No. 11 Oregon takes on No. 16 Auburn on Saturday in one of the biggest matchups of the first full weekend of college football. And at most sportsbooks around the US, Auburn is either a four or 3.5-point favorite.
But at one sportsbook, those odds are literally flipped on their head.
Oregon vs. Auburn odds and the outlier
It’s the first weekend with betting on college football in many states around the US.
Included in that list: Oregon, where the state’s first sportsbook opened up this week at Chinook Winds Casino Resort on the coast.
It’s perhaps not shocking that the early action is on the Ducks. After all, Eugene is just down a short drive from the casino.
But while regional bias is alive and well in many states that are new to sports betting, we have never seen a line move this far away from the consensus anywhere in the US to date.
Nevada sportsbooks, Pennsylvania sportsbooks and New Jersey sportsbooks all have Auburn as a home favorite — just more than a field goal everywhere. That makes a lot of sense, as Auburn is at home, and the teams are likely considered to be evenly matched on a neutral field before they play their first game.
At Chinook Winds, enough action came in on Oregon to make them the favorite. And just on Friday, the line moved from 1.5 points to 3.5 points. Here’s the evidence:
Heaven for sharp bettors?
Clearly, Oregon by 3.5 points is not the correct number. But the book has taken so much action on the Ducks, it’s been forced to move the line — violently.
If you’re in the vicinity of Lincoln City and you’re a sports bettor betting with your head instead of your heart, you’ll get one of the best lines perhaps in the history of sports betting.
But before you hop on a plane to Portland or Eugene before driving to the coast, the limit on the game is currently $500.
But that’s still $500 you can get down that is a seven-point difference from any other sportsbook in America.
