College Football

Sportsbooks get monster win as Colorado Buffaloes fail to cover

Updated Sep. 17, 2023 3:01 p.m. ET

The big question in the college football Week 3 odds world: Would Coach Prime and Colorado cover as three-touchdown-plus favorites?

Or would Colorado State keep it within that 23-point spread and slow down the Buffaloes betting bonanza?

Not for a moment did anyone ask: Will this be a really close game? Or maybe even a huge upset? It nearly was the latter, but Colorado rallied in the fourth quarter and won 43-35 in double overtime.

Still, with Colorado State easily covering the large spread, it was a monster win for the sportsbooks.

Late Saturday night, a couple of oddsmakers chimed in after getting back a significant chunk of money that bettors won on the Buffaloes in the first two weeks.

No. 18 Colorado vs. Colorado State highlights

Slice of Humble Pie

A Shilo Sanders 80-yard interception return gave Colorado a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. But less than a minute later, Colorado State answered on a Dallin Holker 30-yard TD catch to tie the score at 7.

The Buffaloes didn't lead again until after each of the overtime periods. The two teams were knotted at 14 at halftime, and the Rams built a 28-17 lead early in the fourth quarter. Colorado came back to ultimately tie it at 28 on a Jimmy Horn Jr. 45-yard TD reception — and the following two-point conversion — with 36 seconds remaining.

The Buffs got touchdowns in each of the overtime periods and converted the two-point try in double OT. They then clinched the game with an interception in the end zone.

"Prime Time has been doing a lot of talking this season, but he was definitely backing it up. TCU and Nebraska weren't able to shut him up. The bettors who loved the bravado got rewarded the first two weeks," BetMGM Nevada's Scott Shelton said. "This close call should pump the brakes on backing the Buffaloes as multi-TD favorites.

"That being said, Colorado has been a great story and has brought a ton of handle to the books in Nevada."

Almost Balancing the Book

Zachary Lucas, director of retail sports for TwinSpires Sportsbook, said before Saturday night's game that another massive decision was looming.

"It'd be a bloodbath if Colorado covers," Lucas said.

Instead, TwinSpires — and certainly many other sportsbooks across the country — got their best result of the season so far.

"It was a great Saturday, one of the best we've had in a while. Colorado State covering is the cherry on top," Lucas said. "Colorado bettors are still ahead, but we got most of it back."

South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews was perfectly content with the Rams covering the huge number.

"We definitely needed Colorado State. Ticket count was 90% Colorado," Andrews said, echoing numbers seen at sportsbooks far and wide on Colorado.

I Like Big Bets and I Cannot Lie

There were piles of money bet on Colorado State-Colorado in Vegas and at sportsbooks across the country. One bettor who perhaps came away happiest: A Caesars Sports customer in Nevada who put $100,000 on Colorado State +24 (-105).

That bettor didn't have to sweat the win at really any point of a game that went to double overtime. And for that, the bettor profited $95,238, for a $195,238 total payout.

Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for VegasInsider.com. He is a distinguished journalist in the national sports betting space. He's based in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golfing in 110-degree heat. Follow him on Twitter: @PatrickE_Vegas