There’s plenty to love about the sports schedule this June. As ever, we have the conclusions of the NBA and NHL seasons, action in tennis, golf, soccer, horse racing, and more. Some bettors will, of course, be waiting to see if their long-standing futures bets pay off as sports competitions like the NBA Finals and UEFA Champions League reach their conclusions, yet there are still plenty of good entry points in the feast of sport we will see this month.
Below, we have picked out four bets that we feel offer a bit of value in the upcoming days and weeks. The idea is to think outside of the box and not be too obvious. Nothing is certain in sports betting, of course, but we make an argument for why each bet is logical.
1. Jayson Tatum to be NBA Finals MVP
Recent history has taught us that nothing should be taken for granted in the NBA Finals, but we do know that the Celtics are clear favorites in the 2024 NBA Finals betting markets. Sportsbooks average odds of around -225 to win the NBA Championship for the 18th time. Yet, if they triumph, it feels almost certain that it will be due to Jayson Tatum. His odds for MVP are somewhere around -115. Luka Doncic or Jaylen Brown might also be in with a shout, but this really feels like Tatum’s year. Look at the last five Final MVPs 2023: Nikola Jokić, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard – almost entirely predictable as the winning team’s main star. It’s Tatum’s time, and his odds are more generous than his team’s.
2. Sierra Leone to Place at the Belmont Stakes
The third leg of the Triple Crown will take place on June 8th, and there isn’t a clear favorite for the 2024 Belmont Stakes. Several of the big names have blotches on their resumes, but it is difficult to have any criticism of Sierra Leone. He has never finished outside the first two in his career, and both his second-place finishes have been by a nose or less, including the photo finish in the Kentucky Derby. Shop around and see what odds you can get, and then back Sierra Leone to place or show (for extra insurance) at Saratoga Race Course, which is holding this year’s event while Belmont Park is being renovated. The odds aren’t huge for Sierra Leone to win the race, coming in at just under +300, yet his consistency is extraordinary, and it’s difficult to see him outside the first two home.
3. England to Secure Euro 2024 Glory
England is the clear favorite for Euro 2024. The 3 Lions now boast one of the best squads in world soccer, even if there are some questions about the defense. The squad at the disposal of manager Gareth Southgate is so full of talent that you could make a decent team out of those players not picked. While England has had notable failures in the past, one of the reasons why experts are so keen on them is simply due to the deficiencies of other rivals: Spain and Italy are in a transitional period; Belgium, and arguably Portugal, are past their prime. Germany, the hosts, should be considered something of a mess. That leaves France as the most formidable opponent. Southgate has more weapons at his disposal than his counterpart, Didier Deschamps, and there will be plenty of bettors lumping in at odds of +300.
4. Collin Morikawa to Place at the US Open
Former World Number 2 Collin Morikawa went off the boil somewhat in 2022 and 2023, slipping down the rankings and generally performing below par when embarking on a 27-month winless drought on the PGA Tour, which ended with the ZOZO Championship in October. But he has bounced back of late, getting back into the world’s top ten. What we really like, though, is his performances at the Majors, finishing tied-3rd at Augusta in April and 4th in the PGA Championship last month. His record in the last three US Opens reads 14th, 5th, and 4th. You can find him at odds of +2000 and above. If you can find sportsbooks paying eight places or above in the each-way markets, the consistent Morikawa makes a lot of sense as a value bet.
