The 2019 college football season kicks off Saturday, Aug. 24 with a pair of games followed by a full slate the following week. As bettors prepare for the season, futures wagers are becoming more popular before opening kickoff.
Clemson and Alabama are the overwhelming favorites to win the 2020 national championship. Clemson beat Alabama 44-16 in the 2019 national championship game and those two teams are each projected for a nation-best 11 wins again this season. It just so happens those two teams also have the top Heisman Trophy candidates and favorites to win this year’s Heisman in Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence and Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa.
College football Heisman Trophy futures wagers are available at most online sportsbook apps in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Nevada. The odds featured in the table below are from DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook and BetStars, all of which currently operate in New Jersey. FanDuel also has a legal online sportsbook in Pennsylvania.
College Football Heisman Trophy Odds 2019
Trevor Lawrence | Bet now +175 | Bet now +200 | Bet now +275 |
Tua Tagovailoa | Bet now +225 | Bet now +350 | Bet now +250 |
Justin Fields | Bet now +1400 | Bet now +1200 | Bet now +1500 |
Jalen Hurts | Bet now +1400 | Bet now +2000 | Bet now +750 |
Jake Fromm | Bet now +1400 | Bet now +2000 | Bet now +1300 |
Jonathan Taylor | Bet now +1800 | Bet now +2500 | Bet now +1400 |
Adrian Martinez | Bet now +2000 | Bet now +2000 | Bet now +1200 |
Travis Etienne | Bet now +2200 | Bet now +3000 | Bet now +1400 |
D'Andre Swift | Bet now +2200 | Bet now +2500 | Bet now +1000 |
Justin Herbert | Bet now +2500 | Bet now +2000 | Bet now +1600 |
Sam Ehlinger | Bet now +2800 | Bet now +2000 | Bet now +1700 |
Ian Book | Bet now +4000 | Bet now +5000 | Bet now +1800 |
Jerry Jeudy | Bet now +4000 | Bet now +3000 | Bet now +2200 |
Shea Patterson | Bet now +4000 | Bet now +3000 | Bet now +3000 |
Austin Kendall | Bet now +5000 | Bet now +6000 | Bet now +2500 |
All player markets currently offered are at plus-money in terms of odds. This means bettors correctly selecting the eventual award winner will make several times their original wager. In 2016, Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson won the Heisman Trophy and opened at odds near +10000 (100-1). The last two years have seen Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield (+700) win the Heisman in 2017 followed by Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray (+2200), who won the 2018 Heisman after surging past Tagovailoa in the closing weeks of the season.
Quarterbacks have won eight of the last nine Heisman Trophy awards, and the three recent winners are now playing in the NFL and listed in the NFL MVP odds charts. In fact, since 2000, only two non-quarterbacks have won the Heisman Trophy: Derrick Henry (2015) and Mark Ingram (2009) — both Alabama running backs.
How to bet Heisman Trophy futures
By their very nature, odds on futures wagers are subject to varying degree of fluctuation. In the case of player-level futures like the Heisman Trophy, a number of different factors can influence the trajectory of his futures odds as the games unfold week to week. That includes not only performance, results and stats, but also injuries.
Take the example of the current pacesetter at both FanDuel and DraftKings sportsbooks — Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The sophomore has been taking money with his odds dropping and now making him the favorite at +200 at FanDuel and +175 on DraftKings. Clemson is projected to be at least a 13-point favorite in all regular-season games, and bettors believe Lawrence will lead the Tigers offense to even greater heights after capturing the national championship last season while averaging 44.3 points per game. Those who accurately predict Lawrence to win the Heisman this season will win $200 for every $100 they wager on him at FanDuel and $175 for every $100 they bet on him at DraftKings.
How is the Heisman Trophy winner decided?
A total of 870 media members (sports journalists mostly covering college football) from six regions along with 59 former Heisman winners vote on the award. Voters can select three players on their ballot. A first place vote allots 3 points to the player selected, second place gets 2 points and third place gets 1 point.
The Heisman and the AP Player of the Year honor the most outstanding player. The award is given for outstanding performance which best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work. Since 2002, the award has been presented by the Heisman Trophy trust, and was first presented in 1935 by the Downtown Athletic Club in New York City.
Over the last 20 years, just two Heisman winners have played on teams that won fewer than 10 games – Florida’s Tim Tebow in 2007 and Louisville’s Lamar Jackson in 2016. But those two teams each won 9 games. So narrow your list to the projected top teams and review the schedules and players likelihood to put up strong stats with outstanding performances.
Heisman trophy favorites 2019
Trevor Lawrence, Clemson QB (+175)
Lawrence is legit in every way after taking over as starter in October last season and leading Clemson to the national title. Still a teenager, he passed for 3,280 yards with 30 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions to earn ACC Offensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors. Clemson will be favored by double-digits in every game this season and Lawrence will lead an explosive offense again after averaging 47.4 points per game in his starts last season. The 6-foot 6 sophomore is a winner and leader with exceptional arm strength, surprising speed and a Heisman favorite taking money as the one to beat.
Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama QB (+225)
Tagovailoa was leading the Heisman voting throughout last season until the SEC Championship game. Alabama rallied to beat Georgia 35-28 with Tagovailoa on the sidelines after his worst game of the season going 10-of-25 fo 164 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Tagovailoa’s sensational season still included 3,966 passing yards with 43 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions. He also rushed for 318 yards and 5 touchdowns. Alabama is expected to pile up more than 45 points per game again this season, and Tagovailoa has one of the countries elite receivers to throw to in Jerry Jeudy, along with two other All-SEC wide receivers forming the best receiving core in the country.
Justin Herbert, Oregon QB (+2000)
Herbert is a local product from Eugene who enters his senior season passing behind one of the top offensive lines in college football. He’s physical and mobile at 6-foot 6 and 230 pounds, and has the arm strength and touch to be one to watch for in Round 1 of next year’s NFL draft. Oregon won 9 games last season and Herbert passed for 3,151 yards with 29 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. His downfield passing and accuracy can improve, but the Ducks scoring offense is going to rise above 40 points per game with Herbert leading Oregon to challenge Washington on top of the Pac-12 North. A strong performance and win Week 1 against Auburn would get Herbert into the early Heisman discussion.
Adrian Martinez, Nebraska QB (+2000)
Nebraska is poised for a breakthrough season following just four wins last year after an 0-6 start. That’s due to QB Martinez, who is an electric and exciting sophomore that led the Huskers to 36 points per game over the last six contests. Martinez passed for 2,616 yards with 26 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He rushed for another 629 yards and 8 touchdowns, and his 295 total yards per game ranked No. 12 in the country. Fewer turnovers and better red zone efficiency will help Martinez blossom even more in his second season under head coach Scott Frost, who was the Huskers’ quarterback in 1996 and ’97 and brought Nebraska its last national championship.
Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin RB (+2500)
All-American running back Taylor is on pace to become the leading rusher in FBS history. The junior has rushed for 4,171 yards and 29 touchdowns across his first two seasons and will carry a big load with the Badgers breaking in a first-year quarterback.
Others: Sophomore QB Justin Fields (12-1) transfers to Ohio State from Georgia, and senior QB Jalen Hurts (20-1) transfers to Oklahoma from Alabama. New programs and new systems not likely to produce a Heisman winner. Returning starting Junior QB’s Jake Fromm (20-1) of Georgia and Sam Ehlinger (20-1) of Texas round out the betting favorites.
Where can you bet on college football futures?
The Heisman Trophy futures markets are available at all legal, regulated sportsbooks. Heisman futures are located behind the college football tab in online sportsbook platforms, under a specific Futures tab. Players are listed along with their corresponding odds at that point in time.
