College Playoff Bettors Shut Out In Some States With Teams Seeking National Title

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Larry Henry

Last Updated: Dec 27^th, 2024

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College Playoff Bettors Shut Out In Some States With Teams Seeking National Title

In some states with teams competing for the national title in the College Football Playoff — or in states hosting playoff games — fans can’t bet legally on the matchups.

Of the 12 teams that began post-season play in December with a shot at the championship, eight are remaining. This is the first year with 12 teams vying for the title in a playoff format.

The quarterfinals feature three teams from states where all sports betting is illegal. Those teams are:

Boise State (Idaho) Broncos
Texas Longhorns
Georgia Bulldogs

The following host sites, which include quarterfinal contests and the title game, are in states where all sports betting is outlawed. These include the nation’s two most populated states, California and Texas.

Peach Bowl: Georgia
Rose Bowl: California
Cotton Bowl: Texas
Title Game: Georgia

Betting Is Legal In Most States

In other states with teams in the playoff or hosting games, betting is legal on college sports but, in some cases, is limited. For instance, college prop bets are illegal in some states where collegiate sports betting is legal in general. Bettors are advised to check with the rules and restrictions in each state.

Nationwide, sports betting is legal and operational in 38 states and Washington, D.C. It also is legal in a 39th state, Missouri, though it hasn’t begun there yet and is unlikely to begin in time for the collegiate championship game. Gaming regulators in Missouri are required to set the start date for sports betting no later than Dec. 1, 2025. Meanwhile, sports betting is legal in every state bordering Missouri, except Oklahoma.

Proponents of legal betting note that in states like California and Texas, where wagering is illegal, bettors use unregulated, untaxed offshore websites or local illegal bookies. Some bettors in illegal jurisdictions travel to legal bordering states to wager on sporting events, including Californians who go to Nevada to bet legally and Texans who go to Louisiana.

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Playoff Matchups

Below are games and locations. Times are Eastern.

Quarterfinals

Dec. 31, 2024

Fiesta Bowl (Arizona): No. 3 Boise State vs. No. 6 Penn State, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Jan. 1, 2025

Peach Bowl (Georgia): No. 4 Arizona State vs. No. 5 Texas, 1 p.m. (ESPN)
Rose Bowl (California): No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8 Ohio State, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
Sugar Bowl (Louisiana): No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 7 Notre Dame, 8:45 p.m. (ESPN)