NCAAF BETTING SITES

Our list of the Best NCAAF Sportsbooks Online in May 2023

In 2022, college football in the US will celebrate its 153rd season. The National Collegiate Athletic Association Football or, more specifically, the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) is a top-tier college football competition. In fact, it’s been dubbed the most popular one among all collegiate sporting events. 

Some of the biggest national stadiums across the country are home to NCAAF teams. One of them is the well-known Michigan Stadium, home to the Michigan Wolverines, with a capacity of close to 108,000 spectators. 

The popularity of NCAAF isn’t solely reserved for the local communities of 130 schools that compete in the ten conferences of the FBS. Namely, sports bettors are among the staunchest supporters of NCAAF, especially after 2014 when College Football Playoff was established to determine the winner of the competition. The champion is crowned during the National Championship Game, and it is one of the biggest televised college sporting events.

Competitive matchups, hundreds of thousands of spectators, and top-quality action are a recipe for the ultimate NCAAF online sports betting experience. 

Our guide will tell you all you need to know about NCAAF betting. We’ll bring you the list of the best NCAAF sports betting sites in your state, as well as a detailed description of the bets you can place on college football, the bonuses you can expect to see in these sportsbooks, and much more.

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NCAAF Betting Options

A crucial part of our analysis of NCAAF betting sites is the quality of the betting markets these sites offer. We look past just those standard moneyline, futures, and other general bets. 

We want to see props, totals, parlays, and other kinds of betting options on display that can spice up the entire wagering experience. Only those sites that have rounded up the betting offer in this way can find their way to our list.

Sign up Bonus Offers and Other Promotions

There is nothing quite like a generous welcome bonus to appeal to new players and improve their chances by giving their initial bankroll a considerable boost. 

We pay special attention to the description of these bonuses and compare them with competitors to ensure only the sites with the top-quality deals are represented. 

The diversity of the NCAAF sports betting bonus deals is the key. You want to see odds boosts, insurance bets, reloads, and other bonuses specifically designed for NCAAF fixtures. The more such bonuses there are, the better. Of course, their terms and conditions of use need to be fair and realistic, too. What good is a bonus if you can’t turn it into real cash, right?

Betting Odds and Lines

What separates an average sportsbook from a great one is the quality of its odds and lines. The price range is paramount when comparing NCAAF betting bookies — without a good range, there can’t be any big wins. We analyze odds shifting to keep you in the loop and present the sites with the lowest juice and best odds.

NCAAF Mobile Betting

Every decent NCAAF sports betting site has a native mobile app for Android and iOS devices to cater to the needs of players who like to wager on the go. 

We observe the functionality of these apps, their performance, and overall user experience to ensure there are no crashes and freezes while betting. Needless to say, platforms with huge banners and pop-ups that clog the view won’t be considered.

Banking Options

One of the biggest advantages of legal NCAAF sports betting sites is that they only team up with reliable and safe payment processors such as PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and other e-wallets, online banking, and prepaid systems. 

The more banking methods there are, the better. It is also crucial that there are no fees that apply and that transactions are processed immediately. 

Customer Service Support

Running into problems while betting on a platform is not uncommon. After all, there is no such thing as perfect software yet. With that in mind, it is imperative that the customer support team of your sportsbook is available 24/7 through multiple channels of communications, including live chat, phone service, and email. 

In addition, the support agents should be knowledgeable and well-versed in all matters NCAAF so that if you need any extra information or explanations, they can provide it.

Brief History of NCAAF College Football

2019 was a very special year in the history of college football, as it was when the sport marked its 150th anniversary. It all began in 1869 with the first college football match played between Rutgers University and the College of New Jersey, which later became known as Princeton University. 

At first, college football was played according to rules closely related to rugby and soccer. In fact, the 25 players on each team weren’t allowed to hold the ball in their hands. Instead, they would kick it across a line to score and fumble other players along the way. 

The first football rules were drawn seven years later when the representatives from Columbia, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale got together at Massasoit House in Springfield. Among those representatives was Walter Camp, the father of modern football who created the line of scrimmage, a system of downs, and the center-to-quarterback snap, which we can see in power even today. 

The 20th century brought considerable changes to college football. We aren’t just referring to the first radio broadcast of a college football match in 1921 between West Virginia University and Pittsburgh University or the first televised college football game in 1939 when Fordham squared off against Waynesburg. 

Namely, unlike other NCAA competitions, the NCAAF did not award the championship trophy. There weren’t even any playoff tournaments. This is where the rankings released by the Associated Press were monumental. 

In 1936, AP ranked 20 college teams based on various criteria, including votes from sportswriters and coaches. In the meantime, cities across the country hosted the so-called “bowl games” where they invited teams they wanted to play against. The most important bowl games were dubbed the New Year’s Six and consisted of the Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, Peach Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Sugar Bowl matchups. 

Then, in 1998, the Bowl Championship Series was created. This stage of the competition included the top 10 teams facing each other in marquee bowl games so that the winner of the NCAAF could be determined on the field rather than by votes or rankings. 

The Bowl Championship Series system was in place until 2014, when it was substituted by the College Football Playoff.

During the 150+ years of history, many college teams emerged victors. The most triumphant of them all is Michigan, which headed into the 2020 season with 962 wins in the books. Next up are Ohio State and then Yale, each amassing over 900 wins. 

The 2023 NCAAF regular season is scheduled to take place from August 27 to December 10, while the playoffs will begin on December 17 and end on January 9, 2023, with the championship game held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

NCAA College Football Playoff Format and Trophies

After almost 15 years of the Bowl Championship Series, the College Football Playoff (CFP) was established. The specially appointed CFP committee ranks the teams from the 1st to 25th place, much like the rankings presented by the AP and BCS. 

The top four teams then place in the playoffs, where the best-ranked team faces the fourth-best and the second and third teams play each other. The winners of these two matches face each other in the CFP final to determine the champion. This system is called the plus-one system and includes one more game than the Bowl Championship Series. 

The most valuable player in college football gets the Heisman Trophy, named after John W. Heisman. The only player to lift the trophy in consecutive years was Archie Griffin, the running back for Ohio State, who achieved this feat in the 1970s.

How NCAAF Sports Betting Online Works

You don’t have to be a pro bettor to grasp how NCAAF sports betting online works. It pretty much functions the same way as NFL betting would. However, to be on the safe side, we’ll guide you through the entire procedure. As promised, this is the most comprehensive guide to NCAAF betting online and includes so much more than just the list of the best NCAAF sports betting sites.

1. Choose one of the sportsbooks from our list. It all begins with your selection of sportsbooks from our list. All of the sites are available in your respective state. Use your desktop or laptop computer to access the web page or download the mobile app on your smartphone or tablet. 
2. Complete the registration procedure. You need to hit the Join Now/Sign Up/Register button once you find yourself on the sportsbook’s homepage. Fill out the registration form by typing your personal information, such as name, email, date of birth, username, phone number, and the last four digits of your social security number. 
3. Make a deposit. To start your NCAAF betting adventure, you need to fund it first. The list of available deposit methods is located under your account tab. Choose the one you are most comfortable with and input the amount you wish to deposit. Make sure to observe the limits and possible fees that may apply.  
4. Claim the welcome bonus. Most sportsbooks will offer NCAAF sports betting bonus deals to new users. If the bonuses are connected to deposits, make sure to check the minimum deposit limit so that you can qualify for the promotion. The bonuses are usually automatically credited to your account once you complete the payment, but sometimes you’ll have to opt-in manually. 
5. Place your first bets. Use the bonus or the deposited money to bet on NCAAF fixtures.

It is essential that you remember to be within the state’s physical borders at the time of betting. Also, you need to be at least 21 to place a real money wager on NCAAF.

Most Popular Types of NCAAF Bets

If there’s one thing you’ll find in legal NCAAF sports betting online sites, it is the abundance of betting options for college football. These sites have a very similar betting offer, with slight differences. 

With that in mind, we give you the most common bets on NCAAF.

Moneyline Bets

To place a moneyline bet, you simply need to choose the winner of the match. The favorite will be presented with a minus (-) sign on the moneyline, while the underdog will have a plus (+) sign next to the moneyline. 

With moneyline bets, you don’t have to take the game’s score into account; just guess which team will win the game. Let’s illustrate with an example — let’s say Princeton is hosting Yale. As the favorite, the odds for the moneyline bet on Princeton are -140, while the odds on Yale getting away with the win are +200. 

If you want to bet on Princeton and take home a $100 profit, you need to stake $140. On the other hand, if you want to back Yale, your $100 bet will bring you $200 in profits should they win.

Point Spread

The point spread is a very popular wager in NCAAF betting. It spices things up considerably when a clear favorite meets a team with virtually no chances of winning. Instead of going for the moneyline bet on the better team, players resort to the point spread. 

Namely, NCAAF betting bookies will deduct a number of points from the favorite and give it to the underdog to even the score a bit. The point spread on the favorite will, in that case, be -6.5 and +6.5 on the underdog. 

Your bet on the favorite will only be good if that team wins by seven or more points. If you bet on the underdog, you’ll win if that team loses by six or fewer points or wins the game altogether.

Totals

Totals are one of the most interesting points-related wagers you can place on NCAA college football. Your job is to decide whether the total number of points in the game will be over or under the mark set by the bookmaker. 

Say Wisconsin is hosting Oklahoma, and the points total is set at 45.5 points. If you bet over, 46 or more points need to be scored in the game for that bet to win. If you bet under, your bet is a successful one if there are 45 or fewer points in the game.

Futures

Futures are exciting betting markets, as they allow you to place a bet on an event scheduled to take place in the near or distant future. These markets have the best odds before the season even kicks off. For example, you can bet on who will win the championship, take the Heisman Trophy, which team will have the most wins in the regular season, and more.

Props

Proposition bets, or props, are wagers that let you focus on the individual performance of any player or team rather than worrying about who will win the match. For example, you can bet on the total number of completed passes, which team will score more points in a given quarter, and many more. The options are nearly endless. 

However, there is a big problem with props, as most states ban props on college sports. So, don’t be surprised if you don’t find them in the sportsbook you have chosen.

Parlay Bets

Parlay bets are multiple bets, which means all selections on the betslip need to come through for you to collect the winnings. The biggest appeal of parlay bets is that the odds are longer, which means you can expect bigger payouts. A three-game parlay is usually the go-to option for most bettors. Here’s how it works — if you bet on Arkansas, Alabama, and Texas to win, all of these teams need to triumph so that you can cash out.

Teasers

Teasers are bets where you get the opportunity to adjust the point spread to your favor, usually by  6, 6.5, and 7 points. By adjusting the lines, you can give yourself a big betting edge, leading to hefty payouts because once you move the lines, the odds move too.

NCAAF Sports Betting Bonus Offers

NCAA sports betting online platforms are no strangers to offering exciting bonuses to new and existing players. Right from the start, you can explore some sign-up promotions that generally come in the form of free bets or deposit match deals. 

Later on, regular bettors can benefit significantly from reload, cashback, and other types of bonuses that can increase your bankroll and ultimately improve your chances of winning.

 These are the most common NCAAF sports betting bonus offers:

• Free bets — Free bets are typically associated with welcome bonuses. After you have registered and completed the initial deposit, the bookmaker will give you some free credits to use when exploring the site’s betting offer. Usually, free bets are limited to specific bets and odds, and the stakes won’t count toward your total win. 
• Risk-free bets — Another popular form of free bets is risk-free bets. If you lose your qualifying bet, you will get the stake back in the form of free bets. 
• Deposit match bonus — Deposit match bonus deals are greatly coveted among NCAAF bettors since you can receive the amount of your first bet in bonus funds. The 100% deposit match bonus is the most common form of deposit match promotions, but sometimes the sportsbooks can give twice as much. 
• Cashback — Cashback promotion gives you back 5%–10% of the losses you accrued during a given period in the form of either free bet or real cash. 
• Odds boosts — Odds boosts, or enhanced odds, are self-explanatory. The top matches from NCAAF attract the most attention, and, sometimes, sportsbooks choose to lower their juice rate and give you a chance to score higher profits.

NCAAF Live Betting

College football is a highly-entertaining sport where each down is a chance for something extraordinary to happen. The NCAAF live betting option allows you to explore and benefit from all that fast-paced action. 

You can bet on who will score the next touchdown, which team will take the next lead and many other betting markets that are available for live or in-play NCAAF betting. Most pre-game bets, such as moneylines, totals, spread, and different futures and props, will be accessible. 

A vital segment of NCAAF live betting is the changing odds. The odds directly reflect the action on the gridiron, so you need to act swiftly to make the most of them.

NCAAF Betting Apps

NCAAF betting apps have given bettors the opportunity to place bets no matter where they are in the state that allows mobile wagering. All sportsbooks have developed and released proprietary apps for Android and iOS devices you can download from their respective app stores.

These apps have all the same features as their desktop counterparts, plus some extra customization options and greater stability at times. There can even be some special bonuses you can trigger solely through the app.

Notable NCAAF Betting Rules

Most US states with legal sports betting won’t restrict you in any way when it comes to betting on college football. However, one of the most notable restrictions is related to college teams from your local state. 

Some states won’t let you place bets on local college teams. What’s more, they might not even let you bet on these teams no matter where they play. 

Other similar rules are related to the matches taking place in the state you are betting from. These games are most likely to be off the menu, and so are the proposition bets.

NCAAF Betting Tips

There is no system, no magic words, or anything like that you can use to win every single bet you place. However, there are some tips we can share which can help you take your NCAAF betting to the next level.

• Bet with your mind, not your heart — It is essential not to bet as a fan. Even though your favorite team is playing, that does not mean that it will win. Analyze the situation carefully before placing your bet or skip it altogether. It’s important to keep it cool and not let your emotions run wild when it comes to betting. 
• Analyze the form and matchups — Going over detailed stats for each matchup can help you gain a better insight into who may win the game. Pay special attention to the form of the players and how they fare against that particular team. This information can help you make a more knowledgeable bet. 
• Do some line shopping — All players want to get the most value for their money. Compare the lines and odds of all NCAAF sports betting online sites to make sure you are betting with the one that offers the best ones.