Futures betting involves placing wagers on outcomes that will be decided at a later time. For example, you might bet on which team will win the Super Bowl before the NFL season starts or predict the NBA MVP on the regular season’s opening night. These bets are long-term, often spanning months, and only pay out once the event concludes. Popular futures markets include major sporting events like the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, or College Football Playoff, as well as awards like MVP honors.
Futures bets are essentially long-term wagers on the outcome of a season, tournament, or award, with odds offered in formats such as American (+500), decimal (6.0), or fractional (5/1). Payments occur only after the event finishes, and the risk fluctuates due to potential injuries, trades, and other uncertainties throughout the season. Bettors can hedge by placing offsetting bets later to secure profits. This type of betting is ideal for those who want ongoing engagement with the sports season and value bets on underdogs.
Sportsbooks post futures odds well before events start, but these odds shift with changes like team performance, injuries, trades, or public betting patterns. For example, if a key player gets injured, the odds for that team’s success will change immediately. Some bets pay out as soon as a team clinches a playoff spot, while championship bets pay only after the final game. Importantly, futures bets stand regardless of player injuries; if your bet on a preseason MVP candidate who later injures himself doesn’t win, you lose the bet. Timing also affects odds — for example, a golfer’s chances can improve or decline as the tournament approaches based on recent performance.
Futures odds show implied probabilities: positive odds suggest the event is less likely, whereas negative odds indicate a more likely outcome. Calculations allow bettors to estimate the sportsbook’s assessed chance of an event happening. Markets are dynamic, with factors like injuries and surprise teams creating uncertainty throughout the season.
Popular futures markets vary by sport:
- NFL: Includes Super Bowl, conference, and division winners, MVP, and defensive awards.
- College Football: Covers national titles, conference champions, Heisman Trophy, and more.
- NBA: Features finals, conference winners, MVP, and rookie of the year.
- College Basketball: Includes March Madness, Final Four, conference winners, and player awards.
- MLB: Focuses on World Series, league pennants, MVP, Cy Young, and rookie honors.
- Soccer: Covers World Cup, Champions League, Euro tournament, and individual awards.
- Golf: Includes majors like the Masters, US Open, and team events such as Ryder Cup.
- NHL: Wyoming Stanley Cup, conference winners, and individual trophies.
- UFC: Futures on reigning champions, upcoming title contenders, and performance bonuses.
Advantages of futures betting include the potential for higher payouts when betting on longshots or less obvious choices, as well as keeping fans engaged throughout the season. The major downside is the long wait for payout and the risk of unpredictable factors like injuries affecting your bet’s outcome.
Several sportsbooks offer promotions and bonuses tailored for futures betting, including FanDuel’s “Futures Days” and welcome bonuses, DraftKings’ NBA futures profit boosts and NBA League Pass bonuses, BetMGM’s bet refunds for losing bets, Caesars Sportsbook’s doubled winnings on multiple bets, and Bet365’s bonus bets and broad promotion offerings.
Fan Take: Futures betting keeps the excitement alive all season long, allowing basketball fans to remain invested beyond individual games by rooting for their chosen players and teams to succeed. This engagement could foster deeper fan loyalty and enthusiasm, helping grow the sport’s popularity and viewership over time.
