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The Ohio State Buckeyes hope to stay within striking range of the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff National Championship from Miami Gardens, Florida on Monday night. But Nick Saban’s team is more than a touchdown favorite in a battle of two undefeated squads.
So where are sports bettors going as we get closer to game time? Let’s take a look. All odds and info were provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.
Point Spread
Right now Alabama is a 7.5-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook, with 69% of the cash and 67% of the bets on the Tide to roll.
Is the public right? Probably. We could be looking at a lot of COVID-19 issues for Ohio State in the title game, with the backup date of January 18th at Hard Rock Stadium already secured just in case. But the only major COVID problems in Tuscaloosa this year have been with the head coach. They’ve held up remarkably well compared to the rest of college football in Tuscaloosa.
Over/Under
The total is 75.5, with 33% of the cash and 37% of the tickets on the over.
Is the public right? This game was at 77 when it opened, but it’s coming back a bit more. The under is still likely the play here, although neither of these defenses are the better unit on their team. But with the extra time to prepare, and the propensity of Alabama to take the air out of the ball with a lead, the under might be the play here.
Moneyline
Ohio State is a +225 underdog, and is getting 53% of the cash and 47% of the tickets at present. That makes Alabama a -286 favorite with 47% of handle and 53% of bets made.
Is the public right? While Ohio State certainly impressed on New Year’s Day against Clemson, they mostly took advantage of a weak secondary. That’s one of the stronger units on Bama’s defense, and they’ll need to be able to show a different path towards scoring. We still like Alabama and their three Heisman candidates on offense, including the winner of the trophy DeVonta Smith.
Rose Bowl: Alabama vs. Notre Dame
Opening line: Alabama -7
Current line: Alabama -7.5
This number seems pretty correct, as the -7 opener is a bit low. Alabama’s lethal offense should be able to post a big number, and their defense can do just enough to get a two-score or better win.
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