Flying to a college football game? Take these tips

NCAA Football Betting Lines

09/08/2010 -

NEW YORK (AP) -Smell the tailgate party - it's college football season. But if you're flying in for a game, you might be headed for a headache. Cutbacks at major airlines have made flight choices more difficult this fall, especially to smaller college towns. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when planning your trip:

The pre-game

Here's the rundown if you haven't flown in a while: Planes are fuller and there are fewer flights because of schedule cutbacks across the industry. Fares have gone up, particularly to smaller towns that are often dominated by a single major airline. Airlines have also become more dependent upon fees and surcharges, which means there are plenty more to look out for.

But there's good news, too. Unless you're flying to a game around Thanksgiving, peak day travel surcharges are virtually nonexistent this year. Also, fall fare sales are abundant but you have to know where to look. Expedia and Orbitz will give you a range of options to compare, but don't rule out sites like Travelzoo, which point out the best sales. Fans take note: Deals include one from American Airlines, with flights starting at $59 each way on more than 100 routes, and a nationwide fare sales from AirTran with fares starting at $54.

On the offense

It's important to sign up for fare alerts on sites like Travelzoo or Kayak to keep on top of the latest deals if you want to make it to the big game. Airlines have shifted toward last-minute sales aimed at drumming up attention on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter and getting passengers to book fast. The sales, often only two or three days long, don't leave you much time to decide whether the fare is a good one. That's where research comes in handy. If you know a basic range of fare prices you can feel more confident to book a low price or let a higher one go.

Another important tip to remember for college football fans: Be sure to include several different airports in your search. If you're a fan of the No. 1-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, for instance, include flights to Atlanta as well as Birmingham. A few hours in a rental car might be worth a drop in price - especially if you were planning to rent a car once you reached the campus in Tuscaloosa.

University of Florida die-hards can look forward to more choices this year. American Airlines is adding service to Gainesville, Fla., on Oct. 1.

Time out

Experts suggest travelers should book about eight weeks in advance. Still, it's not the end of the world if you don't have that much time. Although ticket prices are higher than last year, there are more fare sales now than during the summer because airlines are anxious to fill seats in one of the weakest periods of the year. The month after Labor Day can be especially bad for the airlines, as summer vacations end and kids go back to school. So if you're looking for a good deal, it's likely still out there. Hotel prices don't sway so quickly, but rooms are also cheaper than last year.

Overtime

There are a number of travel agents who will offer special deals to college football fans. You're really likely to score if your team is headed for a bowl game. Although there are benefits to a face-to-face meeting with a local agent, there are also plenty of options online. Sites like Sportstraveler.net offer package flights, hotel and game tickets to all the major BCS championship games.

Another option fans are sure to remember: ExpressJet, which is based in Houston, has teamed up with Premiere Global Sports to offer 35 different charter flight packages for the college football faithful. The price includes an open bar on the plane and transportation to the game. Some of the packages, which start at $399, also include game tickets and pre-game entertainment.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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Betting Football

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Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?

I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.

Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.

There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.

Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.

For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.

A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.

The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.

Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.

So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.

Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.

“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.

Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.

“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.

It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.

Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.

The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.

“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.

“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”

Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.

The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.

“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”

Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?

“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.