The #1 seeded Indiana Hoosiers and #10 seeded Miami Hurricanes both won their respective semi-final games to advance to the 2026 National Championship.
Miami defeated Ole Miss 31-27 in the Fiesta Bowl, winning the game with a touchdown in the final minute of the game to book their spot in the National Championship game. In the other semi-final (the Peach Bowl) Indiana defeated Oregon 56-22 to remain undefeated on the season and advance to the title game.
Miami is now 13-2, while Indiana is 15-0 after their semi-final victories. The two teams will now battle it out in the National Championship on Monday, January 19th at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
On this page we explain the options Americans have for betting on this years College Football National Championship, outline the betting lines for the game, and finish with a step by step guide to getting started.
Where Can Americans Bet On The College Football National Championship?
Your options depend on where you live. Here are the main ways to bet on the College Football National Championship in the United States.
Licensed Sportsbooks
Sports betting is legal in more than 35 states plus Washington, D.C., where licensed sportsbooks such as DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM offer odds on the College Football National Championship. You must be 21 or older in most states and physically located in a state where the sportsbook is licensed.
Prediction Markets
Prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket let you buy and sell contracts on the outcome of the College Football National Championship. Instead of betting against a sportsbook, you trade with other users, and the price of a contract reflects the market’s view of how likely an outcome is. These platforms operate under federal oversight from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) rather than state gambling law, which is why they are available in most states, including states without legal sports betting.
Daily Fantasy Sports
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) apps such as PrizePicks and Underdog offer player stat contests in most states. Rather than betting on who wins, you pick whether players will go over or under a statistical projection.
Offshore Sportsbooks
Offshore sportsbooks are licensed outside the United States and accept bets from across the country. They are not licensed or regulated by any US state, which means Americans who use them have no state regulator to turn to if there is a dispute over a bet or a withdrawal.
Miami vs Indiana Betting Lines
Here are the current betting lines for the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship game (odds taken on January 19th):
Indiana is a 7.5 point favorite in this game and the money line indicates that Indiana is being given a 76.2% chance of winning this game.
Miami Florida is a 7.5 point underdog heading into this game. The money line indicates that Miami has a 27.8% chance of winning this game. The extra 4% is the juice.
Bet On The National Championship – Step By Step
Whichever option you choose, the process of getting started is similar. Here’s a general guide.
Step 1. Choose Your Option
Decide which type of platform fits how you want to bet. Licensed sportsbooks offer the full range of bets where they are available, prediction markets let you trade contracts on the outcome, and DFS apps are built around player stats. Review the options above before signing up.
Step 2. Check The Age and Location Rules
Every platform has its own eligibility requirements. Most prediction markets and DFS apps require you to be at least 18, while licensed sportsbooks require you to be 21 in most states and physically located in the state where they are licensed.
Step 3. Create and Verify Your Account
Sign up with your legal name, date of birth and address. Regulated platforms are required to verify your identity, so you may be asked for the last four digits of your Social Security number or a photo of your ID.
Step 4. Fund Your Account
Deposit using one of the platform’s payment methods, which commonly include debit cards and bank transfers. Check how withdrawals work, and how long they take, before you deposit.
Step 5. Find The Market and Place Your Bet
Navigate to the college football or NCAA football section, select the market you’re interested in, and choose your position. Before confirming, check the price or odds and how much you stand to win, using the bet types explained above as a guide.
Step 6. Set Limits
Decide on a budget before kickoff and stick to it. Most regulated platforms let you set deposit and time limits in your account settings. If betting stops being fun, help is available 24/7 by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
Check out our football betting page for more information about the bets you can make on the game.
Tagged With : College Football • College Football betting • College Football National Championship betting • National Championship • NCAA Football