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• Sean Allen

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  Sean Allen

  Special to ESPN.com

  Sean Allen is a contributing writer for fantasy hockey and betting at ESPN. He was the 2008 and 2009 FSWA Hockey Writer of the Year.

• Victoria Matiash

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  Victoria Matiash

  Special to ESPN.com

  Victoria Matiash is a contributing writer for fantasy hockey and betting at ESPN. Victoria has been a part of the fantasy team since 2010.

Oct 17, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

The 2025-26 NHL season is less than two weeks old, so all small-sample warnings still apply.

Editor’s Picks

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But the fact that it’s early means it’s also not too late to find some values on futures bets. As part of our updated set of 1-32 Power Rankings this week, ESPN analysts Sean Allen (Eastern Conference teams) and Victoria Matiash (Western Conference teams) also came up with a captivating futures bet for every club.

How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday, which generates our list.

Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Oct. 6. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games.

All odds accurate as of publish time. For more, go to ESPN BET.

ESPN Illustration

Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 100%

Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup (+800). The first two games showcased Carolina’s depth. The fourth line was on the ice for three goals, and the third defensive pairing for five, signaling a team where contributions come from every corner of the roster. That’s the kind of balance that can carry a Cup run.

Next seven days: @ LA (Oct. 18), @ VGK (Oct. 20), @ COL (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 75%

Stars win the Western Conference (+475). The Stars rank fourth in conference odds, behind Edmonton, Vegas and Colorado, which adds some appeal to the number. Plus they’ve picked up head-to-head wins over Central rivals Winnipeg, Colorado and Minnesota to start the season.

Next seven days: @ STL (Oct. 18), vs. CBJ (Oct. 21), vs. LA (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 90%

Avalanche win the Stanley Cup (+900). Admirably balanced altogether, this roster features one of the most dangerous forwards in Nathan MacKinnon and the game’s best defender, Cale Makar. Their 4-0-1 record through five games doesn’t serve as a turnoff either.

Next seven days: vs. BOS (Oct. 18), @ UTA (Oct. 21), vs. CAR (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 62.5%

Leon Draisaitl Rocket Richard Trophy winner (+325). After winning the Rocket Richard by a comfortable margin last season despite missing 11 games, Draisaitl doesn’t look any less effective at filling the net this time around.

Next seven days: @ NJ (Oct. 18), @ DET (Oct. 19), @ OTT (Oct. 21), vs. MTL (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 50%

Panthers win the Presidents’ Trophy (14-1). No Aleksander Barkov or Matthew Tkachuk, and yet the Panthers are off to a strong start. After three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances — preceded by a Presidents’ Trophy season — why couldn’t they emerge as the league’s top regular-season team again?

Next seven days: @ BUF (Oct. 18), @ BOS (Oct. 21), vs. PIT (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 80%

Jack Eichel Art Ross Trophy winner (20-1). After collecting a career-high 94 points in 77 games this past season, Eichel appears determined to kick it up another notch. His sizzling start lays a solid foundation in the race for most points.

Next seven days: vs. CGY (Oct. 18), vs. CAR (Oct. 20)

Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 75%

Alex Ovechkin Rocket Richard Trophy winner (50-1). At 40 years old, Ovechkin isn’t the favorite anymore, but that’s what makes this wager fun. The NHL’s greatest goal scorer still finds ways to produce, and if the Capitals’ offense clicks again, a push for one more Rocket Richard isn’t out of the question.

Next seven days: vs. MIN (Oct. 17), vs. VAN (Oct. 19), vs. SEA (Oct. 21)

Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 80%

Ivan Demidov Calder Trophy winner (+400). Demidov showed flashes of elite talent last season and into the playoffs. He’s no longer the early-season favorite, so to claim consecutive rookie of the year honors for Montreal (after Lane Hutson won last season), Demidov will need to make his mark across all situations.

Next seven days: vs. NYR (Oct. 18), vs. BUF (Oct. 20), @ CGY (Oct. 22), @ EDM (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 75%

Red Wings to make the playoffs (+270). Patrick Kane is off to a nice start, exactly what Detroit needs to take the next step. Who the Red Wings bump out of the playoff picture remains up for debate, but win enough games and it won’t matter. Hopefully John Gibson’s early stumble was just a minor hiccup.

Next seven days: vs. TB (Oct. 17), vs. EDM (Oct. 19), @ BUF (Oct. 22), @ NYI (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 60%

David Pastrnak Hart Trophy winner (30-1). Pastrnak is Boston’s offensive leader and everything starts with him. If the Bruins exceed expectations and contend for the postseason, Pastrnak will be a Hart Trophy contender. At 30-1, it seems like a long shot, but only seven players have shorter odds.

Next seven days: @ COL (Oct. 18), @ UTA (Oct. 19), vs. FLA (Oct. 21), vs. ANA (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 75%

Jack Hughes Art Ross Trophy winner (40-1). Jack Hughes is the heart of the Devils’ offense and capable of elite point production. His playmaking and scoring make him an Art Ross candidate if he can stay healthy. At 40-1, it’s a long shot, but Hughes’ skill and role could align for a high-point season.

Next seven days: vs. EDM (Oct. 18), @ TOR (Oct. 21), vs. MIN (Oct. 22)

Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 75%

Jets regular-season total points over 98.5 (-115). They amassed 116 points in 2024-25! The Jets aren’t that much worse without Nikolaj Ehlers. Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele and crew should break 100 points with ease.

Next seven days: vs. NSH (Oct. 18), @ CGY (Oct. 20), vs. SEA (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 60%

Auston Matthews Selke Trophy winner (20-1).Matthews’ game continues to evolve as he has become one of the league’s most effective defensive centers. If he keeps scoring while maintaining a defensive edge, a Selke nod is within reach. With two-time defending champ Aleksander Barkov out, the path is clearer.

Next seven days: vs. SEA (Oct. 18), vs. NJ (Oct. 21)

Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 75%

Joey Daccord Vezina Trophy winner (35-1). If the Kraken enjoy even modest success this season, their No. 1 netminder will likely deserve a good chunk of the credit. When in top form, Daccord performs in near step with the league’s best, but he needs more consistency.

Next seven days: @ TOR (Oct. 18), @ PHI (Oct. 20), @ WSH (Oct. 21)

Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 50%

Jimmy Snuggerud Calder Trophy winner (+650). The 21-year-old is right up there with Ivan Demidov, Matthew Schaefer and other talents from this rookie class. Regular turns in the Blues’ top six and on the power play should help Snuggerud remain in the Calder race all season long.

Next seven days: vs. DAL (Oct. 18), vs. LA (Oct. 21), vs. UTA (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 50%

Kirill Kaprizov Hart Trophy winner (+750). Nine points in four games is an impressive start indeed. A healthy Kaprizov has as legit a chance at being named most valuable to his team as any other member of the league’s elite. Earning a rest during the Olympics — Russia isn’t competing — should also give the Wild winger an edge during the final stretch.

Next seven days: @ WSH (Oct. 17), @ PHI (Oct. 18), @ NYR (Oct. 20), @ NJ (Oct. 22)

Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 50%

Beckett Sennecke Calder Trophy winner (16-1). How about a three-game point streak to launch one’s NHL career? The 19-year-old is already attracting attention from fans outside of Anaheim. An early outside favorite to challenge Demidov, Schaefer and Jimmy Snuggerud, Sennecke likely won’t sport these odds for long.

Next seven days: @ CHI (Oct. 19), @ NSH (Oct. 21), @ BOS (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 41.7%

Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy (33-1). The Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy in 1991-92, missed the playoffs the following season, but reclaimed the award with a new head coach in 1993-94. The 2023-24 Presidents’ Trophy winners missed the playoffs last season and have a new coach. Can history repeat itself for a team that still has the players to rank among the league’s best?

Next seven days: @ MTL (Oct. 18), vs. MIN (Oct. 20), vs. SJ (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 37.5%

Nikita Kucherov Art Ross Trophy winner (+600). Kucherov remains the heartbeat of the Lightning offense, blending elite playmaking with an elite scorer’s precision. After back-to-back Art Ross wins, he shows no signs of slowing down. With Tampa Bay’s reliance on his production, another scoring title is within reach.

Next seven days: @ DET (Oct. 17), @ CBJ (Oct. 18), vs. CHI (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 60%

Roman Josi Norris Trophy winner (40-1). For the number, Josi presents as an extra attractive option to seize the Norris. He’s healthy, looks his effective self and has won it before (2020), so voters won’t be afraid to put him on their ballots.

Next seven days: @ WPG (Oct. 18), vs. ANA (Oct. 21), vs. VAN (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 60%

Penguins regular-season total points under 75.5 (-110). The Penguins managed 80 points last season, but the need for a rebuild is becoming unavoidable. If — or when — they start trading players, a slide toward the Eastern Conference basement starts to look like a pretty reasonable wager.

Next seven days: @ SJ (Oct. 18), vs. VAN (Oct. 21), @ FLA (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 50%

Blackhawks regular-season total points over 68.5 (-115). Is this Chicago team good for an additional eight points after earning 61 last season? Judging how they’re battling to start the campaign — highlighted by Wednesday’s 8-3 trouncing of the Blues — probably.

Next seven days: vs. VAN (Oct. 17), vs. ANA (Oct. 19), @ TB (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 30%

Anze Kopitar Selke Trophy winner (20-1). Why not send one of the greatest two-way forwards into retirement with a third Selke? Sean Couturier is the last active skater to have won the award, back in 2019-20. Patrice Bergeron (retired) and Aleksander Barkov (injured) have owned it since. Kopitar has as robust a shot as other leading candidates.

Next seven days: vs. CAR (Oct. 18), @ STL (Oct. 21), @ DAL (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 50%

Mammoth regular-season total points over 90.5 (-115). This talented squad is expected to take another step forward after finishing with 89 points this past season. The additions of JJ Peterka, Brandon Tanev and Nate Schmidt will help in moving the Mammoth forward.

Next seven days: vs. SJ (Oct. 17), vs. BOS (Oct. 19), vs. COL (Oct. 21), @ STL (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 37.5%

Flyers to miss the playoffs (-375). With no front-runners for any individual awards, uncertainty in goal and a roster that still needs more seasoning before it can compete, another lottery pick feels like the safer prediction for Philadelphia.

Next seven days: vs. MIN (Oct. 18), vs. SEA (Oct. 20), @ OTT (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 25%

Blue Jackets to make the playoffs (+200). Kirill Marchenko is already showing sparks, with Sean Monahan steadying the line as his pivot. The Jackets came close last season, and if Jet Greaves can elevate the goaltending tandem, Columbus has a shot to cross the playoff threshold if it can reverse course following a slow start.

Next seven days: vs. TB (Oct. 18), @ DAL (Oct. 21)

Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 40%

Linus Ullmark Vezina Trophy winner (30-1). A former Vezina winner on a team with playoff ambitions and a heavy workload is a strong formula. If the Senators finish above the wild-card spots, Ullmark will be a major reason why.

Next seven days: vs. NYI (Oct. 18), vs. EDM (Oct. 21), vs. PHI (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 50%

Quinn Hughes Norris Trophy winner (+260). After winning it in 2024, he finished third in voting last spring, despite playing only 68 games. Any minor stumble by Cale Makar, and Hughes could find himself leading the Norris pack again in a few months.

Next seven days: @ CHI (Oct. 17), @ WSH (Oct. 19), @ PIT (Oct. 21), @ NSH (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 33.3%

Michael Misa Calder Trophy winner (30-1). There’s no discounting 134 points in 65 games, even at the junior level. Misa has nothing left to accomplish with the Saginaw Spirit. If offered a genuine chance to contribute with this rebuilding Sharks team, the teen center could make a splash in his first NHL season.

Next seven days: @ UTA (Oct. 17), vs. PIT (Oct. 18), @ NYI (Oct. 21), @ NYR (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 25%

Islanders to miss the playoffs (-320). It’s always been an uphill battle, and while the payout is modest, it may be the smarter bet. Leading the league in 5-on-5 goals allowed is a red flag, meaning the Isles will need Ilya Sorokin to carry them if they want any shot at the playoffs.

Next seven days: @ OTT (Oct. 18), vs. SJ (Oct. 21), vs. DET (Oct. 23)

Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 20%

Dustin Wolf Vezina Trophy winner (30-1). He earned a single vote last year! Hey, it’s a start. The Flames’ MVP is loosely expected to earn one or more Vezinas before all is said and done in his career. Wolf will undoubtedly get enough reps to impress in Calgary’s crease again this season.

Next seven days: @ VGK (Oct. 18), vs. WPG (Oct. 20), vs. MTL (Oct. 22)

Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 25%

Tage Thompson Rocket Richard Trophy winner (20-1). Thompson is capable of leading the league in goals, but the supporting cast isn’t always there. With the added incentive of an Olympic roster to make, this wager banks on Thompson once again carrying the Sabres.

Next seven days: vs. FLA (Oct. 18), @ MTL (Oct. 20), vs. DET (Oct. 22)

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A dominant effort from yet another Dodgers†starting pitcher and just enough timely hitting has the Dodgers on the brink of a return trip to the World Series.

Tyler Glasnow allowed one run and just three hits over 5.2 innings as the Dodgers won Game 3 against the Brewers, 3-1. Tommy Edman and Mookie Betts each drove in a run but the story as it was in Games 1 and 2 was about the Dodgers†hurlers. This was more of a collaborative effort than the previous two games, but it was again dominant, nonetheless. Glasnow and four relievers allowed four hits while striking out 12 in putting the Dodgers on the brink of a sweep of the team with the best regular season record in the National League.

The freight train that is the Los Angeles Dodgers is now 8-1 this postseason (13-1 dating back into the regular season). Milwaukee has yet to announce who will start Game 4 for them. Los Angeles will send Shohei Ohtani to the bump with an eye on punching their ticket to the World Series.

Lets dive into the matchup and the numbers and perhaps find a sweat or two.

Weâ€ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Brewers at Dodgers – NLCS Game 4

• Date: Friday, October 17, 2025
• Time: 8:38PM EST
• Site: Dodger Stadium
• City: Los Angeles, CA
• Network/Streaming: TBS

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Brewers at the Dodgers – NLCS Game 4

The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:

• Moneyline: Milwaukee Brewers (+162), Los Angeles Dodgers (-200)
• Spread: Dodgers -1.5 (+109)
• Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Brewers at Dodgers – NLCS Game 4

• Pitching matchup for October 17, 2025: TBD vs. Shohei Ohtani
  • Brewers: TBD
    Last outing: Its not like Milwaukee pitchers have struggled in this series. LA is hitting just .267 through three games.
  • Dodgers: Shohei Ohtani
    Last outing: 10/4 at Philadelphia – 6IP, 3ER, 3H, 1BB, 9Ks
    Ohtani got knocked around in Philadelphia after not allowing a run in the previous 14.2 innings

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Brewers at Dodgers – NLCS Game 4

• Mookie Betts is 11-37 (.297) this postseason
• Enrique Hernandez is 11-32 (.344) this postseason
• Teoscar Hernandez leads the Dodgers with 23 Total Bases this postseason
• Brice Turang is 1-12 this series
• Christian Yelich is 1-11 this series
• Andrew Vaughn is 0-10 this series
• Jackson Chourio is 1-11 this series

If youâ€re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonightâ€s NLCS Game 4 between the Brewers and the Dodgers

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Fridayâ€s game between the Brewers and the Dodgers:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Milwaukee Brewers at +1.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC Sports.

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

• Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
• Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
• Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
• Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)

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After dominating performances from Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the first two games of the National League Championship series, the Dodgers and the Brewers have flown west for at least Games 3 and 4 at Chavez Ravine with Los Angeles in control of the series leading two games to none.

Pat Murphy is undecided or at least has yet to announce who his starting pitcher will be tonight. The Dodgers will send Tyler Glasnow to the bump.

Snell and Yamamoto combined in Games 1 and 2 to pitch 17 innings, giving up just one run, four hits, and one home run while striking out 17 Milwaukee Brewers. The consecutive starts of at least eight innings in a postseason series by Snell and Yamamoto were the first since Madison Bumgarner and Tim Lincecum did it for the San Francisco Giants in the 2010 World Series.

Obviously, the Brewers need to find a way to get their offense on track if they are to climb back into this series. They have just five hits and have scored just two runs through two games. Jackson Chourio is the sparkplug for the Brewers†offense. He did go yard against Yamamoto to lead off Game 2, but he is just 1-7 in the series after going 8-18 against the Cubs in the Division series. The obvious statement is Milwaukee needs Chourio and his mates to reach base early and often tonight before Glasnow can gain his footing.

Lets dive into Game 3 of the NLCS matchup between the Brewers and the Dodgers and find a sweat or two.

Weâ€ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Brewers at Dodgers – NLCS Game 3

• Date: Thursday, October 16, 2025
• Time: 6:08PM EST
• Site: Dodger Stadium
• City: Los Angeles, CA
• Network/Streaming: TBS

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Brewers at the Dodgers – NLCS Game 3

The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:

• Moneyline: Brewers (+163), Dodgers (-201)
• Spread: Dodgers -1.5 (+104)
• Total: 7.5 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Brewers at Dodgers – NLCS Game 3

• Pitching matchup for October 16, 2025: TBD vs. Tyler Glasnow
  • Brewers: TBD
    Pitching has not been the issue for the Brewers as Milwaukee hurlers have allowed seven runs over the first two games of the NLCS
  • Dodgers: Tyler Glasnow (4-3, 3.19 ERA)
    Last outing: 10/9 vs. Philadelphia – 6IP, 0ER, 2H, 3BB, 8Ks
    Glasnow has yet to allow a run in 7.2 innings of work in his first two postseason appearances this season

Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Brewers at Dodgers – NLCS Game 3

• Christian Yelich is 0-13 over the last 4 games of the playoffs
• William Contreras is 0-7 in this series and 1-16 over the last 4 games of the playoffs
• Shohei Ohtani is 1-16 over his last 4 games and 2-25 over his last 6
• Teoscar Hernandez is 10-34 in the playoffs this season including 4 HRs
• Freddie Freeman is 3-10 in this series

If youâ€re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonightâ€s Game 3 between the Brewers and the Dodgers

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursdayâ€s game between the Brewers and the Dodgers:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Milwaukee Brewers at +1.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page fromNBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

• Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
• Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
• Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
• Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)

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Across all sports, I am generally not a big fan of preseason futures. To me, sports betting is one giant math equation and my primary source of income. The return on investment needed to outweigh churning a bankroll for the six-plus months of a season is a difficult proposition to justify. The risk vs. reward ratio matched up against simply investing the same money in other financial markets without a complete loss factor generally makes it unwise.

The theoretical hold of many futures betting markets is 1.5-2 times higher than single-game markets. That has always made no sense to me — if the sportsbook gets to keep my wager pending for multiple months instead of multiple hours — I believe the margins for the house should decrease and not increase.

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With all that said, though, I absolutely love betting NBA win totals.

Win-total betting mitigates a lot of the concerns of most futures markets — and there are large and quantifiable edges to obtain.

Letâ€s address why these markets are worth betting into, and then letâ€s talk about the three most obvious teams to target.

[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]

Right now at BetMGM, you’ll see the same odds on NBA win totals as you do on normal NBA games: -110 on both sides of the ledger. That means the theoretical market hold — a nerdy gambling term to describe a book’s expected rake rate — is the exact same as game-to-game betting. When betting player awards and title winners, the large payouts look nice but the back-end math is less kind to the bettor.

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The next factor is “outs,†or different places to enter the market. Win-total markets remain up pretty much all season. A bettor can re-position, double down, hedge out or open a middle with relative ease. Juxtapose this with trying to bet some awards, and hedging becomes messy with multiple other options and unclear award criteria.

Lastly, these bets are generally the fastest to process of any futures market. Once a team automatically hits either the over by exceeding its win total with multiple games left, or mathematically hits the under, the bet can cash toward the end of the regular season. Player awards are announced during the playoffs and title winners have to wait until mid-June, so getting that bankroll back in early April factors into the equation.

So where should we put our money for this upcoming 2025-2026 NBA season?

Does Brandon Ingram make the Raptors a better team? (Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

(Andrew Francis Wallace via Getty Images)

1. Toronto Raptors (over/under 37.5 wins)

Last season, the Raptors were ATS darlings. They ranked second in the NBA only behind the title-winning Oklahoma City Thunder against the spread, covering over 59% of their games (48-33-1). Considering they were so often priced as underdogs and only had 30 wins, they showed they were able to hang with teams of all caliber relative to market expectations. This was in large part due to an impressive young coach in Darko Rajaković and a deep roster of young, talented players.

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This offseason they made the transition from being a development team to a team intending to win, and the win-totals market does not fully reflect that yet. Toronto added Brandon Ingram and re-signed him to an extension. The Raptors also re-signed Jakob Poeltl, a stable starting center who is impressive on defense, setting screens and is an elite passer. Toronto also drafted one of the most pro-ready prospects in Collin Murray-Boyles from South Carolina.

The starting five likely looks like: Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Ingram, Scottie Barnes and Poeltl, while bringing in sharp-shooter Gradey Dick off the bench. This is a really improved team in a weak Eastern Conference.

I think the Raptors’ ceiling can be as a top-six seed, missing the play-in all together and being an outright playoff team. I am playing their win total over, their odds to make the playoffs and even some further long shots. I love the Raptors’ prospects this season.

Bet: Over 37.5 wins

2. Portland Trail Blazers (O/U 35.5)

In an era when offensive output drives regular-season winning, the Blazers doubled down on defense this offseason. They traded one of their most potent scorers for the aging and defensive-minded Jrue Holiday. They bought out Deandre Ayton, who does provide an offensive boost, only to give his minutes to Donovan Clingan — a very defensive-oriented center, and they’ll play rookie center Yang Hansen and let him learn from his mistakes. Lastly, they put together a really nice midseason run in late January into early February when the team went 10-1.

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But if we look back further, since Jan. 1 they went 25-25. Their big run was more anomalous than anything else. However, the ownership group was re-energized, it re-signed coach Chauncey Billups in what I think was the wrong decision, and decided to run it back with a very similar cast. This team will not be a play-in contender and will not keep pace in the Western Conference.

Bet: Under 35.5 wins

3. Phoenix Suns (O/U 31.5)

The Suns are one of the three teams that lost the most national TV games for this season. That makes sense with the trade of Kevin Durant and the buyout of Bradley Beal, but the pricing in the betting market reflects those changes — and perhaps a little too much.

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Phoenix finally has two centers to fill some of the defensive gaps after trading for Mark Williams at the deadline and drafting Khaman Maluach. Jordan Ott takes over the head-coaching duties, and early reports are very positive about some of his offensive innovation. I think Ott will be able to get the most out of Jalen Green, who never quite fit in with the Houston Rockets.

[Check out all of Yahoo’s sports betting content here in our new betting hub]

Devin Booker has thrived in point guard duties in the past and now is flanked by Green and Dillon Brooks, two players who are surprisingly capable as catch-and-shoot players. Brooks was vastly improved as a shooter last season and shot 39.7% on a solid 6.3 attempts per game from 3-point range, which is actually borderline elite. Even a slight regression still has Brooks as a very capable and reliable shooter now.

Last year this team had star power, but it was redundant because each key piece aimed to fill the same role; now it is more balanced and will be a more well-rounded roster. I don’t think the Suns will win close to 50 games, but I very much like them to go over their win total.

Bet: Over 31.5 wins

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The hype for WWE Crown Jewel 2025 just hit another level with the final betting odds now confirmed—and theyâ€re turning a few heads. The card is already stacked, but the latest numbers from BetOnline.ag give a glimpse at what the oddsmakers think will go down when the bell rings in Perth.

In a massive blow to AJ Styles fans, the odds for John Cena vs. Styles are lopsided. Cena is sitting at a commanding -4000, while Styles comes in at a distant +900. Thatâ€s right—oddsmakers are all in on Cena walking out with the win in what could be his last singles match ever.

The top of the card doesnâ€t look much better for underdogs. Seth Rollins is a massive -2000 favorite over Cody Rhodes (+700) in their Crown Jewel Championship match. This could be the night Rollins finally gets that win over the American Nightmare, whoâ€s had his number every step of the way.

On the womenâ€s side, Stephanie Vaquer is leading at -320 against Tiffany Stratton (+210) in their championship clash. While both have had incredible years, Vaquer seems to have the betting world on her side.

Roman Reigns is also favored in his brutal Australian Street Fight against Bronson Reed. Reigns sits at -260 while Reed is a +175 underdog—though in a no-rules match, anything can happen.

Final Crown Jewel 2025 odds lineup:

• John Cena (-4000) vs. AJ Styles (+900)
• Seth Rollins (-2000) vs. Cody Rhodes (+700) for the WWE Menâ€s Crown Jewel Championship
• Stephanie Vaquer (-320) vs. Tiffany Stratton (+210) for the WWE Womenâ€s Crown Jewel Championship
• Roman Reigns (-260) vs. Bronson Reed (+175) in an Australian Street Fight

The odds may not guarantee the outcome, but they paint a clear picture of what the industry expects. Whether these matchups play out according to the numbers or give us some wild surprises is anyoneâ€s guess. With names like Cena, Rollins, and Reigns on the card, fans are in for a wild ride either way.

WWE Crown Jewel airs live from the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, with a start time of 8 AM ET (main show) and streaming on the ESPN app in the U.S. and on Netflix internationally.

Who do you have walking out of Crown Jewel with the wins? Do you think the underdogs have a real shot or will the favorites dominate the show? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

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The Seattle Mariners returned to the ALCS for the first time since 2001 with a 15-inning win over the Detroit Tigers to close out the ALDS on Friday night.

Seattle now has to hop on a plane to Toronto to face the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday in ALCS Game 1.

Toronto owns a very clear pitching advantage going into the series since Seattle maxxed out its arms just to stay alive in the postseason.

Seattle’s got a terrific set of arms and power bats that can combat what the Blue Jays can throw at it, but it faces an uphill climb at the start of the series.

Game 1: Sunday, October 12 (8:03 p.m. ET, Fox)

Game 2: Monday, October 13 4:38 p.m. ET or 5:03 p.m. ET (Fox)

Game 3: Wednesday, October 15

Game 4: Thursday, October 16

Game 5 (if necessary): Friday, October 17

Game 6 (if necessary): Sunday, October 19

Game 7 (if necessary): Monday, October 20

All games televised on Fox and live-streamed on FoxSports.com.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Toronto (-110; bet $110 to win $100)

Toronto has a clear advantage in Game 1 because it can set its rotation whichever way it wants.

The Blue Jays will likely throw Kevin Gausman and Trey Yesavage in Games 1 and 2 at home, just like they did in the ALDS against the New York Yankees.

Seattle’s pitching plan is up in the air. George Kirby started ALDS Game 5 on Friday. Luis Castillo and Logan Gilbert each pitched in relief. Gilbert threw two innings, while Castillo worked 1.1 innings and got the win.

Bryce Miller is the only completely fresh starter the Mariners have. He started Game 4 against Detroit on Wednesday. The Mariners likely won’t make that decision until they get to Toronto.

The Game 1 matchup as a whole favors Toronto because Seattle played 15 innings in a series clincher and now has to get on a cross-continent flight to Ontario.

Yesavage, who was just called up in September, has never faced Seattle. That will play into Toronto’s favor at the start of Game 2.

The Blue Jays won four of the six regular-season contests between the two sides, but those games took place in April and May, so it’s not a good barometer for where both teams are at the moment.

At minimum, the Blue Jays need to take Game 1 before the pitching advantage swings back into Seattle’s favor. The Mariners could easily throw Gilbert and Kirby twice each later in the series.

Toronto presents a different matchup for those pitchers compared to Detroit, though, as the Blue Jays had the second-lowest strikeout rate in the majors. The Tigers had the fifth-highest punchout rate.

Toronto’s ability to avoid the strikeouts and put the ball in play could end up as its top difference-maker in what should be a close series.

Prediction: Toronto over Seattle in 7.

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The Florida Panthers are the two-time reigning Stanley Cup champions, but they aren’t the preseason favorites to take home the title during the 2025-26 NHL campaign.

That honor belongs to the Carolina Hurricanes.

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Carolina is the favorite at +750 (bet $100 to win $750). That puts it just ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Edmonton Oilers, the latter of which faced the Panthers in each of the last two Stanley Cup Finals.

Here is a look at the top 10:

Some might be surprised to see anyone but the Panthers atop the list.

After all, they took home each of the last two Stanley Cups and had a successful offseason that saw them bring back Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand.

However, injuries are a significant concern for the team with forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Tomas Nosek expected to miss the start of the season and Aleksander Barkov potentially out for the entire campaign after suffering a torn ACL and MCL.

That could open the door for another team, and the Hurricanes are potentially positioned to take advantage of the situation.

Carolina lost to the Panthers in last year’s Eastern Conference Final and has made the playoffs in each of the last seven years. It advanced to the Eastern Conference Final three times during that span and will look to take the next step this season.

Sebastian Aho is set to lead a dangerous offensive attack that will also have to deal with the formidable Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference as well.

Still, the Panthers are champions until someone eliminates them and will surely be a factor once again come playoff time.

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The betting odds have been released via MyBookie for this Saturday’s major international Premium Live Event, WWE Crown Jewel. The event, which will take place in Perth, Australia, on October 11, is set to feature two “Champion vs. Champion” bouts, a historic final encounter on John Cena’s retirement tour, and a heated women’s tag team match.

In the men’s Champion vs. Champion match, the current World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins, is a significant favorite to defeat the Undisputed WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes. In the women’s Champion vs. Champion encounter, the new Women’s World Champion, Stephanie Vaquer, is favored to win against the reigning WWE Women’s Champion, Tiffany Stratton. For his final match ever in Australia, John Cena is a massive favorite to defeat his long-time rival, AJ Styles.

A minus sign (-) indicates the favorite, while a plus sign (+) indicates the underdog. The current betting odds for the event are below:

Menâ€s Champion vs. Champion Match: Cody Rhodes (+200) vs. Seth Rollins (-300)

Womenâ€s Champion vs. Champion Match: Tiffany Stratton (+160) vs. Stephanie Vaquer (-225)

John Cena (-1000) vs. AJ Styles (+500)

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The PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Fall Series rolls on this week as the Tour heads to Japan for the 2025 Baycurrent Classic at Yokohama Country Club, where two-time major champion Xander Schauffele is the outright betting favorite. Here’s everything you need to know about the Baycurrent Classic odds and other betting favorites to start the week.

Baycurrent Classic betting favorites

After taking a week off following their Ryder Cup loss at Bethpage Black, two members of Team USA will tee it up this week in Japan: Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa.

Despite a down season, Schauffele enters the week as the betting favorite at +1000 odds-to-win. Schauffele started to rediscover his form late in the summer. He carded back-to-back top-10 finishes at the Genesis Scottish Open and Open Championship. But he followed that up with mediocre showings in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, where he went T22-T28 while failing to make the Tour Championship.

Morikawa comes in second on the odds board at +1600 odds-to-win. He’s followed by Hideki Matsuyamaat +1800 odds-to-win.

Highlights from the final round of the Sanderson Farms

2025 Genesis Scottish Open champion Chris Gotterup is next at +2200 odds-to-win, along with European Ryder Cup vice captain Alex Noren and Kurt Kitayama.

You can see the top 20 and ties in the Baycurrent Classic betting odds as of Monday morning below, or download the Fanatics Sportsbook app to see the full list of odds and bets for this week.

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2025 Baycurrent Classic odds

Xander Schauffele (+1000)
Collin Morikawa (+1600)
Hideki Matsuyama (+1800)
Alex Noren (+2200)
Chris Gotterup (+2200)
Kurt Kitayama (+2200)
Si Woo Kim (+2500)
Rasmus Hojgaard (+2800)
Garrick Higgo (+3300)
Kevin Yu (+3300)
Min Woo Lee (+3500)
Wyndham Clark (+3500)
Michael Kim (+3500)
Michael Thorbjornsen (+3500)
Max Homa (+4000)
Adam Scott (+4000)
Sungjae Im (+4500)
Vince Whaley (+4500)
Gary Woodland (+4500)
Emiliano Grillo (+4500)

Josh Schrock

Golf.com Editor

Josh Schrock is a writer and reporter for Golf.com. Before joining GOLF, Josh was the Chicago Bears insider for NBC Sports Chicago. He previously covered the 49ers and Warriors for NBC Sports Bay Area. A native Oregonian and UO alum, Josh spends his free time hiking with his wife and dog, thinking of how the Ducks will break his heart again, and trying to become semi-proficient at chipping. A true romantic for golf, Josh will never stop trying to break 90 and never lose faith that Rory McIlroy’s major drought will end (updated: he did it). Josh Schrock can be reached at josh.schrock@golf.com.

The SEC has its share of important Week 7 games as well.

The Alabama Crimson Tide continue a brutal stretch of their schedule with a road clash against the Missouri Tigers.

Bama beat the Georgia Bulldogs on the road and then fended off the Vanderbilt Commodores in consecutive weeks. After Saturday’s trip to Columbia, Bama is back home against the Tennessee Volunteers.

Mizzou’s played far less of a brutal schedule, but it be able to catch Alabama at a difficult part of its own SEC slate.

Bama needs its defense to travel to avoid an upset and continues its push toward the top five.

The Crimson Tide limited Georgia to 21 points and held three other opponents to 14 points or fewer in their three other victories.

Containing the Beau Pribula-Ahmad Hardy duo will be tough because Bama averages 155.5 rush yards allowed per game.

Alabama does boast the nation’s fifth-best passing defense, so if it can slow down Hardy out of the backfield, it can limit Pribula’s passing potential.

Mizzou has some impressive defensive numbers of its own. The Tigers allow 203.8 yards per game, the second-fewest total in the country, but they’ve only played two power-four schools.

Saturday’s game will be the true test of Mizzou’s defense, but right now, Bama has the more proven unit.

Prediction: Alabama (-3.5)

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