Never forget how fun it can be watching drunk actors and celebrities on live TV, and we get that privilege again when Mariska Hargitay hosts the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Monday evening (NBC, Peacock, 8 EDT/7 CDT/6 MDT/5 PDT).​

In past years, the Emmys telecast wasn't broadcast live in the West—where the awards show honoring the best in Television is always held—but now you can watch it live on a traditional network TV (NBC) or a streaming service (Peacock). And you can bet on almost every category.​

In the old days, when you actually had to get up to change the channel—and make a commitment to that one of four or five channels—the main three networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) were pretty much the TV universe, with no streaming or Internet, and certain channels were nothing but noisy static.​

Now you can watch on regular TV or stream and watch on a telephone. And you can bet on the Emmy Awards categories, so the evolution has brought us a live broadcast, more programming (and healthy competition), and a chance to make money predicting who will win what.

Now you can watch on regular TV or stream and watch on a telephone. And you can bet on the Emmys categories. Television and prediction markets go hand in hand in The Digital Age, where we are (almost) all honeybees.​

Presented by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (ATAS), the annual award show is always a fun watch. The Primetime Emmy Creative Arts Awards were held September 5-6. Members of the Television Academy (27,000+ across 31 peer groups) vote for the winners.​

This year, the American medical drama set in Pittsburgh, The Pitt, has the most major (12) and most overall (25) nominations in the 78th Primetime Emmys from Downtown LA, with the popular second-year drama created by R. Scott Gemmill on HBO Max expected to have a very good night.​

No, not the Governor’s Gala, but the Emmys themselves, where stars Noah Wyle—also an executive producer on the show who had 13 nominations a year ago—and Katherine LaNassa, Taylor Dearden, Sepideh Maofi, Fiona Douriff, Patrick Ball, Shawn Hatosy, and Gerran Howell are all nominated.​

The “Big Seven” categories in the Emmy Awards (in a series or movie) are Outstanding Series, Outstanding Lead Actor, Outstanding Lead Actress, Outstanding Supporting Actor, Outstanding Supporting Actress, Outstanding Directing, and Outstanding Writing.​

If so inclined, you can bet on Will Anyone Drop an Emmy on Stage? at Polymarket, but you know something funky will happen, like Colman Domingo dropping the trophy with his left hand but actually catching it with his right hand before it hits the stage floor, needing a “drop” definition.​

In the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards ‘Which Streaming Service Will Win the Most Emmys?’ category at Polymarket, it looked like HBO Max (3%, down from 69%) appeared to be the Emmy winner, but a late surge from Apple TV (96%, up from 8%) flipped the script in no time.

Streaming services that are being given a chance in this ‘Which Streaming Service Will Win the Most Emmys?’ category are Netflix (1%), Hulu (<1%), Disney+ (<1%), Peacock (<1%), Prime Video (<1%), and Paramount+ (<1%). The market had $97,909 in volume 5 days out from the event.

Hulu and Disney are tied to The Walt Disney Company and ABC; Paramount is a product of CBS; Peacock is the Peacock Network, NBC’s baby; and Prime Video is owned by Amazon (AMZN—NASDAQ), while HBO/HBO Max is owned by Warner Brothers Discovery (WBD—NASDAQ).

HBO/HBO Max took home 30 Emmys—9 in major categories—last year, as did Netflix with Apple TV (22), NBC (11), Disney+ (7), Peacock (5). Prime Video (5), CBS (4), ABC (3), FX (2), and YouTube (2) followed. The cable service had 143 nominations in 2025 and leads again with 122 in 2026.

➤Trading Thoughts: HBO’s TV résumé is pretty long, with creative shows like The Pitt (25 nominations), Hacks (24), and DTF St Louis (13), after a history of hole-in-ones like The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Game of Thrones, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Succession, and Euphoria.

HBO is still king, delivering culture-changing narratives and characters like The Beatles and Andy Warhol in the Sixties, Punk Rock in the Seventies, Prince, Michael Jackson, and Madonna in the Eighties, and Howard Stern, coke, and Seinfeld in the Nineties. HBO is the new cultural icon.

But AppleTV is coming up with quality shows like Widow’s Bay, Pluribus, Margo's Got Money Troubles, and Palm Royale. The reason for such a big swing in the numbers? Simple math: the Emmy Awards have already held two nights of awards in LA, and several trophies have already been awarded.

🗽Which Streaming Service Will Win the Most Emmys? Pick: AppleTV, 96.8¢​

We predicted Colman Domingo to be the winner in the ‘Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series’ category at Polymarket, when Domingo was trading at 63%, but that turned out to be poor advice, as Ernest Harden Jr. (as low as 6%) from The Pitt ended up winning the award last weekend.

Besides Domingo—nominated for his role as Ali Muhammad in HBO’s Euphoria last season—also nominated but losing here were Bradley Whitford from The Diplomat, Ernest Harden Jr. from The Pitt, Jeff Kober from The Pitt, Jeff Hiller from Pluribus, and Jonathan Pryce from Slow Horses

There have been just two Triple Crown winners in MLB in the last 50-plus years: 14 years ago in 2012 when Detroit Tigers legend Miguel Cabrera had the highest Batting Average (.330), most Home Runs (HR) with 54, and most Runs Batted In (RBI) with 130 in the American League.​

Before that, this extremely rare Modern Era feat was accomplished by another AL hitter, this one a left-hander, as Boston Red Sox OF Carl Yastrzemski hit. 326 with 44 HR and 121 RBI in 1967 as the Red Sox made it to the World Series only to lose to Bob Gibson and the Cardinals in 7 games.​

Only 12 Triple Crowns have been won since RBI became an official stat in 1920, with 10 different players accomplishing this offensive feat; Rogers Hornsby (1922, 1925) and Ted Williams (1942, 1947) are the only two hitters to have done it twice.​

No National League (NL) player has won a Triple Crown since the Cardinals' Joe Medwick in 1938.​

You can trade on the Yordan Alvarez Triple Crown and bet on whether Alvarez will win the AL Triple Crown at Kalshi, where the ‘Yes’ was trading at 23% with the ‘No’ at 77% on Wednesday, September 9—a day in which Alvarez (6-4, 237) started leading only the league in Batting Average (.311).​

With 17 games left (Astros) in the MLB Regular Season, Alvarez had 38 HRs, 1 behind the Rays' Junior Caminero (39), and 95 RBI, 2 RBI behind the Orioles Pete Alonso (97).

🕯️Trading Thoughts: Alvarez has led in the categories most of the way and is a Designated Hitter (DH), so he doesn’t have to play the field and can rest in the dugout and concentrate on his At Bats (AB) for the Astros, fighting to win the woe-is-me AL West, another good motivating factor.

Houston ManagerJoe Espada has no reason to rest or bench Alvarez and actually needs every Plate Appearance (PA) from his gentle Cuban superstar to win the division and make the 2026 AL Playoffs. This is mispriced on the side of doubt because the BA and HR races are so tight now.

⚾MLB Yordan Alvarez Triple Crown Winner? Pick: Yes 25¢​

The 2026 MLS Regular Season continues with a great Eastern Conference showdown between Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF (12-7-4, 53 points) welcoming Nashville SC (16-5-2, 43 points) to the new Nu Stadium (Grass) in Miami on Saturday night (Apple TV, 7:30 EDT/6:30 CDT/4:30 PDT).

Sam Surridge (13 goals) and Nashville (+30 GD) owns the best record in the MLS—and the best in MLS history after 22 matches—and was on a 4-game win streak where the Boys in Gold outscored their opponents 12-2 with 2 Clean Sheets for talented GK Brian Schwake (MLS-leading 10 SO).

In the Kalshi 2026 MLS Cup Winner? market, we see these EC clubs the #2 and #3 most popular, with Hany Mukhtar (10 goals) and Nashville SC at 19% to win the silverware, and Messi (17 goals), Luis Suárez (11 goals), and Inter Miami CF at 17%. The Vancouver Whitecaps FC are at 23%.

At Kalshi, in this Miami vs Nashville match on Saturday in the Sunshine State, traders favor Inter Miami (52%) over Nashville (28%), with a Tie trading at 23% 3 days out from the match.

🕯️Trading Thoughts: The Coyotes have talent with GK Schwake, Surridge, Mukhtar, and Cristian Espinoza, and Nashville already beat 2nd-place Miami CF, 4-1, with Mukhtar having a brace and Surridge and Andy Najar adding goals in the game from Geodis Park in Nashville on August 15.

The two sides also met earlier this year in the Round of 16 of the CONCACAF Championship Cup, with both games ending deadlocked after 90 minutes plus injury time (0-0, 11), with the Kicking Elvises advancing by virtue of their away goal against the Herons in the Sunshine State.

This means Miami hasn't defeated Nashville in 2026 (0-2-1, 2 GF-5 GA) after going 7-0-1 vs. them in the previous 8 series meetings (2013-2025). Lifetime, Miami is 9-7-6 vs. the Boys in Gold in all competitions because of the 7-1 run. But Nashville’s the better team this season and may win it all.

⚽MLS Wednesday Night Side Winner Pick: Nashville SC, Yes 28¢​

The 2026 Formula One TAG Heuer Spanish Grand Prix is scheduled to race in Madrid, Spain on Sunday, September 13 (Apple TV, 9 a.m. EDT/8 CDT/6 PDT) in the 14th race of the 2026 Formula One World Championship season. Kimi Antonelli won the Italian GP.

The Madrid round will be a street-circuit race in the Spanish capital. The 2025 Spanish Grand Prix was held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Barcelona, where Oscar Piastri (McLaren), teammate Lando Norris (McLaren), and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) finished on the podium in La Piel del Toro.

In the Spanish Grand Prix Main Race Winner? market at Kalshi, Andrea Kimi Antonelli (36%) was the favorite of ‘Yes’ traders, followed by Lando Norris (22%), George Russell (13%), legends Lewis Hamilton (13%) and Max Verstappen (8%), Charles Leclerc (7%), and Oscar Piastri (6%).

🕯️Trading Thoughts: Oscar Piastri (McLaren) won here last year and would be a logical choice this time, but he isn’t in the three hottest drivers now. Antonelli has had a dream season so far, is in first place in the F1 Drivers' Standings, and has 38 points in his last two races (HUN, NLD).

The dominant Constructor in F1 this season has been Mercedes, so Antonelli deserves some ‘Yes’ contract attention, as does Norris (McLaren-Mercedes), another hot driver, earning 56 points in the last two races and taking the checkered flag in the Dutch Grand Prix, where Antonelli was 2nd.

With the rookie on a roll and winning at Monza, the best approach would be to take Antonelli (and Norris if wanted) and Mercedes, with the Italian now holding a 66-point lead (267-201) over 2nd-place driver Russell, one of three Brits (Hamilton, Norris) clumped in 2nd- through 4th-place.

🏁2026 F1 TAG Heuer Spanish Grand Prix Pick: Kimi Antonelli, Yes 37¢​

There is a great AFC Week 1 game on tap on Sunday afternoon when Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills face CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans at Reliant (formerly NRG) Stadium (Hellas Matrix Turf) in Houston (CBS, 1 ET/12 CT/10 PT). Both finished in 2nd place in their divisions in 2025.

In the NFL Week 1 Bills vs. Texans market at Kalshi, pro football traders are backing RB James Cook and the Bills (51% ) against RB David Montgomery and the Texans (49%) equally. The Total is 45.5, with the Point Spread seeing the Bills win by over -1.5 Points (Yes 50¢, No 51¢).

Buffalo was good on the Road last season (5-3), but Houston was better at Home (7-2), and has one of the fiercest D’s (17.4 PPG, #2) in the NFL with Will Anderson Jr., Jadeveon Clowney, Azeez Al-Shaair (115 tackles), Danielle Hunter (15 sacks), and DBs Derek Stingley and Jalen Pitre.

🚦Trading Thoughts: Putting human eyes on the last 10 meetings in this series, we see the Texans have surprisingly won the majority of the games (7-3 SU), but the Bills have gotten the money more times Against The Spread (ATS), going 6-4-0, although the Texans have covered the last 2.

What sticks out is the low-scoring nature of this series, with the Total (Over/Under) seeing 7 Unders and 3 Overs in those 10, with the Under (barely) winning last year at Houston (HOU 23-19, 44.5) and going 4-1-0 in the L5 series meetings, and 6 straight times is Houston.

With this being the first game of the new season and rust likely, the Texans (11-7-1 under in 2025) are so good on defense and at home, and neither team wanting to lose its 2026 regular-season opener, let’s alternate the Total up by 2 points and suggest betting Under 47.5 at Reliant Stadium.

🏈NFL Week 1 Sunday Total Pick: Bills-Texans Over 46.5 Points Scored, No, 56¢​

The Chase continues this weekend with the running of the 240-lap, 300-mile NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 from World Wide Technology Raceway (Asphalt) in Madison, Illinois, outside of St. Louis on Sunday afternoon (TV—USA, HBO Max, Radio—SiriusXM, MRN, 6 EDT/5 CDT/3 PDT).

A year ago in the 2025 Illinois 300, the magic #11 Denny Hamlin won in the Land of Lincoln, notching his 59th career win on the circuit and manufacturer Toyota’s 200th checkered flag. Appropriately chasing Hamlin were Chase Briscoe (2nd place) and Chase Elliott (3rd place).

Denny Hamlin (36%) still leads the NASCAR Cup Series championship. Trading at the popular sports prediction market Kalshi, with the buying public thinking Ryan Blaney (13%) has the best chance to catch Hamlin. He won’t. This race is figuratively over..

At Kalshi in the Enjoy Illinois 300 Winner? Trade on September 9, traders were backing Christopher Bell (18%), Denny Hamlin (17%), and Ryan Blaney (16%), with veteran NASCAR drivers Joey Logano (10%) and Kyle Larson (9%) also getting some WD-40 in their motors.

🕯️Trading Thoughts: This will be the 28th race of the NASCAR Cup Series season, and Toyotas have dominated with 14 wins (Chevrolet 6, Ford 5), so riding the horsepower in the direction he is going seems easier than trying to cherry-pick a longshot with a sexy looking price, mon ami.

At the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, SC, in the first race of The Chase and the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs on Sunday, September 6, Christopher Bell finally won his first race of the year, with Gibbs (2nd), Reddick (3rd), Blaney (4th), and Larson (5th) following.

The Chase resumes next weekend with the running of the 500-lap, 266.5-mile NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night race from iconic Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee, on Sunday, September 19 (TV—USA, HBO Max, Radio—SiriusXM, 10:30 EDT/9:30 CDT/7:30 PDT).

🏁NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 Winner Picks: Denny Hamlin, Yes 17¢

In this newborn, baby-fresh-smelling 2026 NFL Regular Season, the Sunday Night Football opener is an NFC East showdown conspiracy: the Dallas Cowboys face the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium (FieldTurf CORE) in East Rutherford, NJ on Sunday (NBC, 8:20 EDT/5:20 PDT).​

The Cowboys (7-9-1, -40 PD) and Giants (4-13, -58 PD) both sucked in 2025, and if the Eagles (11-6-0, +54 PD) fall off, the NFC East may challenge the NFC South for the worst division in the NFL. All eyes here will be on the QBs (Prescott, Dart) and how they perform.​

At Robinhood Predictions in the NFL Week 1 Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants winner, the NFC East opener from the Big Apple, Dallas (61¢) was the traders' choice, with New York (41¢) on September 9. The Point Spread is 2.5 (Cowboys) with the game’s Total at 47.5 at Kalshi.

🕯️Trading Thoughts: The Giants welcomed back veteran WR Odell Beckham Jr., and if electric WR Malik Nabers (Knee) can play, Ole Miss product Dart will have a nice choice of targets in those two, along with Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney, ND rookie Malachi Fields, and TE Isaiah Likely.​

Lifetime, Dallas is 78-48-2 vs. the Giants, and 10-2 this decade vs. NY, although the G-Men won the last meeting, snapping a 9-game Dallas winning streak. The Cowboys have won 10 straight vs. NYG at JerryWorld, so remember that for when they play again on January 3, 2027.​

CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and the Cowboys had a profitable 12-4-1 record to the Over in 2025—the best in the NFL—and the two meetings last season saw 77 (OT) and 51 points. RB Cam Skattebo and the host Giants were tied for the NFL’s second-best Over record, going 11-6-0.​

🏈NFL Week 1 SNF Totals Pick: Cowboys-Giants Over 46.5 points scored, Yes 56¢

The Monday Night Football opener in the 2026 NFL Regular Season gives us an AFC West showdown between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium (NorthBridge Bermudagrass) in Kansas City, Missouri, on Monday (ABC, ESPN, 8:15 ET/5:15 PT).​

The Chiefs had a miserable 2025 and return legendary HC Andy Reid (68), mended QB Patrick Mahomes (31 in a week), and newly married Swiftie Travis Kelce (37 on October 5), so young buck and Super Bowl MVP RB Kenneth Walker III (SEA) will have to carry the older men this campaign.​

At Novig, you can trade on the Broncos vs. Chiefs Week 1 game, where Kansas City (58%) was the favorite on the Moneyline and Denver (44%) the road underdog. On September 1, the Chiefs were 2.5-point favorites (53%) on the Spread, with the Total (Over/Under) at 43.5u (Under 54%).​

🕯️Trading Thoughts: The Broncos (15.1 PPG #9) have one of the better defenses in the league, but QB Bo Nix and the offense are, and probably will be, the big question in the Mile High City this year and next. As Bo goes, so will the Broncos, but this team threw for 3,807 passing yards in 2025.​

Lifetime, KC is 73-49 vs. Denver. In this decade, the Chiefs hold an 8-4 advantage, winning the season series from 2020-2022, splitting in 2023 and 2024, and then getting swept by the Broncos last season. The game at Arrowhead had 33 points (DEN 20-13) and helped Denver win the West.​

The Chiefs have turned into a dead Under team, with all 3 Preseason games going Under (32, 31, 18) after playing 9 of 10 Unders to end the season. That’s 12 Unders in 13 games. The last 6 games in this series (33-27-38-30-41-33) have all been low-scoring, and all went Under (6-0-0).​

🏈NFL Week 1 MNF Totals Pick: Broncos-Chiefs Over 44.5 Points Scored, No 54¢

➠”In the next issue, we’ll look at the premiere of The Traitors US, the Fed’s upcoming meeting and rate hike decision, Kalshi partners with UTSA and may offer up Oil perps, and have previews for the 2026 Campeones Cup, the Lions and Bills game on TNF, and the NCAAF Miami-Wake Forest game on Friday.”