The CFB National Championship takes place Monday, Jan. 20, and Ohio State is an 8.5-point favorite vs Notre Dame, per BetMGM's data. Interestingly, the Ohio State vs Notre Dame betting handles are split dead even (on the moneyline), suggesting it'll be a great day for sportsbooks.
"If you include the futures market, we'll be fine with either team taking home the trophy, but Notre Dame moneyline betting will surely become an overall negative result by kickoff," said Michael Ranftle, a senior trader at BetMGM.
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 | -8.5 | 55% | 64% | O45.5 | 71% | 74% |
| Notre Dame | +8.5 | 45% | 36% | U45.5 | 29% | 26% |
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 OSU -8.5 owns 63% of the handle and Notre Dame sits at 36%.
Regarding the moneyline, 83% of tickets and 50% of the handle is on Notre Dame as a +310 underdog. Still, the Irish's odds moved from +300 to +310 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.
National Championship Futures: CFB Betting Handles
Line Movement (Open To Now)
- Ohio State +700 to -400
- Notre Dame +3000 to +310
Highest Ticket %
- Ohio State 17.3%
- Notre Dame 11.1%
- Texas 11%
Highest Handle %
- Ohio State 29.8%
- 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.
