The Ball State Cardinals (6-6 SU, 4-8 ATS) take on the Georgia State Panthers (7-5 SU, 8-4 ATS) in the 2021 TaxAct Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama on Christmas Day (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). Ball State won its first bowl game in program history last season, but the odds do not favor the Cardinals winning a second this year.
Since opening with Ball State as 3.5-point underdogs, the spread has increased to as high as +6 at Caesars, BetMGM, and PointsBet.
The over/under total on the game ranges between 50.5 (FanDuel) and 51.5 (Caesars) as of Wednesday. If you believe Ball Sate and Georgia State will combine to score more points than the total, look for the sportsbook offering the lowest number; if you believe fewer points will be scored, bet at the sportsbook with the highest number. Odds are always subject to to change.
If you believe Ball State will win the game outright, FanDuel is offering +205 on the moneyline, meaning a winning $100 bet would turn a $205 profit. For help figuring out how moneylines pay, check out our moneyline calculator.
In addition to betting Ball State +6 points on a spread bet or placing a moneyline or over/under wager, there are various other ways to get action down on the Camellia Bowl. There is also a wide selection of sportsbooks operating in Indiana, and betting on the local team could be a great way to make Christmas a whole lot merrier for Hoosier sports bettors.
Indiana Sportsbooks
If you are an experienced bettor in Indiana, you probably already have a sportsbook in mind. However, if you are new to the wide world of sports betting, it can be a daunting task trying to decide which sportsbook to go with. Of course, the markets available are a factor, but we’ll go over those in the next section.
This section will review the various sportsbooks operating in Indiana and the welcome bonuses they offer. If you play your cards right and join the right one(s), you can have more money to bet with when it gets closer to game time (or during the game if you want to give live-betting a try).
So, which sportsbooks operate in Indiana, and what bonuses do they offer? While Indiana has several, here are a few excellent choices (bonuses are for new users only):
- Caesars: $1,001 first bet match
- BetMGM: $1,000 risk-free bet
- PointsBet: Two risk-free bets, max value $2,000
- DraftKings: $50 free bet and first deposit bonus up to $1,000
- BetRivers: $250 deposit match
- FanDuel: $1,000 risk-free bet
Terms and conditions apply, of course. Be sure and check those out because they may impact your decision.
Sportsbooks do not want you to feel left out if you are not a new bettor. Most offer parlay insurance, parlay boosts, and/or profit boosts to enhance your betting experience. DraftKings is offering users a free bet of up to $50 (you must use it by December 26).
Ball State Markets For The Camellia Bowl
After watching their team dominate San Jose State in the Arizona Bowl last year (34-13), it is understandable if Ball State fans are excited to get in on the action for the Camellia Bowl. While you can take the points, bet the moneyline, or take the over or under, those are not your only options.
The following are four of our favorite markets:
Alternate Point Spreads
Are you confident the Cardinals can compete with the Panthers? DraftKings offers a range of point spreads that allow you to show your faith in Ball State by taking fewer points (and potentially winning more money). If you are not overly confident, you can go the other way and take more points, as many as +11, but your payout will be less if you cover the bigger spread (-220, meaning for a $100 profit you must risk $220).
PointsBet gives you a broader range to choose from, going as high as Ball State +17.5 (-530) to Ball State -5.5 (+250).
Same Game Parlay
This option is not available at every sportsbook, but you will find it at BetMGM, BetRivers, and DraftKings. The available markets vary amongst the three, but if you like the option of taking on more risk for a shot at more reward, give same-game parlays a try.
First/Last/Anytime Touchdown Scorer Props
BetMGM has odds on who will score the first touchdown, who will score the last, and which players will score a touchdown at any time during the game. Odds are greater, of course, for the first and last touchdown.
First-Quarter/First-Half Spread, Moneyline, Total
Do you feel better about how the Cardinals play in the first half or first quarter relative to the whole game? Then you may like the first-quarter or first-half point spreads, moneylines, and totals offered by Caesars.
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