How important is Johnny Manziel to the success of Texas A&M in 2013? Very, if you place any type of credence on betting lines.
Just yesterday, and amidst swirling uncertainty regarding Manziel’s status for the upcoming season, Bovada.lv released its “final” odds of the preseason. In that release, Texas A&M was listed as a 14/1 favorite to win the 2013 BCS championship. That was down from 8/1 in May, prior to reports that the quarterback’s eligibility might be in jeopardy due to impermissible benefits.
Shortly after the announcement that the Manziel case was closed and the All-American would receive just a half-game suspension, Bovada dropped A&M’s BCS all the way down to 8/1. That would put the Aggies ahead of Oregon (9/1) and just behind Ohio State (6/1).
While Alabama remains the favorite, the Manziel news even had an impact on the Tide’s odds. A prohibitive 5/2 favorite Tuesday, Bovada dropped the number slightly to 11/4 Wednesday afternoon.
Even Manziel’s Heisman odds improved after the resolution.
In February, the reigning Heisman winner was a slight favorite at 4/1. In mid-August, after news of the NCAA investigation surfaced, they dropped behind eight other players at 15/1. Today, those odds are back up to 7/1, but still behind Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller (9/2) and South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (6/1).
“Interestingly, there is not as much money coming in on him as there was months ago when he was a clear favorite at 9/2,” Kevin Bradley, Bovada sports book manager, said. “I guess the love and hype surrounding him on the football field is not as powerful as it once was and has had an effect on how bettors are betting on this award.”