Below are the latest odds and trends for Saturday’s huge game between No. 6 Michigan (7-0) and No. 8 Michigan State (7-0) …
- This will be the 114th meeting between Michigan and Michigan State, and the first when both teams are at least 7-0. The last time these two met when each was ranked in the top 10 was Oct. 10, 1964, with the No. 7 Wolverines upending the No. 9 Spartans, 17-10, in East Lansing. As expected, Caesars Sportsbook bettors in Michigan are all over this year’s game. “Handle in Michigan for this game will be huge especially as the other team in Michigan – the Detroit Lions – haven’t won a game. So, the local focus on this game is massive,” said Craig Mucklow, Caesars Sportsbook VP of Trading. Saturday’s contest also has immense national appeal. “This game will quite possibly be our biggest game on Saturday in handle all round,” Mucklow added.
- Michigan is a 4-point road favorite on Saturday, but Caesars Sportsbook bettors are siding with the underdog. Nationally, Michigan State has drawn 65% of the tickets and 55% of the dollars wagered on spread bets. In the state of Michigan, the Spartans are getting even more love, attracting 69% of the tickets on spread bets and a whopping 94% of the dollars wagered. This season the Wolverines are 6-1 against the spread while the Spartans are 5-2.
- “People love betting the dog in the local rivalries as they tend to raise their game above and beyond for these events,” Mucklow said. “Michigan is to Michigan State what Ohio State is to Michigan. This is big brother trying to show he is still king of the state in football. Bragging rights last an entire year, kind of like Ohio State beating Michigan on an annual basis.” With Jim Harbaugh as head coach, Michigan has been favored in all six previous games against Michigan State but is 3-3 straight up and 2-4 against the spread.
- Despite the early action on Michigan State, Mucklow does not expect to see the line fluctuate. “As for line movement, we can’t see it moving now unless a significant sharp bet comes in,” he said. “The public money for both sides will keep us where we are unless of course there are significant weather patterns.”
- Under Harbaugh, Michigan is 2-12 straight up and 4-10 against the spread in games against top-10 opponents. The two outright wins came against No. 8 Notre Dame in 2019 and No. 8 Wisconsin in 2016. “Harbaugh’s teams in the past are not like this one,” said Mucklow, “But then again State hasn’t been ranked this high for a while.”
- Michigan State was last ranked in the top 10 in September 2016, when they climbed to No. 8 and promptly lost to No. 11 Wisconsin. In their last seven games against a top-10 foe, the Spartans are 0-7 both straight up and against the spread. Michigan State’s last win and cover vs. a top-10 team came against No. 8 Penn State on Oct. 13, 2018, winning 21-17 as a 13.5-point underdog.
- Both schools have seen their odds to win the Big Ten championship improve dramatically. On Caesars Sportsbook, Michigan began the season at +2500 (25/1) to win the Big Ten title but has advanced to +550, second only to Ohio State, the overwhelming favorite at -240. Michigan State was +10000 (100/1) to win the conference title entering the year but is now +2000 (20/1).
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