The early favorites to win their respective conference championships in the upcoming season are the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, who faced off in Super Bowl LVIII. Despite losing the big game, the 49ers have the lowest odds at +225 to win the NFC, while the Chiefs have odds of +330 to win the AFC.
As spring training approaches, the Los Angeles Dodgers are unsurprisingly favored to win the 2024 World Series, but there are a few other teams that could provide good value. With a massive offseason spending spree exceeding $1 billion, the Dodgers are the favorites at +350. Despite pitcher Shohei Ohtani recovering from UCL surgery and being unable to pitch this season, he is expected to make an impact with his batting skills.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a three-time Japanese league MVP, is seen as a strong contender for the Cy Young Award. The Dodgers have also made notable signings, including pitcher Tyler Glasnow, and have secured contracts with Clayton Kershaw and James Paxton. Having led the National League in runs scored in 2023 and maintaining a postseason streak since 2012, the Dodgers' last World Series victory came in 2020.
The upcoming NBA All-Star Game marks the start of the playoffs, which will begin on April 20 and lead up to the NBA Finals in early June.
For basketball enthusiasts, sports betting platforms provide numerous options, including popular NBA Finals futures bets. These bets allow you to predict the NBA Championship winner months in advance. If you have a strong belief in a team's potential, you can place a bet through various legal US sportsbooks.
Furthermore, apart from these futures bets, you can also wager on the NBA Finals while taking advantage of enticing welcome promo code offers from top online sportsbooks. New users have the opportunity to claim substantial welcome bonuses, totaling to thousands of dollars.
Below, you will find the odds for all upcoming UFC fights. The next event is UFC 298 on Saturday, featuring the main event between UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski (Bet365-110) and Ilia Topuria (DraftKings+105). In the co-main event, Robert Whittaker (Bet365-225) is favored against Paulo Costa (Caesars+205).
Looking ahead, UFC 300 is scheduled for April 13, although the main event has not been announced yet. One of the newly signed favorites, Kayla Harrison (Bet365-450), will face former UFC champ Holly Holm (Bet365+350) in a highly anticipated fight.
For a comprehensive list of UFC betting odds and analysis, please see below. If you find a bet you like, clicking on the odds will take you to a sportsbook where you can place your wager. Keep scrolling for odds and betting analysis on upcoming fights, as well as prop bet odds for the next UFC event.
The 2023-24 NHL regular season is set to kick off on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, and come to an end on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
Sports bettors now have the opportunity to place wagers on which team will emerge victorious in the Stanley Cup Final. While many experts consider the Stanley Cup to be the most challenging trophy to win in professional sports, this can pose a challenge for bettors placing NHL Future wagers. However, the potential payout can be quite substantial.
In the NHL Futures market for professional hockey, the bet is straightforward and revolves around selecting the team expected to win an event that will take place later in the year or season. Bettors must make the correct prediction, and the money placed on the future wager will be locked in with a sportsbook, providing fixed odds at the time of the bet. NHL Futures can be placed both before and during the season, depending on when sportsbooks release their future odds.
The United Cup stands as a distinctive tennis tournament that unites elite players from around the globe in an exhilarating mixed-gender format. Renowned athletes from both the ATP and WTA Tour will compete fiercely in Perth and Sydney, Australia, vying for the highly coveted 2024 United Cup championship trophy.
The journey towards the Kentucky Derby continues with the commencement of the 2024 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans. This race marks the first Kentucky Derby prep race of the year that awards 50 points to the winner, virtually securing their place in the starting gate for the Triple Crown's opening leg in Louisville on May 4. The upcoming Risen Star Stakes has attracted a competitive field of 12 horses, adding excitement to the event. Track Phantom, the winner of the Lecomte Stakes, holds the position of favorite with odds of 7-2, followed by Sierra Leone, the runner-up of the Remsen Stakes, as the second choice with odds of 4-1. Additionally, four other horses in the Risen Star Stakes field have odds of 8-1 or lower.
The post time for the 1⅛-mile Risen Star Stakes is set for 7:17 p.m. ET. Given the presence of several accomplished horses in the starting gate, it would be wise to consider the insights of racing insider and Beyer Speed Figure maker Bob Weir, based in Saratoga Springs, before making any predictions for the 2024 Risen Star Stakes.
"Feeling Lucky? The Super Bowl Transforms into a Betting Spectacle"
This Sunday, as millions of viewers eagerly tune in to the Super Bowl, they will not only be watching for the football action but also placing substantial bets, sometimes amounting to thousands of dollars. With the Supreme Court's decision in 2018 allowing states to legalize sports gambling, the industry has experienced an explosive growth, turning the Super Bowl into the pinnacle of sports betting.
This shift has altered the way we engage with the game, notably the Super Bowl. Even casual fans watching the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers may find themselves perplexed by the abundance of advertisements for betting sites and apps. The range of betting options has also skyrocketed, extending far beyond conventional point-spread bets. Fans can now place wagers on diverse aspects, such as predicting the winner of the coin toss, the player to score the first touchdown, whether Christian McCaffrey will rush for over 90 yards, and even the color of the Gatorade that will be poured on the winning coach.
Everything You Need to know about Soccer, also known as football worldwide, holds the title of the most popular sport globally. This weekend brings an exciting moment for soccer enthusiasts as the sport's global calendar kicks off strongly in 2024. Notably, the Asian Cup and the African Cup of Nations are progressing through their respective tournaments' crucial group stages. Meanwhile, the U.S. men's national team (USMNT) is preparing for a friendly match against Slovenia on Saturday in San Antonio, Texas.
Traditionally, soccer has faced challenges in gaining popularity in the United States compared to other professional sports leagues like the NFL and NBA, as indicated by Statista. However, recent research from For Soccer reveals that more people are now tuning in to watch this global sport. With the U.S. co-hosting the 2026 World Cup, soccer is set to dominate our screens more than ever in the next two years.
As we look forward to the grandest soccer extravaganza in the world in 2026, the next two years, particularly 2024, will be filled with soccer action that will captivate our lives and dominate our screens across continents - from Asia to Africa, Europe to America.
Get ready to immerse yourself in an array of thrilling soccer tournaments and games happening this year. Here's a rundown of the must-watch events:
AFC Asian Cup (January 12 – February 10)
The AFC Asian Cup, organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), is a prestigious tournament that determines the continental champion of Asia in men's football. It holds the distinction of being the second oldest continental soccer tournament, following CONMEBOL's Copa América. Similar to other continental tournaments, it takes place every four years.
Originally scheduled to be hosted by China in July 2023, the 18th edition of the AFC Asian Cup faced a change in plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. China withdrew as the host, and Qatar stepped in to take its place. To accommodate the high summer temperatures in the region, the tournament was rescheduled from July to January 2024.
The winning country of the AFC Asian Cup receives a prize money of $5 million. In the United States, CBS Sports holds the rights to broadcast the tournament, and it will be streamed on their platform Paramount +, including the 33 group-stage matches.
2023 Africa Cup of Nations (January 13 – February 11)
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), established in 1957, has maintained a biennial schedule since 1968. In 2013, the competition shifted to odd-numbered years to avoid overlapping with the FIFA World Cup.
Originally planned for the summer of 2023 in the Northern Hemisphere, the 34th edition of the tournament faced a postponement to January 2024 by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The decision was made due to concerns about adverse weather conditions during the summer in the host country. The eventual champions of the tournament will receive a prize of $7 million, while the runner-up will be awarded $4 million.
To watch the African Cup of Nations, BeIN Sports is the exclusive broadcaster in the United States. Additionally, the tournament can be streamed on platforms such as FuboTV and Sling TV.
2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers (March – September)
The journey towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup will continue throughout 2024, with qualifying matches taking place for different confederations at various times. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF will kick off their qualifying matches in March, followed by Africa (CAF) in June, and South America (CONMEBOL) and Oceania (OFC) in September. Europe's UEFA qualification matches will begin next year.
For the 2026 World Cup, the co-hosts have already secured automatic qualification, leaving three direct slots available for CONCACAF teams, with the possibility of two additional slots through playoffs.
The prize purse for the 2026 World Cup is yet to be determined, but the 2022 edition awarded a total of $440 million in prize money.
To watch the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, CBS Sports holds the English-language broadcast rights for all CONCACAF qualifying games in the United States, while Telemundo has acquired the Spanish-language rights.
2024 UEFA Europa League (Final on May 22)
The 53rd edition of UEFA's second-tier club competition, the Europa League, commenced in September 2023 and will culminate in the final on May 22 at Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
In comparison to the UEFA Champions League, the Europa League offers a smaller prize purse for the winner. The victorious team receives $4.4 million (€4 million), in addition to the $5 million (€4.6 million) awarded to both teams for reaching the final. In contrast, the winners of the Champions League take home $26 million (€23.5 million).
According to UEFA, a team that wins every game, including the group stage matches, could potentially earn $25 million (€22.9 million). In comparison, the winners of the 2023-24 Champions League could receive a maximum of $93 million (€85 million), depending on their performance throughout the competition.
To watch the UEFA Europa League, the tournament is broadcast on Paramount+ in the United States.
2024 FA Cup (Final on May 25)
The oldest soccer competition in the world, the FA Cup, is currently in its 143rd tournament. Since its establishment, the FA Cup has played a significant role in the English soccer pyramid, allowing lower-league teams to compete against top-tier clubs. While the prize money of $2.4 million (£2 million) for the winner and $1.2 million (£1 million) for the runner-up may seem insignificant to wealthy Premier League clubs, it can make a substantial difference for lower-league clubs.
Interestingly, it has been over 40 years since a lower-league club has won the FA Cup. In 2023, Manchester City secured their seventh FA Cup title by defeating their rivals, Manchester United.
The FA Cup Final was traditionally held at the original Wembley Stadium from 1923 until 2000. Since 2007, the new Wembley Stadium has been designated as the host venue for the final.
To watch the FA Cup, ESPN has exclusive streaming rights for all 79 matches of the 2023 season in the United States. This means that ESPN+ is the sole platform to watch FA Cup matches in the U.S. this season.
2024 UEFA Europa Conference League (Final on May 29)
The UEFA Europa Conference League is Europe's tertiary club soccer competition organized by UEFA. Currently in its third season, the tournament offers a prize of $5.4 million (€5 million) for the winner and $3.3 million (€3 million) for the runner-up. Additionally, the winning team secures a spot in the group stage of the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League if they have not already qualified.
To watch the UEFA Conference League, Paramount+ is the exclusive streaming platform for all matches in the United States.
2024 UEFA Champions League (Final on June 1)
The Champions League showcases the finest soccer teams in Europe, and this year's tournament, the 69th edition, boasts an impressive prize purse of $2.2 billion. Last year's champions, Manchester City, earned approximately $86.4 million (€80 million) in prize money during the competition.
However, this year's prize purse pales in comparison to the revamped tournament scheduled for next year. The 2024-25 edition will see an expansion to 36 teams, up from 32. These teams will play eight matches against two teams from four different pots. The top eight ranked teams will progress to the regular UCL round of 16, while positions nine to 24 will engage in a two-legged play-off to reach the round of 16. UEFA anticipates a higher commercial revenue of $4.72 billion (€4.4 billion) and each participating team is expected to earn an additional $39 million (€35 million).
To watch the UEFA Champions League, Paramount+ and CBS Sports are the exclusive English-language broadcasters in the United States through 2024.
UEFA European Championship 2024 (June 1 – July 14)
UEFA's prestigious men's international soccer competition will showcase 24 teams from Europe. The federation has confirmed that this year's tournament will have a prize purse of $360 million (€331 million), which will be distributed among the participating teams. The champions have the opportunity to win up to $31 million (€28.25 million) if they emerge victorious in all three of their group matches.
Similar to the World Cup, this summer's competition is taking place only three years after the previous edition due to the postponement of the 2020 Euros by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Germany is hosting the tournament for the third time, while Italy enters as the defending champions.
To watch the UEFA European Championship, the tournament will be broadcast on the Fox Family of networks.
2024 Copa América (June 20 – July 14)
The oldest soccer competition in the world, organized by CONMEBOL, will be held in the United States this summer, featuring 16 teams. Ten teams from the South American Confederation will participate, along with six teams from CONCACAF as guests, including the hosts.
Since 2019, the Copa America has been restructured to take place every four years, aligning with UEFA's Euros. Originally, Ecuador was slated to host this year's tournament based on the rotation of host countries. However, Ecuador declined the opportunity due to economic and security concerns, as well as a lack of suitable stadiums.
The total prize purse for this year's Copa America is expected to be $23 million, with the winning team projected to receive $10 million.
To watch Copa América, the tournament will be broadcast live on the Fox Sports network, with Spanish-language coverage available on TUDN in the United States.
Olympic Games in Paris (July 24 – August 10)
In Paris, some of the top players from men's and women's national teams will once again come together to compete for an Olympic gold medal. The tournament is scheduled to take place from July 24 to August 10.
Alongside the host city, soccer matches will be held in various French cities, including Bordeaux, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, and Saint-Étienne. On the women's side, France, the U.S., Canada, Brazil, and Colombia have already secured their spots in the Paris Olympics, with seven more spots yet to be filled.
In the men's tournament, a total of 15 teams, including the host country France, are slated to compete. The U.S., Dominican Republic, Spain, Israel, Ukraine, Morocco, Egypt, Mali, and New Zealand have already qualified for the Olympics. It should be noted that the men's Olympic tournament primarily consists of players aged 23 and under.
The participation of two-time defending champions Brazil and Lionel Messi's Argentina will be determined at the end of this month when CONMEBOL nations compete in Venezuela for the Olympic qualifiers.
To watch the Olympic Games, NBC and Peacock will be broadcasting the Olympic events.
Leagues Cup (July 26- August 25)
The second edition of the Leagues Cup, an international club soccer tournament organized by MLS and Liga MX clubs, is set to take place from July 26 to August 25. During this time, MLS clubs will take a break from their regular season to participate in the tournament, with all matches being played in the United States and Canada.
While the prize purse for this year's tournament has not been announced yet, last year's prize money amounted to $40 million. Similar to last year, the top three teams in the tournament will qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
To watch the Leagues Cup, fans in over 100 countries and regions will have the opportunity to tune in via the MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
