MGM Resorts bets on college football starting on time
Some college football insiders have expressed doubts that the season will start as scheduled, but bettors can act as if it will at MGM Resorts International.
The sportsbook has posted early point spreads and money lines on 163 games for the upcoming season, from Navy vs. Notre Dame on Aug. 29 to Army vs. Navy in the regular-season finale Dec. 12.
The Mirage sportsbook director Jeff Stoneback said that the sportsbook’s New Jersey team put the lines together with the Las Vegas staff mostly at home amid the casino shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The shutdown does mean that bettors shouldn’t start counting their money from these lines. Games must be played at the same site and within a week of the scheduled date for the bets to stand, Stoneback said.
“We’re not worried if it’s a refund,” he said. “If it’s a refund, it’s no big deal. At this point, there’s probably a 50-50 chance.”
Notable lines include Alabama as a 14-point favorite over Southern California in a neutral-site game Sept. 5 and as a 2½-point road favorite at defending national champion Louisiana State on Nov. 7.
Clemson is a 7½-point road favorite at Notre Dame on Nov. 7, and Ohio State is an 11½-point home favorite against Michigan on Nov. 28.
Stoneback said the sportsbook was happy to provide something for college football fans to chew on, whether the bets end up standing or not.
“At least we got some content up,” he said. “People can look at it and talk about it and get excited about the season.”
Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.
