Idaho odds and betting lines

At 5-4, BYU is one win from punching its ticket to the Poinsettia Bowl, and is a heavy favorite to do so. Let's take a look at the betting lines and odds to see where things stand.

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, BYU was a 38.5-point favorite and the over/under was set at 50.5.

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 is worth 3.12 points.

After slight 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: BYU by 39 | O/U 49
MGM: BYU by 39
Hill: BYU by 39
Wynn: BYU by 39
Caesars: BYU by 39
Stations: BYU by 39

The books are in agreement. According to the combination of the odds and the over/under, odds have BYU winning by the score of 44-5.

Using Sagarin's ratings, BYU is rated at 81.84 points and Idaho is rated at 47.42 -- a difference of 34.42. Factor in the 3.12 points for BYU's home field advantage, and Sagarin's formula has BYU as an approximate 37.5-point favorite. Using Sagarin's spread, BYU wins 43-6.

So fans -- does BYU score more than 44? Will the defense give up more than 6?

Look for more lines and predictions with Zach Bloxham's weekly 9-Line Prediction. For more odds, visit the NCAA Football odds hub.