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Fox Sports
5 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 CFP Futures Odds: 'Not An Astronomical Amount Of Action On Ohio State'
College Football Playoff championship odds might not be front-and-center in your mind yet, but the regular season begins one month from now. So, the market is starting to percolate. And Big Ten teams represent a key component of that market, starting with defending national champion Ohio State, which Caesars Sports has as the co-favorite with Texas. The Buckeyes, while popular, aren't seeing significant residual betting effects of that title run. "There's not an astronomical amount of action on Ohio State," Caesars Sports head of football trading Joey Feazel said. "There's a little bit more on Texas, a little more buzz on the Longhorns." Feazel helps dive into how bettors are playing Big Ten teams in CFP futures odds. Lots of Shoes to Fill The biggest issue for Ohio State? Making up for a hefty loss of star power from the 2024-25 championship team. "You've got a quarterback change, and they lost a lot of talent to the NFL Draft," Feazel said. Indeed, 14 Buckeyes were drafted , including four in the first round: wideout Emeka Embuka (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), offensive guard Donovan Jackson (Minnesota Vikings), defensive tackle Tyleik Williams (Detroit Lions) and offensive tackle Josh Simmons (Kansas City Chiefs). Seven Ohio State players went in the first two rounds. Quarterback Will Howard was taken in the sixth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers. It's a three-way battle to become the Buckeyes' next starting QB, between sophomore Julian Sayin, junior Lincoln Kienholz and true freshman Tavien St. Clair. Even without clarity at QB, Ohio State is +500 in Caesars' CFP championship odds, matching Texas as the favorite. "Certainly, Ohio State will be good. But that Playoff run last year was some of the best football we've seen in a while," Feazel said, alluding to the Buckeyes posting four double-digit wins, including a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in the title game. "With the 12-team playoff in Year 2, are they gonna be able to have the same run?" We'll find out a lot right away. On Aug. 30, in the first FOX Big Noon Kickoff of the season, Ohio State hosts Texas. Is Penn State Great? Penn State reached the Big Ten title game last year, the beneficiary of Ohio State's upset loss to Michigan in the regular-season finale. The Nittany Lions then lost to Oregon 45-37, but still got a bid to the 12-team College Football Playoff. Penn State took out SMU in the first round and Boise State in the quarterfinals, but fell to Notre Dame 27-24 in the semifinals. This season, bettors are intrigued by the Nittany Lions, who opened +900 and are now the +700 fourth choice. Only Ohio State, Texas and Georgia (+675) are ahead of Penn State in CFP futures odds. "Penn State has certainly taken some money, a lot of early action," Feazel said. "It goes with the Nittany Lions' schedule. They have one tough road game, at Ohio State. They're gonna host Oregon. "But outside of that, they've got a simpler schedule. They're expected to be in contention for the Big Ten title game, so that puts them in contention to be a higher seed in the College Football Playoff." That said, Penn State action has slowed of late. "The last couple weeks, people are not seeing as much value there, at +700," Feazel said. Dodging the Ducks Right behind Penn State at No. 5 in Caesars' College Football Playoff odds is Oregon, at +850. As noted above, the Ducks are the reigning Big Ten champs. That got Oregon a bye into the CFP quarterfinals, where it lost to Ohio State 41-21. Although the Ducks rate well with bookmakers, bettors aren't that intrigued so far. "Oregon is the opposite of Penn State. There's not much action at all, and Oregon is one of our best-case scenarios to win the national title," Feazel said. "It's another team with a pretty simple schedule. The Ducks' toughest game is gonna be at Penn State." Like Ohio State, Oregon has a new QB. Dante Moore transferred from UCLA and is expected to fill the void left by Dillon Gabriel, who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns. "There hasn't been a lot of love on Oregon. But that's a team that's still high in our power rankings," Feazel said. Michigan and More Michigan won the national title two seasons ago, then had a letdown 8-5 season last year. But the Wolverines notched a stunning 13-10 upset as 19.5-point road underdogs to Ohio State in the regular-season finale. Caesars has Michigan as the +2200 10th choice in College Football Playoff odds. "Michigan is still a solid defensive team, a solid running team. We expect the Wolverines to step forward this year," Feazel said. "They've got a new QB, Bryce Underwood, with a lot of hype around him. He's a young QB, and especially that young, you're not sure what you'll get out of him." Underwood turns 18 on Aug. 19. "It's not as simple of a schedule. Michigan is at Oklahoma in Week 2, and is going to USC and Nebraska," Feazel said. "Their odds haven't really moved much. There's not really much interest yet." Feazel noted two other Big Ten outfits in the CFP championship odds market: Indiana, coming off a surprising 11-1 regular season, before losing to Notre Dame in the first round of the 2024 CFP; and USC, which was a disappointing 7-6 last year but looks to rebound this season. "There's a lot of interest in USC thus far, but there's not too much love on Indiana," Feazel said. Both are longer shots at the moment, with the Trojans +7000 and the Hoosiers +10000 (100/1). Big Ten Bets Caesars Sports has seen a few notable wagers so far on Big Ten teams winning the national championship. The largest bet is on a team deemed a legit threat: Penn State, which in February took a $5,000 play at +900. If the Nittany Lions win it all, then the bettor profits $45,000 (total payout $50,000). In March, there was a $1,000 bet on USC +7000. So if USC surprises many this season, then that customer pockets a healthy $70,000 profit (total payout $71,000). Caesars took a modest $500 bet this month on Indiana +10000, which would equate to a $50,000 win if the Hoosiers take the title. An even more modest wager landed on long-shot Illinois: $300 at +19000. It's hard to imagine Illinois making a championship run, but if that happens, then the bettor pockets $57,000 in profit. Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for 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 X: @PatrickE_Vegas. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 NFL Week 1 odds: Divisional drama highlights opening week
If there's ever any doubt about how much NFL odds captivate the American sports betting masses, that uncertainty is put to rest each May. The schedule comes out, and eager bettors jump on NFL Week 1 odds, even though the games are 4.5 months away. Of course, the NFL includes several marquee matchups, which appeal to bettors. Following the May 14 release of the 2025-26 schedule, one game in particular stands out to Joey Feazel, head of football trading for Caesars Sportbook. "The Sunday night game, Ravens vs. Bills, is obviously a huge matchup," Feazel said. "That's the one that we're most looking forward to." But there are plenty more. Feazel helps dive into very early action in NFL Week 1 betting. Divisional Drama The 2025-26 season opens on Thursday, Sept. 4, with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Dallas Cowboys. Then on Friday, Sept. 5, it's the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil. "It's surprising to see the NFL go with divisional rivalries in these first two games," Feazel said. Last year, Thursday's season opener pitted the Chiefs vs. the Ravens, and the first-ever Brazil game had the Eagles meeting the Green Bay Packers. Two seasons ago, the Chiefs hosted the Detroit Lions in the first game of the season. This time around, though, it's divisional matchups. And the prime-time opener is one of the more popular games, with Philly a 7-point favorite. "Cowboys-Eagles is taking some action on Dallas +7," Feazel said. "The Eagles are coming off a Super Bowl win, and they lost a couple of players on defense. They also lost offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who's now the head coach of the Saints. "So we're seeing some Cowboys' money on the spread." As for the K.C. vs. L.A. neutral-site showdown, the Chiefs are modest 2.5-point favorites in Caesars' NFL Week 1 odds. "We're getting some Chiefs action, both on the moneyline and on the spread," Feazel said, while noting Kansas City will be a liability for oddsmakers in several spots this season. "There will be a lot of big decisions betting on the Chiefs this year, because they have eight standalone games. So that's a lot of sweats for Caesars Sportsbook." NFL Rocks on FOX Another divisional game that will draw some eyeballs and betting attention: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns on opening Sunday, Sept. 7. FOX will air this AFC North clash, in which there's no question that Joe Burrow will be the Bengals quarterback but a lot of questions about who's under center for the Browns. Deshaun Watson is recovering from an Achilles tear. Joe Flacco returned this offseason as a free agent and Kenny Pickett arrived via a trade with the Eagles. From there, it gets much more interesting. The Browns selected Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, then came back and took Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round, with the Colorado QB stunningly sliding way down the draft board. "That's a QB battle that will be talked about throughout the summer," Feazel said. "Flacco is gonna be serviceable, and Pickett is a QB they paid for to be a backup. "It'll be a fun QB competition. But I don't expect it to be Sanders or Gabriel. I don't think they'll throw either rookie QB out there in Week 1." The Bengals are 5.5-point road favorites on opening Sunday. Another Divisional Duel The Detroit Lions visit the Green Bay Packers in a Week 1 NFC North battle. Detroit is coming off a stunning upset loss to Washington in the NFC Divisional Round. That's not all the Lions lost. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson left to take over as Chicago Bears head coach, and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn did likewise for the New York Jets. "There's still a massive amount of talent on that team. We'll see how much of an impact Johnson and Glenn had," Feazel said. It's a toss-up of a game at Lambeau Field, with Green Bay a 1-point home favorite. "There's not a lot of action yet, and I don't blame bettors. It's a very close matchup and should be a very good game," Feazel said. Sunday Night Showdown As Feazel noted above, Ravens vs. Bills top the NFL Week 1 oddsboard. Buffalo is a 1.5-point home favorite. "It's a massive matchup," he said. "Action-wise, it's pretty balanced. There's been a little sharp money on the Under." That said, the Ravens-Bills game has the highest point total of any Week 1 game, at 52 points. So, fireworks are certainly expected when the past two NFL MVPs square off. Bills' QB Josh Allen was named MVP last season, a year after Ravens' QB Lamar Jackson nabbed his second MVP award. Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for 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 X: @PatrickE_Vegas. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
05-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Five popular bets for Super Bowl LIX
Super Bowl LIX odds are inviting plenty of action on the typical game markets — point spread, moneyline and total — and even more so on the myriad alternatives. Prop bets are wildly popular, not only with the public betting masses but with those one-time-a-year bettors. Joey Feazel, head of football trading for Caesars Sports, helps break down five popular Super Bowl bets, ahead of Sunday's Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles showdown on FOX. No. 1: Eagles Moneyline The point spread is probably the most familiar wager in NFL betting. But the moneyline is much more crystal clear: You're just betting on which team wins the game. Period. For the past 10 days, sportsbooks across the nation reported seeing strong Eagles moneyline play, and Caesars Sports is no exception. Philadelphia is currently -105 on the moneyline, which means a $105 bet would win $100 (total payout of $205) if the Eagles are victorious Sunday. "Eagles moneyline is the most popular bet on the game itself," Feazel said. "I think part of it is the public doesn't like the Chiefs as much anymore. The Chiefs have entered Patriots territory — you either love them or you hate them." There's a second component, though. And it's one that's recognized by sharp bettors. "If you look at the season as a whole, the perception is that the Eagles are the better team. And the sharps are on the Eagles, as well," Feazel said. No. 2: Coin Toss Ah, yes. There's nothing quite like settling a bet before the game even kicks off, in this case around 6:30 p.m. ET Sunday. And even though winning or losing is literally a coin flip, this market always draws heavy action. "It's usually the most-bet Super Bowl prop every year," Feazel said. "People love a quick decision, first thing. That's attractive. There's no skill involved and no need for research." At Caesars, both Heads and Tails have -105 odds, meaning again that it takes a $105 bet to win $100 (total payout of $205). No. 3: Successful 2-Point Conversion Like many Super Bowl prop bets, this is a Yes/No market. Midweek at Caesars, No is a -300 favorite, with Yes a +240 underdog. Per usual, the public is all over Yes, in part due to that +240 price. A $100 bet would profit $240 (total payout of $340), if there's a successful 2-point conversion. But there's some logic going on here, too. "The Tush Push is giving this prop that extra traffic," Feazel said of the Eagles' patented short-yardage play for QB Jalen Hurts. "Ninety percent of the action is on Yes." Feazel painted this very possible scenario: After a touchdown, Philly lines up to go for two points. Kansas City jumps offsides. The ball then moves half the distance, to the 1-yard line, which is prime Tush Push range. "I'm sure this has crossed the minds of many bettors," he said. "And two Super Bowls ago, Hurts got the Octopus — the TD and the 2-point conversion. That lines up with this 2-point proposition." No. 4: Interception In The End Zone If you think there will be an interception in the end zone, then you might want to sprinkle a few dollars on this Super Bowl prop bet at Caesars. The odds are +700, so a $100 bet would profit a handsome $700 (total payout of $800). "This is a new one we put up this year. I think it's the new part that's attractive to customers," Feazel said, while again painting a perfectly reasonable picture of how it could happen. "It's the Hail Mary aspect. Maybe late in the first half, the offense takes a shot. There are extra defensive backs on the field. "It's a no-loss scenario, before halftime." And there are actually two ways to cash in on this bet, as Feazel pointed out. The second scenario: The Eagles offense is pinned on its goal line, Hurts drops back, has his pass deflected, and the Chiefs intercept the ball in the end zone for a touchdown. That's a winner. At 7/1, that'd be pretty nice. No. 5: Passing Touchdown From A Non-QB Of the four Super Bowl prop bets mentioned in this piece, this one pays the best, at +1000. That means a $100 bet would profit $1,000 (total payout of $1,100). You just need someone other than a quarterback to throw a touchdown pass — which is hardly out of the question. It's occurred three times in the last seven Super Bowls. "It happened last year, Jauan Jennings to Christian McCaffrey," Feazel said of the 49ers hookup in Super Bowl 58. "This is a popular prop every year. It looks like every team has this in their playbook and tends to try it, especially in the Super Bowl. "It's the last game. There are plays teams haven't used all season, and this is usually one of them." Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for 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 Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
