Heisman Trophy Odds & Betting Favorites For 2024

The Heisman race is in its most critical portion of the 2024 college football season. 

A handful of top Heisman contenders will look to solidify their teams’ postseason positions while piling up huge numbers. Bettors continue to open the BetMGM online sportsbook and bet into the college football futures market at record numbers. 

Heisman Trophy odds remain one of the most popular year-to-year markets for fans to buy a futures ticket.  

Thus, I go deep into Heisman odds betting research every season, breaking down the market name by name and re-examining the Heisman landscape every week. 

I provide that extensive analysis for readers and bettors below. 

Heisman Odds Market Breakdown

Heisman Trophy Prediction

Based on the current futures market, Travis Hunter has an implied 80% chance of winning the 2024 Heisman Trophy.

Heisman Watch 2024

Week 12 was the week that Travis Hunter took total control of the 2024 Heisman Trophy race, at least in the eyes of the market. 

Hunter’s big game against Utah – five catches, one interception, and a rushing touchdown – helped position him as a big odds-on favorite heading into Week 13. And with BYU losing its first game of the season to Kansas, Colorado is now tied for first in the Big 12.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty has continued to put up historic numbers for the Broncos, so he remains in the mix at +400. 

All other quarterbacks who have flirted with Heisman relevance – including recent favorites Dillon Gabriel and Cam Ward – are now way back of Hunter and Jeanty. 

All four players remain likely Heisman Trophy finalists.

Heisman Odds: Travis Hunter

Travis Hunter, the Colorado WR/DB, is currently -400 to win the Heisman Trophy.

Hunter has emerged as the late-season Heisman favorite for a vintage reason: He’s the best player in college football.

At the start of the 2024 season, there were two major betting concerns about Travis Hunter’s Heisman odds. The first was that Colorado might not be good enough as a team for his excellent play to shine; the second was that Hunter’s heavy workload might lead to injuries, just like in 2023. 

It’s now November, and Colorado has worked its way into the Big 12 title race. So much for Colorado not being good enough. (I’ll have to take a personal L on that one.)

As for injuries, Hunter did miss a little bit of time in October with a shoulder injury, but it hasn’t kept him off the field enough to permanently damage his Heisman campaign. 

Hunter can lay a strong claim to being the most outstanding player in college football. The race isn’t finished just yet, but at this point, it’s Hunter’s trophy to lose.

Heisman Odds: Ashton Jeanty

Ashton Jeanty, the Boise State running back, is currently +400 to win the Heisman Trophy.

Jeanty is a name that was on absolutely no one’s Heisman board during the 2024 preseason, but the Broncos’ incredible playmaker has already rushed for 1,893 yards through 10 games. He’s gutting opposing defenses for an astounding 7.4 yards per carry.

The numbers are so strong that they spurred an impossible-to-foresee rise in Ashton Jeanty’s Heisman odds.

It would be quite the shock for a Mountain West running back to win the Heisman Trophy, but eventually, the raw numbers may be too difficult to argue against – especially if Jeanty breaks Barry Sanders’ single-season NCAA rushing yards record. 

Oh, and as a final side note – keep an eye on Boise State’s playoff odds. Since the G5 playoff bid is a bit of a beauty pageant, Jeanty’s skill and credibility in the Heisman market could end up boosting the Broncos’ postseason chances, too.

Heisman Odds: Cam Ward

Cam Ward, the Miami quarterback, is currently +1500 to win the Heisman Trophy.

Ward has been nothing short of a wizard in South Beach this season, engineering comeback after comeback for the sluggish, slow-starting Hurricanes. 

Unfortunately, that tendency finally (and perhaps inevitably) caught up with them in Week 11, as Miami lost its first game of the year at unranked Georgia Tech. 

Once again, Ward took the field with under two minutes, needing yet another go-ahead touchdown drive. This time, the magic finally ran out, and he fumbled the ball during a sack inside his own 20-yard line. 

Still, he has elevated the Hurricanes with huge stats and last-minute heroics. Cam Ward’s Heisman odds have been relevant all season, and he’s likely to finish the season as a Heisman finalist.

Whether or not he can overtake other top contenders is another story.

Heisman Odds: Kurtis Rourke

Kurtis Rourke, the Indiana quarterback, is +3000 to win the Heisman Trophy.

Rourke missed Indiana’s Week 9 game against Washington with a thumb injury, but he returned to the field in East Lansing for Indiana’s Week 10 thumping of Michigan State. Rourke tied his season-high mark with four touchdown passes in the 47-10 victory.

Rourke’s ascending status in the Heisman table is a huge compliment to him, as well as the job that first-year head coach Curt Cignetti has done in turning around a historically dreadful Indiana football program. It’s such a positive story that Rourke could even find himself in New York as a Heisman finalist. 

That’s likely where the ceiling is here. Even with the No. 2 QBR in FBS, Rourke will have a hard time outplaying Heisman favorites like Hunter and Jeanty. 

Heisman Odds: Jalen Milroe

Jalen Milroe, the Alabama quarterback, is currently +3000 to win the Heisman Trophy.

The Alabama junior has evolved from an unrefined dual threat at the beginning of 2023 to one of the more reliable quarterbacks in college football. 

Fans saw Milroe’s potential ceiling against Georgia in Week 5. He was simply phenomenal: 27-for-33 for 374 yards and two passing touchdowns, plus 117 yards on the ground with two additional touchdowns. 

But throughout the following weeks, Alabama took some serious lumps. Milroe was outdueled by Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia in Week 6, as No. 1 Alabama suffered a historic loss at Vanderbilt. Milroe, who became the Heisman favorite after beating Georgia, was adjusted up to +1000.

After Vanderbilt, Alabama survived an upset bid from South Carolina, then lost at Tennessee in a defensive struggle. 

Milroe saw another large adjustment after Alabama’s big win at LSU in Week 11, moving down from +6600 to +1800. He eventually settled in at +3000 after Week 12.

It’s a significant move, but it’s unlikely to result in anything other than raw CLV for in-season Milroe bettors. At this point, the likelihood that he overtakes Hunter, Jeanty, or Gabriel is pretty low.

Heisman Odds: Dillon Gabriel

Dillon Gabriel, the Oregon quarterback, is currently +4000 to win the Heisman Trophy.

In Week 7, Gabriel delivered one of the signature performances of the 2024 season against Ohio State, posting a 23-for-34 passing line for 341 yards and two touchdowns. He added an extra 32 yards on the ground and a rushing touchdown, and Oregon beat Ohio State 32-31. 

Gabriel has spent most of the second half of the season as either the favorite to win the Heisman or a serious contender near the top of the table. 

If I’m honest, though, I could never quite shake the feeling that Gabriel looked less like a future Heisman winner and more like an effective quarterback on a No. 1 team. Those aren’t quite the same thing!

Dillon Gabriel’s Heisman odds finally crashed down to earth after Oregon’s tight 16-13 win over Wisconsin in Week 12. He threw for 218 yards and no touchdowns (one interception) after the Ducks’ offense scraped together a fourth-quarter comeback to remain undefeated. 

Gabriel might very well win a national championship with Oregon this year, but it’s hard to see him returning to the top of the Heisman table.

Heisman Odds: Jaxson Dart

Jaxson Dart, the Ole Miss quarterback, is currently +8000 to win the Heisman Trophy.

After Dart and the Ole Miss offense posted gaudy numbers in early nonconference games against FCS Furman, Middle Tennessee, Wake Forest, and Georgia Southern, the Rebels crashed back down to earth in Week 5 in its SEC opener against Kentucky.

But Dart endured an up-and-down October, emerging as a best-of-the-rest Heisman candidate with huge stats, an excellent 5:1 TD-to-INT ratio, and a top-10 QBR. 

A 515-yard performance with six touchdowns in a Week 10 at Arkansas sure didn’t hurt.

It’s likely too little, too late from Dart, and I certainly wouldn’t advise anyone to bet him at this much shorter price. Prior to Week 10, he was +6600. 

Still, Dart’s relevance in the market – and Ole Miss’ staying power in the SEC standings and College Football Playoff picture – are relevant signals for other potential Rebels futures. Dart could even snag a Heisman finalist bid with a strong close to the regular season. 

Heisman Odds: Shedeur Sanders

Shedeur Sanders, the Colorado quarterback, is currently +20000 to win the Heisman Trophy.

Shedeur is the youngest son of his father, current Colorado head coach Deion Sanders. Shedeur played quarterback for two years at FCS Jackson State (2021-22) before following his father to Colorado for the 2023 season.

So far, Sanders has thrown for 3,222 yards and 27 touchdowns. He’s a good quarterback with a strong crop of wide receivers to throw to, and that will likely translate to being a high draft pick next spring.

In the Heisman market, though, Sanders is overshadowed by Hunter.

Heisman Odds: Cade Klubnik

Cade Klubnik, the Clemson quarterback, is +20000 to win the Heisman Trophy. 

Klubnik was a popular longshot that gained steam through September and October as the Clemson offense hummed through the ACC. He wasn’t going to win the award, but he might have played his way into finalist territory.

That momentum crashed in Week 10 when the Tigers dropped a home game to Louisville. They’re now in danger of missing the ACC Championship Game and the CFP, which killed any upward trajectory Klubnik had in the Heisman market.

Heisman Odds: Quinn Ewers

Quinn Ewers, the Texas quarterback, is currently +25000 to win the Heisman Trophy.

Ewers was the Heisman betting favorite prior to Week 3, but he suffered an abdominal injury against UTSA. 

Ewers returned to the field in Week 7 and the result was a huge 34-3 win over rival Oklahoma. But one week later, Ewers played one of the worst games of his career, and Georgia humbled the No. 1 Longhorns. 

Ewers has taken huge market adjustments. While the fat price clearly carries some value, it’s also difficult to see Ewers beating out big names like Jeanty and Hunter at this point. 

Heisman Odds: Will Howard

Will Howard, the Ohio State quarterback, is currently +25000 to win the Heisman Trophy.

Howard has taken over the reins at quarterback for Ohio State after transferring in from Kansas State this offseason, and the production has been solid. Howard has a top 10 QBR and operates the offense efficiently.

However, with Chip Kelly now calling the plays in Columbus, the offensive identity is more run-focused. That’s taken some of the statistical shine away from the Ohio State quarterback position, which has produced Heisman winners and high NFL draft picks and recent seasons.

Howard was adjusted to +8000 even before Ohio State traveled to Oregon in Week 7. The close loss to the Ducks may have dinged Ohio State in the college football national championship odds market, but it hasn’t done much to Howard’s Heisman stock. Outside of Ohio, he’s not seen as a serious competitor for the award.

Heisman Odds: Drew Allar

Drew Allar, the Penn State quarterback, is currently +25000 to win the Heisman Trophy.

Allar gets some love as a 2025 NFL prospect, and he played an excellent game in Week 1 at West Virginia. He also delivered a close win in overtime for Penn State on the road at USC in Week 7, throwing for 391 and two touchdowns with three interceptions. 

Generally speaking, Allar is seen as more of a long-shot in the Heisman market, accounting for less than 1% of the ticket share as of Oct. 28.

Heisman Odds: Jeremiah Smith

Jeremiah Smith, the Ohio State wide receiver, is currently +25000 to win the Heisman Trophy.

The Buckeyes are no stranger to elite receivers, as they have repeatedly brought in top-shelf wideout talent in recruiting class after recruiting class.

This year, the go-to guy has become Smith, as the freshman phenom has already assembled a dizzying collection of touchdowns, top 10 plays, and one-handed catches. 

List of Heisman Trophy Winners