One of the world’s greatest spectacles – the Australian Football League – returns to action on March 6. 

The AFL season lasts 23 games and concludes at the end of August. The top eight teams in the standings then move on to the playoffs, which last all of September. 

2025 AFL Preview – Aussie Rules Best Bets

If you’re new to Australian Rules Football, welcome aboard – you’re going to love it. I always try to sell the sport by telling newcomers that it’s like “professional recess.” 

Two teams consisting of 18 players chase, punt, punch, and leap for an oblong-shaped ball for two hours, trying to kick it through goalposts at either end of an oval-shaped field. 

Somehow, it blends together soccer, football, and rugby with the chaos of hockey sprinkled on top.

And while the time difference can be a challenge, AFL is a great sport to watch and bet on for parents looking for a late-night or early-morning sweat while they’re chasing the kids around the joint. 

Give it a shot.

The Favorite: Brisbane Lions (+550, FanDuel)

The Brisbane Lions were the proverbial “got hot at the right time” team in 2024. They finished runners up in 2023, got off to a slow start in 2024, but they turned things around right before it got too late and their heater carried into the playoffs, culminating with a rout of Sydney in the Grand Final (the AFL’s version of the Super Bowl). 

Brisbane lost a couple of key players – notably Joe Daniher – from its premiership roster, but the core of this team can go toe to toe with anyone else in the competition. 

History tells us that teams come out of the gates slowly after winning the flag, so you could take the same approach with Brisbane this year. Wait to see if they are sluggish out of the gates and then pounce if their odds lengthen.

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Sleeper: Adelaide Crows (+2300)

Last year was supposed to be the “step-forward” campaign for the Adelaide Crows, but they just never got out of second gear. It was a shame, because this roster has more than enough talent to challenge for a playoff spot – and perhaps more.

Adelaide has a genuine star and Brownlow Medal (MVP) threat in Izak Rankine, and if he can stay healthy he should combine nicely with offseason addition Alex Neal-Bullen. Taylor “Tex” Walker has turned back the clock in recent seasons and should have one more solid campaign in his legs, too. 

All of this should add up to a big season from the Crows, who have the talent of a team that should be in the single-digits but the disappointment from last year is keeping punters away.

The Longshot: Gold Coast Suns (+3200)

The Gold Coast Suns have famously never made it to the playoffs in their 13-year history and every March everyone asks “is this the year?”

I think it is.

This is the second season under Damien Hardwick, who coached Richmond to three flags at the turn of the decade, and that should mean he has the players he wants to play his system.

Gold Coast has a couple of genuine Brownlow threats in Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson, plus Mac Andrew looks like he could be the best defender in the competition sooner rather than later.

The Suns could be this year’s come-from-nowhere club. Two years ago we saw the GWS Giants make a massive leap and Hawthorn Hawks do the same in 2024. 

I like Gold Coast as a longshot to win the flag, but it’s also worth considering backing them to finish atop the standings (+3000), too.

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Things are hitting a fever pitch in the NHL. The trade deadline is on Friday, and somehow the playoff races are getting more crowded with each passing night.

Things should only get more chaotic on Thursday, as 18 teams are in action the night before the deadline.

NHL Best Bets: Thursday, March 6th

Let’s get to some of the best value plays on Thursday’s betting board.

Editor’s Note: Looking for more hockey content? Be sure to check out our NHL player props article, which is updated daily.

Oliver Bjorkstrand HIGHER Than 0.5 Goals Scored

The Tampa Bay Lightning made a big splash on Wednesday by acquiring Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand from the Seattle Kraken for two first-round picks. 

While Gourde is a known quantity in Tampa, Bjorkstrand will get the opportunity to play with elite linemates for really the first time in his career. 

The Danish scoring winger has been steady as she goes for some subpar teams in Columbus and Seattle, but now will share the ice with the likes of Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Brandon Hagel, Jake Guentzel, and Victor Hedman. 

It may seem risky to back a player making his debut with a new team, but the Lightning are so talented up front that they’ll make Bjorkstrand’s job quite simple and since he’s a terrific finisher, I like his chances (and more importantly, the price) of finding the back of the net right out of the gates with the Bolts. 

Dylan Guenther HIGHER Than 0.5 Goals Scored

Detroit and Utah are desperate for points on Thursday night.

After roaring through the past two months, the Red Wings have lost three on the spin and five of their last seven. There were issues for Detroit showing under the cracks, even during their winning streak, but now the Wings aren’t getting elite goaltending and that’s causing a team-wide dip.

That should be good news for Dylan Guenther and Utah HC.

Utah is 6-3 in its last nine contests and now finds itself just four points out of the playoffs. 

Guenther has played a big role in Utah’s ascendancy with six goals and a whopping 36 shots on goal in his last 10 games.

We’ll go back to Guenther tonight and hope he continues to pour it on against a team that is having issues on its own end.

Connor McDavid to Score 2+ Goals

The Edmonton Oilers have come unglued since the 4 Nations Face-Off and part of the problem has been the lack of production from Connor McDavid. That may sound unfair to say about a player who has 10 points in his last 10 games, but it’s been a chore for No. 97 of late, especially at 5-on-5.

What we do know is that McDavid will slam out of this “slump” eventually, and when he does it will likely start a spell where he starts putting up points at a Hart Trophy pace. 

We’ll bet on that to happen tonight against a Canadiens team that is playing better, but still has plenty of defensive flaws and should have issues slowing down McDavid and Co.

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One of the best parts of the tennis calendar is upon us. The 2025 Indian Wells Open – otherwise known as “the fifth grand slam” – begins on Wednesday, March 5 and runs for the following 10 days.

Carlos Alcaraz is the two-time defending champion at Indian Wells and the tournament favorite at +200, but he’s got a pretty tough draw with the in-form Denis Shapovalov as a potential opponent in the Round of 32 and Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals. 

Speaking of Djokovic, it’s anybody’s guess how he goes in California. The Serb started 2025 with a shocking exit against Reilly Opelka in Brisbane, then made a run to the semifinals at the Australian Open, withdrew with an injury, and then got upset by Matteo Berrettini in his first match back.

Djokovic is a five-time champion at Indian Wells, but his last title came in 2016.

Djokovic is also the second-favorite (+650) despite all the uncertainty.

Adding to the chaos is the fact that No. 1 seed and third-favorite Alexander Zverev (+700) has come off the boil after a hot start to the season. Zverev was runner-up to Jannik Sinner (who is serving a suspension and not eligible to play at Indian Wells) at the Australian Open, but he’s gone 4-3 since then and has lost to Francisco Cerundolo, Francisco Comesana, and Learner Tien in that span.

And the fourth-favorite for Indian Wells, Daniil Medvedev, has been erratic out of the gates in 2025.

2025 Indian Wells Best Bets & Futures

This tournament is wide open. Let’s dive in to the top picks.

Editor’s Note: Make sure to check out our other tennis player props and picks throughout the season!

Tomas Machac (+5000)

There is some concern that Tomas Machac could be gassed after winning the title in Acapulco last weekend, but the glass-half-full approach is that he’s just in great form.

Machac was imperious in Mexico, dropping just two sets in five matches and handling Alejandro Davidovich Fokina without any fuss in the final. 

Machac’s still flying a bit under the radar on the ATP, but Tennis Abstract has him pegged as the eighth-best player per their Elo Model and his draw here isn’t that daunting. He gets a bye into the Round of 64 and should be a considerable favorite over the big-serving Alexander Bublik to get into the Round of 32. 

A potential showdown with Zverev looms, but Machac has shown that he has the game to play up against the best players on tour and it would not be surprising if this is the Czech’s coming out party.

Jiri Lehecka (+7000) 

On paper it looks like Jiri Lehecka has a really tough draw, but the heavyweights in his section – Tommy Paul and Daniil Medvedev – look vulnerable at the moment.

Jiri Lehecka has lost his last two matches, but he was in roaring form before those defeats with wins over Alcaraz, Grigor Dimitrov, and a run to the Round of 16 at the Australian Open already behind him in 2025.

Lehecka has already proven this year that he can beat the best on tour and there’s nothing about his draw that worries me, especially at this price. 

Lorenzo Musetti (+15000)

From 2004 to 2016, Indian Wells was basically Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic alternating titles. But since then, we’ve seen a handful of players have their breakthrough moment in this tournament. Taylor Fritz, Cam Norrie, and Dominic Thiem all won titles here in the last five iterations and Nikoloz Basilashvili was a shocking finalist in 2021.

Lorenzo Musetti, like Machac and Lehecka, fits the bill of a player who has the game to win a Masters Title, but is still just searching for his moment. 

The Italian has made a semifinal at Wimbledon, won the Bronze Medal, and has two ATP 500 titles. He can win in a field like this.

The concerns are certainly legitimate. Musetti struggled in the Australian Open and was forced to withdraw from Buenos Aires with a calf injury, but if that issue is behind him, he should be fresh for Indian Wells. 

A lack of form and the injury issues have caused Musetti’s number to balloon to +15000, which is a terrific buying opportunity considering his ceiling and his draw.

Musetti’s likely path to the quarterfinals is Reilly Opelka,  Arthur Fils, and Casper Ruud, which isn’t a daunting path.

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It’s another busy night in the NHL on Tuesday. There are 10 games on the docket and nine of them feature at least one team jockeying for position in a playoff/division race. 

With just three days to go before Friday’s trade deadline, the results on Tuesday night could go a long way to deciding how some teams approach their business.

NHL Best Bets: Tuesday, March 4th

Let’s get to some of the best value plays on Tuesday’s betting board.

Editor’s Note: Looking for more hockey content? Be sure to check out our NHL player props article, which is updated daily.

Jake Guentzel HIGHER Than 0.5 Goals

The Tampa Bay Lightning finally lost on Monday night, but they’re right back at it against the surging Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. 

And while Guentzel has been terrific in his first season with the Bolts, his production has tapered a bit over the last little while. The American has just two goals in his last 10.

That provides us with a decent buying opportunity as it’s not been for a lack of trying that Guentzel isn’t finding the back of the net.

Guentzel hasn’t scored since the league returned from the 4 Nations, but Guentzel’s shot numbers are not all that concerning. He’s got eight shots on goal over his last five games and 26 over his last 10. You’d like a little bit of an uptick, but it’s understandable given his role for Team USA. 

He still has one of the best spots in the NHL next to Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov, so it’s just a matter of time before Guentzel pops with a big game.

Sidney Crosby HIGHER Than 0.5 Goals

Tuesday’s contest between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche could be a track meet and is not a bad game to circle for stacking and same-game parlays correlated with things getting off the rails.

I’ll keep things simple here, though, and back Sidney Crosby to find the back of the net.

As poor as Pittsburgh’s season has gone, Crosby remains the team’s driving force and has been terrific since Game 1. He’s not showing any signs of slowing down, either. Crosby has five goals, 13 points, and 30 shots on goal in his last 10 contests

You don’t want to walk down narrative street all that often when it comes to betting, but Crosby will be going up against his good mate Nathan Mackinnon in this contest and the Crosby-to-Colorado fantasists will be frothing at the mouth if Sid the Kid has a big game in Denver. 

Wild/Kraken 60-Minute Draw (+300)

The Minnesota Wild are in tough right now. Not only have they lost 10 of their last 18, but the Wild also have been ravaged by injuries this season. 

Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Jonas Brodin are all out for the foreseeable future and Minnesota doesn’t have much wiggle room to make trades and bring in reinforcements.

The Wild were always a team that focused on keeping games neat and tidy, but the injuries have forced Minnesota to lean into that defensive posture even more. The Wild’s best path to success is to edge out teams in low-event contests because they are not likely to outscore their opponents in back-and-forth tilts. Minnesota has scored 18 goals in its last nine contests.

Luckily, their opponent on Tuesday isn’t really a threat to overrun the Wild. The Seattle Kraken rank in the middle of the pack in goals per game, but that number is buoyed by a high shooting percentage. Seattle is second-to-last in expected goals created and fourth-worst in terms of creating high-danger scoring chances.

This game has every chance of being a snoozer, which puts value on backing it to go to overtime at a good price.

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The NHL picks up the pace on Thursday night with a 12-game slate. 

The clear headliner is the Stanley Cup Final rematch between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers, but there’s plenty of intriguing matchups with playoff ramifications as teams try to figure out their plans for next Friday’s trade deadline.

NHL Best Bets: Thursday, February 27th

With such a big slate, there’s a smorgasbord of markets for bettors to sink their teeth into on Thursday night: 

Editor’s Note: Looking for more hockey content? Be sure to check out our NHL player props article, which is updated daily.

Simon Holmstrom HIGHER Than 0.5 Goals

Simon Holmstrom has quietly been one of the most effective players for the New York Islanders this season. A rangy winger that can play up and down the lineup, Holmstrom has essentially improved every line he’s played on for Patrick Roy.

Roy made a change to his forward group on Tuesday, playing Holmstrom with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri. That trio was the Isles’ best line against the Blueshirts and should continue to get good looks against a Bruins team that is missing its two best defensemen.

William Eklund HIGHER Than 0.5 Goals

San Jose is 1-7-2 in its last 10 and a huge underdog against the Montreal Canadiens – far from world-beaters themselves – but they look like a team to target across the market on Thursday night.

Montreal’s defensive numbers have been poor all season and whether they win or lose comes down to their goaltending and if they can outscore their flaws in their own zone.

San Jose has its own defensive warts, but they have the offensive firepower to give the Habs some issues.

There’s a number of players on San Jose you can work with in this spot, but I landed on William Eklund as my favorite play.

Eklund has the cushy gig of playing alongside Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli tonight, and he’s in decent form with eight points and 20 shots on goal in his last 10 contests.

Red Wings/Blue Jackets 1P Under 0.5 Goals (BetMGM)

This is a massive game. The Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets currently sit in the final two wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference, but they’re hold on those places is far from secure. 

There are currently five teams separated by just four points in the Eastern Conference, so any dip in form could be ruinous.

That should lead to these two teams approaching this contest like a playoff game, and doing everything they can to keep things tidy.

I expect this to be a cagey affair, which puts value on the first period to end nil-nil.

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The 4 Nations Face-Off has surprised everyone. The quality of play has been exceptional, the players are fully bought in, and the games are pulling massive ratings.

That last bit is important because Thursday’s final between Team USA and Canada will produce a massive handle for sportsbooks. This will be one of the most-bet hockey games since sports betting was legalized nearly seven years ago. 

Adding to the excitement is that the sportsbooks are having a tough time separating the two teams. The game opened as a pick’em and has stayed at that price across the market.

This is a coin flip.

4 Nations Face-Off Canada vs. Team USA Odds & Pick

It’s only been three games for each of these teams, but it is pretty clear what their path to victory looks like. 

For Canada, they’ll want an open game with the teams trading scoring chances. The Canadians are built on speed, skill, and creativity, so a see-saw battle favors them. 

Team USA will want things to be a lot tighter. The Yanks have committed to playing a structured, two-way game with sturdy defense and elite goaltending taking priority over offensive flair. The Americans were able to bottle things up against Canada, knowing that a low-event contest played into their strengths. 

Thursday’s final will likely have a different feel to it. There won’t be any of the fireworks we saw right at the opening face-off, and you’d imagine both teams will try to be on their best behavior given the stakes. Keeping this game at 5-on-5 is essential for Team USA.

It is hard to argue with the bookmakers that this game is a virtual coin flip and you can make valid arguments for either side at these prices, but the biggest red flag for me is the goaltending matchup.

Connor Hellebuyck has been steady as a rock all season for the Winnipeg Jets, and that form has transferred over to this tournament. Jordan Binnington, meanwhile, has allowed a questionable goal in each of Canada’s three games so far and will be under immense pressure in this contest.

With that in mind, I’ll be backing the Americans to get the job done by multiple goals on Thursday.

A play on the puckline at +230 (FanDuel) seems a tidy price, but I wouldn’t shy away from backing some alternate numbers like -2.5 or -3.5 given that we could see whoever is behind pull the goalie with plenty of time on the clock because this is a winner-take-all contest.

The Bet: USA -1.5 (+230, FanDuel)

4 Nations Face-Off Canada vs. Team USA Props

Jack Hughes anytime goalscorer (+300, FanDuel)

Hughes has caught some criticism for a lack of production, but the New Jersey Devil is getting pucks on net. Hughes’ 10 shots on goal are tied for third-most in the tournament behind the Tkachuk brothers. 

Hughes is flying under the radar a bit because he hasn’t had a huge impact, but that’s good news for value-hunters and provides us with a good buy-low opportunity. 

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Brandon Hagel anytime goalscorer (+600, DraftKings) 

Hagel became a cultural icon in Canada for his fight on Saturday night and his press conference this week, but he’s also been an effective player for the Canadians behind the big boys. Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Sidney Crosby will get all the attention, but Hagel provides the value.

The Tampa Bay Lightning star has eight shots on goal and is not afraid to get the dirty areas, which is an added bonus in what could be a very tight game.

First Goalscorer: Jaccob Slavin (+7000, FanDuel)

Let’s have a little bit of fun.

Offense is often hard to come by in these tight-checking, high-stakes games. It’s tough to find space with all the bodies clogging up the middle, meaning that it can take a greasy goal from an unexpected source to break the deadlock.

And while Slavin is known for his defensive prowess, he will log a ton of ice time and does have some offensive chops. It’s very unlikely this bet wins, but it’s a fun sweat at a massive price.

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The 4 Nations Face-Off kicks off this Wednesday with a matchup between Canada, the tournament favorites, and Sweden. 

From there, the four teams involved (Canada, Sweden, USA, and Finland) will play a round-robin format with the top two teams meeting in the championship on Thursday, Feb. 20 at TD Garden in Boston. 

Four Nations Face-Off Props – Longshot Bets

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As noted above, Canada is the favorite to win the tournament, but the bookies are having a tough time separating the Canadians and the Americans at the top of the board. 

DraftKings is treating the two North American sides as +160 co-favorites, while FanDuel has Canada slightly shorter at +145 and the Yanks at +155. 

FanDuel has Sweden as the third choice at +420, while Finland is sitting all the way out at +1000 after a rash of injuries bamboozled their blueline. 

This tournament is the first of its kind and is coming in the middle of the NHL season, so nobody really knows what to expect. It’s also a short format, with each team only guaranteed three games and the two finalists playing a fourth. 

All of this adds up to chaos, which is good news for punters who fancy themselves a longshot bet in these kinds of situations.

Here are a couple to consider:

Most goals in the tournament – Filip Forsberg, Sweden

You’ll notice that the top of the board in this market is dominated by Canadians and Americans.

That seems logical since those are the two favorites, but it is worth noting that those two rosters are absolutely loaded with starpower and that also means that they could end up spreading the wealth, which will keep everyone’s production somewhat in check.

So instead of playing one of the big dogs on Canada or Team USA at short prices, I’ll go down the board and play a prolific goalscorer from one of the underdogs.

Enter Filip Forsberg.

It’s been a trying season for the Nashville Predators, and Forsberg’s 32-goal pace is subpar for a player who lit the lamp 48 times last year, but a lot of that can be chalked up to a weird year for the Preds.

Forsberg should cut a revitalized figure playing meaningful hockey, and he will be a prominent player in Sweden’s top six and on their first power play unit.

Formats like this can often cause players to be more unselfish than usual because the rosters are filled with stars, but one thing we know about Forsberg is that he loves to fire the puck on net. The Swedish star ranks sixth in the NHL in shots on goal this season.

Where to play: +3200 at FanDuel

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Team Finland top points scorer – Kaapo Kakko

Kaapo Kakko has looked like a completely different player since being traded from the New York Rangers to the Seattle Kraken.

Kakko has 17 points in 24 games and seems to finally be on the verge of breaking out. It’s been a long time coming for the former No. 2 overall pick.

Finland is the biggest longshot in this tournament, but there are still plenty of all-stars at the top of this roster.

Aleksander Barkov, Mikko Rantanen, Sebastian Aho, and Patrik Laine are all threats to put up crooked numbers, but I’d imagine those players will have to go up against the opposition’s top players in each game, which could limit their ceilings.

That should create some easier minutes for Kakko, who is set to play alongside a terrific facilitator in Roope Hintz.

Where to play: +1800 at BetMGM

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