October Baseball Starts Today -- And the NFL Delivered Chaos in Week 3
The 2026 MLB playoffs are officially underway. Four Wild Card series tip off today with two genuinely compelling betting matchups headlined by the Yankees hosting the Red Sox at 8pm ET and the Cubs at the Padres late. Meanwhile the NFL delivered one of the most chaotic Sundays of the young season in Week 3, with the defending champion Seahawks losing at home, the Cowboys playing the first NFL game ever in Brazil, the Bears demolishing the Eagles on Monday Night Football, and the Raiders and Chiefs both sitting at 3-0 with a collision course coming. Here is everything you need to know.
2026 MLB Wild Card Series Starts Today -- Full Bracket and Betting Guide
The 2026 baseball postseason field is locked in after one of the most dramatic final days in recent regular season history. On Sunday, the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 to clinch the third NL wild card spot and eliminate the Arizona Diamondbacks -- who lost the Padres on the same afternoon. In the American League, the Houston Astros clinched the AL West when the Texas Rangers dropped a 6-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins. In perhaps the most remarkable footnote of the entire regular season, the Astros became the first team in the 162-game era to win a division with a non-winning record -- a genuinely surreal entry in the history books that will be debated in baseball circles for years.
The full 12-team postseason bracket is set. In the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays earned the top seed and a first-round bye as AL East champions. The Cleveland Guardians have the second seed and a bye as AL Central champions. The Astros take the three seed as AL West champions and host the White Sox in the Wild Card. The Yankees are the four seed and host the Red Sox. The White Sox, one of the most surprising teams in baseball this season -- who maintained a positive run differential all year despite playing an extended stretch without slugger Munetaka Murakami -- take the six seed. In the National League, the Milwaukee Brewers are the one seed and earned a bye. The Dodgers have the two seed and a bye. The Braves take the three seed and host the Phillies. The Padres are the four seed and host the Cubs. The Cubs take the five seed and the Phillies take the six seed.
All four Wild Card series get underway today, Tuesday September 29, on NBC and Peacock. Here is the schedule and a betting angle for each:
- Phillies at Braves, 2pm ET: The NL East rematch nobody wanted to play. The Phillies won 13 of their last 15 at one point, rode that run to eliminate the Diamondbacks on the final day, then stumbled through the last week before a clutch Game 162 win secured their spot. Philadelphia is battle-tested but potentially emotionally spent. The Braves have home-court advantage and a roster that dominated this rivalry in April. The Phillies winning the series despite being the six seed is entirely possible -- but Atlanta's home crowd and superior rest makes them the right lean game-by-game.
- White Sox at Astros, 5pm ET: The underdog story of the year against a team that barely squeaked into the postseason with a non-winning record. This is genuinely the hardest series to call on the entire board. The White Sox earned their spot the hard way and have real run-prevention. Houston has the home-field advantage and playoff experience, but they are not a dominant team and the numbers do not inspire confidence.
- Red Sox at Yankees, 8pm ET: The rivalry game. The Yankees host Boston in what promises to be one of the best atmospheres in baseball. Both teams locked up wild card spots weeks ago and come in healthy. The Yankees at home against the Red Sox in October is one of the strongest home-team positions in any postseason matchup -- trust the pinstripes in this building for Game 1.
- Cubs at Padres, 10pm ET: Pete Crow-Armstrong and the Cubs rode his historic August (14 home runs, including the first three-homer game of his career) to a wild card spot and have real momentum. San Diego is the four seed and hosts all three games. The Padres are not the powerhouse the Cubs will have faced in the regular season and PCA has been the hottest hitter in the NL for six weeks. Chicago moneyline as a series bet has value.
The Division Series begins Saturday October 3 with Game 1 action across both leagues. Before placing any Wild Card bets today, compare lines and grab the best available promos across all the top sportsbooks in your state. Check bonusdrop.io for the latest MLB playoff odds and bonus offers before first pitch this afternoon.
NFL Week 3 Recap: Bears Stun Eagles, Cowboys Play in Brazil, Seahawks Fall
Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season delivered the kind of Sunday that makes sports betting both infuriating and addictive. Here are the biggest stories from one of the most chaotic weeks of the young season.
Bears 27, Eagles 7 -- Monday Night Shocker: Case Keenum -- not a name anyone had circled on their Week 3 betting card -- led the Chicago Bears defense to a demolition of the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football. The Bears' defense was suffocating from the opening snap and the Eagles offense, which had been among the most efficient in the league, looked completely lost. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni publicly lamented his reaction to a flagged hit on Jalen Hurts during the game. Philadelphia falls to 2-1 but the manner of the loss raises real questions about the offense heading into the meat of the NFC East schedule.
Commanders 33, Seahawks 31 -- Defending Champions Stunned at Home: The Washington Commanders beat Seattle at home in one of the more surprising results of the week. The defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks are now 2-1 and no longer in command of the NFC West. The 49ers, who have looked like the best team in football through three weeks at 3-0 and a plus-48 point differential, have stepped into the early NFC power vacuum. San Francisco beat Arizona 36-30 on Sunday to maintain their unblemished record.
Ravens 34, Cowboys 31 -- First-Ever NFL Game in Brazil: The Dallas Cowboys played the Baltimore Ravens in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday in the first regular-season NFL game ever played on Brazilian soil. The Ravens won 34-31 in a thriller that perfectly illustrated why the NFL's international expansion keeps producing compelling football. The Cowboys fall to what is shaping up as a frustrating 1-2 start despite significant preseason Super Bowl expectations built around their rebuilt defense and Aaron Rodgers.
Falcons 35, Packers 14 -- TNF Upset: Atlanta opened Week 3 with a commanding Thursday night performance against Green Bay. The Falcons jumped out fast and never looked back, handing the Packers a lopsided loss that immediately reshuffled the NFC North picture. The Vikings are 3-0 and running away with the division after beating the Buccaneers 23-16 on Sunday.
Chiefs and Raiders Both 3-0: Kansas City beat the Dolphins 24-10 in a game overshadowed by a torn ACL suffered by Miami running back De'Von Achane, ending his season after just two-plus games in what is a crushing blow for the Dolphins' offense. The Raiders beat the Saints 35-27 behind a monster performance from tight end Brock Bowers in his 2026 season debut -- 10 catches, 116 yards and a touchdown. The AFC West collision course between Kansas City and Las Vegas now has real drama attached to it.
Patriots Collapse Continues: New England lost 35-6 to the Jaguars, with Drake Maye turning the ball over three times to give him six giveaways in three games and just one touchdown pass on the season. The Patriots are 1-2 and the A.J. Brown reunion tour is not going to plan.
Giants Trade for JJ McCarthy: The New York Giants acquired former Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy in a trade but maintained that Jameis Winston remains their starting quarterback. McCarthy, who missed his entire rookie season with a torn meniscus, now has a fresh start in New York. Whether Winston stays the starter for long remains to be seen.
Week 4 Preview: Steelers at Browns Thursday, Colts at Commanders in London
Week 4 opens Thursday October 1 with the Steelers at the Browns at 8:15pm ET on Amazon Prime Video. The NFL heads to London on Sunday with the Colts hosting the Commanders at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at 9:30am ET. For football bettors, Sunday's slate promises more of the same Week 3 chaos energy -- the 49ers at the Chiefs in a potential conference finals preview would be the marquee matchup to watch and bet if the schedule gods cooperate. Check bonusdrop.io for the latest Week 4 NFL lines and sportsbook promos before Sunday's slate.
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