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The college football world was expecting a March Madness type of feel for the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff, with upsets galore. Instead, the 4 first-round matches underwhelmed, offering plenty of time for shopping. Favorites went a best 4-0 against the spread, consisting of 3 relatively non-competitive efficiencies by underdogs Indiana, SMU and Tennessee. Sportsbooks and the general public don't appear to think so. A minimum of in two cases.

Both Penn State-Boise State and Texas-Arizona State function double-digit spreads preferring the lower-seeded Nittany Lions and Longhorns. And the latter has been a specifically popular choice with the public. The Longhorns -12.5 is the most-bet side at BetMGM nationally in terms of overall dollars as of Monday afternoon.
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"All the cash is can be found in on Texas," Seamus Magee, a BetMGM trader, wrote in a text message to The Athletic. "We require Arizona State to cover +13.5."

The interest for the Longhorns reaches the futures market also. Keep in mind that enormous $1.5 million wager on Texas to win everything at +390 chances? The ticket is still out there at Caesars Sportsbook.

Interestingly, the Longhorns' challenger, Arizona State - the greatest underdog amongst the College Football quarterfinal matches - is getting the most enjoy from sharp gamblers. The Athletic talked to numerous bookies who had taken sharp action on No. 4 Arizona State - which had actually gotten as high as a 14-point underdog at some books versus No. 5 Texas - to push the line to -12.5 or -12.

John Murray, the executive director at The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, informed us he got a wager on Arizona State +13.5 from a "extremely reputable player."
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Even though respected money has actually can be found in on Arizona State to cover, sportsbooks will likely need the Sun Devils to do just that, as public bettors are overdoing Texas.

"We would love to see ASU cover, and then Texas win the game, so we get our Arizona State liability off the futures book," Magee included.

While the Texas game will be substantial for the books, it isn't the only video game in the area. We talked with multiple bookmakers to break down where the wagering action is on the other 3 College Football quarterfinal matchups. 6 Penn State (-11, 53) at No. 3 Boise State

This video game opened Penn State -10.5 at a lot of sportsbooks and has actually sneaked up a little to a consensus of -11. sports betting on the spread is relatively split at the majority of sportsbooks. The overall dollars bet varies by book, as 52% of bets and 79% of the cash at BetMGM nationally are on Boise State -11, while 56% of bets but only 42% of the cash at DraftKings is on Boise State -11.5. Penn State to cover is currently the second most popular CFP wager in regards to overall tickets at BetMGM books.

"We opened Penn State -10.5 and are sitting on Penn State -11," Thomas Gable, sportsbook director at The Borgata in Atlantic City, told The Athletic. "I wouldn't be amazed if this line approaches a little bit more before kickoff, but I currently welcome any Boise State money."

Ohio State got the Oregon second opportunity it desired. Are the Buckeyes ready for vengeance?

No. 8 Ohio State (-2.5, 55.5) vs. No. 1 Oregon

Perhaps most unexpected to the public is that No. 1 seed Oregon is an underdog against No. 8 Ohio State. These groups satisfied back on Oct. 7 in Eugene, and Oregon won 32-31 as a 3.5-point home dog.

So why is OSU preferred?
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Several oddsmakers The Athletic spoke to before the CFP first round had Ohio State atop their power ratings, and the lookahead lines for this theoretical matchup were Ohio State -1 or -1.5. One oddsmaker discussed that Ohio State playing up to its power score in its dominant first-round win over Tennessee also shaped his opening line.

Ohio State opened as a 1- or 1.5-point favorite (depending on the sportsbook) in this video game before reputable cash pushed it to the existing line of -2.5. A slightly greater majority of wagers at numerous sportsbooks, roughly 60%, are on the Ducks to cover, while close to 60% of the cash has actually been available in on the Buckeyes. This will likely be the highest-handle video game of the 4 come kickoff.

"We did take some respected money at -1.5, rapidly went to -2.5 where it's remained," Gable stated. "It's decent two-way action at that number today. The overall has increased three points from 52.5 to 55.5, which has been the greatest relocation of any of the overalls. Money has all been on the over so far.

Joe Brennan, the CEO of Prime sports betting, a sportsbook in Ohio and New Jersey that accommodates sharp bettors, informed The Athletic that "Ohio State opened as a 1-point favorite, and right away our Ohio bettors believed we were too low. Our opening cost of Ohio State -1 has actually been increased to -2.5 and the total from 52 to 55."

He did note, however, that the book had actually seen significant buyback at the existing line of Ohio State -2.5 which 52% of the total dollars at his book were taking the points with the Ducks.

GO DEEPER

The most likely upsets for the College Football Playoff's 2nd round

No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia (-1, 45)

The preferred turned in this game, as Notre Dame opened a 1.5-point preferred and is currently a 1- or 1.5-point underdog at sportsbooks.

What triggered the line turn? Basically, the wagering action.

Despite the fact that Georgia's starting QB Carson Beck is out for the season and has been replaced by relative unidentified Gunner Stockton, wagerers are gravitating toward the Bulldogs.

Georgia to cover is the most popular versus the spread wager at BetMGM books nationally in regards to ticket count (second-most popular by total dollars wagered), and it has been "one-way traffic on Georgia," according to Magee. Nearly 70% of bets are on the Bulldogs at several sportsbooks.