LSU vs. Alabama Football: Point Spread Is Insignificant When Placing Your Bet

Las Vegas sports books love a big football game and none will create more betting interest during the 2011 college football regular season than Saturday night's Southeastern Conference showdown between the No. 1 LSU Tigers (8-0) and No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0).

The betting odds have fluctuated between 4 to 5.5 all week in favor of Alabama, who will be serving as host inside Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

As a situational sports handicapper, I've examined every closing line during the first nine weeks of the season, finding 39 games that have fallen in this range.

Bettors shouldn't be concerned with the point spread when placing their wager, as the winning team is 35-4 against-the-spread in this situation, covering the number by 14.5 points on average.

It's significant to note that the four misses were all won by the favorite, failing to cover the spread by less than two points in each instance.

This angle certainly fits this series when featuring coaches Les Miles and Nick Saban on the sidelines since 2007, with the winning team coming away with the cash in all four meetings.

The game plan is simple Saturday—play the moneyline (win straight up) if you like the Tigers, or lay the points with the Crimson Tide.

Now you just need to figure out who's going to win the game and have a clear shot at being one of two representatives in the 2012 BCS Championship Game.

I believe it comes down to the battle in the trenches.