It was another exciting weekend in sports, with havoc for bettors on college football Saturday followed by a historic collapse and a notable upset in the NFL on Sunday.
In Major League Baseball, the Dodgers have advanced to the World Series and will face the winner of Monday’s Game 7 between the Blue Jays and Mariners.
Here’s a look at how the weekend played out from a sports betting perspective:
Going into Monday Night Football at the BetMGM online sportsbook, it’s been all about the favorites. They are 10-2 straight up, with the two losses being the Steelers on Thursday Night Football and the Chargers on Sunday.
The wildest game on Sunday was between the Giants and Broncos when Denver scored 33 fourth-quarter points to win 33-32. The Broncos were 7.5-point favorites, so while they won the game, they did not cover the spread. Denver took in 49% of the bets and 59% of the money in against-the-spread betting.
The Patriots (-7 at Tennessee) were one of the most popular teams as they took in the most bets and the second-most money. New England easily covered the spread as they beat Tennessee 31-13.
In college football Saturday, the five most-bet teams to cover all lost. They were Ole Miss +7 (at Georgia), LSU +1.5 (at Vanderbilt), Texas Tech -7 (at Arizona State), Tennessee +8.5 (at Alabama) and Duke -3 (vs. Georgia Tech).
The only upset on Sunday was the Colts (+2) beating the Chargers 38-24 on the road. Indianapolis took in just 34% of the bets and 14% of the money in against-the-spread betting. The Colts are now 6-1 on the year and would be the No. 1 seed in the AFC if the playoffs began today.
On Friday, No. 2 Miami lost to Louisville 24-21 at home. Miami was an 11.5-point favorite and took in 41% of the bets and 64% of the money.
The Blue Jays will host the Mariners on Monday night in a Game 7, with the winner advancing to the World Series to take on the Dodgers.
As of Monday morning, Toronto is the favorite at -130.
When it comes to World Series odds, the Dodgers are a big favorite no matter who comes out of the American League, as they are -210 to win.
This column was provided to The Associated Press by BetMGM online sportsbook.
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports
Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. gestures to fans as he walks off the field after defeating the Seattle Mariners in Game 6 of baseball's American League Championship Series in Toronto, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani celebrates their win against the Milwaukee Brewers in baseball's National League Championship Series, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, in Los Angeles.(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Muslim pilgrims from around the world congregated on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the second official day of the annual Islamic pilgrimage, considered the pinnacle of the Hajj.
Despite the sweltering heat, the pilgrims gathered on the rocky hill and surrounding plain for intense prayers and worship that often mark a spiritual peak for them. They fervently murmured prayers and poured their hearts out in supplications. Many raised their hands in worship. It is common for pilgrims on that day, some with tears streaming down their faces, to ask God for forgiveness, mercy, blessings and good health.
The Hajj, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is required once in a lifetime for every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to perform it.
For pilgrims, the Hajj, performed over several days, can be a deeply moving spiritual experience and a chance to seek God’s forgiveness and the erasure of past sins. As they brave the intense heat to perform religious rituals, many pilgrims have been using umbrellas for shade.
A Saudi official said on Friday that more than 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in the country from abroad.
This year, Muslims have been pouring into Saudi Arabia for the Hajj against the backdrop of a tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war and related uncertainty in the region.
The U.S. military said Monday that it carried out “self-defense” strikes in southern Iran, including on missile launch sites and boats used to lay mines, even as President Donald Trump said on social media that negotiations with Tehran were “proceeding nicely." Iran on Tuesday denounced the most recent U.S. strikes as a sign of “bad faith and unreliability” as negotiations pressed on toward a possible deal to end the war.
For many, performing the Hajj can be a realization of a lifelong dream as they spend years hoping and praying to one day be able to undertake the pilgrimage or saving up money and waiting for a permit to embark on the trip.
“This happens once in a lifetime,” Mohammad Asal, an Egyptian pilgrim, said. “People here have prepared their prayers, hoping that God will respond to them, because we know that ... the most important ritual of the Hajj is being in Arafat.”
The Hajj brings together large numbers of Muslims of diverse races, ethnicities, languages and socioeconomic classes, creating a sense of unity for many. It’s a mass, communal experience, with Muslims performing rituals together. But it is also deeply personal, as every pilgrim brings their own yearnings and experiences.
“It was incredible,” Ahmed Sufyan, a pilgrim from the United States, said on Tuesday. “The unity and peace that we feel is something I’ve never experienced before,” he added via WhatsApp.
“Our wishes are many,” Mohammad Obaid, a Sudanese pilgrim, said, adding he was praying for Sudan and Muslims everywhere.
Fam reported from Winter Park, Florida.
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
A Muslim pilgrim pray atop of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Muslim pilgrims walk towards the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Muslim pilgrims are silhouetted as they pray at top of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Muslim pilgrims pray at top of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Muslim pilgrims read a copy of Islam's holy book Quran atop of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
