Would you ever bet against Alabama if the betting line was right?

[califbamafan]

As a gambler you should never bet on teams you have an emotional attachment to. You will end up losing most of the time. If you are going to bet you should do a lot of research and give yourself the best chance to win.

 

[bodiddle]

NO!

 

[bama70]

Some friends and I were in a pool room that handled bets in Tuscaloosa during the 1969 Liberty Bowl against Colorado (they had a great television for that time). This was in the middle of what could only be described as the worst few years of Coach Bryant's tenure at UA.
One individual watching the game had bet a large amount on Colorado. The local bookies kept kidding him that the "fix" was in and UA was going to win. After Colorado had taken a commanding early lead Bama came storming back to make the game close. As the guy got more nervious, Scott Hunter ran a quarterback draw some 30 to 40 yards which I think put Bama in the lead. This guy jumped out of his chair and screamed " Oh my God it is fixed!! He can't walk that far without tripping".

Unfortunately, Colorado rallied and beat us by two touchdowns so he covered. I doubt that he bet against Bama again even though he won.

 

[CrimsonTheory]

I consider betting against your favorite team, a cardinal sin punishable by immediate dismissal from said fanbase. So no, I may bet, but it will never be on my favorite teams.

 

[BAMA1979]

These gambling stories remind me of one I heard several years ago...

Two guys are sitting at a bar watching a football game and one of them says, "I've lost over $50,000 betting on football." The other guy says, "well, basketball season has started, why don't you bet on that instead?" The gambler replies, "Hell no, I don't know anything about basketball."

 

[Ole Man Dan]

I would never bet against or for a team I had an emotional investment in, if I bet, which I don't. The last "gambling" I did was poker in college, but that was to earn extra money. They were gambling. I wasn't...

BTDT...
In college I was the only one sober at a poker table... (Ironic)
For some reason, I won.
Didn't cheat, but knew what I was doing and what they were too drunk to know. (I'll still take that advantage)

 

[MVKTR2]

no, but that's because I don't bet

 

[JPT4Bama]

Nah, never could. Of course I haven't bet on anything since the mid eighties. Just takes all the fun out of it.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

BTDT...
In college I was the only one sober at a poker table... (Ironic)
For some reason, I won.
Didn't cheat, but knew what I was doing and what they were too drunk to know. (I'll still take that advantage)

That's pretty descriptive of my situation also. In addition, I'd tell them in advance how long I'd play and that I was walking away, behind or ahead, at that point. Of course, there was much weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth, since I was almost always way ahead at that point. They, and they were friends, couldn't keep up with the cards nor with the odds on any given hand, even had they been sober. Funny thing is that I've never played to amount to anything since then. I didn't enjoy it particularly then and wouldn't now. It was just a financial thing to me at the time. I wasn't completely heartless. I wouldn't play with anyone whom I knew was in over his head and had a gambling problem. It was just about futile to collect from those sorts anyway...

 

[TrueGritnPluck]

I am taking FAU tomorrow

 

[LCN]

Yes. Bama has had years they rarely covered big spreads. Especially with Coach Stallings.

True . Alabama used to be an amazing road dog during the Bryant era . Especially since it hardly ever happened

I haven't wagered on any games in many a year . When I did , I tried not to ever bet for or against Alabama . I will say , as odd as it seems , my largest bets usually involved the barn . They were a cash cow during the '93 season . Covered a lot of low numbers that year .

 

[BamaPokerplayer]

I have and will continue to bet against Alabama if the line is right. With CNS one is wise to give the points. I think when I checked before the season CNS was 42-17-1 against the spread.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I have and will continue to bet against Alabama if the line is right. With CNS one is wise to take the points. I think when I checked before the season CNS was 42-17-1 against the spread.

The only way I would bet against Bama would be if I were in the business. Otherwise, too much pain involved...

 

[BamaPokerplayer]

The only way I would bet against Bama would be if I were in the business. Otherwise, too much pain involved...

I took Utah over Alabama in 08. It was the perfect storm of Alabama thinking what if, Utah playing for respect, the team wasn't processed yet, it really did not matter if we won or lost. I could never pick against BAMA in a meaningful game but I would take the points with some underdogs against us.

 

[skrayper77]

I don't bet FOR or AGAINST Alabama. I rarely do in any setting, but never where my team is involved. Too much bias.

 

[Bama Torch in Pcola]

What would you do if Bama were up by 61 and FAU had a chance to kick a field goal to avoid a shutout and cover the line? I just don't think I could ever bet against my team.

An interesting moral dilemma...I couldn't root for us to lose the shut out.

 

[Catfish]

I'm not a betting man myself, but this week's line is crazy high. I wouldn't take FAU because we are likely to win big, but there is no guarantee that FAU won't collapse like Arky did, in which case, our backps still score a couple td's. Thorwing out a hypothetical line: if Vegas for some reason, had a line of 50 against LSU this season, would you take the points and bet "against" Bama?

I'm not a gambling guy, but yes. If I were a gambler and Bama were favored by 50 over LSU, I'd make that bet.

 

[TiderJack]

Done it. Hate to do it but at times during the Shula era it was easy money.

 

[Bear Disciple]

Yes... I have before and I'll do it again. I used to maintain a policy of staying away from Alabama lines no matter what, but after numerous weeks go by when I am asked, "Will Alabama really cover such and such a spread?" I repeatedly told them when the spread was in the high 40s that no, we would not cover, not because we can't but because we don't want to. Intermediate spreads I told them to take us nearly without fail. After being right probably 80% of the time, I finally gave up on my unwillingness to bet for or against Alabama, and it has paid great dividends. I won't advise anyone to do the same, because I understand not wanting to bet games involving your team, but it really helps when you know nearly everything there is no know about a team when considering which side to take.

 

[Dr. Van Nostran]

We will win today by whatever amount Coach Saban wants us to win by. And he doesn't want us to win by 50. EVER!!!