Why is Colorado the most popular bet to win the Pac-12? Exploring Deion Sanders’ Impact on the betting market 

There’s an incredible surge of confidence among betters and punters about Colorado’s chances of winning the 2023 Pac-12 Conference championship. This is despite the team coming off a 1-11 record the previous season. The source of this inexplicable pattern is probably the impact of the new Buffaloes head coach, Deion Sanders.

Since the odds for the next season of college football became available, more bets have been placed on Colorado to win the conference. As per BetMGM, there is a +10000 odds on the Buffaloes to win the Pac-12. Still, 61.1% of the bets on the conference titles have been placed on the Buffaloes. This amounts to about 42.5% of the money wagered.

More money has been wagered on Washington, with 42.7% of the total stakes going to the Huskies. But only 14.2% of the bets have been placed on Washington, second only behind Colorado.

The amount of attention Colorado is getting is not unconnected to the new head coach in charge at Boulder, Deion Sanders. The Pro Football Hall of Famer has made an immediate impact on the Buffaloes team, which has seen a complete overhaul.

But such an impact is not a guarantee for an immediate improvement in performance. This explains why the Buffs have the second-worst odd in the league, tied with Arizona and better only than Stanford.

---

How are Pac-12 teams tipped ahead of the season?

The most favored team to win is future Big Ten member USC, with a +200 odds of emerging as conference champions. It will be the Trojans’ last dance at the Pac-12 as they enter their second season with Lincoln Riley as head coach. The team will also be graced with the return of the Heisman Trophy holder, Caleb Williams.

Williams led the Trojans’ offense last season, one of the best in the country. The team’s defense, however, constituted its big weakness as they lost the conference title game against Utah and, with it, a potential berth at the CFP.

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic - Tulane v USC

Despite consecutive conference championship wins, Utah is the number four favorite with +500 odds. USC, Oregon with +300 odds, and Washington are all favored above Utah.

According to BetMGM, 8.4% of the punters are tipping USC to win the conference with 3.4% of the amount wagered. Utah, on the other hand, has taken 4.6% of the bets and 1.7% of the stake, while Oregon, with 3.4% of the bets, has received 1.6% of the money staked.