USMNT World Cup Opener, MLB & More: Top Bets, Odds, and Games to Watch Today

The United States men's national soccer team makes their much-anticipated debut Friday in the 2026 World Cup against Paraguay in Group D. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.

Expectations are high for the No. 17-ranked U.S. team, which automatically qualified for the World Cup as one of the event's three co-hosts. The club is favored to come out of Group D, where they will compete alongside No. 43-ranked Paraguay, No. 23-ranked Turkiye and No. 27-ranked Australia .

The USMNT reached the round of 16 in the 2022 World before being eliminated by the Netherlands . Conversely, Paraguay is making their first World Cup appearance since 2010, in which they reached the quarterfinals. The two sides met in a friendly last November, offering a prelude to this opening World Cup matchup. The USMNT came away with a 2-1 victory over Paraguay in Pennsylvania.

The USMNT heads into the 2026 World Cup under the guidance of coach Mauricio Pochettino, who took the helm following the team's early exit from the 2024 Copa América in which they failed to advance from its group.

Soccer enthusiasts are known for their relentless passion for the sport, and many are just as spirited regarding the betting options that come with the matches. There are plenty of ways to get in action on the 2026 World Cup, though the most popular come through the form of three-way betting, which allows customers to choose from either team on the money line or a draw. Popular proposition wagers include backing individual players to score, as well as the team to have the most shots on goal and so forth.

The latest USA vs. Paraguay odds from FanDuel Sportsbook list the USMNT at +105 (wager $100 to win $105) on the 90-minute money line, with Paraguay at +300 and a draw at +210. The over/under for total goals is 2.5 (Over +148, Under -184).

In addition to this World Cup matchup, we'll take a look at a late MLB showdown and look ahead to a weekend slate that includes Saturday's Game 5 of the NBA Finals and Sunday's UFC Freedom 250 card.  All times Eastern.

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2026 World Cup best bets, where to watch

USMNT vs. Paraguay

Time:  9 p.m. |  Location:  Los Angeles |  TV:  FOX |  Stream:  Fubo  (Try for free)

SportsLine pick  -- Expert:  Over 2.5 goals (Jon Eimer)

Veteran SportsLine soccer analyst Jon Eimer sees plenty of offense in store between the USMNT and Paraguay. He notes that the U.S. club has seen their offense get in gear during recent competitions, including three goals against a defense-minded Senegal club. He also notes that the USMNT have shown some gaps on defense and are susceptible against a Paraguay offense that might have to press.

Eimer's top play is Over 2.5 goals, but the analyst notes that he also leans toward a play on both teams to score and expects the USMNT to emerge victorious.

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MLB best bets, where to watch

Rays at Angels

Time: 9:35 p.m. |  Location: Anaheim |  TV:  MLB.TV

SportsLine pick -- Model: Angels (+141)

Although the World Cup will likely receive the bulk of the attention from the sports-viewing world in Southern California on Friday night, non-soccer fans have an alternative as the Tampa Bay Rays , fresh off a sweep of the Boston Red Sox , visit the Los Angeles Angels to launch a three-game weekend series. The Angels just took two of three from the Houston Astros in a home series, but the club is still just 15-19 at Angel Stadium this season.

Even so, the SportsLine Project Model sees some value on the underdog Angels and offers a moderate confidence play at the price point. Its 10,000-game simulation sees them winning about 46% of the time, a value window compared to the sportsbook odds of 41.5%. For those who aren't interested in picking a side, SportsLine analyst Prop Bet Guy likes Rays starter Shane McClanahan to go Under 15.5 outs recorded at a price of -113.

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Looking Ahead, NBA Finals Game 5

Knicks at Spurs

Time:  8:30 p.m. Saturday |  Location:  San Antonio |  TV:  ABC |  Stream:  Fubo  (Try for free)

SportsLine pick  -- Model:  Stephon Castle Over 15.5 points (Larry Hartstein)

On the heels of arguably one of the most memorable games in NBA Finals history in which the Knicks , who are seeking their first title since 1973, overcame a record 29-point deficit to prevail 107-106 and take a commanding 3-1 lead, the series shifts to San Antiono for Game 5 on Saturday with the Spurs facing elimination.

The Knicks, who entered the NBA Finals as +210 underdogs, stunned much of the basketball world by sweeping the first two games in San Antonio. The SportsLine Projection Model's 10,000-game simulation sees the Game 5 spread (Spurs -5.5) as accurately priced, with the expectation that the final score lands right around the number. Although the model has no strong positions, SportsLine analyst Larry Hartstein (+1797 on NBA player props) likes Spurs second-year pro Stephon Castle to step up with his team's season on the line and go Over his scoring prop total of 15.5 points.

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Looking Ahead, UFC Freedom 250

UFC Freedom 250 card

Time:  8 p.m. Sunday |  Location:  Washington, DC |  Stream:  Paramount+

SportsLine pick  -- Expert:  Topuria rounds 1-2 (-135, Daniel Vithlani)

The UFC's historic Freedom 250 card Sunday, held on the White House premises, features lightweight champion Ilia Topuria taking on former interim champ Justin Gaethje in the main event. Although the bulk of the seven-fight card features steep money-line prices, there are other ways to get in action including method-of-outcome props and over/under for rounds completed.

This UFC Freedom 250 card roundup features several of the top picks from CBS and SportsLine analysts . We'll share here that SportsLine MMA analyst Daniel Vithlani is picking Topuria to win within the first two rounds at odds of -135.

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/betting/news/todays-top-games-to-watch-best-bets-odds-usmnt-world-cup-opener-mlb-and-more/)._