LSU Football: Should bettors ride the over or under for win totals?

August is upon us, which means one thing: there is less than one month until the start of college football. LSU Football kicks off its season on September 4 from the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The Tigers will take on Florida State in a special Sunday kickoff showdown from The Big Easy. New Head Coach Brian Kelly will be looking to get his team off to a winning start against one of the NCAA’s storied greats. However, things won’t be easy after a rough last couple of years for the Tigers under the guidance of former coach Ed Orgeron.

It’s not going to be easy for Kelly to rebuild this program. But after the job he’s done at every other stop throughout his career, the confidence levels in Baton Rouge are high. LSU fans will demand success sooner rather than later. For now though, they’re understanding of the reality of the current situation. Rebuilds can still be fun—just ask any Louisiana sports fan. Luckily for residents of The Pelican State, watching sports will be a little more exciting this year too with the introduction and subsequent legalization of sports gambling.

Want your voice heard? Join the Death Valley Voice team!

Write for us!

Should bettors ride the over or under for LSU Football’s 2022 win totals?

There will be a lot of first-time gamblers placing wagers on college football games when the season kicks off. Therefore, those of us here at Death Valley Voice thought we’d preview the year through the lens of a bettor. It’s time to discuss one of the most basic futures bets that sportsbooks have to offer: win totals. Odds will vary based on the sportsbook you choose. Here at FanSided, our book of choice is WynnBet. All of the odds within this particular piece come from the aforementioned outlet.

WynnBet released its 2022/23 SEC West win totals back in April. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Las Vegas has set a pretty low bar for the Tigers. LSU has the second worst win total line in the division, only beating out Auburn for the penultimate place. The Tigers (purple and gold, not navy and orange) have seen their win total set at 6.0. This presents a pretty unique opportunity for those looking to cash in during Kelly’s debut season in Death Valley.

The odds are favorable no matter which way you gamble. If you’re not feeling great about LSU’s chances this season, the under actually gives bettors some plus juice to consume at +105. Given the low win total though, it’s safe to assume most people in the state of Louisiana will be riding the over and backing the Tigers to win more than six games. If you’re one of those individuals, your odds will lock in at -125, which is still a decent line.

A quick glance at LSU’s schedule tells us that the six-win projection is very kind for bettors. The Tigers will play four non-conference games without leaving the state of Louisiana against Florida State, Southern, New Mexico and UAB. Assuming Kelly’s men can get a win in what’s essentially a home contest on September 4 in the Superdome against the Seminoles, that’s 2/3 of the season’s victories right there. Florida State has posted a losing record in four straight seasons, so it’s in a similar position as LSU going into the game.

Elsewhere, the Tigers haven’t won fewer than three games in SEC play since 1999. If history repeats itself—which it tends to do—LSU will find its seven wins right there with a 3-5 record in SEC play. I’m not one to tell people what to do with their money, but if I were placing a wager on the Tigers’ 2022/23 win total, I would hammer the over in record time.

What bets will you be placing on the Tigers this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter!