CFP Betting Terms for Beginners: What to Know Before the National Championship

The College Football Playoff National Championship is nearly here, and to prep bettors for the showdown between Miami and Indiana, I'm breaking down CFP betting terms for beginners.

Indiana is an 8.5-point betting favorite for the CFP National Championship on Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. This is the biggest college football matchup of the season, and you'll want to be well-equipped before betting on it. 

📊 Miami vs. Indiana odds: CFP National Championship

See the latest college football odds for the national championship in real time.

📘 Core CFP National Championship betting terms

Not sure how to bet Miami vs. Indiana? Check out the top betting markets for the 2026 CFP National Championship.

Point spread

A point spread is a number assigned to a matchup that gives points to an underdog to even the game. Bettors can then bet on the favorite to win by more than that assigned number, or the underdog to lose by fewer points than that assigned number (or win outright).

Ex. Indiana is an 8.5-point betting favorite. If you bet on Indiana -8.5, the Hoosiers need to win by at least nine for your bet to hit. If you bet on Miami +8.5, the Hurricanes need to lose by fewer than nine points or win for your bet to hit.

Moneyline

Betting on the moneyline is simple; you're just betting on a team to win. Usually, this means the odds pay substantially less if you bet on the favorite to win instead of covering the point spread. But it also means if you think the underdog will win, your bet will pay a larger profit if it hits.

Ex. Miami is +280 by the moneyline odds as the underdog. If the Hurricanes win, a $10 bet pays a $28 profit. 

Over/Under (total)

Betting the Over/Under, or game total, for a matchup is when you bet on if the two teams playing will combine to score Over or Under the amount of points a sportsbook has assigned for that game.

Ex. Our best college football betting sites have the Over/Under set at 48.5 for the CFP National Championship. If you bet the Over, your bet hits if Miami and Indiana combine for at least 49 points. If you bet the Under, they'd need to combine for fewer than 49 points.

Favorite & underdog

The favorite is the team that's expected to win, with minus-moneyline odds. The underdog is the team expected to lose, with plus-moneyline odds.

Indiana is an 8.5-point favorite, with -335 moneyline odds. Miami is an 8.5-point underdog, with +280 moneyline odds.

💵 Odds & payout language

Looking to have a better understanding of how Miami and Indiana stack up? Dive into the CFP National Championship odds and storylines.

American odds

The most common odds in North America are American odds; these are the odds you will predominantly find at our best sports betting sites. American odds show both negative odds and positive odds. The negative odds are how much you'd need to bet to win $100, while positive odds highlight how much you'd win on a $100 bet.

Juice/vigorish

For sportsbooks to make a profit on your bet, there's a fee built into the odds. This is called juice, or vigorish, and why you need to risk more than you can win on most bets.

Ex. If you bet $10 on Indiana to cover the 8.5-point betting spread at -105 odds, your profit would be $9.52 if the Hoosiers win by nine or more points.

Payout vs. Profit

The payout is the total amount you get back on a winning bet; this includes both the amount you bet and the amount you profited. Whereas the profit on a bet is purely the amount you've won. 

Ex. A $10 bet on Miami to win outright at +280 odds would lead to a $38 payout, with $28 being the profit.

🎯 CFP National Championship prop terms

Stay ahead with all of our college football picks for the national championship.

Player props

Betting on a player prop is when you bet on a specific player, rather than the game as a whole. This can be betting the Over/Under on the assigned passing yards, rushing yards, or receiving yards of a player. You can also bet on a player to score a TD.

Ex. Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza's passing yards are set at 215.5 with -114 odds. If you bet the Over on Mendoza's passing yards, he'd need to throw for at least 216 yards for your bet to hit.

Team props

Team props are a market where you can bet on something specific to one team, like the Over/Under on their points scored or their total yards.

Ex. The Over/Under on Miami's total yards is set at 328.5 at -114 odds. If you bet the Over on that team prop, and the Hurricanes finished with at least 329 yards, your bet would hit.

Game props

Game props cover events within the game, like the first score, the longest touchdown, or whether the game goes to overtime.

Ex. The odds for the CFP National Championship to go to OT are set a +1400. If you bet on Miami and Indiana to go to OT, your bet would hit.

🧠 Betting market concepts you’ll see this week

Check out our early Miami vs. Indiana prediction to see how the betting line has moved since opening following the CFP semifinal games.

Line movement

Line movement is when the betting line, or odds, for a game moves. When the odds open, betting action, injuries, or other key information can lead to line movement. 

Ex. Indiana opened as a 7.5-point betting favorite against Miami, but the line has since shifted to the Hoosiers -8.5.

Closing line value (CLV)

Closing line value measures whether you beat the final odds before kickoff. Consistently getting better numbers than the closing line is a sign of strong betting decisions.

Buying points

Buying points allows bettors to adjust the spread or total in their favor for a higher cost. It reduces risk but also lowers potential payout.

Ex. If you bought points to get Indiana -6.5, to get the Hoosiers under the key number of seven (the amount a TD is worth), the odds would be shorter than the -105 odds you can bet Indiana at as an 8.5-point favorite.

🔄 Live & alternate betting terms

Live betting

Live betting is when you bet on a game after it starts. The odds at sportsbooks will be adjusted based on what is happening in a game, and this can provide an opportunity to find value.

Ex. If Indiana goes down 10-0 to Miami, you could likely bet on the Hoosiers at plus-money to win the game.

Alternate spread & total

Alternate lines offer different point spreads or totals than the main market, with adjusted payouts. They give bettors more flexibility based on risk preference.

Ex. If you're confident in Indiana and think they can win by more than nine, you can bet an alt-line, instead of the 8.5-point spread. If you take the Hoosiers -13.5 at +138 odds and they win by at least two touchdowns, your bet would hit.

Cash out

Cash out lets bettors settle a wager before the game ends for a reduced payout. The available amount changes based on how the bet is performing.

Ex. If you had a six-leg SGP for the CFP National Championship, and five of the legs hit, the sportsbook would likely offer you a cash out at a reduced profit from the six-leg SGP. You may consider taking the cash out if you aren't confident in the sixth leg, or just don't want to risk it.

📺 How to watch Miami vs. Indiana: 2026 CFP National Championship

• Date: Monday, Jan. 19
• Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Fla.)
• TV: ESPN

📺 How to watch Miami vs. Indiana: 2026 CFP National Championship

• Date: Monday, Jan. 19
• Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Fla.)
• TV: ESPN

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