Last updated on: January 9th, 2024

Legal CFP Betting – How To Bet On The College Football Playoff

One of the biggest markets in sports betting is betting on the College Football Playoffs, or CFP, is the best time to place action. There are many legal CFP betting sites that accept bets on the College Football Playoff. The opportunity is available for future betting on the winner or live betting on any props during the playoff games. Sportsbooks see a major uptick in action during the CFP so they host a seemingly endless supply of betting odds for local fans.

There are legal sports betting sites in every state that take wagers on the playoffs, as regulated sports betting continues to spread across the country. Not every state with a sportsbook hosts college odds, however, as some have restrictions on college games. Luckily, offshore sites allow you to bet on College Football Playoffs all across the country. No one needs to miss out on college football playoffs betting thanks to these online sportsbooks like Bovada and BetOnline. Some of the best odds, player props, parlays, and live betting is available at these mobile betting operations.

  • Crypto Betting On The CFP
  • Betting On CFP Games With Bitcoin
  • $1,000 Betting Bonuses

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#1

Bovada Sportsbook

Best Odds For Betting On Bowl Games

When using Bovada for legal CFP betting, there are hundreds of different props for the playoff games lined up every year. Whether wanting to bet on the QBs passing yards, touchdown props, or even total interceptions, Bovada does not disappoint. There are bonuses of up to $750 for new players that can be used to wager on future CFP odds anytime during the year or live CPF odds during the action. The legal sportsbook offers all of their CPF betting from the convenience of an iPhone, Android, or any other mobile device/computer for US players.

Rating: 5 Star Rating

  • Live Betting
  • Big Bonuses
  • Easy To Use
  • Mobile Betting
  • Best Odds

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#2

BetOnline Sportsbook

100% Matching Bonus + 35% Reload Bonus

BetOnline is one of the most crypto focused sportsbooks on the market, and it shows this by offering better bonuses for those who use crypto when betting on the College Football Playoff. The code CRYPTO100 doubles your basic signup bonus to being a 100% match instead of a 50% match, and they bump your reload bonus up from 25% to 35% when you use cryptocurrency instead of using a traditional financial method. This means you double your money on deposit, and you get a free 35% match when you reload, as long as you use crypto to bet on CFB at BetOnline.

Rating: 5 Star Rating

  • Reliable Banking Methods
  • Strong Server Connection
  • 10+ Year Track Record
  • Huge Assortment Of Odds
  • No App Mobile Betting

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#3

MyBookie Sportsbook

Bet With Crypto And Credit Cards

MyBookie offers a wide range of ways to deposit and withdraw, and you can deposit just as easily with cryptocurrency as you can with a VISA or MasterCard. Any college football fan knows that flexibility is what wins championships, and versatile players enable you to make the best decision more often. MyBookie is the versatile player of sportsbooks – a hybrid cryptocurrency and traditional sportsbook option that lets you get bonuses and place bets with both new-era money and traditional money.

Ratings: 5 Star Rating

  • Huge Player Bonuses
  • Consistent Odds
  • Easy Interface
  • Rapid Live Betting
  • Legal In Florida

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Can I Legally Bet On The College Football Playoff?

College football betting is legal and fans can wager on games in each state. States do have individual regulations in regard to collegiate betting. Some states allow college betting so long as the event is not taking place in the state while other markets restrict betting on local schools altogether, even if the game is taking place in another state. Some states even go as far as banning local sportsbooks from offering odds on the college football playoff. Due to online sportsbooks like Bovada and BetOnline, betting on college football is available with no restrictions.

Bet on NCAA College Football at Bovada

Differences Between Land-Based And Online Sportsbooks

The clear difference between online and land-based sportsbooks is that one is online and can be used from anywhere and the other requires you to place bets in person. Currency options are another major difference as you can only use cash at retail locations while you can use credit/debit cards and even cryptocurrency when betting online. Some land-based locations might also have certain restrictions with their odds while online books have no restrictions.

What makes legal online sportsbooks available across the country is that they are regulated by governing bodies outside of the U.S. Also, sports betting is federally legal across the country with no restrictions holding it back. For most sports bettors though, the appealing factor that draws to online rather than retail locations is that you can use them from literally anywhere you have an Internet connection.

Betting On The Expanded CFP Playoffs

The CFP board of managers agreed on expanding the CPF to a 12-team format in 2024 and legal sports bettors will now have even more action to wager on. With the top four seeds having a bye, there will be first round games, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the CFP final to wager on. After the 2023 season comes to a close, online sportsbooks will generate odds or every team to win the final, just like any other year. As the 2024 playoff bracket is set, there will be odds and props for every single playoff game line for US players.

Bet on NCAA College Football at BetOnline

Legal Deposit Methods For CFP Betting

Depending on the chosen book, the accepted sports betting deposit methods vary for US players. Between credit cards, cryptocurrencies, and bank/wire transfers, there are quick and secure legal deposit options for all players. The limits for the top deposit methods at Bovada Sportsbook can be found below:

Cryptocurrency Deposits

  • Bitcoin – $10 min and no maximum for deposits / no fees.
  • Ethereum – $50 min and no max for deposits / no fees.
  • Litecoin – $10 min and no maximum for deposits / no fees.

Other Legal Deposit Methods For CFB Sportsbooks

  • Visa/Mastercard – $20 min and $1,500 max with a fee of 15.9%/ deposit.
  • Player Transfer – $10 min and $15,000 max for deposits / fees vary.
  • MatchPay – $20 min and $1,000 max for deposits / no fees.
  • Voucher – $10 min and $3,000 max for deposits / no fees.

Are There Any Fees For Legal College Football Playoff Payouts?

There are fees for some withdrawal methods but it depends on the legal sportsbook that is being used to wager with. If using internationally licensed books like Bovada, some of the fastest sportsbook payouts are on the table with no fees. These methods consist of the many different types of cryptocurrencies on the market with Bitcoin sportsbooks being the most prominent. If betting with state-regulated sportsbooks, there are no fees for bank transfer payouts but cryptocurrency is not an option.

  • Bovada – No fees with crypto, MatchPay (P2P)/no fees every 90 days for Check by Courier and Bank Wire payouts
  • BetOnline – No fees with crypto, P2P/$45 flat or 3% fee with Wire Transfer, $80 fee for Money Order payout
  • MyBookie – No fees with crypto/no fees with Bank Transfer payouts under $300 and $10 covered on fees over $300
  • DraftKings – No fees with online banking or PayPal payouts/crypto is not offered
  • FanDuel – No fees with Bank Transfers, PayPal, or checks/crypto is not offered

College Football Betting Restrictions

When betting with state-regulated sportsbooks like DraftKings, there are many states that do not allow college football betting or individual player props for college betting. These states restrict future better on the National Championship when using DraftKings, FanDuel, or any other state-regulated books. However, internationally licensed online books like Bovada do not restrict any form of college football betting, no matter the state the player is betting from. For example, legal Texas sports betting and sports betting sites in California do not have any college restrictions. For the state-regulated books, a list of each state’s restrictions can be found below:

All In-State College Betting

  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Washington DC
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • Nebraska
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Rhode Island
  • South Dakota
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • Wisconsin

College Prop Betting

  • Colorado
  • Arizona
  • Indiana
  • Tennessee

All College Betting

  • Oregon

Prop Betting On In-State College Teams

  • Iowa
  • Illinois

Best Cryptocurrency Payouts At Legal Betting Sites

The best legal sportsbooks for college football betting are online books that offer transactions through different forms of cryptocurrencies. The current legal books with this option are regulated and licensed internationally and do not charge any fee for the payouts through crypto. The transactions are also processed within a 24–48-hour window, depending on the chosen coin. Bovada sportsbook offers the cryptocurrency methods below for quick and secure payout for CFB betting:

  • Bitcoin (BTC)
  • Tether (USDT)
  • Ethereum (ETH)
  • Litecoin (LTC)
Bet on NCAA College Football at MyBookie

How To Bet On The College Football Playoff

Many different betting odds exist on the College Football Playoffs. The most popular betting options are via moneyline, spread betting, on total points, and prop bets. Each betting style is explained below, with an explanation of how to calculate the payouts for each as well:

  • How To Calculate Payouts: The most important part when betting on the CFP is understanding payouts. Payouts are calculated separately for favorites and underdogs. Favorites are indicated by the negative symbol next to their odds. That number next to the negative symbol is how much must be bet to win $100. Underdog payouts, shown by the plus symbol next to their odds, indicate the amount of money won based on a $100 bet. On any successful bet, you also get your original wagered amount back in addition to the payout.
  • Moneyline: Moneyline bets on the College Football Playoff are super simple because they are just on which team will win. Payouts on moneyline bets fluctuate based on how large of a favorite or underdog a given team is. Because it is just a straight-up bet with no advantage given to the underdog, moneyline bets often offer large payouts on the underdog and weak payouts for the favorite.
  • Spread Betting: Meant to create even odds for both teams, spread betting is a great way to bet on favorites and underdogs. Just like when calculating payouts, the negative sign indicates the favorite, and the plus symbol signals the underdog. For a bet on the favorite to be a success, the favorite must win by at least the given number. If they lose or win by less than that number they fail to cover the spread. The underdog covers the spread if they lose by less than the given number, or if they just win outright.
  • Total Points: The most popular bet for College Football Playoff bettors without a preferred winner is on the total points. To bet on total points the bettor must select “Over” or “Under” the predetermined total. The odds on both over and under typically come with -110 odds (i.e. bet $110 to win $100), but fluctuate based on the amount bet on each side. Total points bets are most commonly made on the combined total of each team, but they can also be found as prop bets for each team individually.
  • Prop Bets: There is almost no limit to what a prop bet can be on the College Football Playoff. Prop bets can range from bets on the number of catches by a given receiver, tackles by a defensive player, or even on the total number of field goals made. The most popular College Football Prop bet is on the color of the Gatorade dumped on the winning coaches!

The Futures Bet

Betting on futures is the way most people will interact with wagering on the CFP, as it will be solely futures odds for most of the season. Legal College Football Playoff betting sites accept future wagers throughout the entire year, as they are posted almost immediately after the previous year’s College Football Playoff concludes.

What Teams Have Odds To Win The CFP?

The NCAA Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision – commonly known as the FBS – features 125 teams, and usually about 50 of them will have odds, no matter how long, to win the College Football Playoff. These odds will change over time, with wins and losses affecting chances to make it to, or win, the Playoff.

How To Bet On College Football Playoff Futures

Betting on a team to win the College Football Playoff is simple – you simply choose the team, and if their current odds are acceptable to you, you place the bet. Some prefer to time the market, while others like to get their bets in before the season starts. Note that when you bet on the College Football Playoff, you do not get paid out until the event itself happens – even if that is months away.

The Spread Bet

The spread bet is the most popular College Football bet type, and that goes double for a huge event like the CFP. Spread bets use handicapping to balance action on both sides of a given wager, and the moneyline – or bet cost – is typically the same on either side of said wager (usually set at -110). With spread betting, the presumed favorite will “give” points to the presumed underdog. A favorite then has to win by a given number of points to pay out, while the underdog can lose by a given number of points and still win the wager.

  • – Oklahoma Sooners -3.5 (-110) vs. Georgia Bulldogs +3.5 (-110)

In this matchup, the Sooners are favored by 3.5 points. This means that if you wager on OU, they’ve got to beat Georgia by at least 4 points to win the bet. Meanwhile, the Dawgs can win outright or lose by up to a field goal and still win the wager. Sportsbooks usually use half-point increments on these kinds of bets in order to avoid “push” results, where all action on a particular wager would be refunded.

The Over/Under

The over/under is the third-most-popular CFP bet type. Over/under bets, also called totals bets, are not concerned with winners and losers, instead only focusing on the total combined points scored between both teams in a given matchup. Before the game, your book will assign the game an over/under number, and you simply place a wager on whether you think the two teams will combine to score more or fewer points than said number.

  • – Notre Dame vs. Ohio State O/U 48.5 (-110)

Here, the over/under (or O/U) number is set to 48.5 points, and the odds are posted at -110 on either side of the wager. If you pick the “over” and the final score is 27-23, that adds up to 50 points, so you’d win the bet. However, if you picked the “over” and the final score is 27-13, that adds up to 40 points, and you’d lose the wager.

How Do I Choose The Best CFP Sportsbook Bonus?

Nearly every online College Football Playoff sportsbook offers a bonus worthy of a National Championship, but they vary depending championship-worthiness depending on the player. The best sportsbook bonuses for different CFP bettors are determined by looking at the maximum bonus percentage, the amount of time the bonus must be bet through (i.e. rollover), and the minimum deposit amount. The best bonuses for the two most frequent styles of CFB playoff bettors are:

  • Short-Term Bettors: For CFB bettors looking to make the fewest possible bets before withdrawing is Bovada with their industry-low five-time rollover. That rollover makes it much easier for bettors to withdraw because there is less risk involved when not having to bet through their entire bankroll multiple times. Bovada is the most commonly used sportsbook for high-rollers as well due to their low rollover of 5X for both cryptocurrency and non-crypto currency deposits.
  • Long-Term Bettors: BetOnline is the sportsbook to use for CFB bettors who plan to stay for a while. They offer the largest bonuses in the industry, albeit with higher rollovers that are irrelevant for those planning to stay long term. Their cryptocurrency bonus for first-time depositors is a 100% match up to $1,000 with a 14X rollover.

 

Best CFP Betting Welcome Bonuses

  • Bovada Crypto – $750 max bonus/75% deposit match/5x rollover
  • Bovada Non-Crypto – $250 max bonus/25% deposit match/5x rollover
  • BetOnline Crypto – $1,000 max bonus/100% deposit match/14x rollover
  • BetOnline Non-Crypto – $1,000 max bonus/50% deposit match/10x rollover
  • MyBookie – $1,000 max bonus, 50% deposit match, 10x rollover
Bet on NCAA College Football at Xbet

Prop Bets

Prop bets, short for “proposition bets,” are based on elements and outcomes of a given game that aren’t covered by the above bet types. Props are not concerned with which teams win or lose, instead focusing on individual or team-based performance thresholds within given contests. For example, you can place a CFP player prop bet on how many TDs a quarterback will throw or how many tackles a DB racks up during the game. Similarly, you can also place team props, which are just like player props but oriented around team performances. Team prop examples include things like how many total touchdowns one club will score, how many total kick-return yards a special teams will gain, or how many turnovers a defense will force. Because College Football Playoff games are so popular, you will also get a variety of game props to choose from. These are game-related wagers on things like which team will score first, which club will win the coin-toss, and so on.

Historic Odds For The Winner Of The CFP

The College Football Playoff has been in place since the 2014 season which saw Ohio State crowned National Champions. The CFP is now through eight seasons, teaching college football bettors some valuable lessons. Going through the eventual winner’s odds prior to the season, conference championship, Semi-Finals, and National Championship game creates an outline of what past winners have looked like at different benchmarks in the season.

Season Team Preseason Odds Semi-Finals National Championship
2023 Michigan +800 +190 -185
2022 Georgia +350 +120 -140
2021 Georgia +600 +135 -145
2020 Alabama +300 -200 -320
2019 LSU +2500 +140 -185
2018 Clemson +400 +250 +170
2017 Alabama +250 +150 -170
2016 Clemson +700 +800 +180
2015 Alabama +700 +100 -260
2014 Ohio State +4000 +600 +175

Historic Facts About The College Football Playoff

The CFP has now held 24 different games, including both Semi-Finals and National Championships. Some betting trends that can be gleaned from those games have been:

  • The most common combination of Favorite/Underdog and Over/Under has been Favorite and Under in eight games. That comes as little surprise given favorites have covered in 13 games compared to only 11 times for underdogs, and that the under has hit in 13 games compared to only 11 overs.
  • Of the 24 games to have been played, only seven have resulted in the underdog winning. Those seven underdog victories were all courtesy of either Clemson or Ohio State. No other program has caused an upset in the CFP.
  • The largest favorite of all time was #1 Alabama versus #4 Notre Dame in 2020. Alabama was a 19-point favorite but would fail to cover, winning the game 31-14 and eventually winning the National Championship.
  • Sportsbooks put together a nearly perfect over/under when they gave the Alabama vs. Oklahoma matchup in 2018 the highest over/under in the history of the CFP at 80.5 points. Bama would roll, winning 45-34, with the total going under by 1.5 points.

Other Ways To Legally Bet On The College Football Playoff

In addition to all of the above, big games like those that make up the College Football Playoff will typically have lots of other bets you can place. There will be game specials, like how long the national anthem will run or what color outfit the halftime performer will wear. You can also assemble multiple individual wagers into parlay bets, where all legs have to win in order for your ticket to pay out. Most sportsbooks will allow you to stack all kinds of different CFP bets into parlays, with straights, spreads, totals, props, and specials all on the same ticket. Parlay bets are harder to win, but they pay out at much higher rates than their constituent bets.

All that said, the most common type of CFP wager that doesn’t fall under the above categories is the futures bet. These bets will typically be available year-round, often posted a full year in advance of the CFP. Futures bets are basically long-term props. The most common NCAAF futures wagers are on which team will win the championship game and which player will take home the Heisman Trophy.

Mobile Betting On The College Football Playoff

Residents of every US state have access to mobile sports betting, with all different betting types available to bet on College Football Playoffs. While the state-based mobile betting platforms have official iPhone and Android apps, the offshore books actually make use of mobile web-app experiences to bring you all their odds and lines. These app-like interfaces require no downloads, are always automatically updated on the backend, and take bets in all 50 states with no wait. To access any offshore book’s mobile betting portal, simply visit the site of your choice via your smartphone’s or tablet’s web browser, and you’ll automatically be redirected to a small-screen optimized mobile sportsbook interface. From there, you can tap and swipe your way to big College Football Playoff winnings!

  • iPhone
  • Android
  • Google Pixel
  • Samsung Galaxy
  • iPad
  • LG Wing

College Football Playoff Live Betting

Legal CFP betting sites that allow live betting have become extremely popular in the last few years. Whereas traditional sports betting requires you to have all your bets turned in and finalized before a given game gets underway, live sports betting allows you to wager on lines all game long. All of the major offshore sportsbook operators accept live bets, and almost all land-based sportsbooks do, as well. When live betting, all the typical wager types (straights, spreads, totals, props) will be offered, and these will dynamically adjust as the game is being played, in real-time! Live betting adds hundreds of lucrative and exciting betting opportunities to every game, and there’s no more immersive way to bet on the College Football Playoff than to do so via live betting.

Legal College Football Playoff Betting FAQ’s

Do all sportsbooks offer College Football Playoff odds?

Unfortunately, no. Many states with regulated sports betting do not allow for local college teams to be bet on. This is supposedly to maintain the integrity of the local teams and an attempt not to encourage point-shaving by players. The good news is, international sports betting sites offer betting lines for all college games regardless of what state you are in. No matter what, you can bet on your local teams with no restrictions thanks to international betting sites being unaffected by US regulations. These sites can provide betting lines for every game in the NCAA.

Why is it important to shop lines on the College Football Playoff?

Shopping lines is incredibly important if you want to get the most bang for your betting buck. Because sportsbooks compete with each other for your business, you are rarely going to find exactly the same odds at any two books, whether on-land or online. As a result, whenever you see a bet you’d like to go on, it’s important that you compare the odds on that wager across as many books as possible. After all, if one book has the Sooners at -175 and another has them at -135, you’d be leaving a lot of money on the table by going with the former. The biggest edge any College Football Playoff bettor can get is to join multiple sportsbooks to shop lines for the best payouts.

What is the best way to withdraw my College Football Playoff winnings?

If you’re using a land-based or state-licensed (i.e. domestic) online sportsbook, the best way to withdraw is going to be via checks, eChecks, PayPal, prepaid cards, or – in some cases – cash. However, if you’re using offshore sportsbooks, there is only one option if you want to be paid out ASAP: Bitcoin (or other supported cryptocurrencies). Offshore books will pay your winnings out via other methods like money orders or courier checks, but these take up to two weeks to show up stateside. If you want same-day payouts from offshore books, crypto is the only option. Please note that in order to withdraw via crypto, you will have had to make the associated deposit via crypto first.

Does the favorite usually win its College Football Playoff games?

The CFP was installed in 2014, and in that time, there have been a total of 15 games. Of these, the outright favorite has a record of 9-6 (60%). When measured against the spread (aka ATS), however, the favorite has only covered the spread six times in 15 chances. Thus, College Football Playoff favorites are 6-9 ATS, meaning that they cover only 40% of the time. Going back into the sport’s CBS days, favorites have won the NCAAF national championship nine times in 16 tries (9-7, 56%) and are 8-8 ATS (50%). Combining just the BCS and CFP title games, the favorite is 11-10 straight up (52%) and 8-13 ATS (38%). Since 1999, then, favorites have had a tiny edge outright while consistently failing to cover the spread.