Futures Sports Betting & Odds

What is a Futures Bet?

A "Futures" bet is a bet on an event where the result will be determined in the future. Typically, this means beyond the current day or even week of a season. Futures bets usually center around end-of-season results like betting on a team to win a championship or a player to win an award. If the selected team or player wins the event on which the bet was placed, the bettor wins their bet. Because future bets tend to be long-term and hard to predict, a bettor will almost always receive "plus odds" on their wager, which means the payout on their bet, should they win, would be significant.

How Does Betting Futures Work?

Betting futures is not unlike placing a moneyline wager on an event happening right away. We'll use the 2024-24 NFL season as an example. Here is a look at the top five teams with the best odds to win Super Bowl LVII heading into the season:

• Kansas City Chiefs +550
• San Francisco 49ers +600
• Baltimore Ravens +1100
• Detroit Lions +1200
• Philadelphia Eagles +1300

Let's say that we wanted to place a futures bet on the Baltimore Ravens to win Super Bowl LIX. We wager $100 at +1100 odds at the beginning of the season for Baltimore to ultimately win the Lombardi Trophy. We will have to wait until the conclusion of the season to determine whether or not our bet will ultimately win. If Baltimore wins the Super Bowl, our futures bet will pay out $1,100 for a total of $1,200 in winnings with our initial stake. If Baltimore does not win, we lose our $100 stake. 

Something to keep in mind about futures betting, though, is that the odds will change regularly throughout the season based on a team or player's performance. Using the same example as above, let's say that we waited until Week 15 to place our bet on the Baltimore Ravens to win Super Bowl LIX. Hypothetically, if the Baltimore Ravens had the best record in football at the time and had already wrapped up the AFC North, their odds would be less favorable to the bettor. You could expect the Ravens to drop from the high preseason odds (+1100) to lower odds based on their in-season performance. This means that the potential payout would decrease by having waited to place our futures bet.

Futures Betting Sports Markets

Futures odds are available for every major American sports market, as well as many other more niche leagues as well. Whether you are interested in betting futures for your favorite NFL team to win the Super Bowl, or you think a particular player is a lock for the MVP trophy this season, the Action Network has you covered on all the odds as they change throughout the course of the year across all the major sportsbooks. Don't forget to also check for special offers like the BetMGM Promo Code to make the most of your futures bets. 

Featured Futures Odds Markets

As you can imagine, some events get more futures interest than others across leagues. Here are some of the most popular future markets across the major American sporting leagues.

Jump Ahead: NFL | NBA | MLB | NHL | NCAAF | NCAAB 

NFL Futures

Super Bowl LVII | NFL Playoffs | NFL Win Totals | AFC Championship | AFC North | AFC South | AFC East | AFC West | NFC Championship | NFC North | NFC South | NFC East | NFC West | NFL MVP | NFL Offensive Player of the Year | NFL Defensive Player of the Year | NFL Comeback Player of the Year | NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year | NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year

America's most popular sport has the country's eyeballs for a nearly half of every year, but you can decide what's going to happen at the end of it all before it even begins. NFL futures include picking a Super Bowl winner, which teams will face off in the Big Game (aka conference winners), and individual award winners, like the league MVP.

 

Super Bowl LVII Odds

The Kansas City Chiefs are the defending Super Bowl Champions after a thrilling win over the San Francisco 49ers. All eyes, though, have already shifted to the 2024-25 season where a new champion will be crowned in New Orleans, Louisiana at the Caesars Superdome. Many of the same teams find themselves as as frontrunners once again to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. See where every team stands in the currently Super Bowl LIX odds table.

 

NFL Playoffs Odds

There are always going to be playoff favorites heading into a new season. These are the solid overall teams that that will likely have lower odds to make the playoffs because most oddsmakers see them as a virtual lock for postseason play. NFL playoff future odds get really exciting, though, when talking about those potential Wild Card teams. Each year, any number of teams are competing for just a few of the last playoff spots. These teams start the year with higher odds, but for those bettors who predict right could come into a nice payout. Be sure to keep tabs on the NFL playoff odds after each week of play to see how each team moves after a win or loss.

 

NFL MVP Odds

The NFL MVP award has become a bit of a quarterback's club over the years. While it is possible for anybody to win the award in the league, it's pretty rare. Of the 57 NFL MVP awards given out, it has gone to a quarterback 38 times, or about 67% of the time. The last time a non-quarterback won the award was Adrian Peterson back in 2012. Lamar Jackson took home his second NFL MVP honor last year and is among the preseason favorites to win it again in 2024-25. Check the latest NFL MVP odds to see who has a chance to dethrone Lamar in the coming season.

NBA Futures

NBA Finals | NBA Playoffs | NBA Win Totals | Eastern Conference Championship | Atlantic Division | Central Division | Southeast Division | Western Conference Championship | Northwest Division | Pacific Division | Southwest Division | NBA MVP | NBA Rookie of the Year 

The NBA remains one of the most exciting seasons to bet on. With no shortage of future odds options available, there's plenty to keep bettors enthralled with on-court action. Start-studded teams are spread throughout the East and West Conferences, which is sure to produce unforgettable matchups all the way through the NBA Finals. Keep tabs on all of the NBA futures at the Action Network's NBA odds page.

 

NBA Finals Odds

East vs. West. NBA fans and bettors alike are always treated to a spectacle when the best team from the East tips off against the best team from the West. In a decade-plus that has been dominated by a few dynasties, the 2024-25 season feels more wide open than ever before. The Boston Celtics broke through with their NBA Finals win in 2024. Will they be able to repeat, or will the like of the surging Oklahoma City Thunder or another foe out of the West reclaim the title. Here are the latest NBA Finals odds for every team heading into the season.

NBA Playoff Odds

With the expansion of the playoff field thanks to the play-in tournament, 10 teams now get a chance to vie for a spot in the postseason. And what is the play-in tournament but another event to wager on? The drama and volatility of the play-in tournament offers bettors some of the best end-to-end action with NBA Playoff glory on the line. 

 

NBA MVP Odds

There is only one player each season that can claim the highest individual NBA honor each regular season, and the MVP odds board will reflect that. Points, rebounds, assists and more will come from individual stats, of course, but how a player's team performs over the course of the season will play a large part in how the odds change as well. Relative newcomers to the league like Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama lead a new generation of superstars to supplant the likes of LeBron James, Steph Curry, and others who have found MVP success in the past. Here are the latest odds for the top candidates in NBA MVP race.

MLB Futures

World Series | Win Totals | AL Pennant | AL East | AL Central | AL West | NL Pennant | NL East | NL Central | NL West | AL MVP | NL MVP | AL Cy Young | NL Cy Young | AL Rookie of the Year | NL Rookie of the Year

Baseball is America's past time for a reason. Nothing says summer like going to the ballpark. While there's nothing like taking in a game, spice up your baseball season with MLB futures on things like the World Series Champion, Cy Young Winners, MVPs, and more!

 

World Series Odds

The Texas Rangers entered the 2024 season as the surprise defending World Series champions. There's no shortage of challengers to the title, though. Here's a look at the World Series odds as the season continues to progress.

AL & NL MVP

As the only major sport with two of each award given out, that means you have double the chances of making the right bet! The American League and National League each get their own MVP every season, so look for players that have a strong presence at the plate who can also make plays in the field -- or even look for that rare pitcher who could make a run at the highest individual honor in the game.

AL & NL Cy Young

MLB pitchers get their own award known as the Cy Young. This is awarded to the best pitcher in each league. This is the most coveted personal achievement as an MLB pitcher, and there are a lot of great arms in both leagues competing for the honor.  Stay on top of the 2024 AL Cy Young & NL Cy Young races with our updated odds table.

NHL Futures

Stanley Cup | Points Totals | Eastern Conference Championship | Atlantic Division | Metropolitan Division | Western Conference Championship | Central Division | Pacific Division | Hart Trophy | Art Ross Trophy | Vezina Trophy | Calder Trophy

There's nothing quite like the fast-paced, hard-nosed play of the NHL. On top of that, the Stanley Cup Playoffs is a mini-season in itself, which is a bettors paradise of futures and betting options. Here's a look at NHL Futures possibilities for the season.

Stanley Cup Odds

Winning the Stanley Cup is not for the faint of heart. Grit and grind are necessary to make it through the slog that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This is the premier futures bet when it comes to the NHL. Here are the latest Stanley Cup odds for every team in the league. 

Hart (MVP) Trophy Odds

The Professional Hockey Writers’ Association has awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy to the league’s most valuable player since 1926. With 32 teams in the NHL, the Hart Trophy race has never been more exciting. Connor McDavid, who's won the award twice already (2017, 2021), maintains the top odds to win the Hart Trophy again.

College Football Futures

National Championship | NCAAF Playoffs | Most Wins | Heisman Trophy

The pageantry and traditions of college football are second to none in the hearts of American football fans. Whether rooting for local favorites or alma maters, nothing makes college football more exciting than placing futures bets on the upcoming season. While there are usually only a handful true National Title hopefuls, here's a look at College Football odds for the upcoming season. 

Regardless of rivalry games and conference supremacy, every college football team has one goal in mind: to win the National Championship. The SEC continues to be a dominant force as it enters most seasons as favorites to take home the title. But here's a look at the National Championship odds that show a few other hopefuls outside the SEC as well. 

The Heisman Trophy is the crowning achievement for an individual college football player. This is akin to the MVP award that is given out in the NFL. Similar to the NFL, the Heisman Trophy tends to go in favor of offensive players, but there have been some exceptions. Here are the early Heisman Trophy odds for the 2024-25 season. 

College Basketball Futures 

Tournament Championship | Final Four 

College basketball may tipoff in November, but the dance begins in March. The NCAA Tournament's yearly installment of March Madness brings the sport of basketball to the forefront of America's thoughts and eyes as the first real big event after the college football National Championship and the Super Bowl. A start by 68 teams slowly dwindles down to the Final Four as these student athletes fight to etch their names in history. It's never too early to talk about NCAA Tournament odds!

NCAA Tournament Title Odds

Anything can happen in March Madness. Getting to the dance is just the first part of the college basketball journey, though. Narrowing the field from 68 teams to a single champion provides the opportunity for a significant amount futures bet opportunities outside of filling out a bracket. Take a peak at the current odds for the next NCAA Tournament champion.

NCAA Final Four Odds

The Final Four is the penultimate step in crowning a tournament champion. The drama associated with Final Four matchups is nearly unparalleled. The Final Four represents one of the most thriving futures bet markets in college basketball. Who do you like early in the latest Final Four odds?