The WAC may not be at the top of every gambler’s list but many of the conference’s teams have fallen into statistically reliable betting categories over the past decade. Teams are listed in predicted order of finish with 2007 records, returning starters (RS)—-including kickers--and returning lettermen (RL) in parentheses:
BOISE STATE (10-3 SU, 6-6 ATS, 12 RS, 45 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 86-16
ATS: 58-36-2
HF: 32-12
HD: 0-2
AF: 19-16
AD: 5-4-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Broncos have been a fabulous 32-12 as a sports betting home favorite the last eight years.
Sports Betting Angle: Boise State has covered its last six meetings with Utah State.
FRESNO STATE (9-4 SU, 7-5 ATS, 17 RS, 51 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 66-38
ATS: 48-50-2
HF: 14-18-2
HD: 4-4
AF: 10-13
AD: 16-12
Sportsbook Buster: The Bulldogs are 7-1 as non-conference underdogs of more than five points.
Sports Betting Angle: Fresno State has covered three straight against both UCLA and Idaho.
HAWAII (12-1 SU, 4-7 ATS, 8 RS, 64 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 67-37
ATS: 51-46
HF: 24-19
HD: 10-6
AF: 7-10
AD: 8-10
Sportsbook Buster: The Warriors are 34-25 ATS at home the last eight seasons, taking advantage of teams’ difficulty in getting to Honolulu.
Sports Betting Angle: Hawaii is 10-0 ATS its last 10 games against Louisiana Tech (3-0), Boise State (3-0) and Idaho (4-0).
NEVADA (6-7 SU, 5-7 ATS, 13 RS, 37 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 44-53
ATS: 50-43-1
HF: 15-6
HD: 13-9
AF: 8-7
AD: 12-20-1
Sportsbook Buster: While the Wolf Pack has been a strong 28-15 ATS at home the past eight years, they’ve been a dismal 12-20-1 as a road underdog since 2000.
Sports Betting Angle: Nevada has covered its last three games against UNLV, Hawaii and Louisiana Tech.
NEW MEXICO STATE (4-9 SU, 4-7 ATS, 14 RS, 45 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 31-64
ATS: 39-51
HF: 6-13
HD: 14-6
AF: 4-7
AD: 15-25
Sportsbook Buster: Since the kickoff of the 2000 season, the Aggies are just 10-20 as a favorite.
Sports Betting Angle: The home team in the Boise State series (it’s NMS this year) has covered five straight encounters.
SAN JOSE STATE (5-7 SU, 6-5 ATS, 13 RS, 43 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 38-57
ATS: 49-39-1
HF: 10-4-1
HD: 12-7
AF: 8-1
AD: 19-27
Sportsbook Buster: The Spartans are a rock solid 22-11-1 ATS at home and a spectacular 8-1 as a sports betting road favorite over the last eight years.
Sports Betting Angle: San Jose State has three-game pointspread winning streaks against New Mexico State, Idaho and Louisiana Tech.
LOUISIANA TECH (5-7 SU, 6-5 ATS, 13 RS, 41 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 40-56
ATS: 38-53-1
HF: 12-10
HD: 7-3
AF: 6-10
AD: 13-26-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Bulldogs are an anemic 19-36-1 ATS on the road the last eight seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: Louisiana Tech has covered four in a row against Fresno State and three straight versus Utah State.
UTAH STATE (2-10 SU, 7-5 ATS, 15 RS, 39 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 25-66
ATS: 36-50
HF: 5-5
HD: 10-14
AF: 2-5
AD: 19-26
Sportsbook Buster: The Aggies are a lackluster 21-31 ATS on the road the past eight years.
Sports Betting Angle: The Aggies are riding a three-game pointspread winning streak against Fresno State.
IDAHO (1-11 SU, 3-8 ATS, 14 RS, 43 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 21-72
ATS: 34-50-1
HF: 2-6
HD: 9-11
AF: 2-7
AD: 19-25-1
Sportsbook Buster: Since 2000, the Vandals are just 4-13 in the role of a favorite.
Sports Betting Angle: Idaho is a combined 9-2 ATS versus Utah State (4-1) and New Mexico State (5-1) in its last 11 games with those schools.
Legend:
SU = Straight Up
ATS = Against the Spread
HF = Home Favorite
HD = Home Underdog
AF = Away Favorite
AD = Away Underdog
This is the seventh installment of an 11-part preview series.
Next: College Football Betting: Analyzing Conference USA.
