June 30, 2026 4:26 am
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Sportsbook operators are seeing record betting on this year’s World Cup. The event is in North America, allowing U.S. audiences to watch live. And the U.S. team has high expectations after winning its first two matches. Caesars Sportsbook’s Mark Bickerdike says the betting has exceeded expectations. DraftKings’ Johnny Avello compares the wagering to the NCAA Tournament, saying it could be the biggest event of the year. BetMGM’s Christian Cipollini expects the U.S. game against Bosnia-Herzegovina to be the sportsbook’s most bet-on soccer game ever. France and Argentina are favorites, but long-shot bets are also popular.
June 29, 2026 4:24 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ryan O’Hearn homered twice and drove in four runs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 9-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. The win helped the Pirates avoid a series sweep. O’Hearn put Pittsburgh ahead 5-4 in the fifth inning with a 421-foot drive. After a rain delay in the eighth, he hit a three-run shot to make it 8-4. Esmerlyn Valdéz also homered for the third straight game. Mitch Keller pitched six innings, allowing four runs for the win. Tyler Callihan also homered for the Pirates, who scored four runs in the second inning before recording an out.
June 29, 2026 4:26 am
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Eustáquio scored in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, and Canada beat South Africa 1-0 for its first knockout match victory in a World Cup. A tense match appeared to be headed for extra time until Eustáquio put a stunning volley from outside the penalty area into the bottom corner of Ronwen Williams’ net. Eustáquio plays professionally for Los Angeles FC several miles away from SoFi Stadium. Canada hung on with strong defensive play in the final minutes and advanced to face the Netherlands or Morocco in Houston on Saturday, July 4.
June 29, 2026 4:25 am
CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler celebrated as though he won and it must have felt that way. He made an 8-foot par putt on the 18th hole to force a playoff with Viktor Hovland at the Travelers Championship. That will have to wait until Monday. The final round was stopped for 90 minutes because of storms at the TPC River Highlands. Hovland had three straight birdies to catch Scheffler and they finished with three pars. The delay meant it was too dark to contest even one playoff hole. That means they will return Monday morning to complete the final signature event.
June 28, 2026 7:02 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Eugenio Suárez hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning that rallied the Cincinnati Reds to a 9-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Trying to protect a one-run lead, Gregory Soto let the first two Reds batters reach safely in the ninth before getting Sal Stewart to ground into a double play. Soto then walked JJ Bleday in front of Suárez, who drove a 2-2 sinker below the strike zone 344 feet the other way to right field. Chase Petty retired the side in order in the ninth for his first major league save. Suárez’s homer came after Esmerlyn Valdéz put Pittsburgh ahead 7-6 with a pinch-hit homer off Caleb Ferguson in the eighth.
June 28, 2026 7:00 am
The Pittsburgh Penguins selected forward Liam Ruck with their top pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Ruck was taken as the 22nd overall selection in the first round. The 6-foot, 174-pound forward recorded 104 points in 68 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League in 2025-26. Ruck, 18, ranked second in the WHL in points and goals and fifth in assists this past season. Ruck also tallied 12 points (8G-4A) in 14 WHL playoff games. He was named to the WHL (East) First All-Star Team. In parts of three seasons in the WHL, all with Medicine Hat, he registered 71 goals, 76 assists and 147 points in 132 career games. Then in their first pick in the second round (39th overall), the Penguins chose Ruck’s twin brother Markus.
June 28, 2026 7:32 am
LONDON (AP) — Where else would she play? Wimbledon has confirmed that Serena Williams’ first match at the grass-court Grand Slam since 2022 will take place on Centre Court on Tuesday evening. The 44-year-old Williams, a seven-time Wimbledon champion making a tennis comeback, will face 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia. Defending champion Iga Swiatek opens play on Centre Court on Tuesday (1:30 p.m. local time), in keeping with tradition, against Taylor Townsend. That’s to be followed by Taylor Fritz vs. home favorite Jack Draper. And then Williams-Joint.
June 28, 2026 7:31 am
CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Viktor Hovland waited until the final hole to take the lead over Scottie Scheffler in the Travelers Championship. The Norwegian star was one shot behind until hitting a sand wedge to 6 feet on the 18th hole for a 64. Scheffler three-putted from 25 feet on the fringe and made bogey. Hovland has plenty of support at the TPC River Highlands from a contingent of jersey-wearing fans who were at the World Cup in Boston the day before. The next closest players to Hovland are five back. But he says Sunday could produce a low score by anyone.
June 28, 2026 7:29 am
Iran has been eliminated from the World Cup, narrowly failing to advance past the group stage in a politically charged tournament where the team played its matches amid tight restrictions imposed by the United States. Iran missed the round of 32 by one spot in heartbreaking fashion. It finished third in Group G with three points earned with draws against Belgium, New Zealand and Egypt. Iran appeared to have advanced via tiebreakers when Algeria scored a stunning stoppage-time goal to go ahead of Austria 3-2 Saturday night, but Austria tied it back up seconds later on the game’s final play. Their draw ensured Iran’s elimination.
June 28, 2026 7:28 am
EAST RUTHERFORD, N,.J. (AP) — Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored early in the second half, lifting England over Panama 2-0 and into what appears to be a more favorable bracket for the World Cup’s knockout phrase. Bellingham put the Three Lions ahead in the 62nd minute from Bukayo Saka’s corner kick. Held in bear hug by Jorge Gutiérrez at the top of the 6-yard box, Bellingham stuck out his left leg and stabbed the ball past goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera for his third World Cup goal, his second this year. Five minutes later, Kane became England’s record World Cup scorer with his 11th goal, one more than Gary Lineker.
