Alabama or Clemson? The debate over which team is superior has divided sportsbooks across the United States.
At New Jersey sportsbooks, Clemson is the betting favorite to win the national championship, while in Las Vegas, Alabama sits atop odds boards at several casinos. Caesars Sportsbook and MGM, two bookmakers who operate in both jurisdictions, have Alabama and Clemson listed as co-favorites. It’s close everywhere.
John Murray, sportsbook director for the SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas, said he’d make Alabama a tiny favorite at “-1 or -1.5” over Clemson, if the two teams were to meet on a neutral field this weekend.
“I would have the game extremely close, but I think the market would have Alabama as a small favorite,” Murray told ESPN.
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The bigger bets in Las Vegas have been on the Crimson Tide. The SuperBook took $20,000 and $10,000 bets on the Tide at 5-2 odds this week. Heading into Week 1, sportsbook operator CG Technology had taken 10 times as much money on Alabama as it had on Clemson on its odds to win the national championship, thanks to a five-figure bet and multiple four-figure bets on the Tide.
“I can’t get a bet like that on Clemson,” CG Technology sportsbook director Tony DiTommaso said.
However, at William Hill sportsbooks, more money has been bet on Clemson than has been bet on any other team, including a $6,000 wager on the Tigers placed Aug. 19 at a New Jersey shop. The average national title bet on Clemson is around $125, while the average bet on Alabama is around $75, according to data provided by William Hill.
Clemson smashed Alabama 44-16 in last season’s championship game, handing the Tide their worst loss in the Nick Saban era. The Tigers bring back star sophomore quarterback Trevor Lawrence and a bevy of big-time playmakers.
| School | Odds |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 12-5 |
| Clemson | 12-5 |
| Georgia | 6-1 |
| Oklahoma | 8-1 |
| Ohio State | 10-1 |
| Michigan | 11-1 |
| Texas | 20-1 |
| LSU | 25-1 |
| Nebraska | 25-1 |
| Notre Dame | 30-1 |
| Courtesy: Caesars Sportsbook | |
Alabama returns starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who will play alongside an abundance of next-level talent. ESPN NFL draft analyst Todd McShay has 10 Crimson Tide players in his top 103 eligible prospects, the most of any team.
While the gap between the two favorites is small, oddsmakers believe Clemson and Alabama are each at least a touchdown better than any other team in the nation. Both teams could be favored by double digits in each of their games during the regular season. Clemson hasn’t been an underdog in the regular season since Oct. 1, 2016, against Louisville. Alabama was last an underdog in the regular season on Oct. 3, 2015, against Georgia.
One of the most popular national championship betting options at the SuperBook has been Alabama and Clemson versus the field. The odds opened at pick ’em, but the Alabama and Clemson side quickly became the favorite and got to as high as -190, before settling at the current price of -150.
“We took a $10,000 bet and a $9,000 bet on [Alabama and Clemson] at -180,” Murray said. “Then, we got pretty big back [on the field] at +160. We’ve already written over $80,000 on the prop. That’s an enormous number. We’ve got twice the money on that prop as we do on the Heisman Trophy.”
Georgia, the No. 3 favorite to win the national title, with odds around 6-1, is attracting significant action. At Caesars Sportsbook, more money has been bet on the Bulldogs to win the national championship than any other team.
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