The Big Ten is loaded with quality college football betting options, but Ohio State takes the cake in the conference. The Buckeyes are the top team in the season win total odds, followed by a slew of hungry contenders that will no doubt make up a good chunk of the college football rankings.
Even though the 2020 college football schedule could be delayed by the COVID-19 outbreak, sports betting operators like Caesars Entertainment are releasing their college football odds, including season win totals. Here’s the projected pecking order in the Big Ten:
Big Ten college football 2020 season win total
Ohio State is the cream of the Big Ten crop, with a win total 1.5 games higher than Penn State and Wisconsin. Five teams are pegged at 9 or more regular-season wins.
Highest Win Total: Ohio State Buckeyes
The Buckeyes have a margin of error along the lines of Clemson, as they opened at 11 wins (Over -135). Ohio State went 12-0 SU and a solid 9-3 ATS in the 2019-20 regular season, then beat Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game before losing to Clemson in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Among others, the Buckeyes lose freakish defensive end Chase Young and running back J.K. Dobbins. But quarterback Justin Fields returns after being named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, and three starters on the offensive line return, too. And there’s never a lack of talent in Columbus practically everywhere else.
Lowest Win Total: Rutgers Scarlet Knights
In another nonshocker, Rutgers brings up the rear, opening at 2.5 (Under -155). The Scarlet Knights are coming off a 2-10 SU campaign (4-8 ATS), ranking 129th among 130 teams in both total yards (273.7 ypg) and points scored (13.3 ppg).
Team Of Note: Nebraska Cornhuskers
Oddsmakers haven't been impressed by Nebraska in years, and that hasn’t changed under current coach and former Huskers standout Scott Frost. Nebraska went 5-7 SU and a dismal 3-9 ATS last year, and Frost is 9-15 SU (9-14-1 ATS) in his first two seasons in Lincoln.
Perhaps surprisingly, early bettors are a little optimistic, and sportsbooks are happy to accept their money.
“The only side we’ve seen any action on is Nebraska Over 6.5. It’s now -150, up from -110,” Caesars sportsbooks director of trading Jeff Davis told Covers. “Anyone in the loop knows my opinion of the state of this program.”
Big Ten 2020 Season Win Total Odds
|
TEAM |
OVER |
UNDER |
|
Ohio State |
11 (-135) |
11 (+115) |
|
Penn State |
9.5 (-200) |
9.5 (+175) |
|
Wisconsin |
9.5 (+175) |
9.5 (-200) |
|
Michigan |
9 (-115) |
9 (-105) |
|
Minnesota |
9 (+130) |
9 (-150) |
|
Indiana |
7.5 (-155) |
7.5 (+135) |
|
Iowa |
7 (-140) |
7 (+120) |
|
Nebraska |
6.5 (-110) |
6.5 (-110) |
|
Northwestern |
5.5 (-105) |
5.5 (-115) |
|
Illinois |
5 (-110) |
5 (-110) |
|
Purdue |
5 (-105) |
5 (-115) |
|
Michigan State |
4.5 (-110) |
4.5 (-110) |
|
Maryland |
3.5 (-150) |
3.5 (+130) |
|
Rutgers |
2.5 (+135) |
2.5 (-155) |
How to bet season win totals
Season win totals are somewhat self explanatory: betting on how many wins a team will have that regular season.
Oddsmakers set a projected number of wins for each team - based on past success, returning personnel and strength of schedule - and offer Over/Under betting options, allowing you to wager on if a team will exceed that win total (Over) or fall short of it (Under). This total does not include postseason games, such as the conference championship or bowl games.
On top of the season win total itself, oddsmakers set an assigned cost to the Over and Under bets – also known as vig or juice – depending on the implied probability of the team winning more or less than that total.
For example, oddsmakers calculate TEAM A to win nine games this upcoming season but do feel like there’s a better chance of them winning 10 games rather than 8. Therefor, they set TEAM A with a win total of 9 but increase the vig on the OVER to -130 (bet $1.30 to win $1) and decrease the vig on the UNDER to +110 (win $1.10 for every $1 bet).
OVER 9 WINS (-130)
UNDER 9 WINS (+110)
Season win totals are considered futures betting odds and sportsbooks will take action on season win totals from the time they post the odds until the start of the season. Futures bets are then graded at the end of the season when all results are final.
More college football betting 2020 season win total odds
- SEC 2020 Season Win Totals
- ACC 2020 Season Win Totals
- Big Ten 2020 Season Win Totals
- Big 12 2020 Season Win Totals
- Pac-12 2020 Season Win Totals
- AAC 2020 Season Win Totals
