Whether it’s college football or the NFL, seven-figure wagers usually live in late-season land — Super Bowls, national championship games, high-profile playoff matchups and the like.
But when you get No. 1 Texas vs. No. 2 Ohio State in Week 1, that could be enough to pry open a high-roller’s wallet.
Such was the case for Saturday’s showdown in Columbus, Ohio.
And the big bettor got the worst of it.
More on that wager and other notable bets, including from two huge upsets, as we recap the weekend that was in college football betting.
I Like Big Bets And I Cannot Lie
On Saturday morning, not long before FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff, a largely-bankrolled bettor hit one of Caesars Sports’ properties on the Vegas Strip. The customer put $1 million on Texas moneyline -105, shoving in all those chips on a Longhorns outright victory.
Unfortunately, much-heralded Heisman hopeful Arch Manning — no longer the favorite, BTW — led Texas to just one touchdown. Ohio State won a defensive battle 14-7.
So Caesars got its football season off to a roaring start with a seven-figure win off just that one bet.
Likewise, Circa Sports pocketed a huge win off a big Texas bettor who on Thursday afternoon plunked $550,000 on the Longhorns +1.
Other notable plays in college football Week 1 odds, all at DraftKings Sportsbook:
- $100,000 San Jose State moneyline -520 vs. Central Michigan. The Spartans were huge favorites, but the bettor ended up getting a big sweat. San Jose State escaped with a 16-14 victory, and the bettor profited $19,230.77 (total payout $119,230.77).
- $75,000 Nebraska moneyline -250 vs. Cincinnati. Another huge sweat, as the Huskers needed a final-second touchdown to win 19-17 on the road. The bettor profited $30,000 (total payout $105,000).
- $55,000 Auburn -2 vs. Baylor. The Tigers won 38-24, and the bettor banked $50,000 profit (total payout $105,000).
- $50,000 Georgia Tech -4 (-112) vs. Colorado. The Yellow Jackets beat Coach Prime & Co. 27-20, and the bettor claimed $44,642.86 in profit (total payout $94,642.86).
- $25,000 Ohio State +1.5 (-112) vs. Texas. So that customer profited $22,321.43 (total payout $47,321.43).
- $20,000 Texas moneyline -102. That’s a five-figure donation to the house.
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Underdog Dollars
There were two massive upsets in college football Week 1 odds. The more noteworthy: Florida State’s shocking 31-17 victory over No. 8 Alabama.
The Seminoles were 14-point home underdogs on the spread and correspondingly in the +440 range on the moneyline. Alabama was seemingly a lead-pipe cinch to at least win Saturday’s game, if not cover the spread.
And most bettors were on the Crimson Tide. But at least one DraftKings customer zigged where others zagged, putting $2,500 on Florida State moneyline +440.
The upset netted that bettor $11,000 in profit (total payout $13,500).
On the flip side, a Caesars customer washed $63,000 down the drain on Alabama moneyline -550.
Another 14-point ‘dog delivered on Friday night. FCS outfit Tarleton State rallied from a 24-10 third-quarter deficit at Army, tying it at 24 on a touchdown with 9:45 remaining.
Neither team scored the rest of the fourth quarter, and Tarleton went on to win 30-27 in double overtime.
A prescient DraftKings customer cashed out big on that upset. The bettor had $7,500 on Tarleton State moneyline +455, pocketing a healthy $34,125 profit (total payout $41,625).
Parlay Partay
The legendary Lee Corso called it a career Saturday in Columbus. And the 90-year-old ESPN analyst went out in style.
Corso made six picks during his final pregame show. Sure enough, all six teams won, including three underdogs: Florida State in the aforementioned shocker, along with LSU at Clemson and Miami vs. Notre Dame.
A FanDuel Sportsbook customer decided to take a flier, putting all six of Corso’s picks on a moneyline parlay. The amount of the wager: just $7.77.
The bettor ended up turning that $7.77 into $684.79. That’s some fantastic ROI.
And how about this phenomenal parlay ticket at Caesars Sports:
The bettor played 11 Unders, all on the Thursday night games, and hit them all. So 25 bucks became nearly $31,000.
All that craziness noted above, and we’re just getting started. NFL Week 1 joins the fray this week.
Enjoy it, but remember to remain reasonable. Never bet more than you can afford to lose.
Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for VegasInsider.com. He is a distinguished journalist in the national sports betting space. He’s based in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golfing in 110-degree heat. Follow him on Twitter: @PatrickE_Vegas.
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