How Often Do Favorites Win In College Football Betting?

min read
Alabama wide receiver Malik Benson (11) misses a pass against Georgia defensive back Malaki Starks (24) during the first half of the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game in Atlanta, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023.
(AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Chase Kiddy @chaseakiddy Aug 29, 2024, 12:59 PM

As online sports betting continues to explode in popularity, many prospective bettors are curious about the basic fundamentals of how often favorites win or lose.

Some bettors โ€“ including myself โ€“ like to build moneyline parlays (like my 2Kparlay) using college football favorites. But how wise is that, according to the odds history?

I ran the numbers to find out.ย 

How Often Do Favorites Win In College Football Betting?

Since 2005, college football teams who play as favorites in the regular season win 74.9% of the time.

Since 2018, when the US Supreme Court overturned PASPA, favorites have won at a slightly less frequent rate of 74.4%.

So, yes, college football favorites win about three out of every four games. But bettors should still handle the college football odds market with care, even when dealing with moneylines. Blind-betting favorite still results in negative ROI.

College Football Odds at BetMGM

Online betting is a unique way to take your college football entertainment to the next level this season.

With updated spreads, over/under totals, live betting odds, and more for hundreds of FBS and FCS games from August through the College Football Playoff in January, there’s never a break in the action.

Check out the BetMGM sportsbook on jam-packed Saturdays to place your live bets on college football odds!

If you don’t have an account, register today with BetMGM’s welcome offer. Once you have an account, check for daily sports betting promos.

jamie-foxx-latest-promo-9-24
About the Author

Chase Kiddy

Read More @chaseakiddy

Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.

Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.