Alabama is favored by more points than any other team in the short history of the College Football Playoff, but most bettors have not been disappointed by the historical spread of the points.
The Crimson Tide are a 19.5-point consensus favorite over Notre Dame at the Rose Bowl, the first of two PCP semifinals on Friday (4 p.m., ESPN). According to ESPN Stats & Information, only two bowling games since 1978 have had major differences. The last time the Irish wrestlers were smaller was in 2008 against Southern Cal (-32.5).
The historical difference in points has not stopped the action against Alabama, with about twice the money bet on the Crimson Tide than had been made in Notre Dame in several sports books in the United States. At FanDuel, nearly 70% of the money that had been bet on the distribution of the Rose Bowl spot was in Alabama.
In the Sugar Bowl, Friday’s second semifinal (8 p.m., ESPN), Clemson was a growing favorite over Ohio State. The Tigers opened as a seven-point favorite over the Buckeyes. The line had grown to Clemson -7.5 in several sports books on Friday morning, with uneven action on the Tigers. On the day of departure, 80% of the bets and 79% of the money bet on the Sugar Bowl points difference went to Clemson at William Hill’s US sports bookstores.
“Until another team like Ohio State or Notre Dame intensifies, the masses will bet Alabama and Clemson on semis every year,” Nick Bogdanovich, commercial director of William Hill US, said in a statement.
Alabama is the favorite of the odds of winning the national championship and has attracted a lot of money. Veteran Las Vegas bookmaker Jimmy Vaccaro of South Point Sports Library reported that he bet $ 125,000 in Alabama to win the national title at a -185 odds.
Clemson is the second favorite at +275, followed by Ohio State with 10-1 and Notre Dame with 30-1.
Alabama figures William Hill US as a 4-point favorite over Clemson in a potential national championship game.
According to ESPN statistics and information, the largest bowl point differentials have been:
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2017 Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl: Florida Atlantic -22.5 vs. Akron
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2020 Myrtle Beach Bowl: Appalachian State -21.5 vs. North Texas
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2021 Rose Bowl: Alabama -19.5 against Notre Dame