Betting totals, also referred to as over/under, has become a common betting in NCAAF bowl games with serious bettors hoping to achieve good returns with their knowledge. There are total points in the game, which are different from spread or moneyline bets which focus on one. The total points in a game are dependent upon the effectiveness of a variety of elements like teams, styles, or even players so it is important to take into account during the selection process. For those looking to bet on the total, here’s how to place that bet for such an important game.
Understand Team Strengths and Weaknesses
First things first, when looking at betting the total, one has to evaluate the offensive and defensive capabilities of the teams at hand. Some teams, as we know, are powerful only in offense, while others stand out with a robust defense. The focus should be on both teams’ average points scored throughout the regular season and their season’s end form. As another illustration, when Oklahoma meets Alabama, two very active offensive teams, it would be rational to place an over bet. But, when betting on the over, whenever two strongly defensive teams go head-to-head, instead of the over, the under is more beneficial.
Consider the Pace of Play
The total score can be highly affected by the pace of play in college football. The over will likely be achieved by up-tempo teams as they create more scoring opportunities through the offense. The opposite is true for teams that prefer running the ball and a conservative approach which might lower the total. When trying to grab the data for a bowl game, try to see what tendencies each team has: How many plays a game do they run? How many times do they look for a quick score as opposed to a long drawn out series of downs?
Bowl Game Motivation
Motivation can be a significant factor in bowl games, whether positive or negative. It’s possible for some teams to have a hard time staying focused on the game at hand if they have another purpose for participating in the bowl such as to end the season on a high note or to try and better their national ranking. On other occasions, some teams may have lesser objectives, for example those participating in lower-tiered bowls following disappointing seasons. In all likelihood, a team motivated to play is more likely to be aggressive which would in turn mean higher totals. Conversely, teams that have no motivation to win the match may score low thus making the tallies lower.
Player Opt-Outs and Injuries
Bowl games have a very interesting twist; players such as the stars of the college football teams may choose not to play in these games in order to prepare for the NFL Draft. This may have noticeable effects on the total, especially if a critical offensive component, for instance, a quarterback or premier pass catcher, is missing. Other than this, any type of injuries that a player sustains throughout the regular season or prior to the said game may change the way a team performs offensively. Before you place your bet, pay attention to injury reports and announcements because they are likely to impact not only the total but also the game itself.
Weather Conditions
Weather is another thing to bear in mind when making a bet on the total in the bowl games. Since these are various bowl games, it is natural that the different regions will experience different weather conditions. For instance, bad weather, such as cold, rain, or high winds could make the passing game ineffective thereby limiting scoring opportunities and making betting the under a good option. On the contrary, those games which are held in a warm climate or closed stadiums, these problems would not arise and thus the total could be expected to be higher in such situations.
Past Bowl Game Trends
In the past, there have been certain expectations about particular bowl games due to how teams tend to perform. For example, Some teams typically score a significant number of points while others have lower points but are more focused on defense. Looking at the stats and trends of previous bowl games that involved the teams and conferences can be useful in predicting how much a total will be. There are sites that focus on patterns resulting from betting statistics and recurrent results of the past bowl games that can be helpful in identifying this tendency.
Conclusion
Betting on the total in college football bowl games is a good addition to your betting repertoire. Scouts should be able to analyze and predict team strengths or relative weaknesses, play pace and style, weather/max motivation or injuries, etc. Resources such as Power Rankings for College Football Betting do provide additional information that pertains to games involving different teams. Never forget to actively search for the most recent information, and since these are championship games the formats and the teams are distinct so be flexible about the tactics used for different contests.
Just like any form of wagering, there are no sure wins, but with proper research and reasonable judgements, it is possible to achieve some successful total bets in the thrilling field of American college football bowl games.
