Since the 2014-15 season, the College Football Playoffs have determined the four best NCAA Division I FBS teams that will play for a chance to win the national championship. As a result, the two CFP semifinal matchups receive the most betting action out of any of the games played during the college football bowl season. If you are looking to get in on the postseason wagering, read through our 2021-22 CFP betting guide to gain a competitive edge prior to laying any action.
There are some noteworthy trends you should be aware of before placing a wager on the betting lines for the CFP semifinals. Along with the legal status of betting on college football, we cover tips and strategies to help aid in your betting decisions while providing the latest odds of being picked by the selection committee in December. We’ll also reveal our list of the top sportsbooks on the web that are accepting bets on the 2021-22 NCAAF playoffs so you can find the most advantageous CFP odds.
Is It Legal to Bet On the College Football Playoff?
Yes, and betting on bowl games and the CFP postseason matchups is easier than ever. There are two ways to bet on the CFP semifinals legally. Some states inside of the USA feature domestic brick-and-mortar sportsbooks or mobile apps that allow for CFP wagers to be placed, with most requiring a minimum age of 21 years old to participate.
If access to a region with legal domestic sportsbooks is not feasible, the best option is wagering with an international betting site that is operating outside of the jurisdiction of the United States. Federal gambling laws fail to mention offshore wagering, leaving a mammoth-sized loophole that allows for legal sports betting online. Washington state has made all forms of online wagering unlawful, so it is highly advisable that you become familiar with local sports betting laws prior to wagering on the CFP.
Who Will Make the Four-Team College Football Playoff?
Being that it is so early on in the 2021-2022 season, odds on who will make the College Football Playoff are profitable no matter who you select. Based on what we’ve seen at sportsbooks so far, we can assume that Clemson, Oklahoma, and Alabama have a solid chance of being a part of the CFP selections at the end of the year. Take it into consideration for your NCAAF picks.
CFP Selection Trends
The 13-member College Football Playoff selection committee has been tasked with picking which four teams will play in the two semifinal games since the 2014-15 season.
The teams are ranked starting in October then officially selected and seeded (1 vs. 4/2 vs. 3) after the conference championship games are played at the beginning of December.
Before betting on which college football teams will or won’t be selected, here are some trends to know ahead of time. The selection committee does not have a strict criterion—only to “select the four best teams”—but here’s how they’ve picked the “best” teams since the playoff format was introduced.
- Only undefeated and one-loss teams have been selected. No team with two or more losses has made the CFP.
- If two teams have identical one-loss records, the team with the loss to the stronger team is valued higher. Example: 2018 Oklahoma was selected with a loss to Texas, but Ohio State was not with a loss to Purdue.
- Winning a Power Five (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC) conference championship isn’t a requirement. Example: 2018 – Notre Dame (Independent), 2017 – Alabama.
- A Power Five conference can have more than one team selected. Example: 2017 – Georgia, Alabama.
- Non-conference strength of schedule matters. All teams selected so far played and beat at least one Power Five team in non-conference play.
How CFP Winners Affect National Championship Odds
The two teams that win the college football playoffs will advance to the national championship game. Odds for the big game can change based on how well the team performs in the CFP, injuries that may have occurred, and other deciding factors.
Preseason odds favor an Alabama and Clemson rematch, but there are a bunch of other good teams out there looking to keep them out of the college football playoffs.
