Joe Burrow Given Odds on Breaking OJ Simpson’s Heisman Record of 855 First Place Votes; Jalen Hurts Favored to Garner 2nd Most Votes
- Sportsbooks are offering a series of prop wagers on LSU quarterback Joe Burrow and the 2019 Heisman Trophy
- Will Burrow shatter OJ Simpson’s 1968 Heisman Trophy record of 855 first-place ballots?
- The sportsbook also favors Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts to first second in the voting
Unless the oddsmakers are way off the mark, they can already go ahead and etch Joe Burrow’s name on the Heisman Trophy.
The LSU quarterback is listed as the -30000 favorite to win the trophy that goes to the best player in college football. At those odds, you’d be required to wager $300 to win $1.
Fortunately, a straight wager on the Heisman isn’t the only option on the board. Sportsbooks are also offering betting markets on a trio of Heisman-related prop wagers.
The Heisman Trophy winner will be announced at 7 pm on Saturday.
2019 Heisman Trophy Odds
| Player (School) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Joe Burrow (LSU) | -30000 |
| Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma) | +2500 |
| Chase Young (Ohio State) | +3300 |
| Justin Fields (Ohio State) | +3300 |
Odds taken on Dec. 10th
When the opening opening 2019 Heisman Trophy odds were listed, Burrow was offered at +15000. Why is he such an overwhelming favorite in the final betting line?
It’s simple, really. Burrow hasn’t just answered every challenge put in front of him this season. He’s overwhelmed anyone who stood in his path.
He Has Set College Football Off
A Name You Will Never Forget pic.twitter.com/PN7cif69v2
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) December 9, 2019
The senior QB leads the NCAA in touchdown passes, setting a Southeastern Conference record with 48. He’s also on top in completion percentage (.779).
Burrow is second nationally with 4,715 passing yards and in passing efficiency rating (201.5). He’s at the helm the #1-ranked team and most-potent offense (554.4 yards per game) in the nation.
During the big games, Burrow’s been huge. In the Tigers’ 37-10 rout of Georgia in the SEC title game, Burrow passed for 349 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 41 yards and caught a pass for 16 yards.
Against Alabama in LSU’s biggest regular-season test, Burrow was 31-of-39 through the air for 393 yards and three touchdowns in a 46-41 win.
He’s been a dominant performer all season long.
Pick: Joe Burrow (-30000).
Player to Receive Second-Most 2019 Heisman Trophy Votes
| Player (School) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma) | -110 |
| Chase Young (Ohio State) | +110 |
| Justin Fields (Ohio State) | +275 |
Oklahoma QBs have won the past two Heisman Trophies – Kyler Murray last year and Baker Mayfield in 2017. The Sooners have produced 10 Heisman Trophy finalists in the past 20 years, more than any other school.
Hurts is their fifth Heisman Trophy finalist in four years, and their 11th since finalists were first announced in 1982. Both of those totals are also #1.
Most #Heisman finalists the last 20 years:
Oklahoma – 10 (4 winners)
Alabama – 6
Stanford – 5
Florida/Ohio State/USC – 4
Miami/Oregon/Texas – 3— Mike Houck (@mhouckOU) December 10, 2019
For that reason alone, you might lean toward Hurts as #2. The Alabama transfer led Oklahoma to its fifth straight Big 12 title and to the school’s fourth appearance in the College Football Playoff.
Hurts passed for 3,634 yards, 32 touchdowns this season, completing 71.8 percent of his passes. He was the Sooners’ leading rusher, gaining 1,255 yards and running for 18 TDs.
But there’s any even stronger element in play here that makes Hurts so good as a second-place finisher.
Both Chase Young and Justin Fields play for the same team, the Ohio State Buckeyes. It’s only logical that these two will split the vote amongst those who cast ballots for the Ohio State tandem.
Pick: Jalen Hurts (-110).
Total Heisman Trophy First-Place Votes For Joe Burrow
| Outcome | Odds |
|---|---|
| Under 805 first-place votes | -150 |
| Over 805 first-place votes | +110 |
Burrow is an Ohio State grad transfer. In 2006, Ohio State QB Troy Smith garnered 801 first-place ballots to rank second all-time in Heisman voting.
Sportsbooks are basically asking whether Burrow can unseat Smith and move into second place.
Was this Joe Burrow's hashtag Heisman moment? pic.twitter.com/7HR8U6UPzG
— Stadium (@Stadium) December 8, 2019
That could be tough. As much as he’s an overwhelming favorite, Hurts did enjoy a spectacular season in his own right. And Fields and Young play for an unbeaten squad.
Pick: Under 805 first-place votes (-150).
Will Joe Burrow Break OJ Simpson’s Record 855 Heisman Trophy First-Place Votes?
| Outcome | Odds |
|---|---|
| No | -1000 |
| Yes | +500 |
Most days, it’s a bad thing to be mentioned in the same sentence with OJ Simpson. In this rare instance, it’s not.
As a running back at USC, Simpson garnered 855 first-place votes when he won the 1968 Heisman Trophy. Back then, there were 1,200 Heisman voters. Today, there are 929.
Joe Burrow has had seemingly countless "Heisman Moments."
But his first might have been his best. #LSUpic.twitter.com/cDbzOkXjle
— Tyler Nunez (@ByTylerNunez) December 10, 2019
That means to break the record, Burrow would need to garner 92.14 of all first-place ballots cast.
Pick: No (-1000).
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
