Prime Time Revisited: Football Team Led by Sanders Stirs Gamblers' Intrigue in Colorado
In the '90s, Deion Sanders, famously known as "Prime Time," was a household name in sports, breeze-racing between the NFL and MLB. He's never far from the conversation when discussing the best cornerbacks in NFL history.
Fast forward two decades, and America is once again in a feverish "Coach Prime" frenzy. Colorado's football team, previously ignored, is now a national sensation, not just among casual sports fans but also sports bettors. A team that'd been absent from the national chatter for years is now top of mind and top of betting boards, with Colorado's game against USC drawing major attention.
As of Friday, DraftKings had reported that the USC vs. Colorado game was the most-bet game by sheer ticket count, landing fourth in betting handle. Earlier in the week, it was even the most-bet game by handle and the second-most-bet game by ticket count.
DraftKings also noted that the odds on Colorado winning the national championship had shifted dramatically, moving from +11000 to +25000 by Tuesday.
The Power of Hype
The public's hype for the Buffs isn't lost on professional bettors. In fact, it's being exploited, according to ESPN's David Purdum. Veteran Las Vegas bettor Steve Fezzik shared on a social media post that the "worst bettors in the world" were backing Colorado on the moneyline, making it an "amazing great bet."
Last week, DraftKings users made the Colorado-Oregon game the most-bet game by handle and ticket count, beating out more traditional heavyweight matchups like Ohio State at Notre Dame and Florida State at Clemson. Furthermore, more money and bets were placed against the spread for Colorado than any other team.
Spreading the Fever
Other sportsbooks are also feeling the heat, with Colorado gaining traction among bettors. At Fanatics Sportsbook, by far the majority of bets were on USC, yet the hype around Colorado is evident, with 71% of handle on the Trojans and a more substantial 29% on the Buffaloes for a 22.5-point spread favoring USC.
Rush Street Interactive's BetRivers, active in 14 states across the US, reveals that the moneyline play at -2000 on the Trojans ranks as the third-most-wagered on in terms of both dollars and tickets written. However, bettors are favoring Colorado (+22) against the spread, with this option ranked No. 4 in terms of dollars bet this week.
Colorado's Rise in the Betting World
Every Colorado game leading up to this weekend ranked in the top 10 nationally in terms of the amount wagered on college football games. The Colorado-Nebraska game, played during the second week, climbed to No. 3 in terms of amount wagered, while the Colorado-Colorado State game, played the following week, ranked No. 4.
In terms of ticket count, the Colorado-Oregon game ranked No. 1, the Colorado-Colorado State game ranked No. 2, and the Colorado-Nebraska game ranked No. 3.
What's more, no Colorado game during the 2022 season ranked in the top 100 for either money wagered or tickets written, highlighting the dramatic impact Deion Sanders has had on the team's popularity and betting appeal.
- Sports bettors are showing interest in Colorado's football team, with the USC vs. Colorado game being the most-bet game by ticket count and landing in the top 4 by betting handle.
- DraftKings noted that the odds on Colorado winning the national championship had shifted dramatically, moving from +11000 to +25000 by Tuesday.
- In a social media post, veteran Las Vegas bettor Steve Fezzik stated that the "worst bettors in the world" were backing Colorado on the moneyline, making it an "amazing great bet."
- Colorado's game against USC is not only gaining attention among casual sports fans but also drawing significant attention in the sports-betting world, with more money and bets being placed against the spread for Colorado than any other team.
