Although there are currently doubts about whether the 2020 college football season will begin on time, legal online sportsbooks around the country are open for business in regards to the sport. Many sportsbooks are offering early lines on marquee NCAA football games on the next season’s schedule.
The amount of action will increase over the coming months, but there is some great value right now. This includes futures, moneyline, and point spread bets.
Futures lines around the college football look-ahead markets
At least two prominent legal online sportsbooks are currently taking futures action on the 2021 College Football Playoff championship. FanDuel and PointsBet are pretty much in agreement when it comes to teams in the TN region.
Both books currently offer +20,000 odds on Memphis winning the next title, for example. Such odds on teams in TN and neighboring states from the Atlantic Coast and Southeastern Conferences currently sit at:
| Team | FanDuel | PointsBet |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | +500 | +500 |
| Georgia | +1,000 | +1,000 |
| Auburn | +4,000 | +4,000 |
| Missouri | +8,000 | +8,000 |
| North Carolina | +8,000 | +8,000 |
| Mississippi State | +10,000 | +10,000 |
| Tennessee | +10,000 | +10,000 |
| Mississippi | +15,000 | +15,000 |
| Duke | +20,000 | +20,000 |
| Louisville | +20,000 | +20,000 |
| Virginia | +20,000 | +20,000 |
| Virginia Tech | +20,000 | +20,000 |
| Georgia Tech | +20,000 | +20,000 |
| Kentucky | +40,000 | +30,000 |
| Arkansas | +50,000 | +50,000 |
| Vanderbilt | +50,000 | +30,000 |
Other operators like BetMGM and Hard Rock offer conference championship futures. Alabama is the favorite to win the SEC and UCF is the favorite to win the American Athletic Conference at both of these books.
Both operators set Memphis with the second-shortest odds to win the AAC right now, however. Hard Rock currently has a slightly better line at +245.
BetMGM has the better lines between those operators for the two Tennessee SEC teams, with Tennessee at +10,000 to win the next conference title game and Vanderbilt at +25,000 to do the same. If futures don’t interest you, however, sportsbooks do offer moneyline wagers on select games right now as well.
Moneyline bets currently available on regional games
Several high-profile games boasting teams in states adjacent to Tennessee are posted at BetRivers and DraftKings sportsbooks. Those games include but aren’t limited to the following:
| Game | BetRivers | DraftKings |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama v. Southern Cal | USC +510 AL -770 | USC +510 AL -770 |
| Louisville v. Clemson | LV +1,500 CL -5,000 | LV +1,500 CL -5,000 |
| Georgia v. Alabama | GA +220 AL -278 | GA +220 AL -278 |
| Auburn v. Georgia | AUB +245 GA -315 | AUB +245 GA -315 |
| Georgia v. Florida | FL +140 GA -175 | FL +140 GA -175 |
| Alabama v. LSU | LSU +115 AL -139 | LSU +115 AL -139 |
| Alabama v. Auburn | AUB +450 AL -625 | AUB +450 AL -625 |
If you want to put money down on these markets right now, you will need to pay close attention to the news as it pertains to the contests. If the athletic departments postpone these games or alter their venues, sportsbooks may cancel your bets and return your wagers.
The same thing applies if you choose to get in on some point spread action right now. That’s where the most diverse markets exist currently.
Point spread action on high-profile games abundant right now
Most legal online operators around the country have such lines right now. Among them are BetAmerica and FOX Bet.
Because of that abundance, these markets represent your best chance to differentiate your plays. For example, BetAmerica has Alabama -7 (-115) against Georgia on Sept. 19 while FOX Bet slots the Crimson Tide -6.5 (-120) in the same contest.
FOX Bet also has the Volunteers as an eight-point dog against Oklahoma. The prominent, question, however, is whether any of these operators will be live in TN in time for these games?
Right now, that’s as up in the air as whether these teams will play these games on their scheduled dates. The TN Lottery Board can’t meet to finalize regulations until the TN government gives an “all-clear” on its coronavirus restrictions.
Until that’s done, there won’t be any more progress toward launching legal sports betting in Tennessee. For bettors and the board alike, the hope is that it will be done as soon as possible.
