World Cup 2026 betting tips: Lionel Messi to lead Argentina to glory (again)
“USA! USA! USA!”
The time for talking is almost over. All eyes will be on North America over the next month or so as the great and the good of the beautiful game gather for the World Cup and a tournament that will be shared between Canada, Mexico and the USA.
There aren’t many bigger punting events than the World Cup so read on for a breakdown of the best outright bets from this summer’s tournament courtesy of Sports News Blitz’s punting laureate - The Bookie Basher.
ITV horse racing tips and best bets for York, Sandown and Chester on Saturday, June 13
Royal Ascot is just around the corner and Sports News Blitz racing tipster Jeff Mexico has spent all week looking for a new frock and hat. Luckily, Farm Foods does an amazing range of clothing (it’s somewhere near the back by the spoon meats), and Jeff is now all kitted out for a busy week in Royal Berkshire.
He’s hoping to get an invite to the Royal Procession or even better be interviewed by Raceday TV about his stunning outfit – his black bin bag ensemble and potato sack fascinator will go down a storm no doubt.
Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 betting tips: Australia face strong challenge from England and India
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 gets underway on June 12 in England.
The tournament expands from 10 to 12 teams for this edition.
Ahead of the competition, Sports News Blitz cricket writer Himanshu Sharma identifies the leading contenders and explores where the betting value may lie.
World Cup 2026 betting tips: Who gets the Golden Boot? And can Argentina retain their crown?
Everything is massive in America. Coffee arrives in buckets, and the supermarkets are so big you need Google Maps to navigate a path from the Meat & Fish aisle to the Frozen Foods section.
So naturally, the 2026 World Cup - which the USA is co-hosting - is the biggest ever. For the first time, 48 teams will compete over 39 days to find out who the best team in the world are.
Argentina are defending champions, but Spain are favourites with the bookies to lift the famous old trophy for the first time since 2010.
Here, for your bawdy enjoyment, is the definitive Golden Boot gambling guide courtesy of Sports News Blitz’s punting laureate - The Bookie Basher.
WWE news: Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker’s exits open up King of the Ring tournament
Two major exits within the space of a week have left WWE’s King of the Ring tournament unpredictable, with the finals at Night of Champions on June 27 now a mystery.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Mosaddek Abu explains how WWE have thrown massive curveballs to open up proceedings.
Cricket news: Ben Stokes under pressure - five contenders for the captain’s role
England men’s cricket captain Ben Stokes has been in the press for all the wrong reasons since Sunday night, alongside team-mate and bowler Gus Atkinson.
Following this, it remains unclear as to whether Stokes will continue as England captain.
He has been left out of the 15-man squad for the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval, with former captain Joe Root set to lead the side.
Without an obvious successor, Sports News Blitz writer Jacob Hibbert takes a look at five candidates to take over as England captain if Stokes’ time comes to an end.
World Cup 2026 news: Five records that could be broken at the FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, the biggest festival in football, kicks off across the United States, Canada, and Mexico this week, and one thing is sure: old records will disappear, and new ones will emerge.
As the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaches, it will be one of the biggest tournaments in FIFA history.
This year's tournament structure has been revamped, with teams participating from 32 to 48, and the number of matches will automatically increase from 64 to 104.
This summer could bring the breaking of numerous records, from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's last World Cup preparations to Kylian Mbappe breaking Miroslav Klose's record for goals scored.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Varun Sarwate takes a look at five records that could be broken at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Cricket news: Who is Manav Suthar? The left-arm spinner who took seven wickets on debut for India
Shubman Gill’s India side dominated the recent contest with Afghanistan to win by an innings and 300 runs in Mullanpur, with the visitors’ return to Test cricket lasting a little less than three days.
When a youthful Afghan team played their first Test in India eight years ago, the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja completely destroyed them. Almost 10 years later, Afghanistan were defeated by spin once more, this time by a youthful Indian side led by debutant Manav Suthar, writes Sports News Blitz’s Varun Sarwate.
Sponsorship news: Horsforth Hawks Reds dig deep but fall to defeat by Idle Red Kites
The Sports News Blitz-sponsored Horsforth Hawks Reds rounders fell to a first defeat of the 2026 season on Monday night - but showed true grit in the second innings to keep morale high.
The Hawks went into the game with fierce rivals the Idle Red Kites having won their opening three matches (the first game by default), so confidence was high in the squad.
But the Red Kites are an experienced team and displayed some ruthless rounders in the first innings - before the Hawks Reds dug deep to make the score respectable at the end.
Test cricket analysis: Five talking points from England’s Test win over New Zealand
England wiped away their winter blues as they started the Test summer with a victory over New Zealand at Lord’s.
The Three Lions won by 115 runs across just four days, despite persistent weather delays, with less than 170 overs played in the match.
Performances from the likes of Emilio Gay, who top scored in the match with 57, plus Ollie Robinson and Gus Atkinson (both of whom getting 5-fers) led much of the conversation.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Jacob Hibbert looks at five talking points from the match which marked the start of the three match Test series.
F1 analysis: Silent winners and main characters in Monaco - Oscar Piastri, Kimi Antonelli and more
The Monaco Grand Prix is often characterised as a challenging and demanding circuit with its tight corners and close proximity barriers, writes Sports News Blitz’s Mukonazwothe Mamphitha.
But beneath that, the 2026 Formula 1 circuit crafted a group of drivers who took to the track and quietly optimised an eventful Sunday and one driver who owned the weekend.
While Monaco focuses on Kimi Antonelli's dominance, the story of the circuit runs deeper.
For drivers like Oscar Piastri and Alexander Albon, damage limitation turned into strong results.
Padel news: Rafa Nadal’s everyday side takes center stage in Playtomic’s new campaign
The platform unveils a new campaign featuring the Mallorcan champion, using humor and authenticity to show how padel has become part of the everyday lives of millions of players around the world.
The campaign continues the collaboration between Rafa Nadal and Playtomic, where the tennis legend has served as both shareholder and ambassador since 2024.
Playtomic, the world’s largest racquet sports community for players and clubs, has launched a new digital campaign starring Rafa Nadal, the company’s ambassador and shareholder.
The campaign adopts a light-hearted and relatable tone to showcase everyday situations that any padel player can identify with.
Padel news: Why India’s padel boom is about depth, not size
Sports News Blitz have teamed up with Saidja Drentje, partner at CAA Portas, to keep us updated on all the latest news from the world of padel.
The number everyone asks me about India’s padel market is the one that matters least.
The country is on course for one million padel players by 2036, up from roughly 100,000 today — a tenfold rise in a decade, underpinned by a court base that has to grow around eightfold, to some 4,000, to get there. Impressive.
But scale is not what makes India unusual. Depth is.
French Open 2026: Alexander Zverev’s time has come, the German ends long wait for a Grand Slam title
The men's singles draw at this year’s French Open saw a remarkable number of seeds falling early on, including world No. 1 and tournament favourite Jannik Sinner.
This brought about a wide open draw, where several players believed they had a realistic shot at going all the way.
As it turned out, second seed Alexander Zverev dealt with the pressure and expectations to bring home his long-awaited maiden major.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer and tennis fan AJ Becker takes a closer look at both Zverev’s achievement and other salient success stories from an extraordinary fortnight on the Paris clay.
F1 news: Kimi Antonelli dominates Monaco GP as Lewis Hamilton achieves back-to-back podiums
Kimi Antonelli became the youngest driver to win the Monaco Grand Prix as he extended his lead in the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Mosaddek Abu discusses the biggest takeaways from a chaotic Monaco GP.
NBA news: Why the Brooklyn Nets could defy expectations despite draft lottery setback
Since the NBA draft lottery on May 10, the conversation surrounding the future of the Brooklyn Nets has had a decidedly sombre tone. They were projected to be a top-three pick this summer, but misfortune means that for a second year in a row the Nets fell in the lottery and will pick sixth overall.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Wanga Charma analyses the Nets’ future.
F1 news: Four takeaways from Ferrari’s Monaco Grand Prix, a tale of mixed fortunes
Scuderia Ferrari arrived in the principality after a fairly successful Canadian Grand Prix. Whilst Lewis Hamilton kept up momentum with another P2 on the podium, Charles Leclerc continued to have poor luck at his home Grand Prix, crashing out in the final corner of the safety car restart.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer and Ferrari fan Luca Salmasi takes a look at four key talking points from their sixth race of the season.
Opening Matches That Could Shape the 2026 World Cup Odds Conversation
The World Cup is a tournament where the unexpected is expected. Dark horses disrupt the proceedings. New players stake their claims for elite status, and controversies fuel debate.
The build-up has featured strong opinions by supporters across the world.
However, once that first whistle blows on the opening game of soccer’s largest showcase, those discussions and opinions count for very little.
The first matchups are going to set the tone for the tournament. There are several fixtures that offer their share of intrigue well before the knockout stages come into view.
Here are some that soccer fans across the globe won’t want to miss.
Padel news: Why padel’s biggest returns now hinge on the district, not the country
Sports News Blitz have teamed up with Saidja Drentje, partner at CAA Portas, to keep us updated on all the latest news from the world of padel.
Padel’s headline numbers are spectacular. The sport has grown from around 10,000 courts in 2016 to more than 77,000 today, expanding at roughly 21% a year. On current trajectory, it should pass 90,000 courts by 2027–28. But aggregate growth hides the more important truth: padel’s economics are not spreading evenly – they are concentrating.
FIFA World Cup 2026: Five goalkeepers to watch at the 2026 tournament
A world-class goalkeeper can be the difference between an early exit and a deep tournament run.
From experienced veterans to exciting newcomers, the 2026 World Cup features a fascinating mix of talent between the posts.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Shuei Ishii looks at five goalkeepers who could make headlines on football's biggest stage.