Michigan State Spartans Odds

Michigan State Spartans 2024 Season Preview

Expectations remain low for the Michigan State Spartans football team as it heads into the 2024 season. The once-mighty Big Ten program looks to avoid its third straight losing season and to turn the page on a tumultuous 2023 campaign. Last season, the Spartans fired head coach Mel Tucker just two games into the year, which ultimately concluded with a 4-8 overall record and a 2-7 mark in conference play. 

Now, Jonathan Smith, the former head coach of Oregon State, takes over the MSU reigns. Smith resurrected the Beavers program, and the Spartans faithful are hungry for him to do the same in East Lansing and get the team back into postseason play. 

However, the 2024 Spartan roster has also undergone a transformation. The team tapped the portal for 23 transfers. The list includes two former Oregon State players: new quarterback and former four-star recruit Aidan Chiles, as well as standout tight end Jack Velling. The good news is that the running game can't possibly get much worse than last year, when it ranked dead last in the B10. Returning RB Nate Carter and Rutgers transfer Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams should take some pressure off the passing game, where vet Montorie Foster should provide some stability within the receiving corps.

Michigan State hopes its transfer army can shore up last year's porous defense – one that leaked like a rusty sieve, especially against elite teams. The team's returning lead tackler, Cal Haladay, will head a new-look linebacker rotation. Additionally, Malik Spencer provides a familiar face on what should be an improved secondary.

The Spartans aren't expected to be contenders right away with their fresh roster. Their odds of winning the 2024 national title (1,000 to 1), the Big Ten (200-1) or even making the Big Ten championship game (90-1) are all remarkably long for this unproven group.

But with a somewhat favorable schedule, including winnable games in their first four matchups, Michigan State could soar over its season wins total of 5.0 if all of its new pieces start to click.

Betting on Michigan State

Michigan State Spread

Spread bets are wagers on how much a team will win or lose a game by. Teams expected to win are known as favorites (and have minus odds) and teams expected to lose are called underdogs (plus odds). Here’s an example:

• Michigan State +13.5 (-110)
• Penn State -13.5 (-110)

If the Spartans lose, 28-17, they cover the spread by losing by fewer than 13.5 points, which is the number oddsmakers set. They also cover if they win the game outright. Penn State would need a win by 14 or more to cover its side.

Michigan State Over/Unders

In 2023 wagering on MSU overs was not very lucrative for bettors, who would've gone 4-7 (36.4% of games) with that strategy. In fact, Sparty ranked 132nd out of 133 total teams with just 13.3 points per game.

Over/unders are bets on how many points are scored between both teams in a game.

If you bet over 41 for the MSU vs. Minnesota game, for example, the Spartans lost the game 27-12. The 39 points scored means that your bet lost. For over 41 bettors, the teams needed to combine for 41 or more, while a scoring output of exactly 41 would be a tie for both sides of the bet.

Michigan State Moneylines

Moneylines — bets on the outright winner of a game — have varied payouts depending on how likely or unlikely a win is for each team.

For example, MSU was a massive +2400 underdog vs. powerhouse Ohio State last year, which means a $100 bet would've paid off a profit of $2,400 had they won. If the Spartans were -2400 favorites somehow, you would need to bet $2,400 to win $100 on the game.

Michigan State Props

Player props are a fun way to bet on the Spartans, and these bets don't rely on them winning the game. These wagers are just made on an individual player’s performance for the game, usually in a single statistical category.

Some Spartans props you could bet on in 2024 include QB Aidan Chiles' total touchdowns, RB Nate Carter's rushing yards, or P Ryan Eckley's total punts.

Michigan State Futures

If you’re a diehard Michigan State fan and want to have some skin in every game, you could make some bets on Spartans' futures.

Futures are bets on the outcome of the entire season. Some examples for 2024 include over/under on the Spartans' win total, odds to win the Big Ten, and players to lead the nation in certain statistics, among others.