College Football Betting Lines: Golden Nugget Sports Book Pegs Alabama v Georgia a Pick 'Em
ByThe 2009 SEC Football Championship game was a memorable matchup for a variety of reasons.
Urban Meyer and his Florida Gators were 12-0, as were Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson tide. En route to a National Championship, Tim Tebow lead the top-ranked Gators against Mark Ingram, the Heisman Trophy winner that year, and the ground-and-pound Tide. Going in, Las Vegas' betting line favored Florida by five, but Alabama rolled to a 32-13 victory.
It was the last time a Vegas betting line did not favor Alabama. According to ESPN, the Tide has been favored in 68 straight games since, the longest streak in the game's modern era.
Releasing its full set of lines for the upcoming season, the Golden Nugget could end Alabama's streak at 72, as their road game against Georgia on Oct. 3 is currently an even line. The Tide was easily favored in its four games, all of which are at home, as well as in the seven games following their trip to Athens.
The Golden Nugget is the first Las Vegas sports book to release betting lines for individual college football games nine years running. Given that some of these games are still months away, the book is only allowing bets up to $1,000, ESPN noted. Various factors could tip the odds in Alabama's favor by the time they kick off with Georgia, but if the even line holds, the Tide's streak will end.
As for Meyer, he is helming an Ohio State Buckeyes team fresh off a National Championship victory in the first ever College Football Playoff. The Golden Nugget made the Buckeyes the overwhelming choice for the number one team in their power rankings.