The Oscars And 4 Sporting Events To Bet On In MA On Opening Weekend

Legal online sports betting in Massachusetts arrived in time for March Madness. That’s a massive win for MA sports bettors.

But Thursday (we aren’t counting the play-in – excuse me, “first round” games) is pretty far away, and you just received a great sign-up bonus.

Don’t worry; there is plenty of action to bet on in the first weekend of Massachusetts sports betting, even outside of the world of sports!

Bet on the Oscars at MA sportsbooks

Believe it or not, you can participate in Academy Awards betting in Massachusetts. 

It’s one of the rare predetermined events that you can bet on at sportsbooks across the country. That’s mainly because only a handful of people know who wins before it’s announced, and they’ve sworn a blood oath to protect their secret.

You can bet on the big awards at the Oscars, like best picture, actor and actress, and even some of the smaller ones, like best film editing.

It’s a great way for movie buffs to try out sports betting in Massachusetts, even if sports aren’t their thing.

While best picture seems to be a runaway this year – Everything Everywhere All At Once is listed at -1400 at DraftKings Sportsbook MA – there are some shorter odds available, specifically in the acting categories.

World Baseball Classic betting in Massachusetts

It’s not quite baseball season in Massachusetts, as the Red Sox aren’t scheduled to play a regular season game until March 30.

But the World Baseball Classic is currently underway, and gives Massachusetts baseball bettors a chance to test the waters before the MLB is in full swing.

You can bet on individual games, which are running every day through March 21. Or, you can place a futures bet on a team to win it all.

The Dominican Republic entered the tournament as a slight favorite on FanDuel Sportsbook MA, with odds of +220. It was followed closely by the US and Japan, both at +260.

Betting on the Celtics at MA sportsbooks

Betting on the NBA in Massachusetts is likely to be massively popular, and your first chance to bet on the Boston Celtics will come Sunday.

They travel to Atlanta to face the Hawks in a 7:30 p.m. tip.

Not only could you bet the spread, moneyline or total in this game, but it’s a chance to dive deep into player props, which are a favorite of NBA bettors nationwide.

BetMGM Massachusetts Sportsbook figures to have plenty of props available for the game. Just login, navigate to the NBA page, find the game and click “All Wagers.” There, you’ll find all the bets being offered for the game.

Two Bruins games to bet on during opening weekend of MA sports betting

The NHL’s best team is in action twice on the first weekend of legal online sports betting in Massachusetts, as the Boston Bruins play a pair of games against the Detroit Red Wings.

First up is a 1 p.m. home game on Saturday, followed by a 1:30 p.m. faceoff in Detroit on Sunday. 

If this is your first time betting on the NHL, you’ll notice the spread is replaced with a puck line, and basically all of them are 1.5. It’s a quirk of betting on hockey. Rather than the spread moving with odds hovering around -110, the puck line stays the same and the odds move.

You could also just pick a winner on the moneyline, although don’t expect the Bruins’ moneyline to carry a ton of value against the floundering Wings. Perhaps Tyler Bertuzzi to score against his old team? That would be listed in the player props section of the game at Caesars Sportsbook MA.

Betting on the Players Championship at MA online sportsbooks

Betting on golf is a good way to keep yourself glued to the television for several hours over a weekend. 

Luckily for you, there’s a pretty big tournament that coincides with the MA sports betting launch.

The Players Championship is being played in Florida, and while it started Thursday, you still have plenty of betting options. Technically, you’ll be live betting, but in golf the odds can remain long enough to find tremendous value even among the leaders after Day 1. 

WynnBET Sportsbook MA is offering several markets for the tournament beyond the outright winner. You can bet on players to finish in the top 5 or 10, or to be the best among their fellow countrymen. If you or a loved one is experiencing problems with gambling, call 1-800-327-5050 or visit www.mahelpline.org/problemgambling to speak with a trained specialist for free, 24/7