South Alabama demonstrated their undeniable prowess on Thursday night as they decimated Northwestern State with a resounding 87-10 victory. The lopsided nature of the game prompted both teams' coaches to mutually agree to shorten the final quarter by six minutes, resulting in only 54 minutes of play. This decision had significant ramifications for sports betting outcomes, particularly in relation to the game's duration.

In college football sportsbook house rules, it is usually stipulated that a minimum of 55 minutes of play is required for most bets to be considered valid. However, some degree of flexibility exists for interpretation. DraftKings, one of the prominent sportsbook platforms, implemented their house rules accordingly. Their regulations specify that "there must be 5 minutes or less of scheduled game time left for bets to have action unless the specific market outcome is already unconditionally determined."

Crucially, when it comes to the over/under bets placed on the total score (which, in this case, was set at 59.5 according to ESPN BET odds), if the outcome is deemed "unconditional," meaning that it would have been achieved regardless of any subsequent events, DraftKings graded overs and unders as winners and losers, respectively. BetMGM confirmed that they followed the same approach in settling total bets. However, notable platforms such as Caesars, ESPN BET, and FanDuel did not immediately respond to queries regarding their specific approach in this particular scenario.

Regarding the point spread, which was set at South Alabama -36.5, DraftKings classified all bets as void in accordance with their rules. However, the platform announced that cash payouts would be awarded on Friday for any wagers placed on USA's full-game and second-half spreads, treating them as winners. First-half and third-quarter wagers would remain as they were. BetMGM, on the other hand, declared the final score as an "official result" according to their house rules, grading all South Alabama bets as winners and voiding all full-game wagers on Northwestern State.

The NCAA's official football rulebook states that "any time during the game, the playing time of any remaining period or periods may be shortened by mutual agreement of the opposing head coaches and the referee." Consequently, coaches and officials possess the authority to truncate games in blowout situations, although there is no standardized measure for how much time should be shaved off.

This season alone, similar circumstances have arisen on at least three instances, each handled differently by head coaches and referees. One such example occurred on August 29, when Arkansas triumphed over Arkansas-Pine Bluff with a decisive 70-0 win. In this case, the teams agreed to play 10-minute quarters in the second half, resulting in a total game time of only 50 minutes. Both BetMGM and DraftKings applied the same rules for this particular game.

Another instance took place on September 7, wherein Georgia effortlessly overwhelmed Tennessee Tech with a final score of 48-3. The coaches and officials mutually decided to shorten the fourth quarter by five minutes, thus ensuring a total game time of exactly 55 minutes and validating all action in that contest.

The impact of blowout games on sports betting results continues to be a topic of debate, with varying approaches taken by different platforms. As each scenario unfolds, coaches and officials exercise their discretion in deciding the appropriate course of action. Nonetheless, these developments underscore the significance of understanding the specific rules and guidelines of each sportsbook platform to navigate the intricate world of sports betting.