With the NFL season coming to a close in February football fans will have to wait through the long summer months before the games are on again. NBA fans on the other hand have the NBA Playoffs and Finals to look forward to. NHL, MLS and MLB fans are on the other end of the scale, with the respective regular seasons of each sport starting up around summer time or a bit before.
What to Bet on During the Summer 2024
Another summer brings another period of amazing sporting competitions and events. There are famous competitions that you will no doubt have heard of, such as Kentucky Derby, Tour de France and Wimbledon. Then, there are also summer sports events that come up once every few years, to huge anticipation.
On this page, we keep you in the loop as to what you can expect next summer, and how to bet on all the thrilling sports action. You can also get your bets in early at some of the top sportsbooks in the country, that provide lengthy odds on futures bets for the top summer sports in the US.
Best Summer Events to Bet On
Summer is always a thrilling time for sports fans. With school closing, holidays on the horizon, and hopefully some fantastic weather, the summer sports events come at the perfect time. As a bettor, there are loads of big events to bet on, including tennis, cycling, soccer, basketball and golf events. If you are an NFL fan, then you have a long wait between February and September, and though the NFL drafts are always a thrill to watch, you will be without a sport to watch. Thankfully, there are loads of other events going on, which you can tune into during those hot summer days.
It is also never too early to start betting on any of these upcoming summer events, as you can take advantage of the early prices traders are offering at all the top sportsbooks in the US. It is definitely worth checking out the odds sportsbooks are offering now, as they are likely to change in the weeks and days up until the events start.
Every Summer, Catch These Sports Events
Our list of the top 10 summer events has some truly epic tournaments that you can look forward to every year.
- 🎾Wimbledon
- 🚴Tour de France
- ⚽UEFA Champions League Final
- 🏀NBA Finals
- 🏌️British Open
- 🏒Stanley Cup
- 🏇American Triple Crown
- ⚾MLB Regular Season
- 🏒IIHF World Championship
- 🏌️US Open Championship
Sporting Events in the Upcoming Summer of 2024
Not all sporting events are held every year, and that is what makes some competitions all the more special. Think of competitions like the Soccer World Cup, Olympic Games or Rugby World Cup. The summer of 2024 will bring many special events as well, including the following 5.
- 🤾Olympic Games
- ⚽European Championships
- 🏏ICC T20 World Cup
- ⚽Copa America
- 🏎️Miami Grand Prix
#10 Best Summer Events Every Summer
Visit any of the listed sports betting operators to find competitive odds in the following sports!
#1. Wimbledon – 🎾Tennis
- 1st July – 14th July
- London, England
Wimbledon is the third tennis Grand Slam in the calendar year and is the only Grand Slam to be played on a grass surface. In 2023, Carlos Alcaraz overcame Novak Djokovic to win his first Wimbledon title and his second Grand Slam title. It was a compelling game, going backward and forward between the young pretender and the decorated veteran. After the fourth set was complete, the match was level at 2-2, and finally, Alcaraz sealed the win with a 6-4 final set.
Those two tennis players are still high up on our list to win the next Wimbledon, but they will have tough competition in the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
#2. Tour de France – 🚴Cycling
- 29th June – 21st July
- Starts in Florence and Ends in Nice (due to 2024 Olympics Preparations)
The Tour de France is one of sports most watched events attracting an audience of billions each year. featured a clash between two of the most exciting cyclists, Jonas Vingegaard and Tedaj Pogacar. Whoever wins the General Classification (to become the overall winner) in the 2024 Tour de France will be intriguing to predict. The winner of the tournament will don the legendary Maillot Jaune or yellow jersey. There are also jerseys for the cyclist with the best points (green jersey), mountain climber (white jersey) and best young rider (polka dot jersey). You can also put your knowledge to the test by betting on all of these individual awards.
Fun fact: the reason why the winner’s jersey is yellow is because the race was launched by the French newspaper, L’Auto, which used yellow paper for its newspapers.
#3. Champions League Final – ⚽Soccer
- 1st June
- Wembley Stadium, London, England
The Champions League is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world. It features the best European soccer teams going head to head in a group stage followed by an elimination stage. Winning the Champions League is something every soccer player dreams of, and they can cement their status in history among the greats of the game.
It is always difficult to predict which team will win the Champions League, as there are so many great clubs to pick from. These include Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, and many more. The tournament starts in September with the group stage, which lasts until December. From February, the knockout stage is on, and you can expect loads of excellent matchups.
#4. NBA Finals – 🏀Basketball
- 6th – 23rd June*
- Best of Seven Series H-H-A-A-H-A-H (if it goes up to 7)
The NBA regular season starts in October and lasts through April, and the top 6 teams in both Conferences then progress to the playoffs. There is also a play-in tournament for the teams placed 7th through 10th, and the two winners join the top 6 to make the final 16. The teams play in a best of seven series elimination tournament, and the final two teams face each other in the NBA Finals.
The finals are always played between the winners of the Eastern and Western Conferences. There are loads of iconic franchises in the NBA, which have long histories and loyal fanbases. The best basketball players in the world play in the NBA, and by winning the Finals, they share the same stage as legendary players such as Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and many more.
#5. British Open – 🏌️Golf
- 18th July – 21st July
- South Ayrshire, Scotland
The Open Championship is one for real golf fans, this is the oldest tournament in the world and one of the four men’s major golf championships. Up to 156 contestants enter, and in the space of four short days, a winner is determined. It is always thrilling to watch, as it is extremely competitive right up until the last few strokes.
Since 2012, no player has won the Open Championship twice, which makes it all the more difficult to predict who will win the upcoming Open Championship. However, this bodes well for bettors, as the odds on the outright winner are long, and backing an underdog is not as wild as it may seem. Though you may be better off picking who will finish in the top 10, which golfers will make the cut, or some exciting head to head golf bets.
#6. Stanley Cup – 🏒Ice Hockey
- 3rd – 16th June*
- Best of Seven Series: H-H-A-A-H-A-H (if it goes up to seven)
The NHL playoff champion is awarded the prestigious Stanley Cup. The NHL season starts in October and lasts through to mid-April, and is followed by the postseason. Then, sixteen teams from the 32 NHL teams qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, where they play in three rounds of a best-of-seven series. The playoffs end with the Stanley Cup Finals, which is played in June. Canadian teams such as Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers have done well in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The US also has loads of excellent NHL teams such as Detroit Wings, Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks, who have also won the title numerous times. History is not everything in the Stanley Cup playoffs, as we can see by the most recent winners of the Cup. These include the St Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, and in 2023, Vegas Golden Knights.
#7. American Triple Crown – 🏇Horse Racing
- 4th May; 18th May; 8th June
- Churchill Downs, KY; Pimlico, MD; Belmont Park, NY
Horse racing is a sport that never rests, and between July and August there are several high profile Stakes races including the United Nations Stakes, American Oaks, Vanderbilt Stakes and million dollar Whitney Stakes. You may have heard of Secretariat, the legendary thoroughbred racing horse. He made a name for himself by winning the American Triple Crown in 1973, breaking the record at Belmont Stakes. The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes are three of the most competitive horse races in the country, and any horse that wins all three claims the Triple Crown. It does not happen often, but since 2015 we have seen two winners: American Pharaoh and Justify.
All three meetings are extremely dramatic, and regardless of whether one horse can win all three or not, it is absolutely riveting to watch. Horse racing is a good sport for bettors who like longshot odds and testing their luck. There is no guarantee of winning, but you can really swing for the fences with some parlays or boxed bets.
#8. MLB Regular Season – ⚾Baseball
- Throughout summer
- Ends in November with the World Series
Summer is when baseball takes center stage and July and August are often critical months for teams looking to wrap up a postseason berth.
With the playoffs on the horizon, it is the Atlanta Braves who are looking to cement their position as World Series favorites. Holding a handsome lead in the National League, the Braves look like the team to beat.
#9 IIHF World Championship – 🏒Ice Hockey
- 10th – 26th May
- Prague and Ostrava, Czech Republic
The Ice Hockey World Championships are held every year, and feature the best men’s hockey teams in the world. Nations go head to head in this competition, which is divided into a group stage and playoffs. The Championship division comprises 16 nations, including the likes of Finland, Canada, the USA, Sweden, and the Czech Republic. Sweden has hosted the tournament 11 times, while the Czech Republic, Finland and Switzerland have all hosted 10 IIHF competitions. The USA has hosted the IIHF 3 times, most recently in 1962.
Lasting a little under 2 weeks, the IIHF is packed with action and is exhilarating to follow. Canada has the best record in the competition, although Russia, the Czech Republic, and Sweden all have good records in it too. The USA has only won the World Championships twice, but the team is currently ranked 4th in the world and has reached the top 4 multiple times in the past 10 years.
#10. US Open – 🏌️Golf
- 13th – 16th June
- Pinehurst Resort
The US Open will return to Pinehurst Resort in the summer of 2024, after 10 years. This famous golf course has hosted numerous Open Championships, US Women’s Opens, PGA Championships and the Ryder Cup. Wyndham Clark won the US Open last year by 1 stroke, beating the tournament favorite Rory McIlroy, who was in top form. The likes of Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Smith and Tommy Fleetwood were not far behind either.
Heading into the upcoming US Open, there are lots of top golfers who can potentially clinch the title. Brooks Koepka won back-to-back US Opens in 2017 and 2018, and he won a third PGA Championship in 2023. He is among the favorites to win the upcoming US Open, as are one-timer winners such as Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy. Scottie Scheffler, who was three strokes behind Wyndham Clark in 2023 is currently in excellent form, and he will be among the sportsbook favorites as well. So will the up-and-comers Cameron Smith, Viktor Hovland, and two-time major winner Collin Morikawa. All three are still in their 20s and sit high up on the golf world rankings.
#5 Best Summer Events in 2024
The following is a list of all the sporting events in the summer of 2024, that are not annual events. We have to wait a little longer for some of these, especially the Olympics which only comes around once every 4 years. The Olympics is an event that unites the whole country, and fans of all sports. Then, there are exciting times ahead for soccer and cricket fans – especially US cricket fans, as the ICC T20 is coming to the States.
#1. Olympic Games – 🤾Multisport
- 26th July – 11 August
- Paris, France
The USA has bred many fantastic Olympic gold medallists, most recently the likes of Michael Phelps, Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky, Caeleb Dressel, and Sunisa Lee. With every edition of the Olympics, sports fans tune in to watch the epic feats performed by the top athletes in the world, and the events are held virtually nonstop. Of course, it is a to feel patriotic as well, as you watch the top USA athletes compete for gold. It can turn into a competition of sorts too, where you watch how many Gold, Silver and Bronze medals the USA wins during the competition, and compare it with how China and Russia fare, as the other two largest countries in the tournament.
In the all time statistics, no country stands close to the USA, which has won over 2,600 Summer Olympic medals (the Societ Union is next with just over 1,000 medals). There are also plenty of opportunities to back your favorite US athletes with real money wagers, which you can place at any of the top US sportsbooks.
#2. European Championships – ⚽Soccer
- 14th June – 14th July
- Germany
The European Championships, or Euros, come around once every 4 years and are truly fantastic to watch. The continent has many top soccer nations, such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain and England. Though the Euros are by no means easy to predict, as there are loads of dark horses who have caused major upsets.
The whole tournament lasts one month, just like the World Cup, and features 24 nations. These teams are drawn into groups of six groups of 4. The top 2 teams in each group, and the four best teams that placed third all head on to the Round of 16, in the elimination phase of the competition. From then on, the teams have to play in tantalizing knockout games, and the Euros finish with the thrilling final, which will be held in the Olympia Stadium in Berlin, in 2024.
#3. ICC T20 World Cup – 🏏Cricket
- 4th – 30th June
- The USA and the West Indies
The upcoming ICC T20 World Cup will be a most exciting time for US cricket fans. It is not only the first time that the US hosts the T20 World Cup, but the first time that they play in it. They will have some tough competition, against teams like Australia, England, India, New Zealand and Pakistan, but it will be a fantastic opportunity for the US team nonetheless. T20 cricket is a hugely popular format of the sport, in which teams have only 20 overs to score as many runs as possible. Innings generally last around 80 minutes, and each game is about 3 hours long.
In addition to backing the US cricket team to win, you can place all sorts of cricket bets. There are so many aspects to bet on in each game, that you will have no shortage of betting options and money making opportunities for each game in the upcoming 2024 ICC T20 World Championships.
#4. Copa America – ⚽Soccer
- 14th June – 13th July
- USA
The Copa America is a hugely popular soccer tournament, which historically featured only South American countries, but expanded in the 90s to feature nations from North America. 16 teams will compete in the upcoming 2024 competition, including 10 from the CONMEBOL (South American) and 6 from the CONCACAF (North and Central America, and Caribbean) Federations. The competition has been held since 1916, and is full of intense rivalries. Argentina and Uruguay currently both have 15 trophies each, and Brazil is not far behind with 9.
The 2024 Copa America will be hosted in the US. It will be the second time the US hosts the tournament, and with a strong team, the US has a great chance of reaching the latter parts of the tournament, perhaps even going on to win it.
#5. Miami Grand Prix – 🏎️Formula One
- 5th May
- Miami International Autodrome
The Miami Grand Prix featured in the Formula One Championship for the first time in 2022 and featured again in 2023. In 2024, it will be the sixth race in the calendar, and a highly important one. Max Verstappen, with Red Bull Racing, won the Miami Grand Prix in 2022 and 2023. The Miami International Autodrome opened in 2021 and is one of the newest tracks in the US. This race is held on the private grounds of the Hard Rock Stadium, using both old and new roads within the complex. It is quite a difficult circuit, and even experienced drivers need to be highly careful and skilled when cutting around the bends and corners.
After its success in the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, it was only natural that this Grand Prix was added to the 2024 roster. It remains to be seen whether the Miami Grand Prix will become a regular circuit in the F1 Championship, but so far it has been extremely popular.
Best Sports to Bet on This Summer
Summer is the perfect opportunity to get involved in some of the world’s most popular sports. Offering a fantastic range of different betting options and markets, the sports we have highlighted below can offer you some action packed betting over the next few weeks.
⚽Soccer
This summer all eyes will be on the European Championships. This year’s Euros will be held in Germany, and there are many exciting prospects to keep your eyes on.
Lasting over a month, each and every game will have dozens of betting markets available to US bettors.
In play and prop bets market
Soccer has long been recognized as one of the best sports to bet on in play, with the odds potentially changing dramatically, in play bets can be placed on markets such as the outright result, next scorer and the timing of the next goal.
As well as having the ability to bet in play, bettors can also place bets on a variety of team and player prop bets – markets include the total amount of goals, total amount of cards, half specific bets as well as game specific bets such as the total amount of corners.
🏌️Golf
Summer golf betting is usually dominated by The Open.
The Open is the oldest major in the world and all of the game’s biggest stars have been able to get their hands on the famous Claret Jug.
Competitive outright markets
With tournaments played almost every week of the year, golf is a hugely popular sport to bet on. With tournament fields often 156 men deep, the outright market odds usually offer tremendous value. Ahead of the biggest tournaments some of the best players on the planet are usually priced in double figures. Golf bettors can often see tremendous returns by backing some of the PGA Tour’s most established stars.
🎾Tennis
Similarly to golf, the world of tennis never stops but its key months are held over the summer. Wimbledon is the jewel in the crown before players start thinking about the US Open and the series of highly competitive warm up tournaments.
Parlay and game specific prop bets
Another brilliant sport to bet on whilst in-play, there are so many different tennis bets that you can look to place.
Tennis is brilliant for single outright bets or combining selections into parlays. Prop bets can often add in a layer of fun with bettors able to bet on markets such as the total number of games, total number of sets, whether the match will have a tie break, the amount of aces and even how long a match will take.
⚾Baseball
Summer is when the MLB comes into its own. Without the distraction of the NFL and NBA, often baseball is the hottest ticket in town.
Prop bets lead the way
Baseball is a great sport to bet on, as well as predicting outright results, bettors are provided the opportunity to bet totals, or can place a series of over or under bets.
Another sport that lends itself kindly to the world of player and team prop bets, bettors can bet on players to score a home run, or whether their team will win over or under a certain amount of games for the season.
🏇Horse racing
Horse racing is one of the best sports in the world and offers competitive action almost every day of the week.
Racing from all over the world hots up over the summer with huge races such as the Belmont Derby and fixtures such as Royal Ascot taking place.
Win, Place and Show bets
Offering bettors tremendous value, US horse racing fans can bet on their horse to win, place or show.
A win bet does exactly what it says on the tin with bettors able to make some nice returns if their horse crosses the line first. It’s not often where you can make money if your bet doesn’t win but horse racing is one of those rare sports where you can make returns if your horse finishes second or third. A place bet is where you will make money if your horse finishes second and a show bet is where you can see some returns if your horse finishes third.
List of All Sports Betting Events During the Summer
Here are just some of the sports you can look forward to betting on this summer:
📅Date | 🎉Event | 🏟️Sport |
---|---|---|
4th May; 18th May; 8th June | American Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes) | 🏇 Horse Racing |
10th -26th May | IIHF World Championship | 🏒 Ice Hockey |
16th - 19th May | US PGA Championship | 🏌️Golf |
20th May - 9th June | French Open | 🎾Tennis |
26th May | Indy 500 | 🏎️ Motor Sports |
1st June | UEFA Champions League Final | ⚽Soccer |
4th - 30th June | ICC World T20 | 🏏Cricket |
3rd - 16th June* | Stanley Cup | 🏒 Ice Hockey |
6th - 23rd June* | NBA Finals | 🏀 Basketball |
13th - 16th June | US Open Championship | 🏌️Golf |
14th June - 13th July | Copa America | ⚽Soccer |
14th June - 14th July | European Championships | ⚽Soccer |
15th - 16th June | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 🏎️ Motor Sports |
29th June - 21st July | Tour de France | 🚴Cycling |
1st - 14th July | Wimbledon | 🎾Tennis |
18th - 21st July | Open Championship (The British Open) | 🏌️Golf |
26th June - 11th August | Olympic Games | 🤾 Multisport |
Where to Bet This Summer?
If you are looking to place a bet this summer then there is certainly no shortage of options. Each of our featured sportsbooks offer a fantastic range of welcome offers and bonuses and have all of the major sporting events covered. With so much choice, the perfect online bookmaker is ready and waiting for you.
Final Thoughts
As our sporting calendar indicates, there is a plethora of sports that you can bet on this summer. With the majority of US sportsbooks offering markets across each of these sports, you can fully immerse yourself into a whole host of new and exciting betting markets.
This summer you can feel part of some of the globe’s biggest sporting events with hallmark events such as Wimbledon, The Open, Tour de France and Champions League final often attracting huge global audiences.
If sports betting is legal in your State, the majority of sportsbooks should contain markets that are ready for you to bet on today.