College Football: The 2-1/2 & 3-1/2 Betting Rules
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The 2-1/2 & 3-1/2 Betting Rules
THE ODDSMAKER''S PERSPECTIVE
by JIMMY VACCARO
read the full article
DON''T FORGET THE IMPORTANT "RULE OF 2 ½ " AND "RULE OF 3 ½" WHEN MAKING YOUR FOOTBALL SELECTIONS
Here they are:
*If you see as solid pointspread of 2 ½ points…take the DOG
*If you see a solid pointspread of 3 ½ points…take the FAVORITE
By SOLID, we mean a line that hasn''t moved for a day or so. If a game is gradually moving up from 1 to 5, and temporarily stops on 2 ½ or 3 ½…that''s not a game we''re talking about. They have to have been sitting on those numbers for awhile.
Now, you''re first reaction is probably to think the opposite. You see a spread of 2 ½, and you''re DYING to take the favorite! You know that all it takes is a field goal to win the game…and a million games land on exactly three points. You''ve GOT to take the favorite, right? WRONG!
You see, the vast majority of the wagering public thinks exactly the same way. And, they''re already doing that! When you see a line of 2 ½ that isn''t moving…it means that a lot of DUMB money is on the favorite because of that field goal issue, but the SMART money is pounding the other side because the wrong team is probably favored. If the smart money wasn''t involved…the line would move off of 2 ½ very quickly. The general public can''t resist a 2 ½ point favorite. The fact that the line ISN''T moving tells you there''s an anchor on the other side representing much more educated investors. Oddsmakers try to split the action. If that split involves a number of 2 ½, you automatically know where the smart money is going.