SPORTS fans have plenty to look forward to during the second half of 2026.
Given that the upcoming sporting calendar is packed with top-class events, online bookmakers will also be in their element over the next few months. In collaboration with Best Betting Bonuses, we look at the top sporting events and best bets to use your 888sport bonus (or any other betting sign-up offer of your choice) on.
Horse racing, football and athletics are amongst the sports which will garner plenty of attention from sports bettors between now and the end of the year.
With that in mind, read on as we identify some standout bets over the next few months, starting with a selection from the three-day July Festival at Newmarket.
Prince of Wales’s Stakes – Newmarket – July 9
Rebel’s Romance is strongly fancied to give top British trainer Charlie Appleby back-to-back victories in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes in July.
The eight-year-old swerved the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot in favour of running at Newmarket and that decision can pay dividends.
Appleby has his sights firmly set on the Christophe Clement Turf Stakes at Saratoga later in the summer and this will be a useful stepping stone to that race.
Rebel’s Romance has won 21 out of 31 races during his globe-trotting career to establish himself as one of the most popular horses in training.
World Cup Final – New Jersey – July 19
France and Argentina contested the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar, and remain in contention to reach the 2026 showpiece in New Jersey.
Argentina were pushed hard by Cape Verde in their round of 32 tie, but eventually emerged victorious following a five-goal thriller.
The defending champions are bidding to win the World Cup for the fourth time and odds of 5/1 are great value in a hugely competitive market.
France face a tricky test against Morocco in the quarter-finals, but are one of the main dangers to Argentina alongside 2024 European champions Spain.
World Matchplay Darts – Blackpool – July 18-26
Luke Littler and Luke Humphries have established themselves as the dominant forces in the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) over the past couple of years.
Littler has had the upper hand in recent times, but Humphries has shown that he is capable of going toe-to-toe with the reigning world champion.
The pair top the betting for the World Matchplay Darts in Blackpool this summer, and Humphries is a good bet at 4/1 to claim the title for the second time.
He recently defeated Littler in the final of the United States Darts Masters in New York after producing a sensational 11-darter in the deciding leg.
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes – Ascot – July 25
Calandagan bounced back from a disappointing defeat at Royal Ascot to record an eye-catching victory in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on Sunday.
The five-year-old is now on course to run in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, and will be difficult to stop as he bids to go back-to-back in the race.
The Francis-Henri Graffard-trained horse is rated as one of the best middle-distance horses in the world and is fancied to cement that status at the Berkshire track.
Irish Derby winner Benvenuto Cellini could be dangerous if he takes part in the race, although trainer Aidan O’Brien may opt to hold him back for the Irish Champion Stakes.
Goodwood Cup – Goodwood – July 28
The opening day of the Glorious Goodwood will feature an eagerly anticipated rematch between Ascot Gold Cup protagonists Scandinavia and Trawlerman.
Scandinavia is the favourite to win the Goodwood Cup for the second consecutive year and looks a good bet to extend his unbeaten run to seven victories.
Trawlerman had no answer to his younger rival in the home straight at Ascot, but may strip fitter on his second start of the season at the Sussex racecourse.
O’Brien could field a strong team beyond Scandinavia. Illinois, Jan Brueghel, Causeway and Pierre Bonnard have also been entered in the race.
European Athletics Championships – Birmingham – August 10-16
Olympic 800 metres champion Keely Hodgkinson has swerved the Commonwealth Games in favour of competing in the 2026 European Athletics Championships.
The 24-year-old was recently beaten for the second consecutive Diamond League race as she finished behind world champion Lilian Odira in Eugene.
However, her current focus is on building momentum for the upcoming event in Birmingham, and she will be an extremely tough nut to crack on home soil.
Hodgkinson is eager to beat the long-standing world record one minute 53.28 seconds set by Czech athlete Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983, but that may be asking too much.
Article by Michael Cage
