Weekend Sports Betting Preview: April 4-5, 2026
College basketball takes center stage on Saturday as the NCAA Tournament reaches the Final Four in Indianapolis, with a trip to the national championship on the line. After a highly competitive run through the earlier rounds, the remaining teams now face the pressure of the sport’s biggest stage, creating a focused betting board with fewer games but higher stakes.
The postseason schedule is further strengthened by the NIT Championship and the College Basketball Crown title game, giving bettors multiple opportunities to stay engaged with meaningful matchups across both days.
Beyond the hardwood, the weekend offers a full lineup of nationally televised action across several major sports. The NBA continues its late-season push toward the playoffs with key positioning at stake, while MLB’s early-season schedule provides a mix of afternoon and primetime matchups on national networks.
The NHL slate adds additional depth with multiple televised games, rounding out a strong core of traditional betting markets throughout the weekend.
Additional events help round out the schedule, including the Valero Texas Open as it moves through its final rounds, UFL Week 2 continuing the return of spring football, and a pair of high-profile fight cards with UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas and boxing match with Deontay Wilder facing Derek Chisora in London. With action spanning multiple sports and time windows, this weekend delivers consistent betting opportunities from early afternoon through late night.
Major Events This Weekend
• April 2–5: Valero Texas Open — San Antonio, TX
• April 3-7: UFL Week 2
• April 4: NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament — Final Four — Indianapolis, IN
• April 4: UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Duncan — Las Vegas, NV
• April 4: Deontay Wilder vs. Derek Chisora — London, England
• April 5: NIT Championship Game — Indianapolis, IN
• April 5: NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament — National Championship — Phoenix, AZ
Saturday, April 4
NBA
San Antonio at Denver — 3:00 PM, Prime Video
Detroit at Philadelphia — 7:00 PM, NBA TV
(Other games not nationally televised.)
NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament Final Four
(3) Illinois vs. (2) UConn — 6:09 PM, TBS / truTV
(1) Michigan vs. (1) Arizona — 8:49 PM, TBS / truTV
College Basketball Crown Semifinals
TBD vs. TBD — 1:30 PM, FOX
TBD vs. TBD — 4:00 PM, FOX
MLB
Milwaukee at Kansas City — 4:10 PM, FS1
Chicago Cubs at Cleveland — 7:15 PM, FOX
Atlanta at Arizona — 7:15 PM, FOX
(Other games MLB.TV or ESPN+ only.)
NHL
Detroit at New York — 12:30 PM, ABC
Colorado at Dallas — 3:00 PM, ABC
Montreal at New Jersey — 7:00 PM, NHL Network
(All other games ESPN+ only.)
UFL Week 2
Louisville Kings at Orlando Storm — 8:00 PM, ESPN
Golf
Valero Texas Open — Third Round, NBC / Golf Channel
Sunday, April 5
NBA
Toronto at Boston — 3:30 PM, NBA TV
Los Angeles at Dallas — 7:30 PM, NBC / Peacock
Houston at Golden State — 10:00 PM, NBC / Peacock
(Other games not nationally televised.)
College Basketball Crown Championship Game
TBD vs. TBD — 5:30 PM, FOX
College Basketball NIT Championship
TBD vs. TBD — 8:00 PM, ESPN2
MLB
St. Louis at Detroit — 7:20 PM, Peacock
(Other games MLB.TV or ESPN+ only.)
NHL
Minnesota at Detroit — 1:00 PM, TNT / truTV
Boston at Philadelphia — 3:30 PM, TNT / truTV
Washington at New York — 7:00 PM, ESPN
St. Louis at Colorado — 9:30 PM, ESPN
(All other games ESPN+ only.)
UFL Week 2
Birmingham Stallions at Houston Gamblers — 6:00 PM, NFL Network
Golf
Valero Texas Open — Final Four Round, NBC / Golf Channel