Best betting apps, sportsbook promos for college football Week 0: How, where to bet TCU-UNC, Virginia-NC State

College football is finally here, and the Week 0 college football schedule includes a handful of high-profile matchups that will interest college football bettors. The TCU Horned Frogs will take on the North Carolina Tar Heels at noon ET in Dublin, Ireland, on Saturday, and the latest Week 0 college football odds list TCU as the 7.5-point favorite, while the over/under is 47.5 points. You can also count Virginia vs. NC State (+4, 52.5)  and Stanford vs. Hawaii (+4, 48.5) among the notable Week 0 college football matchups. Bet Week 0 at DraftKings, where new users get $200 in bonus bets with a $5+ wager:

There are dozens of online sports betting options if you're wondering how to bet on college football or where to bet on matchups like North Carolina vs. TCU, NC State vs. Virginia and Hawaii vs. Stanford. Here's a closer look at available sportsbook promos on some of the top college football betting sites, as well as the best betting apps that are available for Week 0 college football, with instructions on how to claim each offer and where to bet college football.

Where to bet on Week 0 college football

The bet365 bonus code and Hard Rock Bet promo code both offer bet-and-get promotions to new users. At HardRock Bet, you'll receive $100 in bonus bets win or lose after your first $5 wager or more (five $20 bonus bets over the course of five weeks), while bet365 offers a $365 bonus instantly, but requires a minimum $10 wager. The DraftKings promo code offers $200 in bonus bets. You will receive DraftKings' bonus bets in the form of two $25 bonus bets every seven days via click-to-claim for 21 days. None of the three require a specific promo code to collect.

The FanDuel Sportsbook promo doesn't require a code either, but it's structured differently than most of the other top online sportsbooks. The latest FanDuel promo code offers new users $350 in bonus bets. New users will need to place a $5+ wager daily to be awarded bonus bets every day for seven days. Users receive $50 in bonus bets per day regardless of the outcome of their wager.

You can use the Caesars Sportsbook promo code CBSDYW to earn a 100% profit boost on 10 wagers after you make your first $1 bet. Those 10 profit boost tokens can be used on wagers up to $25 and can be used to double your winnings on those wagers.

With the BetMGM bonus code, new users receive up to $1,500 back in bonus bets if their first wager loses. This first-bet insurance matches the stake of your initial wager and requires promo code CBSSPORTS. BetMGM users in New Jersey, West Virginia, Pennsylvania or Michigan can get a different promotion and receive $150 in bonus bets if you win your first bet of $10 or more.

Finally, the Fanatics Sportsbook promo code CBSFAN26 unlocks a "10x$100 Bet Match for up to $1,000 in FanCash" offer for new users. In this online sportsbook promo, you'll receive 10 Bet Matches over 10 days of up to $100 each, for a potential of up to $1,000 in FanCash.

Bettors can use any of these promotions for Week 0 college football on Saturday, Aug. 29.

Week 0 college football betting preview, picks

The model simulates every FBS game 10,000 times. It is on a 31-19 run on top-rated college football money-line picks since the 2024 season. It has also been upgraded for the 2026 season to even better factor in the transfer portal to help nail college football betting picks at sportsbooks and on betting sites.

TCU vs. North Carolina: Tar Heels money line

Year 1 of the Bill Belichick era was a little underwhelming, with North Carolina going 4-8 overall and 2-6 in ACC play. However, he has nine starters back, landed six transfers with starting experience in the portal, and recruited a top 20 class in 2026 to boost the roster. The Tar Heels have an experienced receiving corps and have 80% of their front seven production back. Meanwhile, TCU suffered a devastating loss when starting quarterback Josh Hoover transferred to Indiana, and it is asking a lot of smaller-school transfers to step up and play at a Big 12 level. The model predicts that North Carolina wins in 37% of simulations, providing value as an underdog.

Virginia vs. NC State: Cavaliers -4

Tony Elliott engineered a breakthrough season in his fourth year at Virginia with an 11-3 season that included a trip to the ACC Championship Game. Meanwhile, things were pretty status quo with Dave Doeren at NC State, as the Wolfpack posted an 8-5 record that kept them in the good-but-not-great category in the ACC, where the program has lived since Doeren was hired. Virginia suffered pretty heavy losses, but Elliott did a good job of adding experience and creating competition at every position in the transfer portal. The model predicts that Virginia covers at home in 53% of simulations.

Stanford vs. Hawaii: Rainbow Warriors +4

Timmy Chang guided his alma mater to a 9-4 season in 2025 that included a 23-20 win over Stanford. Now he welcomes back Mountain West Freshman of the Year Micah Alejado at quarterback, and his No. 2 receiver Pofele Ashlock returns to form what should be a dynamic QB-WR duo. Stanford, on the other hand, has a new head coach in Tavita Pritchard and awarded the starting QB role to Michigan transfer Davis Warren, who didn't play a snap last season. The model predicts that Hawaii covers the spread in 66% of simulations.

Responsible gaming

Responsible gaming is a serious topic, and all sportsbooks take steps to ensure users play responsibly. The top sportsbooks feature several tools and resources available on their apps and websites, including wager limits, voluntary self-exclusion options, and more. If you or someone you know is dealing with a gambling problem, please seek assistance from trained professionals such as the Problem Gambling Help Network at 1-800-GAMBLER.