Who can legally bet on the NCAA College Football Playoff?

The College Football Playoff has quickly become one of the most heavily wagered sporting events in the United States. With the expanded 12-team format now in its second season, interest from casual fans and seasoned bettors alike continues to grow. While betting opportunities are more accessible than ever, legality still depends on where you live, how old you are and what types of bets you want to place.

Understanding the legal landscape matters to protect yourself from unregulated platforms that lack consumer safeguards. Below is a breakdown of how the CFP betting ecosystem works in 2025-26, including who can legally participate, where restrictions apply and what risks to watch for.

Overview of the 2025-26 College Football Playoff

The 2025-26 NCAA College Football Playoff (CFP) marks the second year of the expanded 12-team structure. The inaugural season of this format garnered significant viewership and betting interest, culminating in Ohio State’s championship victory over Notre Dame following a highly competitive semifinal slate. 

This season also introduced a notable adjustment to the selection process. While last year awarded first-round byes to the four highest-ranked conference champions, the updated model grants byes to the four highest-ranked teams overall, regardless of conference affiliation. Meanwhile, the five highest-ranked conference champions receive automatic bids, with the remaining spots filled by at-large selections.

First-round games were once again hosted by higher-seeded teams, with later rounds rotating through traditional bowl venues before the national championship game in Miami Gardens, Florida.

First Round:
#9 Alabama 34 vs. #8 Oklahoma 24 at Oklahoma (12/19, 8 PM ET, ABC/ESPN)
#10 Miami 10 vs. #7 Texas A&M 3 at Texas A&M (12/20, Noon ET, ABC/ESPN)
#11 Tulane 10 vs. #6 Ole Miss 41 at Ole Miss (12/20, 3:30 PM ET, TNT/ HBO Max/truTV/TBS)
#12 James Madison 34 vs. #5 Oregon 51 at Oregon (12/20, 7:30 PM ET, TNT/HBO Max/truTV/TBS)

Quarterfinals:
Cotton Bowl: #10 Miami vs. #2 Ohio State (12/31/25, 7:30 PM ET, ESPN)
Orange Bowl: #5 Oregon vs. #4 Texas Tech (1/1/26, 12 PM ET, ESPN)
Rose Bowl: #9 Alabama vs. #1 Indiana (1/1/26 4 PM ET, ESPN)
Sugar Bowl: #6 Ole Miss vs. #3 Georgia (1/1/26, 8 PM ET, ESPN)

Semifinals:
Fiesta Bowl: #1/#4 side of the bracket (1/8/26, 7:30 PM ET, ESPN)
Peach Bowl: #2/#3 side of the bracket (1/9/26, 7:30 PM ET, ESPN)

Championship:
1/19/26, 7:30 PM ET, ESPN at Miami Garden, Florida. 

Legal betting states for the 2025-26 College Football Playoff

As of December 2025, sports betting is legal in 39 states and Washington, D.C., with Missouri most recently joining the market. Some states offer mobile and in-person sports betting, while others only offer in-person. Here is a breakdown of where and how you can legally place bets across the country:

States with Legal Online Sports Betting:
Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia and Wyoming.

States with Retail-Only Sports Betting:
Mississippi (online allowed on-premises only), Montana (on-premises only via state lottery kiosks), Nebraska (retail only at racetrack casinos), New Mexico (tribal casinos only), North Dakota (tribal casinos only), South Dakota (Deadwood casinos only), Washington (tribal casinos only) and Wisconsin (tribal casinos only).

Age considerations

In most states, the minimum legal age for sports betting is 21. However, six jurisdictions permit wagering at age 18: Kentucky, Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Washington, D.C., and Wyoming.

These lower age thresholds typically exist in states where sports betting is administered through lottery systems or unique regulatory structures rather than traditional casino frameworks. While legal, earlier exposure to betting carries heightened risks, particularly for younger individuals whose impulse control and decision-making processes are still developing.

Where are Player Props banned for the College Football Playoff?

Player props are specific betting types tied to individual athlete performance outcomes, such as passing yards, rushing yards, interceptions, sacks or touchdowns. These markets have exploded in popularity, in part thanks to Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) and because it allows sports enthusiasts to ignore game outcomes and focus on specific players they love and follow. Some people find it easier to exploit a player’s matchup and bet on their props, rather than a team. 

The NCAA, however, has been vocal against this form of wagering, especially player prop Unders – taking an individual to record less than a set number of passing or rushing yards, for example. Some states have cut bettors from wagering on in-state teams, while others have banned this form of wagering on college sports entirely, due to integrity and subjecting amateur athletes to harassment. 

The following states prohibit college player props: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Ohio, Oregon, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.

There is also a subset of states that do not allow prop bets on in-state schools:

Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, New Jersey, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

Beware of offshores, bookies and sweepstakes

Why offshore sportsbooks are risky

While regulated sportsbooks dominate the legal betting market, offshore and unlicensed operators continue targeting U.S. bettors, especially during events like the College Football Playoff. These platforms operate outside U.S. law and do not follow state-level consumer protection standards.

Multiple states, including Michigan and Connecticut, have issued cease-and-desist orders against offshore operators, such as Bovada, for illegally accepting wagers from residents. By late 2024, at least 15 states and Washington, D.C., had taken action to block the platform, signaling a coordinated effort to reduce consumer harm.

Using offshore sportsbooks exposes bettors to withheld payouts, lack of dispute resolution, data security vulnerabilities and potential legal consequences tied to untaxed winnings. Many also allow betting on credit, which can rapidly escalate losses and financial stress.

Sweepstakes Betting: Loopholes and state crackdowns

Sweepstakes betting platforms operate in a legal gray area by framing wagers as promotional contests rather than gambling. These products often use dual virtual currencies, offering “no purchase necessary” entry methods to comply with sweepstakes laws while still enabling real-money withdrawals.

Although technically legal in many states, sweepstakes betting lacks the oversight required of regulated sportsbooks. There are no standardized responsible gaming tools, no independent auditing requirements and limited accountability when disputes arise.

State regulators have increasingly pushed back. Gaming authorities in Delaware, Connecticut, Michigan, Georgia, Idaho, and Washington have issued actions against major sweepstakes operators, citing illegal gambling activity and lack of proper licensure. 

College Football betting: Responsible Gaming tips

The expanded College Football Playoff offers more games, more betting markets and more temptation to wager impulsively. Responsible gaming principles are essential during a high-stakes postseason.

Set clear limits before each round of the CFP begins and treat wagers as entertainment expenses rather than a reliable source of income. Avoid increasing bet sizes to recover losses, and be mindful of how betting affects your mood and finances.

College football also carries higher variability than professional sports. Understanding these dynamics, and stepping away when betting stops being fun, can help prevent longer-term problems.

If betting starts to feel difficult to control, confidential support is available. Birches Health offers specialized, insurance-covered telehealth treatment for gambling addiction, with care delivered entirely from home.