The Hilton posted win totals on 35 teams of interest, leaving off Oregon and Ohio State because of “too much uncertainty,” sportsbook manager Ed Salmons told Covers.com.
The Hilton took a max bet of $1,000 Sunday, but said those limits could rise as the season nears. By mid-afternoon, Salmons had booked more than a dozen max bets from local wise guys.
Texas A&M (8.5) and Virginia Tech (10) were the only two teams to receive three max bets. Professionals bet the Hokies over 10 wins strong enough to force Salmons to tack on a -160 juice to bet the over, after opening the prop wager at -110 either way.
Sharps also liked the Aggies to go over 8.5 wins. They opened up costing bettors -120 to bet the under, but were priced at -140 to take the over by mid-afternoon.
Boise State had the highest number at 10.5 wins; UNLV had lowest at 2.5.
Alabama and Oklahoma, the co-favorites to win the BCS title, were at 10 wins.
Defending BCS champion Auburn was at six wins and, according to Salmons, was lucky to make the list.
“If they hadn’t won the national championship, Auburn wouldn’t be on there," he explained.
Here are the opening season win totals:
Alabama 10 -120o
Oklahoma 10
Boise St. 10.5 –120o
LSU 9.5 -160u
Stanford 9 -150u
S. Carolina 9 -150u
Arkansas 8.5
Texas A&M 8.5 -120u
Georgia 8.5 -160o
Oklahoma State 8.5
Nebraska 9.5 -140o
Florida State 9.5 -130o
Virginia Tech 10
Wisconsin 9.5 -120o
Arizona St. 8 -120o
West Virginia 9.5 -140u
Florida 7.5 -130u
USC 7.5 -130o
Notre Dame 8.5 -130o
Texas 8
Miss State 7.5 -130u
Miami 8 -120u
Oregon St. 6.5 -130u
TCU 9 -130u
BYU 8.5 -150o
Missouri 7.5 -120o
Michigan State 7.5 -120o
Auburn 6 -155o
Tennessee 6.5 -120o
Penn St 7.5 -155o
North Carolina 8 -130o
Michigan 7 -130o
Utah 7.5 -120u
Nevada 8 -125u
UNLV 2.5 -130o
Covers.com staff writer Trent Hart contributed live reporting to this article.
