DeVonta Smith‘s odds to win the Heisman Trophy have surged in recent weeks, making Alabama’s star receiver the commanding favorite to take home college football’s most prestigious award Tuesday.
In mid-December, Smith was a 22-1 Heisman underdog at BetRivers sportsbooks, but he attracted a recent big bet and his odds have improved significantly. As of Tuesday morning, Smith was a -1,000 favorite (1-10) at BetRivers.
Alabama quarterback Mac Jones is next at 6-1, followed by Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence at 10-1 and Florida quarterback Kyle Trask at 50-1.
On Sunday, a bettor with BetRivers in Illinois placed a $23,637.77 bet on Smith to win the Heisman Trophy at -556 odds, a sportsbook representative told ESPN. If Smith becomes the first receiver to win the award since Michigan’s Desmond Howard in 1991, the bettor will win a net $4,254.80.
The Heisman Trophy will be presented at 7 p.m. ET Tuesday in a live virtual ceremony on ESPN.
The big bet on Smith skewed the betting percentages at BetRivers, where, as of Tuesday morning, approximately 95% of the money that had been wagered was on the Crimson Tide receiver. Yet only 31% of the bets were on Smith, 6% less than were on Jones, his quarterback.
Smith wasn’t even listed as an option to start the season at Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill, but he started putting up big numbers and was added to the betting menu on Oct. 24 as a 60-1 underdog. He became the Heisman Trophy favorite for the first time at William Hill books after the SEC Championship Game.
At DraftKings sportsbook, Smith has attracted fewer bets than any of the other three finalists, but the bulk of the recent money and biggest bets have been on him.
“Mac Jones was the bettors’ choice until a few weeks back, when money on Devonta Smith started coming in at a rapid pace,” Johnny Avello, sportsbook director for DraftKings, said Tuesday. “With a few hours of wagering still remaining, Jones has taken 25% of all money and Smith 25%.”
Smith led the nation in receptions (98) and receiving yards (1,511) and finished second in all-purposes yards (1,767) and receiving touchdowns (17). Alabama plays Ohio State on Monday in the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Lawrence, the Heisman Trophy favorite entering the season, had attracted greater than three times more bets than Smith at DraftKings.