College football betting sites are among the most popular online U.S. sportsbooks. In this guide, we'll cover where NCAA football betting sites are legal, important restrictions, and more.
The best NCAAF betting sites offer top odds and markets. Every site we recommend is legal in multiple states and offers competitive betting odds for college football games in every conference.
Whether you’re rooting for the underdog or going for a sure thing, discover the best college football betting odds right here.
BetRivers Sportsbook might have my favorite live stat tracker layout among college football betting sites, thanks to its "Genius Facts" and predictor tool. You can decide which factors are most important to you when making your game predictions, and the predictor will spit out your personalized best bet on that matchup.
BetRivers also combines many of the features you get with other NCAAF betting sites. It has an easy-to-use move-the-line slider for game odds and many game props.
FanDuel Sportsbook has one of the most in-depth college football betting menus on the market, particularly with game lines and futures. Seemingly every week, FanDuel updates its tabs to reflect the latest news in the world of college football.
FanDuel will always make it easy to track and bet on your state's teams and the Top 25 teams.
It's available in many states, making it accessible to a large portion of the betting public.
DraftKings Sportsbook has an extensive range of betting options for college football, especially regarding game and team props.
Odds update very quickly, pregame and in-game, so you can make the best bets while watching games on Saturdays.
What bet365 Sportsbook lacks in NCAAF market depth, it makes up for with great college football betting features.
Within each matchup, you'll find head-to-head data, league standings, latest scores, and upcoming schedules, so you can make bet365 your one-stop shop for all things college football.
Don't forget about bet365's evergreen bonus, which allows you to cash out early if the college team you're backing goes ahead by 17 points at any point during the game—that can come in handy.
BetMGM offers game lines on over 100 college matchups each week, though betting options are pretty limited. BetMGM's parlay builder tool is available for every game, making it easy to combine your bets without having to navigate away from the NCAAF menu.
Bets on local teams are pinned to the top of the NCAA football section so you can track odds on your favorite teams.
You will get a lot of value from BetMGM in future markets. There are markets for each DI conference winner, plus tons of other futures on individual teams within the conference.
ESPN BET is the official sportsbook arm of ESPN, where many major college football games have aired this season. You can expect to see live odds, betting tips, predictions, and winning percentages integrated into the broadcast coverage. The ESPN BET app even rewards you with a $5 bonus bet for linking your ESPN and ESPN BET accounts to make your game-day viewing experience seamless.
If you sign up now, you'll get a free three-month trial of ESPN+, which you can use to watch games and live coverage.
Caesars Sportsbook has the standard game lines and futures you'd expect to see with any college football betting site. The list of college football futures you can bet on is good, though not as exhaustive as some of our other top sites.
However, Caesars allows you to pick your own alternative game lines, which is a unique feature.
In many jurisdictions, this is the first college football season that Fanatics Sportsbook will be live, so it will be interesting to see how it compares to the veterans.
It doesn't have the market depth of DraftKings or FanDuel, but it does have an impressive game tracker that shows head-to-head stats, win probabilities, and public betting trends. That can be very helpful when deciding how to make your wagers.
The Fanatics home screen will also have trending and featured bets as various storylines emerge throughout the season.
While our recommended NCAAF betting sites are worth your time, they won't all have the same college betting odds. Some books use proprietary odds providers; others take a higher vig, making their payouts slightly smaller.
It's crucial to compare odds across these sites to find the best value on the markets you want to wager on. We recommend signing up with as many sites as possible to get the most out of their odds and offers.
Speaking of offers, we examine both the betting welcome bonuses for new customers and ongoing promos for existing users at every NCAAF betting site. Every site we recommend must provide good value as soon as you sign up and have easy-to-understand promotions, regardless of your experience level.
Ideally, college football betting sites should reward users who stick with them through loyalty programs and VIP perks. Not every site on our recommendation list has one, but those that do get a boost in our book.
On top of the value they provide, good college football betting sites must be fun and intuitive to use. You need to be able to navigate them with easy on desktop, and the same goes for their accompanying mobile betting apps. Menus should be easy to access and help you get around the site smoothly.
We also examine the NCAAF betting features available to users across each of our recommended sites. Tools like parlay builders, stats hubs, live streaming, and in-play betting markets are critical to our evaluation of college football sportsbooks.
We believe having strong customer service and support options is critical when betting on college football, especially given restrictions and other factors bettors must consider. College football betting sites should have 24/7 live chats or a similar feature, like the ability to submit requests.
It's extra helpful when NCAAF betting sites have phone numbers or email addresses you can contact for additional support.
College football betting lines follow the three main betting lines: moneyline, spread, and over/under. You’ll have many bets to choose from in a single college football game. Bet on the outcome, the total points, or the point spread.
You can also bet on futures and back the winner of the conference months in advance.
For an individual game, you may find half a dozen different markets. Some bookmakers may offer player props—unique markets for specific football stars. You may also see odds on individual player performances or the winner of the Heisman Trophy.
Moneyline odds are the most common markets at NCAAF betting sites. Essentially, a moneyline bet is a wager on the outright winner of a game, matchup, or contest.
Odds are significantly shorter on the favorite and longer on the underdog than in any other form of betting.
The underdog will be indicated by positive odds, and the number represents your payout on a $100 bet. Negative odds indicate the favorite, and the number represents how much you'd have to bet to profit $100.
Here's an example:
Total points are a betting market on the number of points scored in a collegial football game. Totals bets usually follow an Over/Under (O/U) format: You bet on whether the total points scored will be over or under the oddsmaker's line.
Knowing both teams' tendencies is always key for over/under betting, as well as the tendencies of certain teams when they play against each other. Some games are destined to be high-scoring.
You can also find NCAA football lines on team Total Points. This is a good alternative if you think one side or the other will achieve a certain point tally.
Point spreads give a handicap to the underdog team. A favorite needs to win by X amount of points for bookmakers to consider to have “beaten the spread.” An underdog must lose by fewer points than the spread to "cover" it.
Before the game starts, the underdog is assigned a points advantage. On the other hand, the favorite is assigned a points handicap. The odds of winning the game are then adjusted.
Betting on the spread usually nets bettors odds around -110. Some oddsmakers will keep the odds at exactly -110 and shift the spread accordingly; some will move the odds around slightly before shifting the spread. Keep an eye out for the specific odds being offered on a spread.
NCAAF betting sites offer odds on future outcomes. These odds may stretch months into the future and could cover conference winners or Heisman Trophy candidates. Other popular college football futures include:
To find a list of college football betting futures, open the sportsbook lobby and find the NCAAF tab. Next, click the "Futures" tab to cover all available markets. Sometimes, they are listed under "Outrights."
You’ll see a list of college football odds, with the date the book closes alongside them. Odds are listed with the favorite at the top, running all the way down to the rank outsider.
CFB odds will change preseason as players come and go and stars get injured. However, once you take a price, you are locked in.
You can also find college football odds on games as they happen. Some live betting sites allow wagering on college football point spreads and other markets while the odds change in real time. You can follow the action live on TV and bet on your mobile or laptop while keeping your account open.
Live odds are altered automatically on the site. You’ll find them in the lobby, and new odds will flash green on the screen. The price may also change in real time on the bet slip.
You can also find college football lines on events taking place in the game. You may be able to bet on the team to score the next touchdown or the team to be ahead at the end of the next quarter.
The beauty of live college football odds betting is that you can secure a profit before the game ends.
College football prop betting is allowed in some states. However, some restrictions still apply, and NCAA football betting rules vary slightly from state to state.
Sometimes, you can bet on any college team playing anywhere in the country, even in its own home state. Some states, however, have banned betting on in-state college football teams. Some states prohibit certain bets, such as in-play markets or player props (bets centered around specific stars).
Props are special bets on specific outcomes during the game. Often, a prop will have little impact on the end score.
Prop bets can relate to a team’s score during the first quarter, the first team to score, or even the highest-scoring player. Some props can also include the winner of the coin toss. You can usually combine props to increase your odds.
Popular college football props include:
Check the legal betting age for college football wagering. You must have geolocation verification turned on to bet legally within your state. Check your state's guidance on college sports betting before you price out odds since that can change your approach. Some states don't allow player prop bets on any team; others don't allow betting on in-state teams or games.
Click EXPAND to see legal sports betting states' current rules on college football prop bets:
State | Guideline |
---|---|
Arizona Sportsbooks | No College Props Allowed |
Arkansas Sportsbooks | All College Props Allowed |
Colorado Sportsbooks | No College Props Allowed |
Connecticut Sportsbooks | No Props on In-State Teams |
Delaware | No Props on In-State Teams |
Florida Sportsbooks | No Props on In-State Teams |
Illinois Sportsbooks | No Props on In-State Teams |
Indiana Sportsbooks | Pregame College Props Only |
Iowa Sportsbooks | No Props on In-State Teams |
Kansas Sportsbooks | All College Props Allowed |
Kentucky Sportsbooks | All College Props Allowed |
Louisiana Sportsbooks | No College Props Allowed |
Maine Sportsbooks | No College Props Allowed |
Maryland Sportsbooks | No College Props Allowed |
Massachusetts Sportsbooks | No College Props Allowed |
Michigan Sportsbooks | All College Props Allowed |
Mississippi Sportsbooks | No College Props Allowed |
Montana | All College Props Allowed |
New Hampshire | No Props on In-State Teams |
New Jersey Sportsbooks | No Props on In-State Teams* |
New Mexico | All College Props Allowed |
New York Sportsbooks | No College Props Allowed |
North Carolina Sportsbooks | All College Props Allowed* |
North Dakota | All College Props Allowed |
Ohio Sportsbooks | No College Props Allowed |
Oregon | No College Betting Allowed |
Pennsylvania Sportsbooks | No College Props Allowed |
Rhode Island | No Props on In-State Teams |
South Dakota | No College Props Allowed |
Tennessee Sportsbooks | No College Props Allowed |
Vermont Sportsbooks | No College Props Allowed |
Virginia Sportsbooks | No College Props Allowed |
Washington Sportsbooks | No Props on In-State Teams |
Washington DC Sportsbooks | No Props on In-State Teams |
West Virginia Sportsbooks | No College Props Allowed |
Wisconsin | No Props on In-State Teams |
Wyoming Sportsbooks | All College Props Allowed* |
*considering legislation to partially or totally ban prop betting on college players
College football is home to some of the strongest teams and most talented players in the world. Many NCAA football stars go on to shine in the professional NFL.
College football teams compete in the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) leagues, of which there are three groupings: Division I, Division II, and Division III. Division I is then broken into two different levels: Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
There are 134 teams in the FBS, divided into 10 conferences:
Some schools compete as independents (not part of any conference).
The college football regular season begins as the summer ends, which is the perfect way to welcome in fall. There are over 130 Division I football teams that compete each season for accolades such as their conference title, bowl game wins, and even a spot in the College Football Playoffs (more on those later).
Depending on the conference and the school, a team plays about 12 games per season. Each week, the AP Top 25, the Coaches' Poll, and the College Football Playoff committee rank the top schools in the nation based on record and strength of victory.
At the end of the regular season, the two winningest teams in each conference vie for their individual championship. Winning that conference title can have big implications for bowl game selection and the new College Football Playoff format.
There are between 40 and 50 college bowl games, but that number changes yearly. Some of the most popular ones (excluding the New Year's Six) include the Gator Bowl, the Music City Bowl, and the Holiday Bowl.
Teams must have at least a .500 record with a minimum of six wins (with some additional qualifications) to be eligible for selection to a bowl game.
The New Year's Six games (Rose, Orange, Sugar, Cotton, Peach, Fiesta) will host College Football Playoff games this postseason.
At the end of the 2024-25 regular season, the College Football Playoff committee will assign teams to a playoff bracket to establish the first 12-team postseason.
The Top 5 ranked conference champions will receive automatic bids to the College Football Playoffs, joined by the seven highest-ranking remaining teams. Those 12 teams will compete for a chance at the National Championship.
The first round of playoff games will occur on Dec. 20-21.
The remaining teams will advance to the quarterfinals on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. This year, the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Sugar Bowl will serve as the quarterfinal games.
The semifinals will occur on Jan. 9-10 in the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl.
The last two teams standing after the postseason rounds will get to compete for the national title game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Between the end of the college football season and the spring, draft-eligible players can declare to enter the NFL Draft. You can see which of your favorite players will make it big in the pros—and bet on where they might be selected.
This is where it can pay off to compare the best NCAAF betting sites to the best NFL sportsbooks to prepare.
By assessing college football odds and trends, you can come out the other side a bigger winner.
Here are a few top tips for making more from NCAAF markets. For more, visit our college football betting guide.
Public betting shows where other gamblers are placing their wagers. With betting percentages, you can see how the public is gambling. They represent actual bets being placed.
And the truth is that most casual bettors are terrible handicappers. They back their alma mater or any home team without much research.
By studying public money, you can decide to back the consensus or “fade” the public and go for the opposite view. The public will lose more than it wins, and this is where you can pick up decent value. Remember, many college football betting sites will automatically adjust odds if more money goes to one team or the other. If you take the contrarian view, you can find value in the odds.
There’s a belief in college football that home teams have a huge advantage over their opponents. In reality, home advantage is exaggerated. The parity between home and away teams is much closer than you might assume.
Sportsbooks often offer worse prices for home teams. So, in the long term, it can be less profitable to back the home side consistently.
While the college football betting odds on away teams can offer value, there’s also value to be had in betting away underdogs' points totals.
Underdogs will always have a low point spread, particularly if they play on the road. If the NCAAF betting site is offering a large point advantage for the underdog, you can find some value even if the price is odds-on.
Most legal NCAAF betting sites offer deals to new account holders. The welcome bonus promises bet credits to use on games of your choice. Alternatively, you may receive money back on your losing wagers.
You may also get odds boosts on the big end-of-season bowl games.
Online sports betting is about making the most of your bonus bets. Take advantage of opening multiple accounts across several different CFB betting sites.
While betting on college football can be fun, it's important to remember to practice responsible gambling. The NCAA has changed its stance on college football betting over time, but that doesn't mean you can ignore safe, legal betting practices.
The NCAA's Draw the Line campaign addresses problem gambling among college students and student-athlete harassment.
The Responsible Online Gaming Association debuted programming aimed at college students to help them (and bettors of all ages) recognize the warning signs of problem gambling, including skipping work or school to gamble, experiencing financial problems or borrowing money to gamble, and lying about how much time spent gambling.
The ROGA has guides, resources, and quizzes to help you learn about your gambling style and when it might be time to get help.
To help curb problem gambling, you can add your name to self-exclusion lists in your state or within the sportsbook. You can set limits on deposits, time spent, and wagers.
You can also reach out to trained professionals to talk about what you're going through: