, under +125)
Massachusetts Minutemen 5.5 wins (over -125, under -105)
New Mexico State Aggies 6 wins (over +105, under -135)
Notre Dame 9.5 wins (over +120, under -150)
Mid-American Conference
Akron Zips 4.5 wins (over +120, under -150)
Ball State Cardinals 4 wins (over EVEN, under -130)
Bowling Green Falcons 4.5 wins (over -105, under -125)
Buffalo Bulls 6.5 wins (over -150, under +120)
Central Michigan Chippewas 4.5 wins (over +120, under -150)
Eastern Michigan Eagles 5.5 wins (over -135, under +105)
Kent State Golden Flashes 2.5 wins (over +120, under -150)
Miami (Ohio) Bobcats 6.5 wins (over +105, under -135)
Northern Illinois Huskies 6.5 wins (over -120, under -110)
Ohio Bobcats 8.5 wins (over +110, under -140)
Toledo Rockets 8 wins (over -110, under -120)
Western Michigan Broncos 6.5 wins (over -110, under -120)
Mountain West Conference
Air Force Falcons 4.5 wins (over -130, under EVEN)
Boise State Broncos 10 wins (over +110, under -140)
Colorado State Rams 5.5 wins (over -115, under -115)
Fresno State Bulldogs 8 wins (over -110, under -120)
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors 3.5 wins (over -115, under -115)
Nevada Wolf Pack 6 wins (over +110, under -140)
New Mexico Lobos 4 wins (over -115, under -115)
San Diego State Aztecs 8.5 wins (over -125, under -105)
San Jose State Spartans 2.5 wins (over -120, under -110)
UNLV Rebels 6 wins (over -130, under EVEN)
Utah State Aggies 7.5 wins (over -130, under EVEN)
Wyoming Cowboys 6.5 wins (over -150, under +120)
Pac-12 Conference
Arizona Wildcats 7.5 wins (over -155, under +125)
Arizona State Sun Devils 4.5 wins (over -140, under +110)
California Golden Bears 6.5 wins (over -115, under -115)
Colorado Buffaloes 4.5 wins (over -150, under +120)
Oregon Ducks 8.5 wins (over -165, under +135)
Oregon State Beavers 2.5 wins (over +110, under -140)
UCLA Bruins 5.5 wins (over -125, under -105)
USC Trojans 8.5 wins (over -105, under -125)
Utah Utes 7 wins (over -140, under +110)
Stanford Cardinal 8.5 wins (over -120, under -110)
Washington Huskies 10.5 wins (over +125, under -155)
Washington State Cougars 6.5 wins (over +120, under -150)
Southeastern Conference
Alabama Crimson Tide 11 wins (over -120, under -110)
Arkansas Razorbacks 5.5 wins (over -135, under +105)
Auburn Tigers 9 wins (over -130, under EVEN)
Florida Gators 8 wins (over -135, under +105)
Georgia Bulldogs 10.5 wins (over -130, under EVEN)
Kentucky Wildcats 5.5 wins (over -150, under +120)
LSU Tigers 7.5 wins (over +120, under -150)
Mississippi State Bulldogs 8.5 wins (over -115, under -115)
Missouri Tigers 6.5 wins (over -180, under +150)
Ole Miss Rebels 6 wins (over -115, under -115)
South Carolina Gamecocks 7.5 wins (over -180, under +150)
Tennessee Volunteers 5.5 wins (over -145, under +115)
Texas A&M Aggies 7.5 wins (over -105, under -125)
Vanderbilt Commodores 4.5 wins (over -105, under -125)
Sun Belt Conference
Appalachian State Mountaineers 8.5 wins (over -105, under -125)
Arkansas State Red Wolves 8.5 wins (over -170, under +140)
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 4 wins (over +120, under -150)
Georgia Southern Eagles 5.5 wins (over -180, under +150)
Georgia State Panthers 4.5 wins (over -105, under -125)
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns 4.5 wins (over -110, under -120)
Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks 5.5 wins (over -150, under +120)
South Alabama Jaguars 4 wins (over -165, under +135)
Texas State Bobcats 3.5 wins (over -105, under -125)
Troy Trojans 7.5 wins (over -135, under +105)