For three glorious weeks from late December into early January, College Football betting commands even more of the stage than normal. Bowl Game season is one of the biggest highlights on the annual sporting calendar. The absolute best Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams square off in games that are chock full of tradition.
All told, we have 43 games to look forward to this time around. The biggest attractions are the vaunted New Year’s Six Games – two of which host College Football Playoff semifinal matchups – and the National Championship game.
Our complete guide to Betting on College Bowl Games will cover everything you need to know. We’ll start with a look at the top spots for you to get in on the action.
Before the Bowl game matchups are even set you can bet on who will win the NCAA football National Championship. Futures odds are live at PA online sportsbooks year-round.
Check our real-time odds feed from PA online sportsbooks below. Click on any odds to jump straight to the sportsbook and claim your free bets/bonus.
See the live point spreads, moneyline and totals odds at PA online sportsbooks for all 2020 bowl games below.
College Football Bowl Game season is packed with great matchups. The list has grown even larger this year with 43 bowl games in total when you include the CFP National Championship game.
The games with the most history and tradition attached are known as the New Year’s Six Bowls—two of which also serve double-duty as the hosts for the College Football Playoff semi-final matchups. First up, let’s take a look at the other four of these huge annual contests.
This game traces its roots back to 1937. The Cotton Bowl hosted a CFP semi-final matchup following the 2015 and 2018 seasons.
It was Alabama over Michigan State in the first one, and Clemson over Notre Dame in the most recent contest. Here are the key details on the 2020 Cotton Bowl Classic.
The first Peach Bowl game was held back in 1968. The venue has rotated through the years, but this annual matchup in the Atlanta area is one of the most sought-after Bowl berths in College Football. The Peach Bowl has played host to two CFP semi-final games in 2016 and 2019. It was Alabama over Washington in the first one and LSU over Oklahoma last time.
The first annual Fiesta Bowl was held back in 1971. After initially making its home at Sun Devil Stadium, the contest moved to its new digs following the 2006 edition. It has served as the host venue for two CFP semi-final games. Back in 2017, it was Clemson over Ohio State. It was the same matchup in 2019 with Clemson coming out on top once again.
This is another annual contest with a lengthy history. The first-ever Orange Bowl was held way back in 1935. Miami Field and the Orange Bowl were the previous venues, but it has been held in the same spot since 2000. CFP semi-final games were held here in 2016 and 2019. Clemson handled Oklahoma in the first, while Alabama defeated Oklahoma in the last one.
Through the years, there have been numerous debates on which program is the true national champion in College Football. Since the 2014-15 campaign, it has officially been settled on the field.
The College Football Playoffs were instituted to make any debates a moot point. The top four teams in the nation make it this far, and the fun kicks off with a pair of matchups at two of the New Year’s Six Bowl Games. Here’s where the CFP semi-finals take place this time around.
Known as ‘The Granddaddy of them All,’ this tilt first made its debut in 1902. For years, tradition called for a meeting of the champions of the Big Ten and Pac-12. Things have changed a bit since entering the CFP rotation. Previous semi-final games were held in 2015 and 2018. Oregon defeated Florida State in the first, while it was Georgia over Oklahoma in the last.
The Sugar Bowl also traces its roots all the way back to 1935. Through the years, the game has had an unofficial tie-in with the SEC, as a team from that top conference has appeared in the game numerous times. In the CFP era, the Sugar Bowl has hosted two semi-final games: Ohio State over Alabama in 2015, and Alabama over Clemson in 2018.
Shortly after the New Year rings in, one of the biggest sporting events of the year takes place. The CFP National Championship Game is a meeting of the winners of the two semi-final matchups, and it attracts a ton of betting action.
When the final whistle blows, the top program in the land for the season at hand will be doing some celebrating. The last six years have provided us with a number of memories. Here’s a look back at the results.
We’ll keep our fingers crossed that another thriller will be on tap this time around. Here’s what you need to know about the next edition of the CFP National Championship game.
Also known as in-play or in-game, live betting offers you the chance to place bets on bowl games in real time. The market moves really fast, and offerings will vary depending on what’s happening on the field of play. Here are some examples of what you might see.
For immediate access to the latest odds and the quickest interface to get live bets down, we recommend downloading a sportsbook app for betting from your phone or tablet. Pennsylvania residents have several great sports betting apps at their disposal to place their college football bets. Three stand out as the best of the best:
DraftKings has been crushing it in sports betting and has become a go-to destination for scores of users. The company isn’t shy with promo offerings throughout College Football season, including odds boosts.
New users who create an account via our exclusive links are eligible for one of the best welcome packages in the industry: $25 free, a 20 percent deposit bonus worth up to $500, and a risk-free bet of up to $500.
FanDuel is another DFS giant that has taken the sports betting world by storm. New PA users who sign up via our exclusive links are entitled to a risk-free bet of up to $1,000.
If your first bet is a loser FanDuel will refund you up to $1,000 in site credits. Bowl game odds are live in the lobby, and FanDuel is offering a Same Game Parlay Insurance of up to $25 if one leg misses.
Media giant Fox and gaming titan The Stars Group have joined forces, and the result is FOXBet. The tag-team effort has generated a lot of buzz, and this is a case in which the hype has been met.
FOXBet always has a ton of promos going on, many of which are tied right in with network personalities. College Football fans will find lots to love here. Users who create an account via our exclusive links get a risk-free bet up to $1,000.
The schedule for the 2020-21 College Football Bowl Game Season remains a work in progress. Locations have been finalized for all, and dates have been penciled in for many. We’ll patiently wait and see how the final schedule shakes out, but here’s what we know for now.
Just betting on the outcome of College Football Bowl Games will leave you with plenty of options to consider, but there’s also a lot more to see on the wagering menu. Two great ways to get in on the action even more are with live betting and props.
Date | Bowl | Location | TV |
---|---|---|---|
Sat. Dec. 19, 2020 | Tropical Smoothie Frisco Bowl | Frisco, TX | ESPN |
Mon. Dec. 21, 2020 | Myrtle Beach Bowl | Conway, SC | ESPN |
Mon. Dec. 22, 2020 | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | Boise, ID | ESPN |
Tue. Dec. 22, 2020 | Boca Raton Bowl | Boca Raton, FL | ESPN |
Wed. Dec. 23, 2020 | R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl | New Orleans, LA | ESPN |
Wed. Dec. 23, 2020 | Montgomery Bowl | Montgomery, AL | ESPN |
Thu. Dec. 24, 2020 | New Mexico Bowl | Albuquerque, NM | ESPN |
Fri. Dec. 25, 2020 | Camellia Bowl | Montgomery, AL | ESPN |
Sat. Dec. 26, 2020 | Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl | Tampa, FL | ABC |
Sat. Dec.26, 2020 | Cure Bowl | Orlando, FL | CBSSN |
Sat. Dec. 26, 2020 | SERVPRO First Responder Bowl | Dallas, TX | ABC |
Sat. Dec. 26, 2020 | Lending Tree Bowl | Mobile, AL | ESPN |
Sat. Dec. 26, 2020 | Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl | Shreveport, LA | ESPN |
Sat. Dec. 26, 2020 | Guaranteed Rate Bowl | Phoenix, AZ | ESPN |
Mon. Dec. 28, 2020 | Military Bowl Presented by Perspecta | Annapolis, MD | ESPN |
Tue. Dec. 29, 2020 | Cheez-It Bowl | Orlando, FL | ESPN |
Tue. Dec. 29, 2020 | Valero Alamo Bowl | San Antonio, TX | ESPN |
Wed. Dec. 30, 2020 | Duke’s Mayo Bowl | Charlotte, NC | ESPN |
Wed. Dec. 30, 2020 | TransPerfect Music City Bowl | Nashville, TN | ESPN |
Wed. Dec. 30, 2020 | Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic | Arlington, TX | ESPN |
Thu. Dec. 31, 2020 | Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl | Fort Worth, TX | ESPN |
Thu. Dec. 31, 2020 | AutoZone Liberty Bowl | Memphis, TN | ESPN |
Thu. Dec. 31, 2020 | Arizona Bowl | Tucson, AZ | CBSSN |
Thu. Dec. 31, 2020 | Texas Bowl | Houston, TX | ESPN |
Fri. Jan. 1, 2021 | TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl | Birmingham, AL | ESPN2 |
Fri. Jan. 1, 2021 | Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl | Atlanta, GA | ESPN |
Fri. Jan. 1, 2021 | VRBO Citrus Bowl | Orlando, FL | ABC |
Fri. Jan. 1, 2021 | Rose Bowl Game | Pasadena, CA | ESPN |
Fri. Jan. 1, 2021 | Allstate Sugar Bowl | New Orleans, LA | ESPN |
Sat. Jan. 2, 2021 | TaxSlayer Gator Bowl | Jacksonville, FL | ESPN |
Sat. Jan. 2, 2021 | Outback Bowl | Tampa, FL | ABC |
Sat. Jan. 2, 2021 | PlayStation Fiesta Bowl | Glendale, AZ | ESPN |
Sat. Jan. 2, 2021 | Capital One Orange Bowl | Miami Gardens, FL | ESPN |
Mon. Jan. 11, 2021 | CFP National Championship | Miami Gardens, FL | ESPN |
Cancelled due to pandemic | Bahamas Bowl | Nassau, BA | ESPN |
Cancelled due to pandemic | Celebration Bowl | Atlanta, GA | ESPN |
Cancelled due to pandemic | Fenway Bowl | Boston, MA | ESPN |
Cancelled due to pandemic | Hawaii Bowl | Honolulu, HI | ESPN |
Cancelled due to pandemic | LA Bowl | Inglewood, CA | ESPN |
Cancelled due to pandemic | Mitsubishi Las Vegas Bowl | Las Vegas, NV | ESPN |
Cancelled due to pandemic | New Era Pinstripe Bowl | Bronx, NY | ESPN |
Cancelled due to pandemic | Quick Lane Bowl | Detroit, MI | ESPN |
Cancelled due to pandemic | Redbox Bowl | Santa Clara, CA | FOX |
Cancelled due to pandemic | SDCCU Holiday Bowl | San Diego, CA | FOX |
Cancelled due to pandemic | Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl | El Paso, TX | CBS |
Here in PA, there are three major football programs to root for—all of which typically qualify for the postseason every year. Unfortunately in 2020 none of the teams participated in the postseason. Pitt and Penn State both opted out while Temple finished 1-6.
Here’s a look back at past Bowl Game history for the top three squads in the Keystone State.
The Nittany Lions have an overall Bowl Game record of 30-18-2. The team also has a six-year streak of making it to the postseason. The program has done a solid job on the recruiting front and looks poised to continue the streak. Here’s a look at how Penn State has fared in its last five Bowl Games.
The Panthers have struggled in Bowl Games overall with an all-time mark of 14-21. However, the team is on a solid run of qualifying for the postseason with appearances in 11 of the last 12 seasons. Here’s a quick look at the results from the last five trips to Bowl Games for Pitt.
Unlike the two other major programs in PA, the Owls don’t exactly have a lengthy postseason resume. The team is just 3-6 all-time in Bowl Games, but there is a big bright side. The program had qualified for the postseason in each of the last five seasons, but that streak ended in 2020. Here’s a look back at the results from the previous five years.
As for prop betting, these are also additional bet options on each of the games, but they’ll need to be placed prior to kickoff. Many of them will revolve around specific accomplishments during the game, or something that will be decided by its conclusion, such as:
Live betting and props are among the featured offerings at online and mobile sportsbooks. When it’s time for the Bowl Games, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for any special promotional offerings surrounding the contests.
From a betting perspective, one of the great things about Bowl Season is that odds and lines come out well in advance of the games. You’ll have some extra time to break down the games and look for potential edges as a result.
Each of the games will have its own listing at legal and regulated sportsbooks which will look something like this.
Next to the team names are three sets of numbers which represent the following: point spread, moneyline, and totals. In our example, Clemson is a 2.5-point favorite on the spread. They’re also favored on the moneyline in a game with a projected total of 54.5 points.
Here’s a quick refresher on the basic sports bet types:
You don’t have to wait until the end of the season to place your bets on the top teams you expect to see in bowl games. The College Football futures market stays active all year round, and there are a number of different opportunities to consider, including:
Using the title game winner as an example, odds are released soon after the current year’s championship tilt is in the books. There will be odds listed for all teams in contention, ranging from favorites to longshots. Here’s a peek at a few of the current favorites, courtesy of DraftKings.
As bettors weigh in with their calls and the season plays out, you’ll see movement on the odds board. The futures market is a great way to get a read on the season as a whole, and also another fantastic way to potentially profit on College Football.