CFB Bowl Betting Tips: CFB Bowl Betting Strategy

Handicapping College Bowl games is completely different than handicapping a regular season College Football game. Every team plays with extra rest and all factors related to scheduling don’t apply. Add in the vast majority of teams playing on a true neutral field, and the remaining factors left to handicap are whittled down to on-field matchups and motivation.

We’ll start with motivation factors that are specific to College Bowl season according to several of the best sportsbook software companies. One thing that isn’t really hard to figure out is how a team feels about being in the Bowl game they are playing in. Sometimes teams that don’t reach the postseason are extremely happy “just to be here.” Other times, big name programs that are coming off a disappointing season are not happy about being in a minor bowl game.

For example, Baylor was one of the teams that just missed the cut for the first ever CFP Playoffs, and clearly were upset about being left out. They went on to lose outright against Michigan State  in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day. TCU was the other team that was vying for that fourth and final spot in the CFP Playoffs, but they had a much different mindset than the Bears, as they not only took care of business in a 42-3 beat down against Mississippi in the Peach Bowl, but set the stage for a high preseason ranking this year.

Another factor to keep in mind when handicapping College Football Bowl games are the numerous changes in head coaching and even assistant coaching. It’s not uncommon for teams to reach a bowl season and then have their head coach leave before that game starts for a better job. This often times leaves the team in a motivational disadvantage, as it not only breaks the coaching consistency heading into the Bowl game but also leaves the returning players wondering if next year will be a step backwards.

The online sportsbooks usually have a good handle on what teams have a big motivational edge, and sometimes we can catch the sportsbooks setting a trap. If a line on a game looks too good to be true, then it usually is. For example, the #1 team in the country is Clemson – yet they are listed as an underdog against fourth-ranked Oklahoma. Common sense would be to grab the points with the best team in the country, but that’s exactly what the online sportsbooks are expecting the average sports bettor to do. Much like when an unranked USC team was favored against #3 Utah earlier this year the correct play was going against the obvious bet.

Keep these College Football betting tips in mind this postseason and hopefully you can make a little bit extra cash for the holidays!

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