Futures Bet
A bet on something decided down the road, like a season champion or tournament winner, rather than a single upcoming game.
A futures bet is a wager on an outcome that won’t be settled for a while, often weeks or even months away. The classic examples are picking a team to win a championship, a player to grab a season award like MVP, or a team to hit a certain win total over the year. You’ll find futures markets in just about every major sport: the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, soccer leagues, plus big golf and tennis events.
Since you’re betting so far ahead of time, the odds are usually bigger than what you’d see right before the deciding event. That means futures can pay out a lot relative to your stake. The catch? Your money is locked up for a long stretch, and there’s way more uncertainty than with a single game.
Example
Before the NFL season kicks off, you put a $25 futures bet on the Cincinnati Bengals to win the Super Bowl at +3000. That means every $1 you wager returns $30 in profit if the Bengals take it all.
- Stake: $25
- Odds: +3000
- Potential profit: $750
- Total payout: $775 (profit plus your original stake)
If the Bengals win the Super Bowl, you collect $775. If they get knocked out anywhere along the way, you lose your $25. The bet stays open until the Super Bowl is done, so your funds are tied up the whole season.
Key Points
- Long time horizon: Futures settle only once the event wraps up, which can be months after you place the bet. Your stake is locked in for all of it.
- Higher odds and bigger potential payouts: Because there’s more uncertainty, futures often carry much bigger odds than game-day bets, which is great if you want a large return on a small stake.
- Odds move over time: Futures odds shift all season based on performance, injuries, trades, and more. Betting early can lock in better odds before a team’s chances climb.
- Tons of markets available: Beyond championship winners, you can bet division winners, conference champions, regular-season win totals, individual awards (MVP, Rookie of the Year), and more.
- Cash-out options may be available: Some sportsbooks let you cash out a futures bet before it’s decided, locking in partial profit or cutting losses if things have changed since you bet.