2026 Heisman Trophy Odds: Carr Opens As Early Favorite: esports betting Insights & Guide 2026

esports betting — esports betting is at the centre of today’s discussion. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza took home the Heisman, finishing as a massive -1000 favorite after leading the Hoosiers to a Big Ten Championship. Notre Dame’s QB CJ Carr leads the early 2026 Heisman Trophy oddsboard at +800 at FanDuel . Behind him is Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss (+900) and Texas’ Arch Manning (+900), who is looking to rebound from his slow debut season.

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The top of the oddsboard looks the same across major sportsbooks with CJ Carr in the top spot, typically with Arch Manning and Trinidad Chambliss following. That said, there is a handful of books where the favored spot is split including Caesars , where Carr and Manning share +700 odds, and DraftKings , where they both stand at +750. BetMGM also has Carr favored, but at +700 with Manning and Chambliss at +800.

Based on the chart above, FanDuel has the best odds for CJ Carr to win the Heisman at +800. According to our odds calculator , that’s implied odds of 11.11% and a $10 bet would payout $90.

Be sure to check out our best college football betting promos to maximize your payout if you’re looking to lock in a futures bet on next year’s Heisman candidates when those odds are released.

Our early Heisman contenders are looking to build off from last season’s experience with a vengeance. CJ Carr was snubbed from the College Football Playoff, Arch Manning’s debut was overhyped, and Trinidad Chambliss was abandoned by Lane Kiffin right before the playoffs. But, all have a high ceiling heading into the upcoming year.

Carr broke out in his first season as a starter, throwing for 2,741 yards with 24 touchdowns and only six interceptions while completing about 67% of his passes. He also added three scores on the ground, finished top-10 nationally in passer rating (83.4), and led Notre Dame to double-digit wins in 10 straight games. Expectations around South Bend are rising fast, especially with notable recuits like LB TJ Davis (son of ex-NFLer Thomas Davis) and WR Devin Fitzgerald (son of ex-NFLer Larry Fitzgerald). Marcus Freeman has been pulling top-notch players from the transfer portal, including DT Tionne Gray from Oregon, WR Quincy Porter from Ohio State and EDGE Keon Keeley from Alabama.

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Manning was the +600 favorite last season, before he even played in a true college football game. But the expectations were far to lofty for the freshman, regardless of his last name and lineage.

That said, Manning still finished last season on a high note, throwing for more than 1,700 yards (285 per game) and producing 19 total TDs after Week 8. He had minor foot surgery in January but is expected to be ready for the season. Texas also built around him. Transfer WR Cam Coleman arrives after putting up 1,306 yards and 13 TDs with the Auburn Tigers, while RB Raleek Brown (6.1 yards per carry) and five-star RB Derrek Cooper add depth in the backfield. Early losses to the Ohio State Buckeye and Florida Gators hurt Texas’ season, but the Longhorns closed strong; beating the then-No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies and then the then-No. 18 Michigan Wolverines football in the Citrus Bowl, where Manning accounted for 376 total yards.

Trinidad Chambliss didn’t start 2025 as Ole Miss’ QB; he was back up to Austin Simmons. But after Simmons went down early in the season, Chambliss took the role and ran with it, leading the Rebels to their first College Football Playoff appearance and a No. 3 AP finish, the program’s highest in 63 years. He put up huge numbers: 3,937 passing yards, third-most in the nation, 22 TDs and just three interceptions. And there always begs the question; would things have been different if Kiffin’s departure didn’t become a focus right before the playoffs began?

Now cleared for a sixth season, everyone will be watching him closely, especially when the Rebels head to Texas in Week 8; a real opportunity to showcase his Heisman case.

Speaking of Lane Kiffin, the head coach has been busy since landing in Baton Rouge. One pick-up was former Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt, who was ranked as the No. 1 player in the transfer portal. The sophomore helped Arizona State capture a conference title and reach the College Football Playoff in 2024. Injuries cut his 2025 season short after seven starts, but he still produced 1,628 passing yards, 10 touchdowns through the air and five rushing scores. The last Heisman winner to stay at one school his whole career was Bryce Young with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Since then, the award has leaned heavily toward transfers. The next four winners all played for more than one program. Funnily enough, Sam Leavitt has the opportunity to become the second player to transfer from Arizona State to LSU and win the Heisman in the last three years following Jayden Daniels.

Recent Heisman Trophy history has betting trends you should be aware of. Since 2013, five winners have gone on to become the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft: Jameis Winston, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Joe Burrow, and Bryce Young; the jury is still out on Fernando Mendoza. Transfers have also been a buzz, with five of the last six Heisman-winning quarterbacks having switched schools. Quarterbacks have claimed eight of the last 10 awards, with the only recent exceptions being DeVonta Smith (2020) and Travis Hunter (2024).

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For bettors, Heisman bets are typically locked in months before the award is handed out in December, which can offer better value before the odds tighten during the season. The odds will fluctuate on a weekly basis, depending on how a player or team performs.

Since the turn of the century, only four non-quarterbacks have won the award; Mark Ingram (RB, 2009), Derrick Henry (RB, 2015), DeVonta Smith (WR, 2020), Travis Hunter (WR/CB, 2024). A quarterback can make-or-break a team, he’s involved in every play and his leadership role is crucial on and off the field. Their stats will be consistent and efficient to monitor throughout the season, often compiling a flashy highlight reel. The quarterbacks get most of the media attention following a win or a loss, making them typically the face of the program.

Team success plays a huge role in who wins the Heisman Trophy. In most cases, the award goes to a standout player from a top program rather than someone putting up big numbers on just an average team. Since 1988, every winner has come from a team with at least nine dubs. The only player ever to win the award on a losing team was Paul Hornung in 1956.

Players on top teams get the biggest stages, rivalry games and ranked matchups, where a huge performance can create a defining “Heisman moment” and sway those Heisman voters. Those teams also takeover national coverage, which helps shape the story and narrative around a contender leading up to the ceremony.

The earlier the bet, the better value on the odds. The better a player performs as the weeks pass, the tighter their odds will get. The sweet spot for Heisman bets is either just before the season kicks off or in the first couple of weeks. Betting preseason can lock in big-value longshot odds or profitable odds on the favorites. Then, the first couple of weeks let you observe which players are surging before their odds tighten or for spotting breakout contenders.

Indiana’s quarterback Fernando Mendoza became the first player in program history to take home the Heisman Trophy. The junior was a +6600 longshot in Week 2, but turned heads after leading the Hoosiers to a perfect 13-0 record and a Big Ten Championship. In 2025, the 22-year-old threw for 2,758 yards, 32 touchdown passes against just five interceptions, and he added another six touchdowns as a runner before the Big Ten Championship.

With Reggie Bush’s award being reinstated last year and Caleb Williams snatching the award a couple of years ago, the Trojans now hold the most Heisman Trophy winners (8).

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