NCAA Football Handicapping Tips
by Jerald of Predictem.com
There are many aspects to consider when handicapping a NCAA football game. Each person has there own opinion on what is important and needs to be considered. Here are some handicapping tips that can help you determine winners:
- Returning Starters – Early in the season this is a great indicator of which teams will show poise in close games. This information is widely available in a number of publications and is certainly worth considering before making a wager.
- Experienced Starting Quarterback – Like the previous tip, this is a huge factor in the the early season games. You don’t want to be backing a QB who has never had to lead his team in big situations before because you don’t know how he will handle the pressure.
- Know the Schedule – This is very important in college football as many teams will look ahead to a big game or have an emotional letdown following a big game. You must keep track of who your team has just played and who is on deck for next week.
- Know the Coaches – There are many things to consider when talking about coaches. Do they like to run up the score? Do they motivate their team well after a loss? Can they keep a team motivated after a big win? Study the coaches and the teams past performance to determine how they will perform in the future.
- Study the history of the teams involved. - This is especially true when you get to the conference season. There are many matchups that have great historical trends that you can use to help determine a winner.
- Rivalry games – These games generate a huge amount of motivation and are usually good spots for an underdog play. Because of the huge amount of motivation expended these can also provide for great plays before and after the rivalry game as noted above.
- Injuries – Make sure you know if there are significant injuries that may affect your wager. There is nothing more discouraging than making a wager and then realizing that the team you are rooting for is being led by an inexperienced backup QB.
- Statistics – There are a number of statistics that can be used to determine a team’s success. Find out what you think is important and use this information to your advantage.
- Home Field – There are many teams that have a huge home field advantage. Remember to take this into account when making your wager. Typically, the home field is considered worth 3.5 points but in many cases it can be worth more than that, especially if the game is being played at night.
There are many other things that go into making a successful handicapper but the above tips can help you get started. It is important to remember that the more information you have the better equipped you are to make a sound wagering decision.
Editor's Picks - Each weekend our very own in-house All-American Editor makes his NCAA point spread predictions in an attempt to force fumbles, sack and intercept your bookie!
Expert Picks - Free premium college foots plays against the spread from expert handicappers from around the web from week 1 through the National Championship.
Underdog of the Week Pick - We sort through it all and find out which University is getting "too many points" this week. If there was a Heisman Trophy for picking underdogs, we'd be a frontrunner. Expect a 57%+ winning percentage with these picks as we've got a keen ear for loud barking dogs.
Favorite of the Week Pick - Giving points means we start the game down. We're not a real big fan of betting college football favorites as it's similar to trading field goals for touchdowns but stick with us as we buck the odds each week, selecting the favored team with the best chance of covering the spread.
Over/Under of the Week - Expect great value from this pick each week as we've cashed in big on betting over/unders over the years.
Line Movement - NCAA football lines open early in the week and often times move up or down based on wagering activity, injuries to key players and weather. We decipher whether it's square or wiseguy action and predict the point spread winner based on value.
College Football Consensus Picks - We assess the public perception each week and let them pick the winners for us as we fade their selections which provides us with many trips into our bookies endzone.
Computer Picks - We enter them into the computer and the machine makes it's picks. This is a great guide especially when betting totals! These are available after the first few weeks of the season.
Trends - Despite what you have been told or read on tout sites, the trend ain't your friend. We however turn the tables and fade the almighty trend for what should be some great profits over time.
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PlayersOnly - Their progressive parlays allow you to lose some games and still cash in your betting ticket!
Heisman Trophy Betting Odds - Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy or ? You make the call!
Odds to Win the 2010 BCS Championship - Florida heads up the list at 2-1 followed closely by the Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes.
Heisman Trophy Winners - A full list of college football quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers who have made history on the field and won the prestigious award.
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