How To Bet When ESPN College GameDay Comes To Iowa State

The kickoff may be at 3:36 p.m. Saturday, but set your alarm if you want to be part of the ESPN College GameDay spectacle in Ames.

The No. 9 Iowa State Cyclones and No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes square off in the first-ever matchup of top 10 teams at Jack Trice Stadium. It’s also the first time that both teams come into the Cy-Hawk game with a top-25 ranking.

Iowa State escaped with a 16-10 win over a perennially-stubborn Northern Iowa team last week. Iowa had no trouble dispatching No. 17 Indiana on Saturday. The Hawkeyes came away with a 34-6 win in the conference and season opener for both teams.

Cy-Hawk odds at Iowa sportsbooks

A lot of sportsbooks in Iowa have special bets and new sign-up promos to get you ready for the game. First, let’s help you get to Ames if you want to be part of the pit. It might be best to place your mobile bets before you hit the road.

How can I attend ESPN College GameDay?

ESPN and Iowa State’s sports information department do a great job of keeping fans updated about the Cy-Hawk game’s time in the national spotlight.

Here are some key details about the show and fan involvement:

Who: It’s the 35th season of College GameDay. Analysts Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and David Pollack join host Rece Davis. Viewers will see reports from Gene Wojciechowski and Jen Lada. Wagering advice will come from sports betting expert and research producer Chris “The Bear” Fallica.
When: Stadium gates open for students at 1:30 p.m. Gates for general admission seating open at 2 p.m.
Where: GameDay will be staged south of Jack Trice Stadium from Reiman Plaza. Fans can start filling the pit behind the stage starting at 5:30 a.m. It’s free and open to the general public.
What: ESPN SportsCenter does live look-ins and the digital Countdown to GameDay show both lead into the main broadcast. ESPN College GameDay airs from 8-11 a.m. Saturday.
Rules: Use family-friendly signs and language. Fans can’t have food or drinks in the pit. Bags, backpacks, purses, pens, pencils, markers and dry erase boards also are prohibited.

Where can I find the Cy-Hawk game on TV?

The Cy-Hawk game will be on ABC, but cable customers in some parts of the state may need to plan ahead.

TEGNA, a broadcasting company based out of Tysons Corner, VA, owns the ABC affiliates in Des Moines (WOI) and the Quad Cities (WQAD). Right now, contract negotiations between TEGNA and Mediacom — the state’s largest cable television provider — are at an impasse. So, ABC isn’t available to Mediacom customers in those areas of central and eastern Iowa.

Barring an 11th-hour agreement, those fans will have to stream the game at ESPN3, which is not to be confused with ESPN’s paid subscriber platform, ESPN+. Davis and Herbstreit will call the game once they wrap up their GameDay duties.

How can I bet on the GameDay showdown?

In addition to the point spreads, moneylines and totals, many Iowa sportsbooks have betting features including parlays and prop bets.

At DraftKings Sportsbook IA, for example you can bet on:

The first team to score 10 or more points — Iowa (+105) or Iowa State (-135)?
Cy-Hawk Shootout: Will both teams score 20 or more points — Yes (+130) No (-160)?
Will the game be tied again after 0-0? — Yes (-115) No (-115)?
Close Call: Will the game be decided by 3 points or less — Yes (+250) No (-350)?
Really Close Call: Will there be a lead change in the last 60 seconds — Yes (+500) No (-800)?
Will the team who scores last win the game — Yes (-200) No (+160)?

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Iowa sportsbook promos

New users can get $200 for placing NFL or college football bets at DraftKings through Sept. 13.

Customers deposit of $5 or more in their new account, then bet $1 or more on a college or NFL game. DK will then issue a $200 bonus, which will come as eight $25 bonus bets. There are some restrictions, so be sure to read the terms and conditions.

BetRivers offers ‘profit boost’

Receive a single-use 20% profit boost for any NCAA Football Parlay of 3+ legs each Saturday at BetRivers Sportsbook through Dec. 11. The maximum bet amount for the profit boost is $25. BetRivers will pay out up to $250.

BetRivers customers will get a 50% college football profit boost for visiting a participating bar. The list includes:

Whiskey River in Des Moines, Ames or Ankeny
Sweet Caroline’s in Ames
Founder’s Irish Pub in Bondurant
The Front Row in Clive
Beer Can Alley in Des Moines
The Exchange in Des Moines
The Keg Stand in West Des Moines

PointsBet has college football parlay offer

Place any 4+ leg parlay on Friday or Saturday college football bets at PointsBet Sportsbook and receive up to $20 in bonus bets if your team loses.

In another promotion, customers who place a $20 bet on Iowa State vs. Iowa can win $250 in bonus bets if the team they bet on scores at least one point.

Unibet has a Cy-Hawk offer for GameDay

To find a odds boost at Unibet Sportsbook:

Navigate to the NCAAF page and select the Iowa vs. Iowa State game. Once your choice of bet is selected, the 100% boost will appear. The offer is one boost per person, with a maximum stake of $25.

With “Bet, Bundle, Blitz” customers can wager $200 or $1,000 on football (NFL/NCAAF) during the current week and get either a $10 or $50 bonus bet for the next four weeks of the season. The offer lasts through Sept. 13.

Bally Bet offers ‘Iowa football collapse protection’

If the University of Iowa football team is up by 3 points or more going into the fourth quarter and end up losing, Bally Bet Sportsbook will issue up to a $25 refund in the form of a bonus bet on any pregame moneyline or spread wagers placed on the Hawkeyes to win.