The first round of the NBA Draft goes on Tuesday, June 23, from Brooklyn, N.Y. This year, the second round will be broadcast on Wednesday at 8pmET on ESPN and ABC.

As of Sunday night, AJ Dybantsa is a -425 favorite to be selected first by Washington, while Darryn Peterson is +300. Peterson could go to Utah (-130) with the second pick, as Cam Boozer (+180) is another possibility. This will go down as one of the best freshman classes ever.

Let’s take a look at the top five players by position in the NBA Draft, though the “wing” position is essentially the same as shooting guard/small forward. Also, there are many players who can play multiple positions. This is not a great draft for big men as Aday Mara from Michigan is most likely the highest center chosen and is +300 to go 8th.

Centers

1)Aday Mara, Michigan, 7-3, 260, junior. Exceptional size and a 3-point range. Very skilled for his size. Not very athletic.

2)Jayden Quantance, Kentucky, 6-9, 255, sophomore. Coming off a torn ACL at the end of his freshman season n at Arizona State. Has 7-5 wingspan, so he can play some center at 6-9.

3)Henri Veesaar, 6-11, 227, North Carolina, junior. Solid prospect who can stretch the floor. More than just a jump shooter but needs to get stronger. Defense is an issue.

4)Zuby Ejiofor, 6-8, 245, St. John’s, senior. Massive and undersized big with a 7-2 wingspan. Will be a strong rebounder right away.

5)Tarris Reed, 6-10, 265, UConn, senior. Big man with good size, with a 7-5 wingspan and a decent athlete. Not much of a shooter and struggles at the line.

Power Forwards

1)Cam Boozer, 6-8, 250, Duke, freshman. Very high IQ and powerful offensive player with a good wingspan at over 7-1. Can shoot the three, but will need to work on defense. 

2)Caleb Wilson, 6-9, 210, North Carolina, freshman. Freak athlete who broke both hands last season at different times. Good wingspan at 7-0 and near-40-inch vertical. Needs to work on his 3-point shot, but has an incredibly high ceiling.

3)Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan, 6-9, 241, senior. He’s nearly 24, so he’s one of the oldest players in the draft. Has a 7-3 wingspan, which helps hide some limited athleticism. Very smart player who is underrated defensively and can create for others. 

4)Karim Lopez, Mexico, 6-8, 222. One of the highest risers in the draft who just turned 19. Very rugged player who has a high upside. Not very athletic.

5)Hannes Steinbach, Washington, 6-10, 248, freshman. Another big man who loves to shoot. A native of Germany, who led college basketball with 11.8 rebounds per game. Good shooter, but limited athletically and a bit of a tweener.

Small forwards/wings

1)A.J. Dybantsa, BYU, 6-9, 217, freshman. Spectacular athlete with a 7-foot wingspan. Needs to work on the three-point shot and defense. Strong creator and can get to the basket with ease.

2)Nate Ament, Tennessee, 6-10, 210, freshman. Had a disappointing freshman season, making just 43% of his 2-point attempts and struggling as a finisher. Still has a high upside as he continues to fill out and can play multiple positions.

3)Dailyn Swain, 6-7, 211, Texas, junior. Swain is an all-around player who does many things well with a 6-10 wingspan. However, his lack of consistent perimeter shooting and high turnover rate likely place him late in the first round at best.

4)Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt, 6-6, 217, junior. Solid shooter who led the SEC in 3-point shooting at 45%. Average athlete and wingspan. Doesn’t do much else, but there’s always a place for a 3-point shooter.

5)Keyshan Hall, Auburn, 6-6, 227, senior. A very good iso player who shot about half his shots at the rim last year. Also shot 38% from 3-point range last season, but defense is a concern.

Shooting guards

1)Darryn Peterson, Kansas, 6-5, 200, freshman. Considers himself a point guard but hasn’t shown that ability in college, averaging just 1.6 assists. Exceptional creator, shooter, and just about everything else. Has a 6-10 wingspan and is a very good athlete. The problem has been durability and availability in college. 

2)Brayden Burries, Arizona, 6-4, 215, freshman. Powerful two-guard who is an outstanding athlete and strong defender. Good three-point shooter who made 39% of his 3-pointers last season.

3)Cameron Carr, Baylor, 6-5, 184, sophomore. Father Chris Carr played in the NBA. Very good athlete with an incredible 7-1 wingspan. Needs to add some size to his frame, but with so few talented shooting guards in this draft, he might be taken higher than expected.

4)Isaiah Evans, Duke, 6-6, 186, sophomore. Strong shooter who might still be growing. Needs to get stronger or will just become a one-dimensional shooter.

5)Meleek Thomas, Arkansas, 6-3, 190, freshman. Thomas blew up in the NCAA’s, averaging 19ppg. A strong shooter who is a very good athlete with a 6-7 wingspan to make up for a lack of height. Weak defense will put him in the second round.

Point guards

1)Darius Acuff Jr. Arkansas, 6-2, 185, freshman. The strongest position of the draft, even if Peterson is more of a two-guard. Acuff is a powerful shot creator with a 6.6.5 wingspan and a very good distributor. Not the greatest defender, but neither is Jalen Brunson.

2)Keaton Wagler, 6-5, 188, Illinois, freshman. An athletic combo guard who is very smart. Will need to improve his strength and finishing at the rim. Takes some questionable shots and is not a great athlete.

3)Kingston Flemings, Houston, 6-3, 183, freshman. Very fast athlete who takes care of the ball. Solid defender who learned from a great defensive coach in Kelvin Sampson. 

4)Mikel Brown, Louisville, 6-4, 190, freshman. Explosive scorer with a long reach (6-7.5) and good athlete (39.5 vert). Excellent left hand and should be able to get his shot off in the NBA with ease.

5)Christian Anderson, Texas Tech, 6-1, 180, sophomore. A polarizing prospect due to his lack of size. But he averaged over 18ppg and 7 assists in the Big 12. Has a 6-6 wingspan and over 40 inches of vertical. Will need to get stronger.

(odds from DraftKings)

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Upcoming Events at ATS:

• The World Cup runs through July 19. Consists of 48 teams and 12 groups in the Group Stage, mainly playing in the United States. It’s the biggest event in the world. 
•  Wimbledon Tennis Championships (June 29-July 12)
• UFC Fight Night on Saturday, June 20, anchored by Kape vs. Horiguchi in Las Vegas. (hit top 2 fights with Luana Santos and Manel Kape for 9 units combined).
• UFC FIGHT NIGHT FIZIEV VS TORRES / BAKU AZERBAIJAN
  Saturday June 27th
  *Projected +25 units as $250 /u clients expected to win $5,000+
  
• UFC 329 MCGREGOR VS HOLLOWAY 2 / LAS VEGAS NV
  Saturday July 11th
  *Projected +30 units as $250 /u clients expected to win $7,500+ 

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Sports fans and bettors unite. We’re coming to another weekend, but this one is without football, basketball and the NHL for the first time in nearly a year. But we have World Cup action, U.S. Open Golf, UFC Fight Night, and baseball.

1)World Cup continues in the second round of the Group Stage. On Friday, the U.S. (-165) meets Australia to highlight that day in Group D with both teams at 1-0. On Saturday, the Netherlands (-130) takes on Sweden in Group F. On Sunday, Spain (-1000) tries to bounce back from a dreadful tie with Cape Verde, when they meet Saudi Arabia in Group H. In Group G, another intriguing matchup, considering all four teams have one point apiece, is Egypt (-165) vs. New Zealand.

2)UFC Fight Night: Manel Kape vs. Kyoji Horiguchi on Saturday from the APEX at Las Vegas at 8pmET. The bout features two outstanding flyweights with Kape as the -155 favorite/Horiguchi +130

3)The U.S. Open Golf Tournament from Shinnecock, where Wyndham Clark leads at -6 after 16 holes due to darkness. He has a four-stroke lead over seven players at -2. Clark is now the favorite (+335), while the previous favorite, Scottie Scheffler (+1275) had a first-round score of 72 (+2), which ties him at 49th.

4)Baseball. It’s Father’s Day Weekend, and there are some surprisingly good series led by Washington (39-36) vs. Tampa Bay (41-30) from St. Petersburg. On Friday, Detroit (30-44) looks to get back on track against the White Sox (39-34), Tarik Skubal takes the mound on Friday, and the Tigers are -225. But the biggest series in the National League features Milwaukee (45-27) vs. Atlanta (46-27). On Friday, super hard-throwing Jacob Misiorowski takes the mound for the Brewers and they are a -168 favorite on the road tonight.

(odds from DraftKings)

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Upcoming Events at ATS:

• The World Cup runs through July 19. Consists of 48 teams and 12 groups in the Group Stage, mainly playing in the United States. It’s the biggest event in the world. 
• US Open Golf (June 18-21) and Wimbledon Tennis Championships (June 29-July 12)
• UFC Fight Night on Saturday, June 20, anchored by Kape vs. Horiguchi in Las Vegas. *Projected +25 units as $250 /u clients expected to win $5,000+
• UFC FIGHT NIGHT FIZIEV VS TORRES / BAKU AZERBAIJAN
  Saturday June 27th
  *Projected +25 units as $250 /u clients expected to win $5,000+
  
• UFC 329 MCGREGOR VS HOLLOWAY 2 / LAS VEGAS NV
  Saturday July 11th
  *Projected +30 units as $250 /u clients expected to win $7,500+ 

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The World Cup is still in its Group Stage, but we’re done with all the opening round games, which took six days.  Now it’s time to move on to Game 2 for each country. Let’s take a look at some storylines and odds in the World Cup after the opening round.

Biggest storylines?

1)Portugal tied the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-1. The Congo had never scored a goal in World Cup competition, but earned a historic point. Portugal is still +900 to win the World Cup, but is just -120 to win Group K, while Colombia is +130. Star Cristiano Ronaldo had 0 shots on target. That was his 23rd career World Cup game and the second time he recorded zero shots in a WC match in which he played 90 minutes.

2)So many ties. Brazil/Morocco, Netherlands/Japan, Belgium/Egypt, Iran/New Zealand, Saudi Arabia/Uruguay, Canada/Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar/Switzerland, and the biggest surprise, Spain, and yes, Cape Verde, played to a 0-0 tie.

3)Germany was dominant in their 7-1 win over Curacao, which was the highest performance in the opening round. Germany (+1300 to win WC) is now -370 to win Group E, while the Ivory Coast is second at +300. 

4)England beats Croatia 4-2.  England is still the third favorite at +600 to win the Cup, while Spain moved down to second at +550 due to their poor performance in the first round. France is the favorite now at +400.  England has now won three straight World Cup opening matches. It wasn’t easy as Croatia twice equalized the match before England pulled away in the second half.

5)The United States was very impressive in its 4-1 win over Paraguay last Friday. They are still a +4000 long shot to win the World Cup and -230 to win Group D. Who is the second favorite? Australia (+300), who faces the U.S. on Friday at 3pmET.

6)Argentina, led by Lionel Messi’s 3 goals, dominated Algeria 3-0. They looked like the World Cup champs of 2022. They are currently +800 to repeat and +400 to reach the Final.

7)After a slow first half, France didn’t disappoint in its 4-1 win over Senegal. Kylian Mbappe had two goals, though it was Michael Olise who dazzled and was the player who moved the needle.

Here are the leaders after the opening round and their odds in each Group.

Group A

Mexico (-185) 1-0 3pts  

Korea Republic (+190) 1-0 3pts

Group B

Switzerland (+110), Qatar (+3000), Canada (+160) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (+450) all have one point.

Group C

Scotland (+550) 3pts 1-0. Brazil (-200) has 1 point after their tie with Morocco.

Group D

Australia (+300) 3pts 1-0

USA (-230) 3pts 1-0

Group E

Germany 3pts 1-0 (-370)

Ivory Coast 3pts 1-0 (+300)

Group F

Sweden 3pts 1-0  (+210)

The Netherlands (+120) is still the favorite in this Group after tying Japan 2-2.

Group G

New Zealand, Iran, Belgium (-165) and Egypt all have one point.

Group H 

Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Spain (-310) and Cape Verde all have one point.

Group I  

Norway 3pts 1-0

France 3pts 1-0

France is the favorite (-370)

Group J

Argentina 3pts 1-0

Austria 3pts 1-0

Argentina (-700) is the favorite.

Group K

Colombia (+115) 3pts 1-0

Portugal (-110) is still the favorite after their tie with the Congo (+1200)

Group L

England 3pts 1-0

Ghana 3pts 1-0

England is a -1400 favorite to win this group.

(odds from DraftKings)

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Upcoming Events at ATS:

• The World Cup runs through July 19. Consists of 48 teams and 12 groups in the Group Stage, mainly playing in the United States. It’s the biggest event in the world. 
• US Open Golf (June 18-21) and Wimbledon Tennis Championships (June 29-July 12)

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Betting on Baseball before the All-Star Break

We’re less than a month away from the Baseball All-Star Break, which begins on Monday, July 13, and goes through Wednesday, July 15. That’s always a significant time for baseball teams, because even though they are not at the halfway point, they’ll know where they stand about two weeks before the trade deadline on August 3rd (6pmET). 

Here are some betting tips for the next 3 1/2 weeks. 

1)You know the standings. But betting the best teams is not always the way to go due to values and the line. Always check both starting pitchers and their recent workload.

2)The bullpen strength is always a huge issue, so make sure you have a handle on which teams have good and bad bullpens. InsidethePen.com is one of the top sites that goes deep into the stats. If you wonder why Atlanta is fourth against the Money Line (+587), it’s because they have the best bullpen ERA (2.82).

3)Always check the home/road splits. There are stats for each player and pitcher on ESPN.com and most baseball sites. I’d also recommend that for player props

4)The weather is a real issue in baseball. Check where the wind is blowing in Chicago, but also if there is a good chance of a thunderstorm throughout the night, get off the game. Now you have odd stadiums like the Athletics playing in Vegas or in Sacramento. 

5)Shop sportsbooks. If you get the Reds at -145, shop around. Maybe you can get them at -130 elsewhere. 

6)Injuries are always a factor. The Yankees will likely be playing without Aaron Judge for 4-6 weeks due to a stress fracture in his ribs. Do you go against them or go under without him?

7)Travel schedules and getaway-day lineups are always a factor, especially on Sundays.

Top 10 Money Line teams

1)Washington $1365

2)St. Louis $1180

3)Chicago White Sox $1150

4)Atlanta $1061

5)Milwaukee $764

6)Tampa Bay $763

7)Cleveland  $524

8)NY Yankees $315

9)Athletics $209

10)Arizona $-20

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Upcoming Events at ATS:

• The World Cup runs through July 19. Consists of 48 teams and 12 groups in the Group Stage, mainly playing in the United States. It’s the biggest event in the world. 
• US Open Golf (June 18-21) and Wimbledon Tennis Championships (June 29-July 12)

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 As of Sunday night, there have been, there have been 12 soccer matches of the 104 or so expected to be played. On Monday, one of the favorites is in action as Spain takes on Cape Verde in Atlanta as one of the top four games. Another co-favorite, France, will open its play with a match against Senegal on Tuesday, while 2022 winner Argentina will take on Algeria in its opener.

France (-210) and Argentina (-255) are both big money line favorites. That’s not the only option in betting on soccer. Let’s talk about the most popular betting actions.

1)Bet the winner. You’re risking juice, but if you feel strongly that the favorite is going to win, then you can risk it. The problem that the top teams don’t always win, as ties do happen during the Group Stages. You can also bet on the Draw, so for example, you can bet Team A, Team B, or the Draw, with a money line attached. If you bet Team A -260 that means $26 wins 10. Team B +750 means $10 wins $75. Choosing the Draw (+380) means $10 wins $38.

2)Two-Way Moneyline. This is also referred to as Double Chance and Draw No Bet. This is graded solely on 90 minutes of regulation. Double Chance allows you to win your bet if two of the three possible match outcomes happen, so if Team A wins OR the game is a draw. Draw No Bet eliminates the draw, so if the game ends in a tie, your original bet is refunded. So you won’t win or lose. It operates like a two-way money line, offering better odds than Double Chance but requiring your team to win outright to make a profit. In terms of the Double Chance, you are essentially buying extra security. You only lose if your opponent wins. Due to high probability of winning, the odds are much lower and more expensive.

3)Spread Bets. If you are convinced a team (-1.5) is going to win by 2 or more goals, this is your best bet. Or if you like an underdog (+1.5), is going to lose by less than two goals or even win outright, you take the underdog. If you like Team B (+1.5), you get a payout if they win, draw or lose by a single goal.

4)Over/Under. I’d like to think that when the money lines are too high, and the spread doesn’t make sense, this makes the most sense if you don’t have confidence in going with the dog. The totals are usually set at around 2.5, but some are much higher in the Group Stage, because some of these teams are overmatched when it comes to defense. Or if you get a low total and the team has a key injury on offense, taking the under will make sense. It’s not the exciting route, but a lot of teams play it very conservatively, depending on their style and coach.

5)Group Winner. The Favorites have a clearer path through the Group Stage. Even though the matches started last Thursday, you can still bet on the winner. For example, the USA is -230 to win Group D. Mexico is -185 to win Group A. Brazil, which had a disappointing 1-1 draw with Morocco in their opener on Saturday, is still a -230 favorite to win Group C. 

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Upcoming Events at ATS:

• The World Cup runs through July 19. Consists of 48 teams and 12 groups in the Group Stage, mainly playing in the United States. It’s the biggest event in the world. 
• US Open Golf (June 18-21) and Wimbledon Tennis Championships (June 29-July 12)

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Upcoming Events at ATS:

• The World Cup runs through July 19. Consists of 48 teams and 12 groups in the Group Stage, mainly playing in the United States. It’s the biggest event in the world. 
• US Open Golf (June 18-21) and Wimbledon Tennis Championships (June 29-July 12)

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Top Sports To Bet on this Weekend

 This is one of these weekends where we could be saying goodbye to the NBA and NHL, depending on what happens on Saturday and Sunday. The World Cup really stretches out and on Sunday, we have one of the most unique and very profitable UFC bouts ever at the White House in UFC Freedom 250.

1)NBA Finals, Game 5: New York at San Antonio, Saturday, at 8:30pmET on ABC. The Knicks lead the series after an improbable 107-106 win on Wednesday from MSG. Can the Spurs recover from blowing a 29-point lead and a 27-point halftime lead? A must-win for San Antonio, Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox, who contributed to their downfall.

Odds: San Antonio -5.5 (-108). Total: 216.5 (-110). ML: Spurs -198/+164.

2)UFC Freedom 250 on Sunday, June 14 from the White Houston South Lawn. Yes, it’s going to be held in Washington D.C. (Paramount+) with attendance around 4,300+. It’s going to be headlined by the a lightweight unification bout between Ilia Topuria (UFC Lightweight champ) and Justin Gaethje (UFC Interim Lightweight Champ). Topuria is a -520 ML favorite and Gaethje is +390. The main card also features Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title. On the moneyline, Pereira is a -108 and Gane is -112.

3)The World Cup begins to take off. The USA starts their opener in Group D on Friday night with a match against Paraguay. On Saturday, Brazil (-160) faces Morocco from East Rutheford, N.J. Turkey (-140) faces Australia from Vancouver, also part of Group D. On Sunday, there are some interiguing games led by the Netherlands (+100) vs. Japan from Arlington, Texas. 

4)Stanley Cup Finals, Game 6, Carolina vs. Vegas. The Hurricanes could wrap up their second Stanley Cup with a win. In Game 5 on Thursday, Andrei Svechnikov scored twice to lead the Hurricanes to a 4-2 win over Vegas. Jordan Stahl also scored his fifth goal of the series. Vegas is in a 3-2 hole so they need the win or it’s over. Both teams are currently -110 on the moneyline, while the total is 6.5.

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Upcoming Events at ATS:

• The World Cup starts this Thursday, June 11, and runs through July 19. Consists of 48 teams mainly playing in the United States. It’s the biggest event in the world. 
• UFC Freedom 250 on Sunday, June 14. One of the biggest events of the year. This one is at the South Lawn of the White House with two big title fights. 
• US Open Golf (June 18-21) and Wimbledon Tennis Championships (June 29-July 12)

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UFC Freedom 250 Betting Preview

There are UFC events and then there is the historic UFC Freedom 250. The unusual card will take place on Sunday, June 14, on the White House South Lawn. But this isn’t just a card for the uniqueness of the event. This is an outstanding card featuring co-main events for titles and two other main cards featuring some of the sport’s biggest names. The main fights will be televised on Paramount+. Let’s take a look at the bigger fights.

(odds from DraftKings)

Ilia Topuria (17-0) vs. Justin Gaethje (27-5), Lightweight title unification bout.

Topuria is a Georgia-Spanish fighter, known for his precise striking and strong grappling. He’s undefeated, but is just 5-7, while Gaethje is 5-11. Gaethje, from Arizona, is a relentless, high-action style with knockout power. Topuria won the featherweight title in 2024 at UFC 298 and won the vacant lightweight title in 2025 with a win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317. Gaethje is a two-time UFC lightweight champion and a former “BMF” titleholder.

Odds:  Topuria is -500 on the Money Line, while Gaethje is +380. Topuria is also -5.5 (-525)/Gaethje is +5.5 (+330).

Alex Pereira (13-3) vs. Ciryl Gane (13-2), Interim Heavyweight title.

Pereira is attempting something historic by winning his third title in his third division. He won the UFC Middleweight Championship by stopping Israel Adesanya at UFC 281 in 2022. He lost the rematch at UFC 287, but then moved up to light-heavyweight and beat Jiri Prochazk to win the title in 2023. He relies on kickboxing and a devastating left hook. Gane is a 6-4 Frenchman known for his tactical striking. He captured the interim UFC heavyweight title by defeating Derrick Lewis at UFC 265 and then lost to Francis Ngannou in 2022.

Odds: Moneyline: Gane -105/Pereira -115. Point spread Pereira -5.5 (+110)/Gane +5.5 (-145).

Other big fights:

Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi. ML: O’Malley -440/Zahabi +340. Point Spread: O’Malley -3.5 (-160)/Zahabi +3.5 (+120)

Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis, ML: Hokit -410/Lewis +320. Point Spread: Hokit -3.5 (-350)/Lewis +3.5 (+240).  

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Upcoming Events at ATS:

• The World Cup starts this Thursday, June 11, and runs through July 19. Consists of 48 teams mainly playing in the United States. It’s the biggest event in the world. 
• UFC Freedom 250 on Sunday, June 14. One of the biggest events of the year. This one is at the South Lawn of the White House with two big title fights. 
• US Open Golf (June 18-21) and Wimbledon Tennis Championships (June 29-July 12)

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World Cup Players to Watch

Top 20 players in the World Cup Tournament

(odds from DraftKings to Win FIFA Player of the Tournament)

Ready for the World Cup? Americans and others who are casual fans and bettors at worst need to know about some of the stars in this tournament. Of course, you can bet all sorts of individual props including FIFA Player of the Tournament and Top Goalscorer. Kylian Mbappe (+600) of France is the favorite to win the top goalscorer, but not to win the FIFA Player of the Tournament.

1)Lamine Yamal (+800), Spain

The young left-footer scored 16 goals and produced 11 assists in Barcelona’s La Liga-winning campaign. He is the best dribbler and has a shot of being the best player in the tournament at just 18 (he’ll turn 19 on July 13).

2)Harry Kane (+800), England

The veteran forward shows no signs of slowing down at 32. He’s England’s all-time top scorer in international football and in his last 11 games for the Three Lions, with 11 goals.

3)Michael Olise (+900), France

The winger who played for Bayern Munich and was born in London. He could have represented England, Algeria or Nigeria at the international level. His first season in Germany saw him record 27 goals in 34 Bundesliga appearances. He followed that up with 34 goals in 32 appearances this season.

4)Kylian Mbappe (+900), France

Mbappe made his debut at the 2018 World Cup as a 19-year-old. He was one of the fastest players in the world, but also had the poise to help France win the title. He scored eight times in the next World Cup. At 27, he struggled at the club level with Real Madrid but still finished as the league’s top goalscorer.

5)Lionel Messi (+1200), Argentina

The legend is back at 38 years old to attempt to give Argentina another title. His legacy is already pretty well-cemented, but another title would put him above everyone. He had 12 goals and seven assists in 14 appearances for Inter Miami in the MSL.

6)Pedri (+1400), Spain

Another young forward, at 18, led Spain at the European Championship in 2021. He’s had injury issues that have hampered him since, missing 73 games with hamstring problems. When healthy, he’s one of the best midfielders in the world.

7)Vincius Junior (+1600), Brazil

The 25-year-old is a blur as an attacker. Played for La Liga club Real Madrid. He’s known for his pace, technique, and dribbling ability. Has something to prove in this tournament.

8)Bruno Fernandes (+1800), Portugal

Fernandes broke the record for assists in a single Premier League season with 21, despite playing mostly a defensive midfield role. He’ll attack more for Portugal, opening up chances for Ronaldo and others.

9)Declan Rice (+2000), England

The 27-year old midfield has played more than 250 games in the last five seasons. That’s in two with West Ham and three with Arsenal.

10)Raphinha (+2000), Brazil

Another player dealing with hamstring injuries, Raphinha had 21 goals and eight assists in 33 games for Barcelona this past season, after netting 34 goals and 26 assists in 57 games when he was healthy.

11)Vitinha (+2000), Portugal

The 26-year-old plays a high-octane style that fits this team. He also plays alongside Bruno Fernandes, Joao Neves and Bernardo Silva, which gives Portugal arguably the best midfield in the World Cup. He finished third in the Ballon d’Or voting. He’s a winner.

12)Cristiano Ronaldo (+2500), Portugal

This might be a little high for the 41-year-old, but you can’t dismiss his experience or his nearly 1,000 goals for his career.

13)Rodri Hernandez (+2500), Spain

Another great player for Spain, Rodri missed most of the 2024-25 season with Manchester City. He returned in 2025-26, and City won both the League Cup and FA Cup. They also pushed Arsenal for the PL title. When healthy, the 29-year-old is one of the top defensive midfielders in the world.

14)Ousmane Dembele (+2800), France

The 20-year-old has scored 45 goals in all competitions at home and in Europe. He’s had a lot of freedom and will not play for a more rigid French team.

15)Jude Bellingham (+2800), England

The 22-year-old is one of the best players of his age with a strong level of physicality. He has also dealt with injuries, missing over 100 days of the campaign. Was the player of the year in the Bundesliga in 2023 and La Liga in 2024. Has 46 appearances for the national team.

16)Erling Braul Haaland (+2800), Norway

The 6-5 forward has scored 55 goals in 49 appearances for a Norway team making its first appearance in the World Cup in 28 years. He also has three Premier League Golden Boots in four seasons in England’s north-west.

17)Fabian Ruiz (+3000), Spain

Ruiz started six of Spain’s seven games and was named in the team of the tournament at Euro 2024. Is an excellent passer at midfield. The 30-year-old will play in his first World Cup.

18)Bukayo Saka (+3500), England

Saka keeps returning from injury issues. He scored seven goals and assisted on seven despite missing seven games for Arsenal as they clinched the PL title. He’s also just 24.

19)Mikel Oyrazabal (+3500), Spain

The forward is clutch, scoring against England with just four minutes left in the Euro 2024 final. He’s very unselfish, which is fine for this talented Spanish team.

20)Mathis Rayan Cherki (+3500), France

The 22-year-old forward is more about winning than stats. He is coming off a strong season with Manchester City, where he scored a tremendous goal against Arsenal in the league.

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Upcoming Events at ATS:

• The World Cup starts this Thursday, June 11, and runs through July 19. Consists of 48 teams mainly playing in the United States. It’s the biggest event in the world. 
• UFC Freedom 250 on Sunday, June 14. One of the biggest events of the year. This one is at the South Lawn of the White House with two big title fights. 

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World Cup Group Stage Preview

The World Cup begins on Thursday, June 11, and will go until July 19. That’s five weeks of soccer, including 48 teams and 104 matches. Games in the United States will be broadcast on the Fox family of networks and live-streamed on Fox One. Here is the TV World Cup Schedule.

On Thursday, Mexico will open the tournament against South Africa from Group A at Mexico City Stadium. The Republic of Korea will face Czechia in the other Group A match at Estadio Guadalajara.

On Friday, June 12, the U.S. is in action against Paraguay in Group D at the Los Angeles Stadium. Canada will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in Group B at Toronto Stadium.

(odds from FanDuel and DraftKings)

Group A (Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czechia)

Mexico is the favorite to win at -140. They face South Africa, who should be outmatched. Czechia hasn’t been to the World Cup in 20 years. South Korea features Son Heung-Min, who could help carry his team out of this stage.

Group B (Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland)

Canada (+170) has the home-field advantage in Group B. They need to not only beat Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also run up the score because goal differential could be the difference if their Matchday 3 battle ends in a draw. Switzerland (-126) is the favorite to win this stage and they normally win the Group Stage and do nothing more.

Group C (Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland)

This is one of the strongest groups. Scotland is the dark horse here, but Brazil has the most talent and is a -310 favorite. They have star power led by Vincius Junior, with an attacking team in an aggressive 4-2-4 formation. Neymar is still great at 34, but has been hampered by injuries. Scotland’s star player is Scott McTominay.

Group D (U.S, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey) 

USA is at +140 and the slight favorite over Turkey (+175). The U.S. has the home-field advantage, but injuries to Chris Richards could make it tougher. He might miss the opener, but could play by the end of group play. Their star is Christian Pulisic. Turkey lacks a proven striker, but they have a solid history, finishing third in 2002.

Group E (Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao)

Germany (-230) is a heavy favorite here, followed by Ecuador (+350). This is a star-studded German team led by Florian Wirtz. They’ve been inconsistent at times, but do have Manuel Neuer back in goal. Ecuador has a strong defense that allowed just five goals in 18 qualifiers, but lacks consistent scoring.

Group F  (Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Sweden)

On paper, this should be a very entertaining group. Netherlands (-125) is the favorite, but Japan (+250) is scrappy, and Sweden (+450) has talent. The Netherlands scored 27 goals to qualify unbeaten and the defense is strong. They are led by Virgil van Dijk. Japan is led by Takefusa Kubo, but lost Kaoru Mitoma due to injury. Sweden has two elite finishers led by Alexander Isak. But Isak struggled in his first season at Liverpool. Coach Graham Potter just took over last October

Group G (Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand)

Belgium (-220) has an aging core but a strong offense led by Kevin De Bruyne. Their defense is the problem. Egypt is a dark horse here (+400) led by star Mohamed Salah. But defenses will force the others to beat them and double Salah. Iran (+650) could also get an upset win or two.

Group H (Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde)  

Spain (-475) is the big favorite in this Group. Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams lead a very talented team that dominates the ball. They will be tough to beat. Uruguay (+400) will need to win with defense, as they like to press their opponents high up the field and chase.

Group I (France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq)

France (-215) doesn’t have an easy draw here, with Norway (+275) being the mix. But they are one of the favorites to win the whole thing. They have one of the best players in the tournament in Kylian Mbappe, but he’s not a one-man team. They have the best bench, front four, and a very good back four. Norway has Erling Haaland and a lot of offensive talent, as they averaged nearly five goals a game in qualifying.

Group J (Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan)

Argentina (-265) is led by Lionel Messi, who helped them win the Cup in 2022. Most of those players are still around, but several had injury setbacks at the end of their seasons with their clubs. Austria (+370) is the dark horse here. A pre-tournament injury to Christoph Baumgartner might slow them down. 

Group K (Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia)

Portugal (-200) is the team to beat in this group. This will be it for Cristiano Ronaldo, who is still a strong player at 41. They are also playing for the late Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash in 2025. Colombia (+200) is the dark horse in this group. Luis Diaz leads a strong offense that could certainly make a strong charge here. 

Group L (England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama)

England (-280) is the favorite, led by Harry Kane, one of the world’s best players. Defense is a question mark, but this team could go far. Croatia (+320), is the dark horse, led by midfielder Luka Modric, and has loads of experience.

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Upcoming Events at ATS:

• The World Cup starts this Thursday, June 11, and runs through July 19. Consists of 48 teams mainly playing in the United States. It’s the biggest event in the world. 
• UFC Freedom 250 on Sunday, June 14. One of the biggest events of the year. This one is at the South Lawn of the White House with two big title fights. 

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