Vegas View: Michigan Fans Betting Big on College Football Championship

Three straight years of regression under Jim Harbaugh won’t keep Michigan fans from partying like it’s 1997; at least when it comes to how they bet.

The Wolverines enter the 2021 season with very ordinary expectations from oddsmakers. Over at WynnBET Sportsbook, Michigan’s regular season win total is set at 7.5; with the over juiced to -120 compared to even money on the under. For the Big Ten Championship, they currently sit behind four different teams: Ohio State (-175), Wisconsin (+400), Penn State (+900) and Iowa (+1000) to win the conference!

To win the College Football Playoff, however, WynnBET had to move the Wolverines’ odds down after bettors jumped on board at 150/1. Michigan is now available at 100/1, or +10000 to walk away with a national championship.

WynnBET’s Senior Lead Trader, Matt Lindeman weighed in on why there continues to be an appeal to bet on the Wolverines in 2021:

​​”Michigan is not nearly as popular as it has been in preseasons past, but we’ve still seen some action on the program at 150/1. Some bettors just can’t resist the opportunity to take a brand name such as the Wolverines at such a big price.”

Can Michigan Shock the College Football World in 2021?

The Wolverines still have plenty of talent, but until they sort out the quarterback position, there’s always going to be concerns on if the offense can put it all together. Cade McNamara will start ahead of five-star recruit J.J. McCarthy, but McNamara was in and out of the lineup with Joe Milton a season ago, who ended up transferring out. 

The rest of the offense looks fairly familiar, although the addition of Indiana’s associate head coach and top recruiter Mike Hart is a feel-good homecoming for the former Michigan running back.

On defense, Harbaugh made major changes to his staff, including letting go of defensive coordinator Don Brown, replacing him with former Ravens coach Mike Macdonald. Macdonald worked for Harbaugh’s older brother John in Baltimore, and will provide a different system on the defensive side to help improve from their 434 total yards allowed per game a season ago.

Ultimately, Michigan, if everything clicks, could absolutely work out as a value futures ticket for bettors this year, based purely on talent alone. I’ll be staying away, however, trusting the oddsmakers’ projections that the Wolverines are most likely a 7-8 win team, that still has to go through Ohio State to even make it into the conversation. Harbaugh, since arriving at Michigan in 2015, has yet to beat their long-time rival in “The Game.”

Think Michigan is a sneaky pick to contend for the College Football Playoff?

Make your pick today with the new and improved WynnBET app!