Published on: July 15, 2026
In the lead-up to UFC 329, the STN Sports Books is taking bets at a breakneck pace. The main event fight, unfortunately, ended at speeds that even Usain Bolt couldn’t match. Although the Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway fight will go down as a 69-second fight, it was really over within the first few seconds, when the Irishman’s knee appeared to buckle before a kamikaze kick attempt, which missed. Had McGregor been successful, the Books would have seen red. Early money favored Holloway, but day-of-fight money was overwhelmingly on McGregor. “There were some larger bets that came in on Holloway, but the masses just backed McGregor,” said Chuck Esposito, Station Casinos Race and Sports Book Director. “Every $10 and $20 ticket at the counter had McGregor on it. You got the point where the decision was pretty hefty.” It was McGregor’s first fight in five years, and he entered as a significant underdog. “We actually needed Holloway, so it was a good outcome for us. It would’ve probably been one of the larger UFC losses ever had McGregor won,” Esposito added. With all that in mind, let’s quickly review the past week in sports and peek at what’s ahead on the STN Sports App and the STN Sports Books…
World Cup
The 2026 World Cup has been one for the books… the record books. There has never been a larger overall handle regarding a soccer tournament. “There’s no comparison to anything I can remember, especially with all the large bets we’ve seen,” Esposito said. Although the top four seeds — Spain, France, England and Argentina — made it to the semifinals, four teams that guests favored heavily, a number of knockout-stage upsets changed the dynamic for the house. “The guests got us pretty good in the group stage, but it just kind of leveled out a bit, so I’d say overall it was kind of a win-win for everyone.” It’s true: The World Cup has been a bigger hit than Tyler Herro took from Bam Adebayo at Summer League. The Book, though, was smiling on Tuesday when Spain bested France. “We were big Spain fans for that one,” Esposito said. “We’re in really good shape with Spain.”
MLB
It’s an age-old adage: Chicks dig the long ball, but so does everyone else. On Monday night, Major League Baseball held its annual Home Run Derby, and it was electric, as Cardinals star Jordan Walker out-homered Kyle Schwarber at Philly’s Citizens Bank Park. In regard to ancillary All-Star game events, regardless of sport, the Derby takes the cake. “The Home Run Derby is by far the best one that draws the largest handle and the most interest,” Esposito said. “It draws bigger crowds in the Book than, say, the NFL flag football game or the NBA Slam Dunk contest, and even in hockey Skills games.” Schwarber and Las Vegas native Bryce Harper led the guest ticket counts going into the long ball competition, but it was Walker who launched more long balls than a Fourth of July fireworks show. With so many teams clinging to playoff hopes via the wild card, there is no shortage of teams looking for a trade deadline upgrade, but who needs it most? Which squad is one player away from making a legitimate championship run? The answer may be the Chicago Cubs. Chicago’s North Side team entered the All-Star Break five games out of first place but leading the Wild Card standings. Just imagine their record if they could stay healthy! “Their pitching has been just decimated in their bullpen,” Esposito said. “If they were able to pick up a Chapman and Sonny Gray from the Red Sox, you get a starter who could be your top-line starter, and you get a closer, and they’re still 12 games above .500.” At the deadline, the Cubs could make more deals than a World Series of Poker croupier. “The Cubs have had multiple 10-game winning streaks this year and a 10-game losing streak. They’re just one team that comes to mind because of all the injuries.”
Bets To Know
Spain and Argentina meet in a colossal World Cup Final matchup, and the STN Sports betting menu will be there to match it. Keep an eye out for Goal Scorers, matchup props, and hundreds of other betting combinations to look at in the app, on top of live wagering action. We’ll see you Sunday at noon.
Weekly Winner
The big wins were rolling in last week, and one standout ticket came from the baseball diamond. A lucky player turned a $20 wager into more than $2,500 after cashing a 7-team baseball parlay. It took a perfect sweep across all seven games, but when the final out was recorded, the long-shot ticket delivered a huge payday and earned its place as this week’s winning bet.