Sports will forever be the ultimate reality show. It’s an entertainment option with organic results, although some fans accuse certain leagues of pre-determined outcomes. Nevertheless, the most challenging professional sports to predict should provide entertainment value for someone with no rooting interest.
Golf
Golf is so difficult to predict because there’s only one winner in a field of hundreds. It was easier to narrow down a list of potential winners when Tiger Woods was in his prime, but those days are past. Your top dogs, such as Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, and Rory McIlroy, are still in the field. However, no one had a better head and shoulders than Woods. The favorite for most golf tournaments will be 7:1, and your guess is as good as the oddsmakers.
College Basketball
If this year’s NCAA Tournament proved anything, it’s that no one has a clue what will happen in a college basketball game. The fact that people weren’t surprised when the #16 seed defeated a #1 seed tells you everything you need to know about the sport’s unpredictable nature. And if that’s not enough, how about one of the best mid-majors to root for—the #9 Florida Atlantic Owls—being seconds away from playing in the national title game?
You’ll look at the scores every night during the college basketball season and scratch your head. The only thing that seems consistent about the game is the home team having a massive edge regardless of talent.
NFL Football
Many people joke that the NFL stands for “Not For Long,” implying that no team will sit atop the throne for an extended period. Although the Kansas City Chiefs scoff at that notion, it’s generally accurate. Even if a team looks unbeatable on paper, all it takes is any given Sunday to drop the ball and lose to an inferior team. Selecting straight winners is enough of a challenge, and it becomes impossible when you factor in point spreads and whatnot.
Regular Season Baseball
There are 162 games in an MLB season, so the variance between each game is higher than in any other sport. Most baseball fans think any team will win 60 and lose 60, no matter who’s on their roster. What a team does in those other 42 games is the difference. Even everything you need to know about the 2023 MLB season won’t help you predict its outcomes, as the heavy favorite could always lose. Baseball games are the ultimate coin flip, which is why there’s minimal long-term gain in staking your claim in regular season contests.
Competition thrives in professional sports, making some of the most challenging sports to predict enjoyable to watch. Because who doesn’t love when the little guy can take down the big, bad favorite?
