BETTING CFB NCAA NCAA Football NCAAF
11:37 AM, January 9, 2023

National Championship Game Betting Insights

John David Yonke John David Yonke

It’s David vs. Goliath in the 2022 College Football National Championship Game. Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs look to repeat and are heavily favored to do just that. The challenger, Sonny Dykes’s TCU Horned Frogs, has proved doubters wrong all season long and will look to do so one more time to finish the season with a win.

Which side are bettors more confident in? For which team are most of the tickets being placed? Let’s dive into BetMGM Sportsbook’s betting market insights for the big game. 

Line movement (Open, Current)

  • Spread: Georgia -13.5 to -12.5
  • Moneyline: Georgia -550 to -450 | TCU +400 to +350

The line has moved a half-a-point in TCU’s favor. The Horned Frogs opened as nearly two-touchdown underdogs at +13.5 but moved to +13 shortly after that. As of Thursday night, the line settled at +12.5 before shifting back to 13 over the weekend, then to 12.5 again this morning.

Looking at the money line, Georgia has seen a significant shift from -550 at open to -450 to -500 to -450 at current. The comeback on TCU is now down to +350 after opening at +400. There’s some love for Sonny Dykes’ team in the market, so let’s take a closer look at the numbers. 

National Championship Game Ticket % (Spread)

  • Georgia 29%
  • TCU 71%

National Championship Game Betting Handle % (Spread)

  • Georgia 42%
  • TCU 58%

The line movement against Georgia in favor of TCU gains some clarity with these numbers, as the Bulldogs are receiving just 29% of tickets and 42% of the handle, with some bigger bets coming in late on the Dawgs.

“There is lopsided action on TCU to win the College Football Playoff. The sportsbook currently needs Georgia to win,” said Christian Cipollini, Sports Trader, BetMGM.

Bettors like the wide spread the Horned Frogs are getting, with Heisman runner-up Max Duggan leading the offense and defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie receiving a lot of love for the job he’s done game planning this season.

National Championship Game Ticket % (Moneyline)

  • Georgia 12%
  • TCU 88%

National Championship Game Betting Handle % (Moneyline)

  • Georgia 27%
  • TCU 73%

There has been similar one-way action in the money line market, where Georgia receives just 12% of bets and 27% of the handle. TCU garners 88% of bets and 73% of the handle as bettors are drawn in by the juicy plus odds.