The college football bowl games are officially here. In this article we will highlight 3 tips to consider when betting on these bowl games. Remember to always gamble responsibly.

It's become more common each year for NFL bound players to opt out of meaningless bowl games. In October 2018, the NCAA transfer portal came along and created an entirely new element to handicapping these bowl games. Players may transfer without having to sit out or lose a year of eligibility. For better or worse, this has created a "free agency" situation, and it starts right now before the bowl games begin. The transfer portal is expected to have it's largest and most significant pool of players yet. Many of the top players around the nation are entering the portal, and will not play in these bowl games. You can find key information about the transfer portal on a variety of free resources online. The SteadyPicks team will do our best to highlight any potential impact of the portal and opt outs in each game we provide a pick for.

This tip won't be for everyone, but there is a pattern in coaches who tend to either shine, or underperform in these bowl spots. We certainly can't get into the minds of these coaches, but bowl games without much incentive to win are unique. For example, in these lesser bowl games, we often see coaches get more players on the roster playing time. Some coaches will use the bowl game as an opportunity to see what they have heading into next year. Some coaches tend to have more of a business first mindset, while others will value team morale and the bowl experience. Here are some examples of coaches on both sides of the spectrum. Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy has been known to bring it in bowl games. Gundy's teams are 11-5 both against the spread and straight up in the 16 bowl games during his tenure with the team. Amongst those 11 wins are several outright upsets. Another coach who has had a lot of success on bowls, Utah's Kyle Whittingham. In his tenure at Utah, Whittingham is 11-4 against the spread in bowl games. Clemson's Dabo Swinney is 12-6 against the spread in his bowl appearances. In terms of who you should consider staying away from, here are a couple names. Pittsburgh's Pat Narduzzi is 1-4 in his 5 bowl appearances. Ohio State coach Ryan Day is 1-3 against the spread since taking over at Ohio State. Florida State's coach Mike Norvell went 0-4 in bowl games at Memphis.

With so much unknown in many of these bowl games, it's important to keep a close eye on the market. The best way to win in bowl season is to collect bets with positive expected value. The easiest way to do this is to always make sure you are shopping to get the best number in market. Look out for discrepancies across sportsbooks, and don't be afraid to strike as they appear. We encourage you to keep an eye on some of the "sharper" sportsbooks, such as Pinnacle. If you see an outlying number, it's always good to glance at Pinnacle as a reference to their number. Having multiple outs is key to having success in sports betting. If you are in a state with legal online sports betting, check out our "Sportsbook Offers" page for some great welcome offers. Always bet responsibly.

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