Happy Thanksgiving Weekend, everybody. As I wrote in my NFL Thanksgiving game report, we all have a great deal to be thankful for. Personally, I am grateful to be in good health and able to share these columns with you every week.
Thanksgiving is a huge betting week for us. I would say the five days – Thursday through Monday – rivals the opening day of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
This report covers the college football games on Thursday night through Saturday and then I’ll return with the rest of the NFL Week 12 card on Saturday morning.
As always, we present the games in official Nevada rotation order.
Mississippi State at No. 20 Mississippi (-2, 61)
This is a good betting game. We opened Ole Miss -2.5. They took it and we went to 2, and now strictly public money laying back the 2 on Mississippi. Nothing on the total.
North Carolina State at No. 18 UNC (-6, 56)
We opened 6. The public is beginning to lay the 6 but no sharp action yet and we have yet to move the number. Nothing on this total either. We haven’t had any substantial total action yet on any of the Friday games.
Baylor at No. 24 Texas (-8.5, 56)
We opened 8.5. Another good betting game but no movement yet.
Florida at No. 16 Florida State (-9.5, 58)
We opened 9.5 and haven’t moved it. Not a lot of action on the Friday games yet. Interesting to note that I opened this game as a part of our “Game of the Year” releases over the summer with Florida State as a 2-point favorite. It closed Florida State -3.
No. 19 Tulane at No. 21 Cincinnati (-1, 46.5)
Now here’s a Friday game in which we have had a lot of business. We opened Cincinnati -2. They took the 2, and we went to 1.5. They laid back the 1.5 and we went to 2 again. This time they took the 2 and the 1.5, and we’re down to 1. This game has a ton of business. Nothing however, on the total.
​
No. 10 Oregon (-3, 58.5) at No. 22 Oregon State
Good business on this one, too. We opened Oregon -3.5, sharp money took it and we are now at 3. Sharp money is definitely on the dog. Oregon State was one of my teams before the season started and they’ve had a heck of a year. Nothing much on anything else: total, money line, etc.
Kansas at No. 15 Kansas State (-12, 62.5)
We opened 12. The public is laying the 12 but I see it going to 11.5 with some sharp play at other places. They haven’t hit me yet. If they do, I will move this.
South Carolina at No. 7 Clemson (-14.5, 52)
We opened the game 14.5 and are yet to move. We have some money on the dog, though. Mostly recreational money, but I see some 14s popping up. I personally think the number is a little high. I think it is going to go down. I made the number 13 and I think this is a pretty live dog here.
Michigan State at No. 11 Penn State (-18.5, 53.5)
This is a little bit of a rivalry –for the Land Grant Trophy. We opened this game 18 and we got bet up to 18.5. Mostly recreational money but enough to move us.
No. 3 Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State (-8, 56)
We opened this game 8 and have an absolute ton of business both ways but haven’t moved it. I think it is a good number. I see some 7.5s out there, but I prefer the higher number. I’ve had Ohio State ranked No. 1 all year. We’ve had a couple of sharp bets on either side, but again, nothing to move the number just yet. Ohio State opened and closed -14 as a Game of the Year over the summer.
No. 13 Notre Dame at No. 5 USC (-5.5, 64)
We’re at 5.5, writing a ton of two-way business. I almost went to 6, but I’m kind of glad I didn’t go there because they got taken at other shops right away. It looks like the sharp money is on Notre Dame. I made this game 4.5, so not a big difference, but I kind of favor the lower number here. I opened Notre Dame -5 in one of our Games of the Year and it closed USC -3.
Iowa State at No. 4 TCU (-10, 47.5)
We opened 10. Business both ways but we have yet to move the number.
Auburn at No. 8 Alabama (-22, 50)
We opened 21.5. Not sharp money but public money moved me to 22 and that is where we are at as of Thursday morning. And this game included very little total action so far this week, though that will likely change as I’m sure we will get flooded with late action. Another Game of the Year here: Alabama opened -18 and closed -24.
Chris Andrews is the Sportsbook Director at South Point Hotel in Las Vegas, a member of the Sports Betting Hall of Fame, and has been a Nevada bookmaker for over 40 years.