NFL Preseason Week 3 Odds & Picks for Friday: Bills vs. Panthers (8/26)
Let’s check out our top odds and pick for Friday’s Week 3 NFL preseason game between the Bills vs. Panthers.
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NFL Preseason Week 3 Odds & Picks for Friday: Bills vs. Panthers
The spread for this preseason finale has gone from Carolina -3 to as high as Carolina -6.5 in some spots. The reason why is a philosophical difference between the two head coaches. Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott will sit his starters Friday night, while Matt Rhule confirmed that most of the starters (aside from Christian McCaffrey) will play through at least the first quarter. That includes recently named starting QB Baker Mayfield and the entire starting offensive line. The differing philosophies make sense, as Buffalo has Super Bowl aspirations and are mainly trying to solidify roster depth. Meanwhile, Carolina is trying to build continuity in a desperate year for Rhule and his coaching staff. For that reason, I’ll keep this wager simple because that’s sometimes the best we can do during the preseason. I’ll isolate the first 15 minutes and back Mayfield and the Panthers starters to take care of business against Buffalo’s backups. If Carolina’s starters can’t take care of business, then they could be in store for a really bad regular season.
Bet: Carolina 1Q ML
What is Betting Against the Spread?
Betting "against the spread" refers to the act of choosing the winning team based on a numeric handicap placed on the team that oddsmakers believe is superior, rather than picking the outright winner. For example, if the Rams face the Bengals, and oddsmakers set the spread at Rams -3.5, you would need Los Angeles to win by 4 or more points in order to cash your Rams bet.
What is an Over/Under Bet?
Over/Under is a wager based on how many points you think will be scored in a specific game. Oddsmakers set the total, and bettors decide whether the final score will be higher or lower than that number. If an Over/Under is set at 44.5 points and you bet Over, you will need the combined score of both teams to be 45 points or higher to win your bet.
What is a Moneyline Bet?
A moneyline bet involves choosing which team you believe will win a specific matchup. The moneyline favorite carries a minus designation, like -130. This means that you need to wager $130 to earn a $100 profit. Conversely, the underdog carries a plus designation, like +110. This means that you win $110 in profit on a $100 bet.
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