ReliaQuest Odds
By Eric Uribe,
The ReliaQuest Bowl has become one of the most anticipated matchups outside of the College Football Playoff and New Year’s Six, consistently drawing strong programs and competitive contests. Far from being overlooked, it’s known for showcasing teams from powerhouse conferences and delivering exciting, high-stakes football. For bettors, wagering on the ReliaQuest Bowl offers the same intensity and variety of lines as any major NCAA matchup—spreads, totals, props, and futures all come into play.
The 2025 ReliaQuest Bowl will be played on December 31 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, with kickoff at noon EST on ESPN. Featuring top programs from the ACC, Big Ten, or SEC, it continues the tradition of matching elite teams in one of the most respected non-playoff bowls.
Even the most religious college football bettors tend to focus solely on the six major bowl games each year—the ones that are held in the highest esteem and, on a rolling basis, have the biggest impact on the college football playoff and the National Championship. This trend makes some sense, but the smartest, most committed bettors know they can find opportunities across other college football bowl games. Keep reading for the best college football bowl bets this year.
Best ReliaQuest Bowl Betting Sites
Finding the best ReliaQuest Bowl betting site takes more than picking one at random. Each sportsbook offers a different experience—some stand out for their variety of props and futures, others for fast payouts, and many for generous bonuses or real-time odds updates.
College Football ReliaQuest Bowl Betting Odds
College football futures are popular, from win totals to playoff and National Championship bets. But when it comes to individual bowl games, futures aren’t usually available—the field is simply too uncertain.
The ReliaQuest Bowl is no exception. While its tie-ins are with the SEC, Big Ten, and ACC, the actual matchup depends on which teams advance to higher-profile bowls or the playoff. With powerhouses like Alabama, Georgia, or Michigan often in contention for bigger stages, the ReliaQuest Bowl lineup isn’t set until late in the season. That’s why sportsbooks typically wait to post lines until the teams are officially announced.
We’ll update the ReliaQuest Bowl lines in the table below as soon as they’re available:
Last updated on: September 26, 2025
For the 2025 college football season, the ReliaQuest Bowl field remains wide open until late in the year. With SEC, Big Ten, and ACC tie-ins, the final matchup depends heavily on which teams earn playoff or New Year’s Six invitations. Top prospects may still choose to opt out of bowl games to prepare for the NFL Draft, a trend that continues to shape rosters each postseason. Until the official selections are announced, bettors should expect some uncertainty around which programs will take the field in Tampa.
How ReliaQuest Bowl Contenders are Chosen
As noted earlier, the ReliaQuest Bowl—known as the Outback Bowl from 1996 to 2022—doesn’t follow a strict selection formula. While its tie-ins are with the SEC and Big Ten, the matchup often changes because top teams from those conferences are pulled into higher-profile bowls.
Those marquee opportunities are the New Year’s Six, which rotate as College Football Playoff semifinals and consistently carry the most prestige. They include:
The ReliaQuest Bowl typically features two strong teams that fall just short of the New Year’s Six. In most cases, that means programs ranked outside the top 12, though exceptions can occur.
Identifying the participants in advance is tricky. The AP Top 25 provides a snapshot throughout the season, but the selection committee doesn’t follow a rigid formula. Strength of schedule and undefeated records often carry weight, yet neither guarantees a spot. That uncertainty is why bettors must wait until official announcements before knowing which schools will appear in the ReliaQuest Bowl—and why it’s risky to make early assumptions.
ReliaQuest Bowl Betting vs. College Playoff Betting
ReliaQuest Bowl betting requires a slightly different approach than wagering on the College Football Playoff or National Championship. While it’s a respected postseason achievement, the ReliaQuest Bowl is generally considered a second-tier game, sharing its level of competition with several other notable bowls, including:
- Celebration Bowl
- Las Vegas Bowl
- Holiday Bowl
- Citrus Bowl
- Alamo Bowl
- Music City Bowl
- Belk Bowl
- Army-Navy Game
Relative to the New Year’s Six and National Championship, these bowl games won’t feature as many sportsbook benefits. There won’t be a ton of deposit bonuses associated with them specifically or nearly as many free-play tournaments.
Similarly, you’re also looking at a smaller selection of betting lines. The usual spread, moneyline and over/under wagers will be available, but you’ll start to sense the difference when looking at prop lines and live betting.
This is different from saying the ReliaQuest Bowl isn’t a draw for prop bettors or mid-game gamblers. Lines will be available for each. But they’ll be on the basic end. Think Props and live lines on halftime spreads or moneylines. The selection will only start to dwindle if you’re looking for player-specific lines, like forecasting the over/under on the number of touchdowns passes thrown by a quarterback.
If it’s any consolation, the ReliaQuest Bowl is close to the most important of these second-tier bowl games. Only the Citrus Bowl and Alamo Bowl have a claim to edging it out. This ensures that, relative to the second-level bowl games at large, the ReliaQuest Bowl has the best shot of giving you a deep selection of alternative lines from which to choose.
One area where none of these bowl games differ from the New Year’s Six and the National Championship: Line shifting.
Oddsmaker will make oft-stark adjustments to their initial offerings after gauging the opening public action. Placing your bet after this tweaking takes place is hardly the end of the world, but those initial lines, particularly when it comes to the spread and over/under, tend to be the most attractive for gamblers.
As ever, then, we believe it’s best to place your ReliaQuest Bowl bets as soon as possible, even though you’ll have them close to a full week before kickoff. You obviously have the green light to wait if there’s a major injury—such as the status of a starting quarterback—or anything along those lines. If that’s not an issue, though, striving to submit your prediction once the lines are released should be the goal. And this strategy holds true whether you’re betting on the game outcome, leaning heavily on props or building high-return parlays. Trust us.
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