It's again time to take a close look at the betting lines and odds for BYU as it travels to Boise State tomorrow. This is, of course, for entertainment purposes only. While we don't encourage gambling, referencing predictions from the people who make money on predictions is far more useful than reading what sports journalists predict.
When the first sports book opened a line, Boise State was favored by 4.5 points ...
It is important to note that for college odds, home-field advantage is generally considered to be worth 3 points. Jeff Sagarin, ratings master whose poll is part of the BCS computer rankings, calculates home-field advantage on a season-by-season basis. So far this season, his numbers show home-field advantage as being worth 3.14 points.
After some movement, here are where the lines sit now:
O/U is the over/under betting line -- it is a point total for both teams.
LVH: Boise by 7
MGM: Boise by 7
Hill: Boise by 7 | O/U 49
Wynn: Boise by 7 | O/U 49
Caesars: Boise by 7
Stations: Boise by 7 | O/U 49
All the books seem to be in sync, and money has come in on Boise since bets opened. According to the combination of the odds and the over/under, odds have Boise State beating BYU by the score of 28-21.
Using Sagarin's ratings, BYU is rated with 79.03 points and Boise is rated at 84.25 -- a difference of 5.22 points. Factor in the 3.14 points for Boise's home field advantage, and Sagarin's formula has Boise State as an 8.36 point favorite.
Boise State rarely loses at home, so it's no surprise BYU will be playing against the odds, especially considering the care for the ball the Cougars showed last week. If you were to wager Skittles on either the line or the over/under, what would you bet?
For more odds, visit the NCAA Football odds hub.