The CFB National Championship takes place Monday, Jan. 20, and Ohio State is a 9.5-point favorite vs Notre Dame, per BetMGM's data. Interestingly, the Ohio State vs Notre Dame betting handles are split dead even as of Jan. 14, suggesting it'll be a great day for sportsbooks.
"Betting on the spread is coming in very balanced, which we expect to continue throughout the week," said Seamus Magee, Trading Manager at BetMGM. "We anticipate the book to need an outright Buckeyes win, which is also favorable from a futures perspective."
Below, I'll highlight where the betting action is for the CFB National Championship and what we can learn from the Ohio State vs Notre Dame betting handles:
Ohio State vs Notre Dame Betting Handle
Ohio State vs Notre Dame, Jan. 20, 7:30 pm ET
| Team | Spread | % Bets | % Handle | Total | % Bets | % Handle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | -9.5 | 45% | 50% | O45.5 | 72% | 71% |
| Notre Dame | +9.5 | 55% | 50% | U45.5 | 28% | 29% |
Betting Handle per BetMGM
Public Loves Notre Dame
Notre Dame has been a popular bet throughout these college playoffs. For example, the Irish commanded 73% of the handle (Notre Dame -2.5) as narrow favorites vs Penn State. This time around, the action is relatively split, though Notre Dame +9.5 owns 55% of the handle and OSU sits at 45%. It's worth noting there could be some bigger money on Ohio State, as its 45% ticket percentage constitutes an evenly split handle. We'll see how the action changes closer to the National Championship.
Regarding the moneyline, 83% of tickets and 63% of the handle is on Notre Dame as a +325 underdog. Still, the Irish's odds moved from +300 to +325 while OSU remained favored at -400. This suggests the sportsbook wants more action on Notre Dame.
If you're more interested in where the prop action is for this one, BetMGM will provide us with the most popular Notre Dame vs Ohio State props shortly to round out our betting handles. Check back soon.
National Championship Futures: CFB Betting Handles
Line Movement (Open To Now)
- Ohio State +700 to -400
- Notre Dame +3000 to +325
Highest Ticket %
- Ohio State 16.8%
- Notre Dame 10.0%
- Texas 9.8%
Highest Handle %
- Ohio State 28.2%
- Georgia 11.0%
- Texas 9.8%
Our CFB National Championship odds page breaks down the case for both sides.
Notre Dame navigated a daunting CFP bracket with grit, overcoming a tough in-state matchup, the Georgia dynasty, and Penn State's relentless defense. Key contributions across the roster, including Riley Leonard's dual-threat heroics and a game-winning field goal from Mitch Jeter vs Penn State, underscore the Irish's balanced dominance, anchored by their elite defense ranked second in points allowed.
Defense wins playoff football games, but Ohio State has thrived as favorites of 2.5 points or more in three CFP matchups. The Buckeyes defeated Tennessee, Oregon, and Texas while consistently holding high-powered offenses to three touchdowns or fewer. Ohio State, led by Ryan Day, has averaged 447.7 yards per game this postseason and allowed just 291 total yards. This squad shattered Oregon's perfect season and silenced Texas, once a +375 title favorite.
OSU was averaged +350 odds all year. One win away, the Buckeyes are -400.
