There are many ways to bet on a college football game and betting the Over/Under is one of them. Let’s look at Over/Unders in more detail to decide which way to wager.
What is an Over/Under
An over/under in is the combined score total for both teams. Sometimes referred to as the “Total.” Betting ‘Over’ means you believe both teams will combine to score more than the posted total. Betting ‘Under’ means both teams will combine to score less than the posted total.
How are Over/Under Set
It can depend on a lot of factors. Typically, odds makers statistically set the Over/Under by both teams’ performance over the last ten games. 55 points is the most common total you will see, but that can change due to a lot of factors, including:
- Weather
- Coaching Strategy
- Injuries
- Surface, artificial turf indoors is much better for kickers than kicking on grass in the weather.
- Big Plays
- Familiarity
- Officiating
- Time of Season
Delving Deeper into Some Over/Under Factors
1. Big Plays
For example, if Team A is better than Team B by seven points on average, more times than not, Team A will outscore them by seven points. But if Team B scores more than expected, Team A will likely score more. That is because teams often play up or down to their opponents. Whether the teams score a lot or a little, we still see them as seven or more points better. Because of this, we stick with betting against the spread and do not see picking over/under as a long-term arbitrage strategy.
2. Coaching Staff Familiarity with One Another
This is another factor. Sometimes, a former coach can be on another team’s staff and unlock key strategies to slow the former squad down.
3. How Officiating Styles Can Influence the Total Score of a Game
Are the officials letting the DBs play in your face physical style like in the SEC a lot, or are they throwing flags every time the WR gets impeded? If so, the scoring goes up drastically since Offenses will have a straightforward path to gain big yards by throwing.
4. History
Was last year’s match-up high-scoring or low-scoring? Typically, that previous result will stick with a team, and they’ll focus on not giving up many points if that occurs or scoring more when shut out in the last match-up.
5. Time of Season
Is it early in the season when the team is trying to gel, or is it late in the season when they may be mentally exhausted?
6. Experience
Is the team full of upperclassmen who can quickly correct bad plays, or is it a young team prone to penalties and mistakes?
There is a lot to consider when betting the Over/Under. Sign up today, and let us take the guesswork out of it for you.
