What are Futures Odds
Futures odds can be related to almost any event, tournament or even individual trophies. Almost all future bets are settled at the end of the season, which makes them quite different compared to other types of odds.
Future odds can also fluctuate throughout the season, as sportsbooks are constantly fine-tuning them in order to predict the probabilities as accurately as possible – this usually leaves some margin for error, which the player can take advantage of.
The most popular types of futures odds are:
- Which team will win the title at the end of the season
- Will the selected team finish top3 at the end of the season
- Which team will win their division / conference
- Which team will win the tournament / event
- Which player will be selected as the MVP
These are just a few of the markets worth mentioning, but please note that different sports might have different futures odds and sports. With the NFL best picks it might be which player has the most passing yards in the regular season, whereas MLB could have a bet predicting which player has hit the most home runs.
Futures Odds Strategy
Much like the strategies used with standard pre-match odds, futures odds strategy is also catered towards analytics and how to interpret available data. The most successful future odds bettors are also very adaptive, meaning that they can change their minds about a team or a certain individual, if new evidence and data is provided to support that.
One thing to keep in mind is that you cannot utilize the available data with the same efficiency you would for normal odds.
Before the season or event starts, there’s no real way of knowing what teams will perform the best, they are all educated guesses. Of course there are teams and individuals that will more likely perform better than the others, but there’s still a lot of moving parts that could change that throughout the season
Please note that futures bets can also be placed when the season is already going, so there’s always room to make adjustments, or even trying to protect your pre-season investments.
Injuries, trades and other personnel changes
Personnel changes, trades, injuries, losing streaks – these are just a few of the elements that can change the whole course of any team’s season. These are also things that you cannot predict when placing bets on future odds.
How to prepare for something like a starting franchise quarterback getting injured on the 2nd game of the season? This is something no fan or a sports bettor wants to see, but these kinds of things happen every season. Coaches getting fired after a bad start, breaking trades that’ll send your superstar WR to another team. If you see something like this happen to your team (and you’ve placed bets on them), don’t immediately get discouraged. Analyze the situation, see if there’s an upside to be found as well.
Whenever something major happens, it usually immediately affects the futures odds market. The market is very dynamic, so it could even move before a big trade is officially announced, if it’s been rumoured. These sorts of things happen especially on NFL picks, MLB picks and NHL picks. Dropping odds is not always a bad thing.
These kinds of events are a perfect place to find value when people start to overreact. This is where your knowledge towards your team / sports will get to work. Is the QB2 still capable of winning? Will the team perform better under new management? Did your team actually become more balanced after the superstar was traded away and your GM added depth to your roster?
Tips on how to maximize your chances of winning consistently:
- Always do odds comparison and see what sites offers the best value for your bets
- Do research and see if there’s hidden value on underdogs
- Don’t be afraid to change your mind if new information surfaces
- Set a budget and stick with it – don’t place oversized bets based on gut feeling
What Sports do we Provide Futures Odds for you
Betting.com offers futures odds for all major US sports. There will also be in-depth articles about individual sports, which can help you make better decisions before placing your bets. As mentioned before, data and adjusting to new information will be one of the most important things you can do before starting with futures betting.
The most popular US sports that Betting.com will provide futures odds:
How to Wager Using our Futures Odds Tool
As mentioned before, comparing odds is absolutely the best possible way to start scanning through potentially valuable future bets. Not all bookies are created equal, so there might be huge differences between odds. One bookie can offer MLB odds for the Astros to win the World Series at +300, whilst others might offer you +500 – you be the judge of which one is better.
Betting.com offers dynamic odds and tools to support your decision making. We’ve developed an user interface that allows you to quickly compare odds between tens of different betting sites. There are obviously other advantages of using Futures Odds Tool as well, since most of the bookies nowadays offer some sort of incentives if you sign up to their service – welcome bonuses to be precise.
Our Futures Odds Tool also has built-in filters for odds, bonuses, markets, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Future betting odds are markets where the outcome will be determined after a season, or after an event. With future betting odds you’re trying to predict things like: Who’s going to win the Super Bowl, who will be the MVP for MLB regular season, or which player will win the PGA tour in 2022.
They can be. The dynamics of futures odds are a bit different compared to normal, single match related bets, but can still be profitable in the long run. As with almost everything you do within sports betting, data and analyzing new information is key to success.
Quite a lot depends how much you already know about the league you're placing your bets on. After that, the single most important thing is to compare odds and try to find the best possible value for each of your bets. There is quite a lot of deviation between bookmakers, so do your research!
Bookmakers have different terms and conditions regarding their own markets, but usually injury related scenarios mean that bet still stays valid, and more often than not the player loses his bet. There’s always risks involved when placing bets, and it’s good if you acknowledge these before you start.
She has a background in journalism and a love of sports.
She has deepened her expertise in gaming and focused on online sports betting. Silvia supports Hellas Verona, likes to deal with news and updates about online betting, and manages the website content. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, playing padel, traveling, and meditating by the sea.
