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PrintYou’re handicapping the unknown. Your money is tied up. There is the potential for injuries and suspensions and player transfers and dozens of other possibilities that can completely change the matchups you’re trying to bet on.
These are the arguments made against betting on college football Games of the Year, the 100-or-so lines offered on marquee games during the summer. But below, if you take a look at the point spreads listed, you’ll find the best argument in favor of betting them:
The ability to get a really, really good number.
Eleven Week 2 games were offered at either the Golden Nugget or LVH SuperBook (or offshore) during the summer. Of those 11 games, the current lines are different by at least a field goal in six of them.
Who among us wouldn’t like to be holding an Iowa State +10 ticket this week? That’s the number the LVH SuperBook released on its GOY lines. But on Sunday, Iowa opened as a 4-point favorite at BetOnline and is currently listed at -3.5. That’s a heck of a middle opportunity in a rivalry game that has a tendency to be pretty close.
In the Vanderbilt-Northwestern game, the line has moved five points and the favorite has flipped. The Wildcats opened as 2-point home favorites but are now catching a field goal at most offshore books.
There are countless other early-season matchups where those who had an offseason opinion had a chance to get a great number and got one. Friend of the site @lindetrain, for instance, bet Tennessee +5 vs. Florida at the Golden Nugget. He was high on the Vols (and not as high on the Gators), and as such, identified a spot he thought carried value.
Don’t be surprised if Tennessee opens as a favorite next week.
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Below is a look at Week 2 games that were previously offered on Games of the Year lines. You’ll also find the BetOnline opener as well as the current line, for comparison purposes.
| MATCHUP | NUGGET | LVH | BETONLINE | CURRENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitt at Cincy | Cincinnati -5 | Cincinnati -1 | Pittsburgh -2 | Cincinnati -4.5 |
| USC vs. Syracuse | USC -21 | USC -25.5 | USC -24 | USC -26 |
| Washington at LSU | LSU -21 | N/A | LSU -22 | LSU -23.5 |
| Okla. St. at Arizona | Okla St. -9.5 | N/A | Okla. St. -13.5 | Okla. St. -13 |
| Miami at K-State | K-State -7 | N/A | K-State -6.5 | K-State -7 |
| Iowa St. at Iowa | Iowa -5 | Iowa -10 | Iowa -4 | Iowa -3.5 |
| Georgia at Missouri | Georgia -3 | N/A | Georgia -3 | Georgia -3 |
| Florida at Texas A&M | Texas A&M -1 | N/A | Texas A&M -2.5 | Texas A&M -1.5 |
| Nebraska at UCLA | Nebraska -6.5 | Nebraska -4.5 | Nebraska -4.5 | Nebraska -4.5 |
| Utah at Utah St. | N/A | Utah -10 | Utah -4.5 | Utah -7 |
| Vanderbilt at N'western | N/A | N'western -2 | Vanderbilt -1.5 | Vanderbilt -3 |
