Futures
A futures bet is a wager on an outcome decided weeks or months in the future; championship winners, season MVPs, win totals, division winners. Long horizon, often large payouts.
What is a futures bet?
A futures wager pays out on an event that’s decided well in the future; typically the end of a season or tournament.
Common futures markets
- Championship winner (Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup).
- Division and conference winners.
- Win totals; over/under a team’s win count.
- Player awards; MVP, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, OPOY, DPOY.
- Tournament outright (Masters winner, March Madness champion).
Pros and cons
Pros: Large payouts, low pressure (one bet for months of action), easy to hedge later. Cons: Money is locked up until the season ends, lines often move against you, no early cash-out at some books.
When to bet futures
- Preseason; biggest payouts but most uncertainty.
- Mid-season; better information but lower payouts.
- Playoff entry point; shorter but realistic odds.
Best AZ books for futures
All 13 AZ sportsbooks carry futures. DraftKings and FanDuel post earliest lines (often within hours of season end). BetMGM is competitive on MVP and team futures.