College football season might be a few months away, but sharp bettors are already in preparation mode. With the sports schedule not as full during the summer, the pros take the time to get ready for the upcoming season. Most recreational bettors do not. If you want to bet like expert college football handicappers, read on.
Key Points
– To bet like the sharps, it helps to take some time to prepare for the college football season.
– Sharp bettors look for a number of different factors in teams they like to back.
Dive into the Newcomers
The latest trend in college football is the transfer portal. Coaches around the country can bring in players that are older and have actual game experience through the transfer portal. Players do not have to sit out a year before they are eligible anymore.
The portal can take a mediocre team and make it a contender for league and national championships. Sharps take a good look at which teams added the best players from the portal.
The other area where teams add players is from their incoming recruiting classes. It’s important to know which freshmen might have an impact on the upcoming season.
With teams that see a lot of roster churn, sharp bettors know that the previous year’s statistics are virtually meaningless. Sharps will attempt to get an idea of new players’ roles and how they may impact the new season.
There will also be some teams that will receive a ton of hype because of their work in the transfer portal and with their incoming recruiting class. This can affect public betting, something the sharps are well aware of.
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Sharp Bettors Analyze Returning Players
College teams don’t redshirt as many players as they used to, but the majority of college football handicappers frequently ignore this. A player who doesn’t play in more than four games can redshirt and still have four years of eligibility remaining.
Oftentimes, a redshirt learns a lot in his first season and is ready to step in and start in his second season.
There are also the returning starters. Teams that have a lot of starters back tend to do well. Nothing beats game experience and sharp bettors know this.
Take Time to Learn About Coaching Changes
Learn about the coaching changes. In college football, the coaching ranks are like a revolving door. When a major program changes head coaches, it can create coaching changes at other schools as well. It pays to look into these new coaches.
The first season under a new coach is often a challenge, especially in a program that hasn’t experienced winning. Some first-year coaches do extremely well. Sometimes, that is the result of the recruiting done by the previous coaching staff.
It is also a good idea to look into the offensive and defensive coordinators. The entire offense might change and it may take time for a team to get really good at running it. Teams that are built to run the ball may take a while to adjust to the pass-happy Air Raid offense.
Whatever the situation, smart bettors strategies entail taking the time to learn more about coaching changes at the major college football programs.
Sharp Bettors Look for Veteran Offensive Lines
Most coaches will tell you that their teams will be as good as the five guys that start on the offensive line. Sharp bettors look for veteran offensive lines. The fastest way to locate college football teams that will be competitive is to look for teams with lots of returning starters on their offensive line.
The offensive lines pave the way for the running game. When the running game works, it is easier for quarterbacks in the passing game. With a strong offense, a defense will not be on the field as much. Defenses that are rested tend to play better throughout the course of a season.
Teams with veteran offensive lines tend to do well, especially at the beginning of a college football season.
The Third-Year Starting QB
Teams with returning starting quarterbacks are always worth a look when it comes time to bet on college football. If you can find a third-year starter, that’s even better.
A quarterback with a lot of experience under his belt can boost his team early on and is worth betting on. It’s just like an offensive line with experience. When a player reaches his third season as a starter at quarterback, the game has slowed down for him. He is familiar with the system and the expectations placed on him, and he frequently raises his level of play.
In high-profile cases, the public will be well-aware of established quarterbacks, but frequently, experience won’t receive the respect that it should.
Sharp Bettors Are Wary of Early Schedules
There are plenty of teams that load their early seasons schedules with cupcakes. Big Ten teams may play teams from the MAC, for example. SEC teams like to play FCS teams to fill their schedules.
The pros are always aware of schedule strength. Don’t let an early 5-0 record fool you. There’s a big difference between a team with five really good Power 5 wins and a team that has three wins over Group 5 schools, another over an FCS team, and a fifth over a Power 5 school that is winless.
While the public buys into these records, sharp bettors do not. When handicapping college football, look for schedules that are likely to skew the public’s perception. These are situations where you can gain an advantage.
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