CFP national championship betting: Bettors are flocking to the over ahead of No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 2 Washington
Bettors are expecting a high-scoring national championship game Monday night.
The total for No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 2 Washington has moved from 55 to 56.5 at BetMGM as 68% of bets and over 80% of the money are on the over. Michigan is a 4.5-point favorite over the Huskies after beating Alabama in the Rose Bowl. Washington beat Texas by six in the Sugar Bowl to advance to the national title game.
Both semifinal games hit the over, though it took overtime for it to happen in the Rose Bowl. The total was 44.5 ahead of Michigan’s 27-20 win. The Wolverines won after Blake Corum scored in overtime and the defense held Alabama on fourth down.
Three of the last four Michigan games have gone over. The only game that went under in that stretch is the Wolverines’ 26-0 win over Iowa in the Big Ten title game. The Hawkeyes didn’t score points in either of their final two games of the season.
Washington’s 37-31 Sugar Bowl victory was the first time a Huskies game had hit the over since Nov. 11 against Utah. Washington’s previous three wins went under, though the Huskies’ 34-31 win over Oregon in the Pac-12 title game missed the over by a point.
Both teams are 7-7 against the total this season.
Michigan is 8-6 against the spread and has been favored in every game. Washington is an underdog for the fourth time in five games and is 7-7 against the spread. The Huskies were one-point underdogs at Oregon Sate before winning by two, 10-point underdogs against Oregon in the Pac-12 title game and three-point underdogs to Texas in the Sugar Bowl.
Bettors are much more split on the spread in the national title game than they are on the total. Washington is currently getting 53% of bets and 54% of the money as 4.5-point underdogs. The Huskies are +155 to win outright while Michigan is -190 outright and getting 51% of the money line wagers.
