NFL Preseason Week 3 Odds & Picks for Friday: Patriots vs. Raiders (8/26)

Let’s check out our top odds and pick for Friday’s Week 3 NFL preseason game between the Patriots vs. Raiders.

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NFL Preseason Week 3 Odds & Picks for Friday: Patriots vs. Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders will finish out the preseason with a home game against the New England Patriots.

The Raiders have gone 3-0 in preseason play and could go undefeated in the preseason under Josh McDaniels as head coach. Because it’s the final preseason game for Las Vegas, the Raiders will give starting quarterback, Derek Carr, the first couple of drives. Carr hasn’t played at all this preseason but should be comfortable in tonight’s game regardless.

When it’s not Carr in the game, you can expect to see Jarret Stidham along with Chase Garbers for most of the game. Stidham was drafted by the Patriots, so New England might know how to prepare a little bit better.

Meanwhile, the Patriots are 1-1 in the preseason and will also be playing their final preseason game of the year. In their most recent game, the Patriots defeated the Panthers, 20-10, but Mac Jones ultimately didn’t look great in his first couple of drives, going 4-for-8 with a sack. It was really Baily Zappe who led the Patriots to victory. Zappe went 16-for-25 with 173 yards passing. However, he had one interception and no touchdowns in the game.

Towards the end of the game, it’ll be Zappe against Garbers. I truly don’t trust either quarterback and don’t think Zappe has played nearly as well as he could. However, he certainly has more potential under center. So I’ll give the Patriots the edge here.

Bet: Patriots 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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