James Madison vs Western Kentucky Preview: Where/What to Bet

• The best bet for the Boca Raton Bowl is for Western Kentucky to upset James Madison.
• Bovada is the best sportsbook for betting on a WKU upset with +220 odds, while FanDuel is the best option for those looking to bet on JMU (-240).

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Betting odds for the Boca Raton Bowl game between the James Madison Dukes and Western Kentucky Hilltoppers have made the Bob Chesney-coached Dukes a seven-point favorite. Based on the quarterbacks in the game, the best bet in the Boca Raton Bowl is for the Hilltoppers to win outright as underdogs.

James Madison vs Western Kentucky Odds

Betting Preview Prediction: Western Kentucky (+220) to Beat James Madison

James Madison has had only five players enter the transfer portal this season, while the Hilltoppers have had over 25 players enter the portal.

But, the news that many WKU transfers will play in the Boca Raton Bowl is an extremely important point to note when betting on this game.

Specifically, it’s important at college football betting sites that second-team All-Conference USA quarterback Caden Veltkamp will play for Western Kentucky.

That news gives WKU a significant advantage at quarterback, as James Madison will be breaking in a new QB after starter Alonza Barnett was hurt against Marshall in their last game of the season.

Three non-Barnett players on JMU attempted a pass this season, with none of those players attempting more than one.

James Madison is rolling with Billy Atkins to replace Barnett. Atkins’ career stats do not inspire a lot of confidence:

• Billy Atkins Career Stats: 20/46 (43.5%) for 222 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions

With the uncertainty under center, the best bet for James Madison vs Western Kentucky in the Boca Raton Bowl is on the Hilltoppers to win outright with +220 odds at Bovada.

Where to Bet on JMU vs Western Kentucky

Odds for the Boca Raton Bowl can be found at all of the best online betting sites. But, those odds are not all the same.

Boca Raton Bowl Odds at Top Sportsbooks

The difference in odds for JMU vs WKU between sportsbooks is even more significant than it is for most other games.

Players at Bovada and BetOnline would earn $25 more per $100 bet than bettors at FanDuel. Similarly, FanDuel bettors would only have to bet $240 on James Madison to win $100. At Bovada, users would have to wager $270 to win $100.

Above all else, line shopping the odds may be the most important detail to take from this James Madison versus Western Kentucky betting preview.

News tags: Alonza Barnett | Billy Atkins | Boca Raton Bowl | Caden Veltkamp | Florida | James Madison | Kentucky | Marshall | Virginia | Western Kentucky