It’s the business end of the European football season in April 2025, meaning it could be a decisive few weeks for those with outright wagers in Premier League odds.

There are plenty of other events with significant sports betting interest in April, however, including a significant month for the three major American sports leagues.

Here are six of the must-watch events in April:

Grand National

Scheduled for 5th April in 2025, the Grand National is the most-watched horse racing event in the UK. The National lures viewers and bettors who do not normally have even a passing interest in racing. 

I Am Maximus is the clear favourite at the time of writing. The Willie Mullins-trained horse topped the field in 2024 and could become the first horse to go back-to-back since Tiger Roll. Mullins has two previous wins to his name. 

NBA Playoffs Start

The play-in tournament will take place between 15th and 18th April. The first round of the playoffs starts on 19th with four series tipping off.

The other four series, including the one-eight matchups in each conference, should get underway on 20th April. 

The defending champion Boston Celtics are considered the favourites at the halfway mark of the regular season.

Stellar first halves from the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers make them serious contenders, however, and it would be foolish to write off the Denver Nuggets if Nikola Jokić and his supporting cast stay healthy.

NFL Draft

The 2025 NFL Draft will take place between 24th and 26th April at Lambeau Field.

A win for the New England Patriots in Week 18 means the Tennessee Titans have the first overall pick ahead the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants. The Pats will pick fourth.

Heisman winner Travis Hunter is the consensus first overall pick. There’s less agreement behind Hunter, with Abdul Carter, Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward, Mason Graham, and Will Johnson expected to go in the top 10. 

Look out for trades in the build up to – and during – the Draft. New England are a candidate to trade down from fourth and the Jacksonville Jaguars might have a similar plan from fifth. 

Snooker World Championship

Starting on 19th April with the final scheduled for 5th May, Kyren Wilson will try to defend his title at the 2025 Snooker World Championship.

The iconic Crucible Theatre in Sheffield is once again the venue as the best players in the world battle it out on the baize.

World number one Judd Trump leads Wilson and Ronnie O’Sullivan in the world rankings. Despite a stellar overall record, Trump is only a one-time world champion. Will he double his tally in 2025? 

MLB Regular Season Begins

The MLB regular season technically begins with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs matching up in Tokyo on 18th March.

The showcase with Roki Sasaki, Shohei Ohtani, Shota Imanaga, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Seiya Suzuki playing in front of their home fans isn’t the proper opening day, though. 

Traditional opening day falls on 27th March with 28 out of 30 teams in action. All 30 teams are scheduled to take the diamond on 29th March and there will be 13 games played on 30th March. 

Golf Masters

Taking place between 7th and 13th April in 2025, the Masters at Augusta National is the first golf major of the year.

World number one Scottie Scheffler is looking to become the first golfer since Tiger Woods in 2002 to claim the Green Jacket in successive years.

With two wins in the last three editions, Scheffler could become the ninth golfer ever to win the Masters three or more times.

The betting markets indicate Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, and Ludvig Aberg are likely to be among Scheffler’s closest contenders. 


*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Adobe*

January 28, 2025
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Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

Sam Cox
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March covers all the bases for sports fans. Summer sports are well-represented, and we are reaching the business end of winter sports’ seasons, with the knockout phases of UEFA competitions and March Madness taking place across the pond.

Bet Calculator

Most betting interests are met during March 2025. There really is something for everyone, as represented in our list of the six major events below.

You will also be able to follow the FIS Speed Ski World Championships, the start of the AFL season, and the World Speed Skating Championships.

Formula One Season Starts

The first race of the Formula One season takes place in Melbourne on 16th March.

It’s a back-to-back to begin the 2025 campaign, with the second race following Shanghai a week later. 

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc team up at Ferrari, aiming to end Max Verstappen’s dominance. Red Bull have replaced Sergio Perez with Liam Lawson, and Andrea Kimi Antonelli is partnering George Russell at Mercedes.

McLaren are the only of the top four teams to retain the same driver lineup, and Lando Norris enters the season as the betting favourite for the title.

There haven’t been any major offseason changes to the regulations, but this still looks set to be a fascinating, unpredictable season. 

Cheltenham Festival

The Cheltenham Festival will be held between 11th and 14th March 2025. Twenty-eight races are scheduled across the four days, building up to the Gold Cup at 16:00 (UK time) on the Friday.

With hours of racing to absorb each day, Cheltenham Festival is one of the calendar highlights for bettors. 

Indian Premier League

Jos Buttler, Kagiso Rabada, Mitchell Starc, Shreyas Iyer, and Harry Brook are among the big names to have changed teams before the 2025 Indian Premier League.

Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Kamindu Mendis, and Aaron Hardie are all making their debuts in the competition, with Jofra Archer returning after a long injury layoff.

With five titles apiece, the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are the pre-tournament betting favourites. 

Starting on 21st March, cricket fans can settle in for over two months of Indian Premier League action. The final will take place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on 25th May. 

March Madness

The home of massive upsets and raucous crowds, March Madness is guaranteed to provide drama. Hoops fans can settle in for days packed with games in the early rounds. 

It’s a chance to take a look at many of the top draft prospects, while witnessing some of basketball’s greatest underdog stories.

A big performance in the Tournament can ensure a player never has to buy a drink in their college’s city/state again.

World Indoor Athletics Championships

Featuring 26 events over 21st, 22nd, and 23rd March in Nanjing, the 2025 World Indoor Athletics Championships promise a packed schedule and some of the biggest names in athletics. 

Femke Bol, Noah Lyles, and Tara Davis-Woodhall were among the medallists in 2024.

Several world records were achieved at the Championships in Glasgow – could more athletes write their names into the history books in China this March? 

Champions League Round of 16

The top teams in Premier League odds are among those in action in the Champions League Round of 16. The first legs are held on the 4th and 5th March with the second legs taking place seven days later. 

With the introduction of the knockout round playoffs due to the expanded field, fans have to wait until the second half of February to find out half of the round of 16 teams.

Going into matchday eight of the league stage, Liverpool are the only team with a confirmed place.


*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Adobe*

January 28, 2025
Body

Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

Sam Cox
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