The college football season is upon us. That means that football fans across the country are placing their futures bets on who they think will win the College Football Playoff.
Popular teams receiving bets include the usual suspects: Alabama (+175), Ohio State (+300), and Georgia (+400). These are the three teams with the best odds to go all the way.
But what if a team comes from out of nowhere to win it all? A team like…UMass?
That’s what a pair of New York bettors are hoping for.
So You’re Saying There’s A Chance?
At Caesars Sportsbook, two bettors in New York have placed futures bets on the UMass Minutemen to win the College Football Playoff. That’s right, UMass. A team whose win total for the year is currently listed at 2.5.
UMass opened at 10,000-1 to win the national championship, and thanks to these two bets, represent Caesars Sportsbook’s largest liability in the national championship futures market. These $100 wagers would win $500,100.00 each.
UMass is 2-26 over the last three seasons, and has not won more than one game in a season since 2018. The Minutemen open the 2022-23 season on Saturday, September 3 at Tulane. They are 28-point underdogs.
The UMass Minutemen football program is the fourth oldest in all of FBS football, and made the jump from the FCS level to FBS in 2012. The program had been somewhat of an FCS powerhouse in the early to mid-2000s and even had an FCS national title appearance in 2006. However, life at the FBS level has not gone well. They have posted a record of 20-92 (.179) since 2012.
Also read: BetMGM Sportsbook Offering ‘Title Town Special’ On New England Sports Teams
Go Big Or Go Home
Betting on favorites like Alabama or Ohio State is certainly reasonable, but given that they are the two title favorites, the odds may not be as appealing. Betting on long-shots can present massive potential paydays.
According to ESPN, Caesars Sportsbook has already accepted seven national championship bets on long-shot teams that would pay at least $1 million. These include the UMass bets, as well as:
- $2,000 on Central Florida (500-1) placed by a bettor in Louisiana
- $1,000 on Utah State (1,000-1) placed by a bettor in New Jersey
- $1,000 on Utah State (1,000-1) placed by a bettor in New Jersey
- $1,000 on Utah State (1,000-1) placed by a bettor in Illinois
- $100 on UConn (10,000-1)
Also read: Sportsbooks Being Confirming Interest In Massachusetts Sports Betting
Massachusetts Sports Betting Latest
Unfortunately, football fans in Massachusetts cannot place futures bets, or any bets, in their state at this time. However, that could change soon. The Massachusetts sports betting bill was signed into law earlier this month. Numerous sportsbooks have already started expressing interest in the Bay State, and platforms such as DraftKings and FanDuel are expected to be among the first apps to launch.
Many sportsbooks are also expected to offer great welcome bonuses to Massachusetts bettors.
It may be a bit before the industry is up and running, but Massachusetts sports fans have a lot to look forward to.
AP Photo
