Vegas weighs in on Urban factor

If Urban Meyer is fired at Ohio State, the effect on betting odds will be minimal.

William Hill US, which took down its odds for the Buckeyes’ Week 1 contest against Oregon State, as well as the season wins total, kept up its Big Ten and NCAA title odds after Meyer was placed on administrative leave Wednesday following a published report alleging he and his wife, Shelley, were among those who knew about an assistant coach’s domestic abuse issues dating back to 2015.

Nick Bogdanovich, head oddsmaker for William Hill US, told The Post that the spread for most Buckeyes’ games wouldn’t change if Meyer is eventually fired as a result. The only games it would make a difference for are those against better opponents, such as TCU, which Ohio State plays in Dallas, or against Michigan. Those games would see a shift of roughly 1.5 points, Bogdanovich said.

“That’s where he means something,” Bogdanovich said. “Obviously he’s a great game-planner, ingame game-caller as well.’’

As for futures betting, Ohio State would likely go to even money to +140 to win the Big Ten if a firing were to happen, while other competitors, such as Michigan or Wisconsin, would see their odds come down by about 40 or 50 cents.

The Buckeyes’ College Football Playoff odds would shift from +600 to about +800, Bogdanovich said, though no one else’s odds would move because there are so many potential teams that could make the College Football Playoff.

On a week-in, week-out basis though, it would not make much of a difference, Bogdanovich said.