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How to bet on college football Friday night Week 3
College football kicks off Week 3 with two primetime games on Friday night.
UNLV vs. Kansas Game Info
| WHO | UNLV Rebels vs. Kansas Jayhawks |
| WHERE | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, Kan. |
| WHEN | Friday at 7 p.m. ET |
| HOW | ESPN |
No. 20 Arizona vs. No. 14 Kansas State Game Info
| WHO | No. 20 Arizona Wildcats vs. No. 14 Kansas State Wildcats |
| WHERE | Bill Snyder Family Stadium | Manhattan, Kan. |
| WHEN | Friday at 8 p.m. ET |
| HOW | FOX |
The state of Kansas is going to be the epicenter of college football on Friday night with two primetime games hosted in the Sunflower State. First, the Kansas Jayhawks will host the UNLV Rebels, then the No. 14 Kansas State Wildcats will host the No. 20 Arizona Wildcats. If Kansas State can slow down Arizona’s lethal combo of QB Noah Fifita and star WR Tetairoa McMillan, it will have a chance to jump into the top 12 and position itself for consideration in the College Football Playoff.
How to bet on college football Friday night in Week 3
With two exciting games on the slate this Friday, college football bettors will have no shortage of betting options. Caesars Sportsbook is even offering a “Sunflower State Boost” in which bettors can take Kansas and Kansas State each to cover a -9.5 Spread at +360 odds.
Comparing the best sportsbooks
Before placing your bets on either of these Friday night matchups, it’s a good idea to shop around to make sure you are getting the best betting odds and betting lines. While the odds will be similar across the industry, even a small difference can make or break your college football Friday night betting slip(s).
Let’s discuss this further after checking the current betting lines and associated odds for UNLV vs. Kansas and Arizona vs. Kansas State at some of the best online sportsbooks.
| Market | FanDuel | DraftKings | BetMGM | Caesars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNLV vs. Kansas | ||||
| UNLV spread | +7.5 (-124) | +7 (-108) | +7 (-115) | +7 (-110) |
| Kansas spread | -7.5 (+102) | -7 (-112) | -7 (-105) | -7 (-110) |
| UNLV money line | +198 | +215 | +220 | +215 |
| Kansas money line | -250 | -265 | -275 | -267 |
| Over | Over 57.5 (-115) | Over 58 (-112) | Over 58 (-110) | Over 58 (-110) |
| Under | Under 57.5 (-105) | Under 58 (-108) | Under 58 (-110) | Under 58 (-110) |
| Arizona vs. Kansas State | ||||
| Arizona spread | +7.5 (-110) | +7.5 (-112) | +7.5 (-120) | +7.5 (-110) |
| Kansas State spread | -7.5 (-110) | -7.5 (-108) | -7.5 (+100) | -7.5 (-110) |
| Arizona money line | +220 | +240 | +230 | +240 |
| UNLV money line | -275 | -298 | -300 | -305 |
| Over | Over 58.5 (-118) | Over 59.5 (-108) | Over 59.5 (-110) | Over 60 (-110) |
| Under | Under 58.5 (-104) | Under 59.5 (-112) | Under 59.5 (-110) | Under 60 (-110) |
Notice that in the UNLV vs. Kansas game, the spread is -7 at three of the sportsbooks but -7.5 at FanDuel. That means if the Jayhawks win the game by exactly 7 points, any bettors who took the points at FanDuel would be winners, while anyone who placed the same bet at DraftKings, BetMGM or Caesars sportsbook would get an unsatisfying push.
In the Arizona vs. Kansas State game, there is a 1.5 point range for the total (or over/under) between the four different sportsbooks. Bettors who want to take the Under should head over to Caesars to place that bet, since a final score with exactly 60 points would be a push at Caesars, but it would be a loser anywhere else.
Comparing the best sportsbook promos
After comparing the odds across different sportsbooks, you may find yourself needing to register for a new sportsbook account to place your bet. Maybe you have never placed any bets before and you need to create your first sportsbook account. Either way, it’s important to pay attention to the promotions that each sportsbook is offering.
Every sportsbook offers some type of bonus to encourage prospective customers to sign up and place their first bets. The table below summarizes the current welcome bonuses at four of the best online sportsbooks:
| Sportsbook | Current Welcome Offer |
|---|---|
| FanDuel | Bet $5, get $200 in bonus bets, plus three weeks of NFL Sunday Ticket |
| DraftKings | Bet $5, get $250 in bonus bets, plus one month of NFL+ premium |
| BetMGM | Get up to $1,500 back as bonus bets if your first real-money bet loses |
| Caesars | Get up to $1,000 back as a bonus bet if your first real-money bet loses |
In general, you will find two types of welcome offers. The first kind is referred to as a “Bet & Get” promotion, in which users place their first “bet” and instantly “get” a reward in the form of bonus bets. FanDuel and DraftKings sportsbook are currently offering this type of promotion, which is great for anybody who does not want to place a big wager since it only requires $5 to claim the bonus.
The other common type of welcome offer is called “first bet insurance.” With this promotion, you can get the value of your first real-money wager returned to you in the form of bonus bets if your first bet loses. These promotions offer a higher potential dollar value, but they require a much larger initial deposit and first bet to maximize the reward.
Sportsbooks also occasionally add other perks into their welcome bonuses, like the free trials of NFL streaming services that FanDuel and DraftKings are currently offering.
Betting insights for college football Friday night in Week 3
Let’s break down the two Friday night college football matchups from a betting perspective to help you make your picks.
UNLV vs. Kansas
This game is a rematch of last year’s Guaranteed Rate Bowl, which Kansas won 49-36. The Jayhawks could use another solid win like that one after losing to Illinois as 4.5-point favorites last week and falling out of the Top 25. UNLV already has one upset under its belt this season after beating Houston in Week 1 as a 3.5-point underdog.
Both UNLV’s Matthew Sluka and Kansas’ Jalon Daniels are dual-threat QBs who are capable of leading dynamic offenses. However, both players are prone to turnovers, and the two defenses in this matchup have played very well in the first two games. This matchup could come down to which defense plays better or, more importantly, forces a key turnover at a critical moment.
No. 20 Arizona vs. No. 14 Kansas State
Both teams in this matchup underperformed last week against less-than-stellar opponents. Arizona’s high-flying offense managed only 22 points against FCS opponent Northern Arizona, while Kansas State gave up 491 yards of offense against Tulane and won by just seven points. Both teams are 0-2 against the spread this season.
This matchup features two potent offenses, with Kansas State dominating on the ground and Arizona explosive through the air. The game could be decided by which defense can do the most to slow down the opposing attack. Arizona gave up over 200 rushing yards against New Mexico in Week 1, which does not portend well for its ability to slow down DJ Giddens. Fifita may need to put together a Heisman-worthy performance for Arizona to pull off the upset, but he is talented enough to do just that.