Props aside, the college football lineup for New Year’s Day will be on a par with the Super Bowl says bookmakers.
Both the Sugar and Rose Bowl are receiving two-way action, as the games are now just 24 hours away.
If the total betting handle is any indication and it certainly is, college football’s decision to put its two semifinal games for the national championship on New Year’s was the correct one.
A great deal of action has been written on the two games leading up to the kick offs and much more is expected over the next 24 hours, according to Bovada and betonline.
The two big games, along with three others on the day, will make the day the biggest New Year’s Day lineup ever for college football, according to topbet and sportsbook.com.
In fact, eliminating the props that are offered that are very popular with betting on the Super Bowl, the lineup for New Year’s Day will be one that is comparable to a Super Bowl.
One bookmaker said that when taking into consideration straight bets, totals, sides, teasers and parlays, January 1 will be as much as the Super Bowl.
However, almost 50% of the total money bet on a Super Bowl is for prop bets, and excitement around individual college players is not as high as it is for the NFL.
The betting action is split evenly thus far between favorites and underdogs in the two College Football Playoff semifinal games.
Both games are very popular with bettors and both teams in each game are getting their share of support by the public at the betting window.
Both playoff games on Thursday are sitting with a spread of 9 points. In the Alabama vs. Ohio State matchup, the Crimson Tide has gone up to 9.5 points but has pulled back to 9. Oregon in its matchup against Florida State started at -8 and was bet up to -9.5 but has since retreated to -9 as well.
A number of bookmakers said that the favorites would need to win for them to do well since a great deal of money has been placed on the two dogs in those two games. The money line is the popular bet since diehard supporters of their college team only believe their team will win outright and often do not take the points route, but just the money line.
One bookmaker said he would need Oregon to win both the points and money line and Ohio State to win the points and Alabama to cover the spread.
The betting frenzy will continue right up to kickoff on Thursday.