Early action on College Football Playoff semifinals

• As of Dec. 13, more money had been wagered on the Cotton Bowl between Clemson and Notre Dame than any other bowl game at the Westgate SuperBook. Seventy percent of the money that had been wagered on the game was on the favored Tigers. "I do expect Notre Dame support as we get closer to Dec. 29," Westgate Superbook Race & Sports Director John Murray said.• As of Dec. 13 at William Hill sportsbooks, 60 percent of the bets on the Cotton Bowl point spread were on Notre Dame, but 59 percent of the money that had been wagered was on Clemson.

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• Twenty-one of the first 23 money-line bets on Notre Dame-Clemson were on the Fighting Irish at Las Vegas sportsbook operator CG Technology.

 As of Dec. 13 at the SuperBook, the number of bets on the Orange Bowl between Oklahoma and Alabama is equal, while the underdog Sooners attracted 64 percent of the money wagered.• CG Technology took a $10,000 money-line bet on Alabama to beat Oklahoma at -500 odds. The bet would pay a net $2,000.• As of Dec. 13 at CG Technology, there 2.2 times more tickets on Oklahoma and 2.2 as much money on the Sooners in the Orange Bowl.• As of Dec. 13 at William Hill sportsbooks in Nevada and New Jersey, 78 percent of the money wagered on the Orange Bowl point spread was on the Crimson Tide.• The SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas took a $16,546 two-team parlay on Clemson -11.5 and Oklahoma +14 the day after the playoff matchups were released, according to Murray.
Other early action on bowl games

• A bettor placed a bevy of bowl wagers on Wednesday, ranging between $2,000 and $5,000, at the sportsbook at the South Point Casino in Las Vegas. When he was done, he had approximately $151,000 on the bowls. "I don't think he played the Cotton Bowl," said South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews. "He played a couple totals, a pretty good mix of favorites and dogs. Listen, if you're betting $150,000, you're no dummy. We might beat the guy, he might beat us, but he's no square."• A bettor at the William Hill sportsbook at Monmouth Park racetrack in new Jersey placed a $35,000 bet on Fresno State -4.5 against Arizona State in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 15.
• More money had been bet on the Las Vegas Bowl than any other bowl game at William Hill books as of Dec. 13.
• CG Technology took five limit wagers on Fresno State. "All the bets on Arizona State are 20 bucks, 40 bucks, 50 bucks," Simbal said. "We're a big lopsided there."
• CG Technology took $5,400 money-line bet on Fresno State at -180 to win $3,000.
• A regular customer at MGM sportsbooks in Nevada placed a series of five-figure bowl bets on some underdogs. The non-local bettor put $55,000 on Louisiana Tech +1.5, $44,000 on Eastern Michigan +2, $55,000 on Middle Tennessee +7 and $44,000 on North Texas +8.5, according to supervisor Scott Shelton.
• The Rose Bowl line climbed all the way from Ohio State -4.5 to -7 in the first 10 days it was on the board at CG Technology. Jason Simbal, vice president of risk for CG Technology, said they took limit bets on the Buckeyes at -4.5 and another limit bet Monday at -6.5 to push the line to -7.
• As of Dec. 13, five times as much money had been bet on Ohio State as had been bet on Washington at CG Technology. "I don't really expect the public to bet Washington at all in this game," Simbal said. "You usually know when one of these dogs is going to be a popular money-line team. I don't really see Washington being that. I think we're going to need this game for quite a bit."
• The SuperBook reported sharp action on: Georgia Southern +1, Louisiana Tech +2, Arkansas State PK, Virginia Tech +6, Western Michigan +12.5, Georgia Tech -4, Iowa State +4, Virginia +4.5 and Pittsburgh +7.
• "There's also been sharp money on the under in Saturday's New Orleans Bowl between Middle Tennessee and Appalachian State," the SuperBook's Murray said. "The total moved down from 50.5 to 48 here."
• The South Point reported taking bets from respected players on Temple, Boston College, Texas A&M and Utah in early December. Temple opened as a 3-point favorite over Duke. The line grew to -5, before settling back at -4. Boston College has gone from +3.5 to +2.5 against Boise State. Texas A&M, after opening at -4.5, has grown to a 6.5-point favorite over NC State. Utah opened at -6.5 and grew to -7 against Northwestern.
• The bowl that attracted the most lopsided action at CG Technology in the first 10 days after the matchups were announced was the Outback Bowl between Mississippi State and Iowa. "They're betting Mississippi State," Simbal said. "We took bets over the counter for $8,800 on Mississippi -6. Then, we took another five figures in total on -7. We went to -7.5 and finally sharp guys bet Iowa. But a lot of action on Mississippi State."
• As of Dec. 13 at the SuperBook, 63 percent of the bets and 85 percent of the money was on favored Georgia in the Sugar Bowl against Texas.
• "The action this year [on the bowls] is probably better than I ever remember it," the South Point's Andrews said.