Alabama-Georgia line moves 2.5 points with Nick Saban positive Covid-19 test

After Nick Saban announced he had come down with Covid-19, the betting community decided to move the line towards Georgia on the road. And if you wanted to assess the value of The Nicktator, it looks like 2.5 points is what he’s worth.

A line that has held as Alabama -6.5 against rival Georgia this weekend is now down to Alabama -4, as merely the presence of the coach is having an impact. While the bet splits before and after Saban was ruled haven’t changed too significantly, the bookmakers at DraftKings Sportsbook appear to be anticipating a price change.

Bama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, who has experience as a college head coach at both Washington and USC from 2009-15, will step in to replace Saban on the sidelines. But his mixed record as a coach might be part of the movement here.

Or it could be some anticipation of new cases amongst Alabama players and staff as these things are rarely completely isolated. But 2.5 points is very significant movement and something bettors will want to keep an eye on ahead of Saturday afternoon’s massive game in Tuscaloosa, likely the most important of the 2020 SEC season.

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