Big Ten Conference Best Bets - College Football Betting Preview

The college football season is almost here! Gone are the boring Saturdays filled with wondering what baseball game you have to tune into to pass the time after a family walk and mowing the lawn. Crack a cold one, and let's get ready to bet some college football.

There's plenty of ways to make money betting college football, whether it's futures, against the spread picks or player props. Our goal here at Dimers is to make sure you have all the resources you need to be profitable. That's why we're previewing every major conference in college football before the season begins.

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Before we get started, we have to recommend that you head over to our revamped Best Sportsbooks section which features an all-new user-friendly look, complete with in-depth reviews of every online sportsbook. Even better, you’ll be able to see which books are available to you specifically along with every exclusive promo offer you can take advantage of. College football is one of the most popular sports in the United States for betting and there are countless daily and weekly promotions throughout the season. Having access to every possible book you can is crucial to turning a long-term profit over the season and beyond.

College Football Conference Previews

ACC coming soon | Big 12 coming soon | SEC coming soon | PAC 12 coming soon 

Big Ten Conference Preview

The Basics

2022 Championship Game: Michigan defeated Purdue 43-22

# of Teams in Bowl Games: Nine

College Football Playoff Participants: Michigan, Ohio State

Bowl Wins: Wisconsin (Guaranteed Rate Bowl), Minnesota (Pinstripe Bowl), Maryland (Duke's Mayo Bowl), Iowa (Music City Bowl), Penn State (Rose Bowl), 

Bowl Losses: Illinois (ReliaQuest Bowl), Purdue (Citrus Bowl), Ohio State (Peach Bowl), Michigan (Fiesta Bowl), 

The Big Ten was one of the premier conferences in college football last season, and we don't expect it to be any less competitive heading into 2023. The Big Ten East division remains the most loaded in all of college football, with two returning college football playoff participants (albeit losers) in Michigan and Ohio State, along with re-loaded Penn State and new-look Michigan State squads

In the West, Illinois looks to take another leap forward under head coach Bret Bielema after a surprising 8-5 season. Defending West champion Purdue has a new head coach and may be entering a rebuild, while disgraced coaches Pat Fitzgerald at Northwestern and PJ Fleck at Minnesota make this division one that is truly up for grabs. Don't sleep on Iowa, who will be quarterbacked by former Michigan starter Cade McNamara. The Big Ten will be one of the most fun to watch conferences in all of college football, just wait until USC and UCLA arrive!

Contenders: Michigan, Ohio State,Iowa

For contenders in the Big Ten, we're sticking with the big boys. It's a shame that Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State are in the same division, as all three possess rosters that are talented enough to play in next year's College Football Playoff, but for that reason we have to focus in on the best of the best.

For at least one more year, the conference runs through Ann Arbor with two-time defending Big Ten champion Michigan. While Jim Harbaugh's impending four-game suspension could slow Michigan down, they play cupcakes early (sorry Rutgers) and it shouldn't have much of an effect. Now that the Wolverines have gotten through the Ohio State obstacle, that rivalry has shifted mentally, emotionally and physically. Heisman candidate Blake Corum is back for an extra year at running back, and he may not even be the best player on his own team, as quarterback JJ McCarthy has been receiving heaps of praise from NFL scouts. DimersBOT ranks Michigan as the favorite here, with a 34.5% probability to win the Big Ten.

Right behind them is their nemesis Ohio State. And while Harbaugh's crew have gotten the better of the Buckeyes twice in a row, it was actually Ohio State who fared better in the College Football Playoff last season, going toe to toe with the best team in the country, Georgia, all the way down to the final kick. Pundits may be overestimating the difference between Michigan and Ohio State given the current streak, and DimersBOT agrees - marking Ohio State as a 33.8% probability to win the Big Ten, less than 1% behind the Wolverines. What puts them slightly. behind in our mind is that they have to replace their star quarterback - CJ Stroud. If Kyle McCord or Devin Brown emerge as a capable option this year, the Buckeyes will be right there at the end.

While every team in the West is a step (or two, or three) behind Michigan and Ohio State, we believe it is Iowa who has the best shot at emerging and potentially winning a conference championship game against them. In steps former Wolverine Cade McNamara, who infamously delivered the "what if we win out" speech that spurred Michigan out of their miserable stretch and back into successful finishes. McNamara has started in the College Football Playoff, and will certainly have something to prove. Iowa's defense last year was one of the best in the country, and with 16 returning starters overall, it would be wise to back the Hawkeyes before they create separation between themselves and the rest of the West division.

Sleeper Pick: Illinois

If there's one sleeper here worth backing, it may be Bielema's Illini. After a breakout season that saw Illinois go from 6th in the preseason polls up to 2nd, winning five conference games in the process, the Illini will look to take yet another leap forward with a new quarterback under center. Former Ole Miss quarterback Luke Altmyer is in, and early returns from practice are positive. With a friendly schedule (Penn State and Wisconsin being the biggest tests, both at home), the door is wide open for Illinois to head to Indianapolis for the Big Ten championship. 

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