There are a number of ways to bet on college football. In addition to betting on spreads, totals, and moneylines, you can bet on college football futures and even props. When it comes to college football futures betting, there are multiple options available. People can bet on teams to win a certain number of games (win total betting), cast their lots with a team to win it all (CFP National Championship betting), or bet on a team to win their conference (college football conference betting). The latter option is the focus of this article.

Betting on College Football Conference Winners

The gambling world has a lot of nuance and can be confusing, but betting on college football conference winners is pretty straightforward. Every conference in college football has a conference championship game, and the winner of that game is crowned champion.

All but two conferences, the Big 12 and the Sun Belt, are split into two divisions. In the case of the Big 12 and the Sun Belt, the teams with the best records at the end of the regular season meet to determine the conference champion. Every other conference sends the top team in each division to its conference championship game, with the winner claiming the conference crown. This is simple and easy, but it can lead to other dilemmas and second-guessing.

For example, in 2017, the Alabama Crimson Tide were able to make the College Football Playoff and eventually win the College Football Playoff National Championship without even making it to the SEC Championship Game. Alabama lost to Auburn in their final game of the regular season, but they received a lifeline from the committee and won the national title while the Georgia Bulldogs won the SEC.

In the past, conferences would declare co-champions, but that is no longer the case. Networks love conference championship games, and they are usually some of the highest rated games of the season. That makes it easier on bowls too, as college football slots teams into bowl games depending on where they finish in the conference.

College Football Conference Betting Strategies

One of the most important things to keep in mind when betting on college football, and college football conferences, is that not all conferences or divisions are created equal. There are teams that have much easier paths to the title game than others due to the relative strength of the division as well as the schedule. For instance, Georgia might not be as good as Alabama, but the Bulldogs have a much easier path to the SEC Championship Game than the Crimson Tide by virtue of playing in the SEC East instead of the SEC West.

AAC Champions

Year Champion
2013 UCF
2014 Memphis/Cincinnati/UCF
2015 Houston
2016 Temple
2017 UCF
2018

ACC Champions

Year Champion
1953 Duke/Maryland
1954 Duke
1955 Duke/Maryland
1956 Clemson
1957 NC State
1958 Clemson
1959 Clemson
1960 Duke
1961 Duke
1962 Duke
1963 North Carolina/NC State
1964 NC State
1965 Clemson/NC State
1966 Clemson
1967 Clemson
1968 NC State
1969 South Carolina
1970 Wake Forest
1971 North Carolina
1972 North Carolina
1973 NC State
1974 Maryland
1975 Maryland
1976 Maryland
1977 North Carolina
1978 Clemson
1979 NC State
1980 North Carolina
1981 Clemson
1982 Clemson
1983 Maryland
1984 Maryland
1985 Maryland
1986 Clemson
1987 Clemson
1988 Clemson
1989 Duke/Virginia
1990 Georgia Tech
1991 Clemson
1992 Florida State
1993 Florida State
1994 Florida State
1995 Florida State/Virginia
1996 Florida State
1997 Florida State
1998 Florida State/Georgia Tech
1999 Florida State
2000 Florida State
2001 Maryland
2002 Florida State
2003 Florida State
2004 Virginia Tech
2005 Florida State
2006 Wake Forest
2007 Virginia Tech
2008 Virginia Tech
2009 Georgia Tech
2010 Virginia Tech
2011 Clemson
2012 Florida State
2013 Florida State
2014 Florida State
2015 Clemson
2016 Clemson
2017 Clemson
2018

Big 12 Champions

Year Champion
1996 Texas
1997 Nebraska
1998 Texas A&M
1999 Nebraska
2000 Oklahoma
2001 Colorado
2002 Oklahoma
2003 Kansas State
2004 Oklahoma
2005 Texas
2006 Oklahoma
2007 Oklahoma
2008 Oklahoma
2009 Texas
2010 Oklahoma
2011 Oklahoma State
2012 Kansas State/Oklahoma
2013 Baylor
2014 Baylor/TCU
2015 Oklahoma
2016 Oklahoma
2017 Oklahoma
2018

Big Ten Champions

Year Champion
1896 Wisconsin
1897 Wisconsin
1898 Michigan
1899 Chicago
1900 Iowa/Minnesota
1901 Michigan/Wisconsin
1902 Michigan
1903 Michigan/Minnesota/Northwestern
1904 Michigan/Minnesota
1905 Chicago
1906 Michigan/Minnesota/Wisconsin
1907 Chicago
1908 Chicago
1909 Minnesota
1910 Illinois/Minnesota
1911 Minnesota
1912 Wisconsin
1913 Chicago
1914 Illinois
1915 Illinois/Minnesota
1916 Ohio State
1917 Ohio State
1918 Illinois/Michigan/Purdue
1919 Illinois
1920 Ohio State
1921 Iowa
1922 Chicago/Iowa/Michigan
1923 Illinois/Michigan
1924 Chicago
1925 Michigan
1926 Michigan/Northwestern
1927 Illinois/Minnesota
1928 Illinois
1929 Purdue
1930 Michigan/Northwestern
1931 Michigan/Northwestern/Purdue
1932 Michigan/Purdue
1933 Michigan/Minnesota
1934 Minnesota
1935 Minnesota/Ohio State
1936 Northwestern
1937 Minnesota
1938 Minnesota
1939 Ohio State
1940 Minnesota
1941 Minnesota
1942 Ohio State
1943 Michigan/Purdue
1944 Ohio State
1945 Indiana
1946 Illinois
1947 Michigan
1948 Michigan
1949 Michigan/Ohio State
1950 Michigan
1951 Illinois
1952 Purdue/Wisconsin
1953 Illinois/Michigan State
1954 Ohio State
1955 Ohio State
1956 Iowa
1957 Ohio State
1958 Iowa
1959 Wisconsin
1960 Iowa/Minnesota
1961 Ohio State
1962 Wisconsin
1963 Illinois
1964 Michigan
1965 Michigan State
1966 Michigan State
1967 Indiana/Minnesota/Purdue
1968 Ohio State
1969 Michigan/Ohio State
1970 Ohio State
1971 Michigan
1972 Michigan/Ohio State
1973 Michigan/Ohio State
1974 Michigan/Ohio State
1975 Ohio State
1976 Michigan/Ohio State
1977 Michigan/Ohio State
1978 Michigan/Michigan State
1979 Ohio State
1980 Michigan
1981 Iowa/Ohio State
1982 Michigan
1983 Illinois
1984 Ohio State
1985 Iowa
1986 Michigan/Ohio State
1987 Michigan State
1988 Michigan
1989 Michigan
1990 Illinois/Iowa/Michigan/Michigan State
1991 Michigan
1992 Michigan
1993 Ohio State/Wisconsin
1994 Penn State
1995 Northwestern
1996 Northwestern/Ohio State
1997 Michigan
1998 Michigan/Ohio State/Wisconsin
1999 Wisconsin
2000 Michigan/Northwestern/Purdue
2001 Illinois
2002 Iowa/Ohio State
2003 Michigan
2004 Iowa/Michigan
2005 Ohio State/Penn State
2006 Ohio State
2007 Ohio State
2008 Ohio State/Penn State
2009 Ohio State
2010 Michigan State/Wisconsin
2011 Wisconsin
2012 Wisconsin
2013 Michigan State
2014 Ohio State
2015 Michigan State
2016 Penn State
2017 Ohio State
2018

Conference USA Champions

Year Champion
1996 Houston/Southern Miss
1997 Southern Miss
1998 Tulane
1999 Southern Miss
2000 Louisville
2001 Louisville
2002 Cincinnati/TCU
2003 Southern Miss
2004 Louisville
2005 Tulsa
2006 Houston
2007 UCF
2008 East Carolina
2009 East Carolina
2010 UCF
2011 Southern Miss
2012 Tulsa
2013 Rice
2014 Marshall
2015 Western Kentucky
2016 Western Kentucky
2017 Florida Atlantic
2018

MAC Champions

Year Champion
1947 Cincinnati
1948 Miami (OH)
1949 Cincinnati
1950 Miami (OH)
1951 Cincinnati
1952 Cincinnati
1953 Ohio
1954 Miami (OH)
1955 Miami (OH)
1956 Bowling Green
1957 Miami (OH)
1958 Miami (OH)
1959 Bowling Green
1960 Ohio
1961 Bowling Green
1962 Bowling Green
1963 Ohio
1964 Bowling Green
1965 Bowling Green/ Miami (OH)
1966 Miami (OH)/Western Michigan
1967 Ohio/Toledo
1968 Ohio
1969 Toledo
1970 Toledo
1971 Toledo
1972 Kent State
1973 Miami (OH)
1974 Miami (OH)
1975 Miami (OH)
1976 Ball State
1977 Miami (OH)
1978 Ball State
1979 Central Michigan
1980 Central Michigan
1981 Toledo
1982 Bowling Green
1983 Northern Illinois
1984 Toledo
1985 Bowling Green
1986 Miami (OH)
1987 Eastern Michigan
1988 Western Michigan
1989 Ball State
1990 Central Michigan/Toledo
1991 Bowling Green
1992 Bowling Green
1993 Ball State
1994 Central Michigan
1995 Toledo
1996 Ball State
1997 Marshall
1998 Marshall
1999 Marshall
2000 Marshall
2001 Toledo
2002 Marshall
2003 Miami (OH)
2004 Toledo
2005 Akron
2006 Central Michigan
2007 Central Michigan
2008 Buffalo
2009 Northern Illinois
2010 Miami (OH)
2011 Northern Illinois
2012 Northern Illinois
2013 Bowling Green
2014 Northern Illinois
2015 Bowling Green
2016 Western Michigan
2017 Toledo
2018

Mountain West Champions

Year Champion
1999 BYU/Colorado State/Utah
2000 Colorado State
2001 BYU
2002 Colorado State
2003 Utah
2004 Utah
2005 TCU
2006 BYU
2007 BYU
2008 Utah
2009 TCU
2010 TCU
2011 TCU
2012 Boise State/Fresno State/San Diego State
2013 Fresno State
2014 Boise State
2015 San Diego State
2016 San Diego State
2017 Boise State
2018

PAC-12 Champions

Year Champion
1916 Washington
1917 Washington State
1918 California
1919 Oregon/Washington
1920 California
1921 California
1922 California
1923 California
1924 Stanford
1925 Washington
1926 Stanford
1927 Stanford/USC
1928 USC
1929 USC
1930 Washington State
1931 USC
1932 USC
1933 Stanford/Oregon
1934 Stanford
1935 California/Stanford/UCLA
1936 Washington
1937 California
1938 California/USC
1939 USC
1940 Stanford
1941 Oregon State
1942 UCLA
1943 USC
1944 USC
1945 USC
1946 UCLA
1947 USC
1948 California/Oregon
1949 California
1950 California
1951 Stanford
1952 USC
1953 UCLA
1954 UCLA
1955 UCLA
1956 Oregon State
1957 Oregon/Oregon State
1958 California
1959 UCLA/USC/Washington
1960 Washington
1961 UCLA
1962 USC
1963 Washington
1964 Oregon State/USC
1965 UCLA
1966 USC
1967 USC
1968 USC
1969 USC
1970 Stanford
1971 Stanford
1972 USC
1973 USC
1974 USC
1975 California/UCLA
1976 USC
1977 Washington
1978 USC
1979 USC
1980 Washington
1981 Washington
1982 UCLA
1983 UCLA
1984 USC
1985 UCLA
1986 Arizona State
1987 UCLA/USC
1988 USC
1989 USC
1990 Washington
1991 Washington
1992 Stanford/Washington
1993 Arizona/UCLA/USC
1994 Oregon
1995 USC/Washington
1996 Arizona State
1997 Washington State/UCLA
1998 UCLA
1999 Stanford
2000 Oregon/Oregon State/Washington
2001 Oregon
2002 Washington State/USC
2003 USC
2004 USC
2005 USC
2006 California/USC
2007 Arizona State/USC
2008 USC
2009 Oregon
2010 Oregon
2011 Oregon
2012 Stanford
2013 Stanford
2014 Oregon
2015 Stanford
2016 Washington
2017 USC
2018

SEC Champions

Year Champion
1933 Alabama
1934 Alabama/Tulane
1935 LSU
1936 LSU
1937 Alabama
1938 Tennessee
1939 Georgia Tech/Tennessee/Tulane
1940 Tennessee
1941 Mississippi State
1942 Georgia
1943 Georgia Tech
1944 Georgia Tech
1945 Alabama
1946 Georgia/Tennessee
1947 Ole Miss
1948 Georgia
1949 Tulane
1950 Kentucky
1951 Georgia Tech/Tennessee
1952 Georgia Tech
1953 Alabama
1954 Ole Miss
1955 Ole Miss
1956 Tennessee
1957 Auburn
1958 LSU
1959 Georgia
1960 Ole Miss
1961 Alabama/LSU
1962 Ole Miss
1963 Ole Miss
1964 Alabama
1965 Alabama
1966 Alabama/Georgia
1967 Tennessee
1968 Georgia
1969 Tennessee
1970 LSU
1971 Alabama
1972 Alabama
1973 Alabama
1974 Alabama
1975 Alabama
1976 Georgia/Kentucky
1977 Alabama
1978 Alabama
1979 Alabama
1980 Georgia
1981 Alabama/Georgia
1982 Georgia
1983 Auburn
1984 Florida
1985 Tennessee
1986 LSU
1987 Auburn
1988 Auburn/LSU
1989 Alabama/Auburn/Tennessee
1990 Tennessee
1991 Florida
1992 Alabama
1993 Florida
1994 Florida
1995 Florida
1996 Florida
1997 Tennessee
1998 Tennessee
1999 Alabama
2000 Florida
2001 LSU
2002 Georgia
2003 LSU
2004 Auburn
2005 Georgia
2006 Florida
2007 LSU
2008 Florida
2009 Alabama
2010 Auburn
2011 LSU
2012 Alabama
2013 Auburn
2014 Alabama
2015 Alabama
2016 Alabama
2017 Georgia
2018

Sun Belt Champions

Year Champion
2001 Middle Tennessee State/North Texas
2002 North Texas
2003 North Texas
2004 North Texas
2005 Arkansas State/UL-Lafayette/UL-Monroe
2006 Middle Tennessee State/Troy
2007 Florida Atlantic/Troy
2008 Troy
2009 Troy
2010 Florida International/Troy
2011 Arkansas State
2012 Arkansas State
2013 Arkansas State/UL-Lafayette
2014 Georgia Southern
2015 Arkansas State
2016 Arkansas State/Appalachian State
2017 Troy/Appalachian State
2018

2018 College Football Conference Odds

Following are the preseason college football conference championship odds according to Bovada.

Most sportsbooks have lines available up until the first game in each conference kicks off (some start Saturday, Aug. 25, others wait until the weekend starting Thursday, Aug. 30), but keep in mind that most books also will have updated odds periodically throughout the season.

So if a team you think that will end up on top gets off to a poor start, that might improve your odds and get you a bigger payday — if you think that team can still win a conference title. Conversely, if you like the way a team plays in the first couple of weeks, you might place a bet on them to win even at diminished odds.

AAC Odds

Central Florida -150

Houston +275

Temple +600

South Florida +800

Cincinnati +1,500

Southern Methodist +2,500

Tulane +7,500

Memphis +10,000

 

ACC

Clemson -450

Miami, FL +600

Virginia Tech +800

Virginia +1,200

Duke +2,500

Pittsburgh +5,000

Boston College +5,000

North Carolina State +10,000

Georgia Tech +30,000

 

Big 12

Oklahoma +110

Texas +125

West Virginia +400

Texas Tech +800

Iowa State +1,500

Texas Christian +50,000

Baylor +100,000

Oklahoma State +100,000

 

Big 10

Michigan +100

Ohio State +145

Iowa +800

Wisconsin +800

Purdue +1,500

Northwestern +2,000

Penn State +10,000

Michigan State +50,000

 

C-USA

Florida Atlantic -108

Marshall +435

Louisiana Tech +900

North Texas +1,000

Middle Tennessee +1,125

Alabama-Birmingham +2,150

Southern Miss +4,500

Old Dominion +5,500

Texas-San Antonio +5,500

Florida International +6,600

Western Kentucky +12,500

Charlotte +55,000

Rice +65,000

UTEP +85,000

 

MAC

Northern Illinois +325

Ohio +360

Toledo +380

Miami, OH +725

Western Michigan +825

Buffalo +950

Eastern Michigan +1,600

Akron +3,300

Bowling Green +4,400

Central Michigan +4,400

Ball State +12,500

Kent State +12,500

 

Mountain West

Fresno State+150

Utah State +200

Boise State +250

San Diego State +400

Hawaii +5,000

Nevada +20,000

 

PAC-12

Washington +175

USC +350

Utah +350

Washington State +500

Stanford +600

Oregon +1,500

Colorado +3,000

Arizona State +10,000

UCLA +10,000

Arizona +30,000

 

SEC

Alabama -350

Georgia +275

LSU +800

Florida +1,000

Kentucky +2,000

Texas A&M +10,000

 

Sun Belt

Arkansas State +153

Appalachian State +280

Troy +330

Louisiana-Monroe +1,475

Georgia Southern +1,650

Louisiana-Lafayette +5,500

Georgia State +6,000

South Alabama +6,600

Coastal Carolina +11,000

Texas State +11,000