California has more professional sports teams than any other state, which means there's a team for everyone to root for, no matter your taste. Even if you only count the teams at the highest level of competition in their respective sports, including 3 football teams, 5 basketball teams, 5 baseball teams, 3 hockey teams, and 4 soccer teams!

In the last decade alone, these California teams have won nine championships, almost one per year! Californians sure do love their pro sports teams. We expect big bets to be placed on these California teams soon!

NFL Betting in California

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers are one of the NFL's premier franchises. They've won five Super Bowls, tied for third-most all-time, with all five Super Bowl wins between 1981 and 1994 under Hall of Fame quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young. San Francisco also ranks third all-time with seven Super Bowl appearances, and the 49ers have played in and hosted the most NFC Championship games. No matter how you slice it, the 49ers stack up with every great NFL franchise. In February 2020, San Francisco came within one-quarter of yet another Super Bowl win.

Perhaps appropriately, the 49ers joined the NFL in 1949, exactly 100 years after the gold rush the team is named after. They were the first major professional sports team in San Francisco. The 49ers played over four decades at Candlestick Park in San Francisco before moving to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara in 2014. Kyle Shanahan coaches san, Francisco.

Official San Francisco 49ers Website | Schedule | Roster

San Francisco 49ers Rivalry #1: vs. Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks may not be San Francisco's biggest historic rival, but there's little question that they're the 49ers' top rival these days. The teams have played in the NFC West together since 2002. Still, the rivalry didn't really pick up until earlier this decade when 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll brought their former college rivalry (Harbaugh at Stanford, Carroll at USC) the pros in an intense, hard-hitting rivalry. The rivalry has continued under Kyle Shanahan. The 49ers and Seahawks play at least twice a season, and the meetings almost always carry on the divisional race.

Seattle Seahawks | Schedule | Roster

San Francisco 49ers Rivalry #2: vs. Dallas Cowboys. If you watched any football at all in the 90s, you know there was no bigger rivalry in football than the 49ers and Cowboys. The teams met 8 times between 1993 and 1997, including three straight NFC Championship Games, with the winner going on to win the Super Bowl each time. The teams also played in back-to-back NFC Championship Games in 1971-72 and then again in 1982, when Joe Montana completed the famous game-winning pass to Dwight Clark in the final minute known as The Catch. The Cowboys lead the all-time series and have won five of seven postseason meetings, though the teams haven't met in the playoffs since the third of those three NFC Championships in 1995.

Dallas Cowboys | Schedule | Roster

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams are the only NFL franchise to win a championship in three different cities, though two of them came before the Super Bowl era. The Los Angeles Rams won the championship in 1951 in the first iteration of the LA team, and that team had moved over from the Cleveland Rams, which won a title in 1945. The St. Louis Rams won the franchise's only Super Bowl in 1999 under Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner and the high-scoring "Greatest Show on Turf" offense.

The Rams first came to Los Angeles in 1946 immediately after winning a title, the only time an NFL championship team has played the following season in another city. The Rams played in LA until leaving for St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1994 season. They played there through 2015 before moving back to Los Angeles, where they play again today. The franchise has played in four Super Bowls, twice as St. Louis and twice as LA, most recently in 2019.

The Rams have found their permanent home in beautiful new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, which opened in September 2020 and is also home to the LA Chargers. The Rams are coached by the young whiz kid, Sean McVay.

Official Los Angeles Rams Website | Schedule | Roster

Los Angeles Rams Rivalry: vs. San Francisco 49ers. Because the 49ers have moved around so much over the years, it's difficult to nail down one specific lasting rival. Their northern neighbors are probably as close as it comes, particularly because of the longstanding Northern vs. Southern California rivalry in sports and culture. That geographic rivalry wore off while the Rams were in St. Louis but are ramping up again. It was especially strong in the 1970s when the teams first became division rivals and competed regularly for the NFC West title. The Rams dominated the series early, but the 49ers now lead the all-time series. San Francisco won the only playoff matchup in the 1989 NFC Championship Game.

San Francisco 49ers | Schedule | Roster

Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers were one of the charter members of the American Football League (AFL). They began to play in Los Angeles for one season before moving to San Diego and joined the NFL in the merger in 1970. The team played in San Diego for most of the franchise's duration but returned to LA again for the start of the 2017 season, one year after the Rams had returned to Los Angeles after many years in St. Louis, Missouri. The Chargers were among the top franchises in the AFL, playing in the AFL Championship Game four times and winning a title in 1963. They've played in only one Super Bowl, losing their in-state rival San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX in 1995.

As of September 2020, the Chargers now play in the gorgeous new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, which they share with the LA Rams. The stadium will host the 2022 Super Bowl, the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship, and the 2028 Summer Olympics. The Chargers are coached by Anthony Lynn and appear to have found their franchise quarterback in rookie Justin Herbert.

Official Los Angeles Chargers Website | Schedule | Roster

Los Angeles Chargers Rivalry: vs. Las Vegas Raiders. The Chargers and Raiders were charter members of the AFL together in 1960 and have always played in the AFC West together since joining the NFL. This rivalry has long been the AFC version of Northern vs. Southern California, with the Raiders representing Oakland in the north and the Chargers repping San Diego in the south. Oddly enough, now that both teams have moved and the Raiders play in Las Vegas, Nevada, the teams are actually 350 miles closer together now. The Raiders lead the all-time series and won the only playoff meeting in 1981.

Las Vegas Raiders | Schedule | Roster

Recommended Resource: How to Bet on Football Guide

NBA Betting in California

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are champions again! Lakers fans waited a whole decade for another ring. Finally, they won their 17th championship in October 2020 when LeBron James and Anthony Davis led the franchise back to the top of the league for the first time since Kobe Bryant won his final ring in 2010. It tells you all you need to know about the Lakers franchise that 10 years is considered a championship drought, but when you've won 17 titles in three-quarters of a century, 10 years is a long time.

The Lakers were an NBA dynasty from the jump. As the Minneapolis Lakers, the team was the league's first dynasty under George Mikan, winning five titles between 1949 and 1954. They moved to Los Angeles in 1960 and appeared in eight Finals without a victory, most of them led by Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, and most of them coming shortly to the Boston Celtics. The team finally broke through for another ring in 1972 when Wilt Chamberlain led the team to its first LA title. The next Lakers championship came in 1980 with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and a rookie Magic Johnson, and the Showtime Lakers would go on to win five titles in the 80s. Then it was another drought before Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant led the team to a threepeat from 2000-02, with Kobe adding two more titles in 2009 and 2010, leading to LeBron 2020. That's a whole lot of NBA legends in one paragraph and a whole lot of rings.

You cannot tell the history of the NBA without the Los Angeles Lakers, or even a decade of it. Any list of all-time greats is dotted with players who played for the Lakers up and down the list. Lakers purple and gold are as recognizable as any brand in the league, and the Buss family still owns the team. The Lakers played many years at The Forum in Inglewood before the team moved to the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles in 1999. The champs are coached by Frank Vogel and will look to defend their title under LeBron James and Anthony Davis whenever the new season begins.

Official Los Angeles Lakers Website | Roster | Schedule

Los Angeles Lakers Rivalry: vs. Boston Celtics. There's no bigger rivalry in the NBA than Lakers versus Celtics. The two franchises have combined to win 34 of 74 championships through 2000, 17 each, and nearly half the league's titles between them. The Lakers and Celtics have met in the NBA Finals 12 different times, with the matchup practically an annual occurrence in the 1960s and then coming back strong again in the 1980s. First, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor against Bill Russell and Bob Cousy, then Magic and Kareem vs. Larry Bird and Robert Parish. The Celtics won the first eight Finals meetings before the Lakers finally beat them in 1985. LA has won three of the last four but trails the overall series both in the playoffs and all-time.

The rivalry remains one of the biggest in American sports. When you have as much history as the Lakers, any number of teams could call themselves your rival. But when it comes to the Lakers, there can only be one: Lakers and Celtics forever.

Boston Celtics | Roster | Schedule

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers are LA's "other" team, though they're always trying hard to close the gap with big brother. The franchise began as the Buffalo Braves, an NBA expansion team in 1970. They had renamed the Clippers when they moved to San Diego in 1978, but the one consistent thing was that the team didn't find much success. The Clippers moved to Los Angeles in 1984 and still struggled to win or steal much of the Lakers fan base. Former owner Donald Sterling moved them to LA and had a long, controversial stay with the team before the NBA banned him in April 2014.

A new era dawned upon the Clippers over the past decade. First, it was the "Lob City" Clippers under Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, and now Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have the team dreaming big. The Clippers have still never made the NBA Finals, the oldest such franchise in the league, but they dream of getting their soon with Kawhi and PG. Los Angeles made a coaching change after a disappointing 2020 playoff exit, so they'll start next season under new head coach, Tyronn Lue. The Clippers play their home games at the Staples Center in LA, the only NBA team to share an arena. Someday, they'll hope to hang a banner of their own next to all those Lakers ones.

Official Los Angeles Clippers Website | Roster | Schedule

Los Angeles Clippers Rivalry: vs. Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers have won 17 NBA championships. The Clippers have won six playoff series. Suffice to say this rivalry is a bit one-sided, and that the Clippers certainly consider the Lakers their rival far more than the other way around. It must be hard playing in the same arena every night, looking up at all those championship banners hanging in the rafters. The best the Clippers can offer is a pair of division titles and a few "led a series 3-1" banners, at least for now. The LA rivals have never met in the playoffs, though the Clippers certainly believe they'll change that soon with Kawhi and PG in town. First, they're going to have to make it far enough in the playoffs to play them. One thing is for certain: it'll be a Staples Center war when they do.

Los Angeles Lakers | Roster | Schedule

Golden State Warriors

Without any question, the Warriors have been the NBA's best team of the last half-decade. Golden State exploded onto the scene in 2015 when Stephen Curry won MVP and led the team to their first NBA Finals in 40 years, helping the Warriors win the championship. The following season, the Warriors had the best regular season in NBA history with Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson, going 73-9 and coming without one game of a second straight championship before falling to Cleveland. That summer, Kevin Durant joined the Warriors, and they went on to win the next two championships. Golden State was only the second NBA franchise to make five straight NBA Finals, winning three titles.

It had been a long time waiting for the Ws. The franchise began as the Philadelphia Warriors in 1946, winning the inaugural Basketball Association of America (BAA) championship and winning another title (now in the NBA) in 1956. The Warriors moved to San Francisco in 1962 but lucked into Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain before leaving Philly. They traded him away in 1965 but drafted Rick Barry soon after. Barry led the Warriors back to the NBA Finals in 1967 and again in 1975, helping them win the title in '75 over the heavily favored Washington Bullets in one of the biggest Finals upsets in league history.

The Warriors struggled through the 80s, enjoyed fun rides with Run TMC in the 90s and the We Believe Warriors in the 00s, and then exploded with Splash Brothers, Steph, and Klay. Kevin Durant is gone now, but with Curry and Thompson back healthy, the Warriors look poised to contend again in 2021. Steve Kerr coaches golden State. They play their home games in the brand new Chase Center in San Francisco.

Official Golden State Warriors Website | Roster | Schedule

Golden State Warriors Rivalry #1: vs. Cleveland Cavaliers. Suffice to say; this is a very recent rivalry and one that may already be over. The Warriors and Cavs met in four straight NBA Finals from 2015 through 2016. Golden State won three of the four but probably lost the most important one, with the Cavs memorably returning from a 3-1 Finals deficit to shock the 73-9 Warriors. With LeBron James now gone, the rivalry probably is too. In fact, you could argue that the real #1 Warriors rival right now is simply LeBron James. Bring on the Lakers in 2021.

Cleveland Cavaliers | Roster | Schedule

Golden State Warriors Rivalry #2: vs. Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder are also a more recent rival for the Warriors, and that one extends both on and off the court. The Thunder were a thorn in Golden State's side with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and OKC's length and athleticism pushed the Warriors to the brink repeatedly and nearly knocked them out in the 2016 playoffs. That was the end of the games being close but only sparked the rivalry further when Kevin Durant left Oklahoma City for Golden State. Any return to Oklahoma was contentious with Durant around. Now that both KD and Russ are on new teams, this rivalry may be a thing of the past.

Oklahoma City Thunder | Schedule | Roster

Sacramento Kings

The Kings are most certainly California's fourth NBA team. The Kings are the only professional sports team in Sacramento, but they didn't always play in California. The franchise began in Rochester, New York, as the Rochester Royals and won the first National Basketball League championship in 1946. They won another championship in 1951, this time in the NBA. The Royals moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1957, then relocated again to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1972 and even played occasional home games in Omaha, Nebraska. That 1972 move was when the franchise renamed itself as the Kings. The Kings finally found their home in 1985 in Sacramento.

The Kings have never rediscovered their early NBA success. In fact, the team hasn't even been back to the NBA Finals since 1951, the league's second season, back when there were only nine teams. Sacramento was on the Finals' brink in 2002 before a crushing loss to the rival Los Angeles Lakers. The Kings haven't even been to the playoffs since 2006. Sacramento plays its home games at the Golden 1 Center. Luke Walton coaches the Kings.

Official Sacramento Kings Website | Roster | Schedule

Sacramento Kings Rivalry: vs. Los Angeles Lakers. It would be fair to call this a one-sided rivalry, with the Kings forever trying to catch up with LA. The Lakers ended Sacramento's best modern season devastatingly in 2002, knocking the Kings out of the playoffs a third straight season. The teams also met in five of the first NBA playoffs. They've met nine times overall, with the Kings winning only one series, though to be fair, they did win their lone franchise championship that season way back in 1951.

Los Angeles Lakers | Roster | Schedule

WNBA Betting in California

Los Angeles Sparks

The Sparks were one of the WNBA founding members when the league launched and played in its inaugural game on June 21, 1997, against the New York Liberty. The Sparks won their first WNBA championship in 2001, then won it again the following season, still the most recent back-to-back champions in league history. The Sparks added another championship in 2016, their third title tying them for fourth-most all-time in the WNBA.

The Sparks have played in five WNBA Finals and made the playoffs almost every year of their existence. Los Angeles has been home to some of the league's brightest stars over the year, like three-time MVP Lisa Leslie and two-time MVP Candace Parker. The Sparks' six WNBA MVPs are more than any other franchise. The team plays its home games in the Staples Center in Los Angeles and is coached by former LA Laker champion Derek Fisher.

Official Los Angeles Sparks Website | Roster | Schedule

Los Angeles Sparks Rivalry: vs. Minnesota Lynx. The Sparks and Lynx have become one of the best rivalries in the WNBA over the past decade. The teams repeatedly vying for the Western Conference and then WNBA crown, once the league reworked the playoffs specifically so these teams could meet for the championship. The rivals met in the playoffs four times in seven seasons between 2012 and 2018, including in back-to-back Finals in 2016-17. The Lynx won three of the five playoff series, but the teams split the titles.

Minnesota Lynx | Roster | Schedule

Recommended Resource: How to Bet On Basketball Guide

MLB Betting in California

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers are World Series Champions!! Dodgers fans waited 32 long years for another title, but the drought is finally over. The Dodgers went 43-17 in the pandemic-shortened season, best in the majors and a record win pace. They swept the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres the first two rounds of the playoffs before falling behind 3-1 to the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series. But these Dodgers would not quit! They came back to win the next three and head to their third World Series in four years, then finished the job by beating the Tampa Bay Rays in six. Corey Seager was named World Series MVP, while longtime players like Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner, and Cody Bellinger finally got their title.

This is the Dodgers' seventh championship and sixth since moving to LA, and it was their 24th pennant, most of any team in the National League. Everything about the Dodgers franchise is historic. The Brooklyn Dodgers helped Jackie Robinson break the color barrier in 1947. When the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958, they became the first MLB team ever to play in LA. They were the first West Coast team and the first Western team to win a World Series, the first team broadcast on television, and the first to use batting helmets. The list goes on and on for one of the most historic franchises in baseball.

The franchise began as the Brooklyn Grays in 1883 and went through several names before playing as the Brooklyn Dodgers for many decades at historic Ebbets Field. Now that they're in LA, the Dodgers have played their home games at Dodger Stadium in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles since 1958. It's the oldest MLB stadium west of the Mississippi and third oldest overall. The Dodgers are managed by Dave Roberts and will gear up next fall with hopes of yet another trip to the World Series.

Official Los Angeles Dodgers Website | Roster | Schedule

Los Angeles Dodgers Rivalry #1: vs. San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers and Giants are one of baseball's oldest and most historic rivalries. The rivalry started when both teams played in New York City, the Dodgers in Brooklyn and the Giants in Manhattan, but both teams moved to the West Coast at the same time and kept the rivalry going there. This is one of many Northern vs. Southern California rivalries in and out of sports, and it has historically been one of the most balanced rivalries in sports. The Dodgers just passed the Giants in 2020 for most National League pennants, while the Giants remain one ahead in the World Series championship count. The NL West foes play many times every year and have faced over 2,500 times in history, with the Giants hold the narrowest of leads in the all-time series, winning 50.4% of the games through the 2020 season.

San Francisco Giants | Schedule | Roster

Los Angeles Dodgers Rivalry #2: vs. New York Yankees. Like the Giants, the Yankees are an old Dodgers rival dating back to their days together in New York City. The teams were always huge rivals when the Dodgers played in Brooklyn, facing off in the World Series six times between 1947 to 1956. The rivalry maintained its intensity even when the Dodgers moved to LA, with the Yankees and Dodgers meeting four more times in the World Series since the move. The teams have met 11 times in the World Series, more than any other foes, with the Dodgers winning only three times. Their last World Series meeting was in 1981, and the teams did not play again in a non-exhibition game until the introduction of interleague play in 2004. That helps keep the rivalry alive today... until the inevitable next World Series meetup.

New York Yankees | Schedule | Roster

Los Angeles Dodgers Rivalry #3: vs. Los Angeles Angels. This "crosstown" rivalry is not crosstown since the Angels do not play in Los Angeles and never have since 1965. The Angels used to be the Anaheim Angels before changing their name to the confusing "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" in the earlier part of this century. Dodgers fans love to ridicule Angels fans by calling themselves the "Los Angeles Dodgers of Los Angeles." The Freeway Series is called much because fans can drive down Interstate 5 from one stadium to another. The Angels lead the all-time series, but the teams have never played in the postseason.

Los Angeles Angels | Schedule | Roster

Los Angeles Angels

The Los Angeles Angels are technically still the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, though most have stopped including those two words in the official name. The Angels still play their home games at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, and they've formerly been called the California Angels and the Anaheim Angels since their introduction into Major League Baseball as one of the league's first two expansion teams in 1961 by famous cowboy actor Gene Autry, the franchise's first owner.

The Angels have made the playoffs 10 times, six of them in the first decade of the 21st century. They've only ever made it once as a wild card in 2002, notable because those wild card Angels made it all the way to the only World Series appearance in franchise history and won the world title with the help of Garrett Anderson, Troy Glaus, Darin Erstad, and of course, the Rally Monkey. The Angels last appeared in the playoffs in 2014 but hope to be back soon with three-time MVP Mike Trout. Joe Maddon manages them.

Official Los Angeles Angels Website | Schedule | Roster

Los Angeles Angels Rivalry #1: vs. Texas Rangers. The Angels and Rangers have been AL West rivals for years, playing many times every season. They've also shared several key players like Nolan Ryan, Josh Hamilton, Vladimir Guerrero, and Mike Napoli, which has intensified the rivalry. The Angels and Rangers are also the only MLB teams to have pitched a perfect game against one another.

Texas Rangers | Schedule | Roster

Los Angeles Angels Rivalry #2: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers. The Angels and Dodgers play "the Freeway Series" since both teams' fans can create simply driveways down Interstate 5 to get from one team's stadium to the other. That makes this an obvious regional rivalry, though the teams have never met in the postseason and only ever play in interleague play. The rivalry also carries over with the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings in the NHL, called "the Freeway Face-Off." The Angels lead the all-time regular-season series.

Los Angeles Dodgers | Schedule | Roster

San Francisco Giants

The Giants are one of the oldest, most successful franchises in professional baseball. The Giants first played at the Polo Grounds in Manhattan as the New York Giants (and as the Gothams), and they have more wins than any team in any American sport. The Giants were the first modern professional sports team in New York City, and they also became the first MLB team to play on the West coast when they moved to San Francisco in 1958.

The Giants have won 23 National League pennants, most all-time until the Los Angeles Dodgers passed them in 2020. The Giants' 20 World Series appearances is also an NL record. They've won the World Series eight times, fifth-most of any franchise in baseball. The Giants went 56 years without a World Series title despite legends Willie Mays and Barry Bonds but finally broke through with a championship in 2010, then did it again in 2012 and again in 2014. That made the Giants only the second team in National League history to win three World Series in a five-year span.

The Giants moved from Candlestick Park to the new Oracle Park in 2000, just along San Francisco Bay and complete with McCovey Cove, where the best sluggers hit their home runs into the water. The Giants last made the playoffs in 2016 and are managed by Gabe Kapler.

Official San Francisco Giants Website | Roster | Schedule

San Francisco Giants Rivalry #1: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers. The Giants and Dodgers were the first two MLB teams to play on the West Coast, but this rivalry lasted for a long time before moving in the 1950s. The rivalry started on the East Coast, back when the Giants and Dodgers both played in New York City, with the Giants in Manhattan and the Dodgers in Brooklyn. This has been one of the most balanced and even rivalries in sports. The Giants have won more World Series win than the Dodgers, though the Dodgers just passed the Giants with one more National League pennant. The Giants also lead the all-time series with over 2,500 games played through the end of the 2020 season, winning 50.4% of the meetings.

Los Angeles Dodgers | Roster | Schedule

San Francisco Giants Rivalry #2: vs. Oakland Athletics. The Bay Bridge Series pits these two San Francisco Bay rivals against one another, and the rivalry peaked in 1989 when the Giants and Athletics met in the World Series. The A's swept the Giants, but the World Series was most memorable for the earthquake that shook San Francisco Bay just moments before Game 3 was about to begin and delayed the World Series. The teams also met in the World Series three other teams early in the 20th century while teams were still in New York and Philadelphia, with the Athletics winning three of four World Series meetings. The teams meet annually in interleague play now, and the Athletics lead the regular-season series.

Oakland Athletics | Schedule | Roster

Oakland Athletics

These days, most outside observers think of the Oakland Athletics as an underdog Moneyball team that's always a long shot in the playoffs, but it wasn't always this way. The Athletics franchise has won nine World Series titles. The first five championships came in Philadelphia, where the team began play in 1901. The team then moved to Kansas City in Philadelphia in 1955 but didn't win a title there. They finally headed west to Oakland in 1968 and ripped off three straight championships almost immediately in 1972-74. The Athletics' most recent championship came in 1989. The A's played in the World Series again in 1990, their most recent appearance, and have won 15 American League pennants.

Throughout all their stops, the team has always been called the Athletics, or A's. The Philadelphia Athletics were one of eight AL charter franchises, and they were managed their first five decades by legendary manager Connie Mack. The general public knows the Athletics best these days through Michael Lewis's Moneyball description of Oakland executive Billy Beane's unique style of analytics and team building, which continues to keep the team in contention annually despite a lack of resources. The A's have made six of the last nine playoffs. They are managed by Bob Melvin and have played their home games at the Oakland Coliseum since 1968.

Official Oakland Athletics Website | Roster | Schedule

Oakland Athletics Rivalry #1: vs. San Francisco Giants. The Bay Bridge Series is a unique rivalry that pits these San Francisco Bay rivals. The teams met three times in the World Series early in the 20th century when both teams were still on the East Coast, the Athletics in Philadelphia, and the Giants in New York. The Athletics won two of the three matchups. But their most well-known World Series came in 1989. The A's swept the Giants for their most recent championship, but the Series was memorable for a Game 3 earthquake that shook the Bay and delayed the World Series. Athletics fans prioritize the Giants as their top rival far more than the other way around, though some Bay area fans root for both teams. The A's lead the series.

San Francisco Giants | Roster | Schedule

Oakland Athletics Rivalry #2: vs. Philadelphia Phillies. The Philadelphia City Series is much more a historic rivalry than a current one. Remember, the Athletics played in Philadelphia for over five decades. They won a lot while they were there, which made them obvious rivals of the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League -- think Yankees-Mets or Cubs-Sox. But when the Athletics left for Kansas City and then Oakland, they moved further and further away. Between that and playing in opposite leagues, the rivalry effectively died off, though the teams still meet occasionally in interleague play.

Philadelphia Phillies | Schedule | Roster

San Diego Padres

The Padres were an expansion team in 1969, so they've played just over 50 years of baseball, all in San Diego. The Padres have only 15 winning seasons in franchise history as of 2020. They made the World Series in 1984 and 1998 but lost both times, making San Diego one of only six MLB teams that have never won a World Series. The Padres are also famously the only MLB team that has never thrown a no-hitter. It says something that the most well-known franchise figure over the years is probably the San Diego Chicken.

San Diego didn't make the playoffs until they won the NL West for the first time in 1984, making it all the way to the World Series before coming up short. The Padres have only made the playoffs six times ever, though they did make it there in 2020 and won their first postseason series since 1998. San Diego is the only city to have an MLB team but no other pro sports team, now that the Chargers have moved to Los Angeles.

The Padres play their home games at Petco Park in San Diego. They are managed by Jayce Tingler and have an exciting young core led by Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Wil Myers. Perhaps the next 50 Padres years will be better than the first 50.

Official San Diego Padres Website | Roster | Schedule

San Diego Padres Rivalry: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers. Let's be blunt: it's hard to have any rivalries when you're not any good. The Dodgers barely even acknowledge the Padres, but San Diego fans are out to beat their NL West rival, and the rivalry is starting to spark. The Padres swept the Dodgers to end the 1996 season and make the playoffs for their second time ever, and the teams had a memorable brawl in 2013. This year they met in the postseason for the first time, with the Dodgers sweeping the Padres en route to winning the World Series. The rivalry should only continue to build.

Los Angeles Dodgers | Schedule | Roster

Recommended Resource: How to Bet on Baseball Guide

NHL Betting in California

Los Angeles Kings

The Kings were one of six NHL expansion teams in 1967, bringing professional hockey to California for the first time. Though they've always played as the Los Angeles Kings, the team initially played its games at The Forum in Inglewood before moving to the Staples Center in downtown LA in 1999, which they share with the LA Lakers and LA Clippers (NBA).

The Kings put themselves on the national map when they traded for legendary Wayne Gretzky in 1988. Gretzky scored on his first shot with the Kings and won his ninth and final MVP his first year in LA. He led the Kings to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history in 1993, though LA never raised the Cup with Gretzky. Soon after, the Kings fell into financial distress and even declared bankruptcy in 1995. The team finally reemerged over the past decade and won its first two Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014 with stars Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty, Jonathan Quick, and others.

Former Kings defender Rob Blake, who starred next to Gretzky in the 90s, is the team's general manager now. Los Angeles, its coached by Todd McLellan.

Official Los Angeles Kings Website | Roster | Schedule

Los Angeles Kings Rivalry #1: vs. San Jose Sharks. The Sharks became LA's first California rival when they began to play in 1991, one of many rivalries pitting the cultural and regional differences between Northern and Southern California. The teams play in the same division and met in the playoffs four times in six seasons over the last decade, pushing the rivalry to its peak. The Sharks lead the regular-season matchup all-time, but the teams split those four playoff series, and the Kings won two Cups during that period while San Jose has yet to lift the Cup.

San Jose Sharks | Roster | Schedule

Los Angeles Kings Rivalry #2: vs. Anaheim Ducks. This rivalry is often called the "Freeway Face-Off" since fans in the LA metro area can travel from one team's arena to the other down Interstate 5. The Ducks have only played since 1993, so this rivalry does not have a long history, but it may arguably be LA's fiercest because of the regional rivalry. The teams have only met in the playoffs one time, with the Kings beating the Ducks in seven en route to winning the Stanley Cup in 2014. Anaheim leads the all-time series.

Anaheim Ducks | Roster | Schedule

Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks began to play as an NHL expansion team in 1993. They were originally the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, a reference to the popular 1992 Disney film, The Mighty Ducks. The team later simplified its name to the Anaheim Ducks in 2006, and the change must have brought them good luck. The Ducks lifted their first and only Stanley Cup after that season in 2007. That was Anaheim's second appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals, having played there in 2003. The Ducks have won their division six times and made it to the playoffs 14 times.

The Ducks have distanced themselves somewhat from The Mighty Ducks franchise these days, though they occasionally still play in alternate teal and black Mighty Ducks uniforms. These days the team's colors are black, metallic gold, and orange. The Ducks play their home games at the Honda Center in Anaheim. Dallas Eakins coaches them.

Official Anaheim Ducks Website | Roster | Schedule

Anaheim Ducks Rivalry: vs. Los Angeles Kings. Ducks fans need only travel down Interstate 5 to get from the Honda Center to the Staples Center, which is why fans in the Los Angeles metropolitan area call this the "Freeway Face-Off." Ducks fans hate the Kings, and games between the rivals are typically fierce and physical. Anaheim leads the all-time series, but the Kings won the teams' only playoff meeting in 2014 in seven games.

Los Angeles Kings | Roster | Schedule

San Jose Sharks

The Sharks began to play as an expansion team in 1991, the only NHL team located in the San Francisco Bay area. The Sharks won the Presidents' Trophy in the 2008-09 season, given the best regular-season record to the team. They reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2016, losing to Pittsburgh. To date, those are the high water marks for the franchise thus far, which has also won its division six times.

The Sharks are best known for their traditions, like playing the Jaws theme song during power plays and having the players skate onto the ice through a giant shark's mouth at the start of the game. The Sharks initially began play at the Cow Palace in Daly City but moved to the SAP Center in San Jose in 1993, where they play today. The local fans refer to home ice as the Shark Tank.

Official San Jose Sharks Website | Roster | Schedule

San Jose Sharks Rivalry: vs. Los Angeles Kings. When the Sharks launched their franchise in 1991, the Kings were an obvious and natural rival as the only other California team. The rivalry between Northern and Southern California is fierce and extends to other sports and beyond the sporting world into cultural and regional differences. The Sharks and Kings play in the same division and meet many times each season. They also met in the playoffs four times in six years at the start of the past decade, splitting the series. San Jose leads the all-time series and has been to the Stanley Cup Finals more recently.

Los Angeles Kings | Roster | Schedule

Recommended Resource: How to Bet On Hockey Guide

MLS Betting in California

Los Angeles Galaxy

The LA Galaxy is one of the most prestigious and successful clubs in the MLS. The Galaxy was one of 10 MLS charter members and began to play in 1996. Early on, the Galaxy played their games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, but they've played at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson since moving there in 2003. The Galaxy have played in the MLS Cup final nine times, lifting the Cup in five of them. They've also won four Supporters' Shields, two U.S. Open Cups, and one CONCACAF Champions' Cup. The Galaxy have only ever missed the MLS playoffs five times.

The Galaxy is as close as an MLS club that comes to Real Madrid and its Galacticos. The club opened a new era in the MLS when they signed David Beckham, a world-famous celebrity superstar, and by far the most well-known player in the MLS at the time. Since then, the Galaxy has also been home to other international stars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Steven Gerrard, Chicharito Hernandez, and Robbie Keane. The Galaxy was also home to American soccer great Landon Donovan, their all-time leading scorer. Dominic Kinnear coaches the Galaxy.

Official Los Angeles Galaxy Website | Roster | Schedule

Los Angeles Galaxy Rivalry #1: vs. Los Angeles FC. This is a new rivalry since LAFC has only played since 2018, but it's already one of the MLS fiercest. El Tráfico, as it is called -- a play on words from the epic Spanish rivalry, El Clásico -- pits these crosstown LA rivals against one another, and the matchups are almost always filled with fireworks. The rivals have played 10 times through 2020, with the Galaxy winning four and LAFC winning three, but LAFC has won both playoff meetings. Any El Tráfico has become must-see TV.

Los Angeles FC | Roster | Schedule

Los Angeles Galaxy Rivalry #2: vs. San Jose Earthquakes. San Jose is no longer the Galaxy's top rival with LAFC around, but the California Clásico is still a big one every time. These teams were both charter MLS members, so they've competed from the beginning, and each won a pair of MLS Cups in the early 2000s. The battle of Southern versus Northern California is not just regional but also cultural. The Galaxy leads the all-time series and dominates the silverware margin too.

San Jose Earthquakes | Roster | Schedule

Los Angeles FC

Los Angeles FC was a new expansion MLS team in 2014, announced just three days after Chivas USA was dissolved in the LA area. LAFC would be a fresh start, with new black and gold colors and a new state-of-the-art stadium. LAFC plays their home games at the beautiful open-air Banc of California Stadium in the Exposition Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.

LAFC had the best season for an MLS expansion club, earning 57 points and even making the playoffs in their inaugural season. The team was even better the following season, winning the Supporters' Shield in their second season with star scorer Carlos Vela picking up the Golden Boot. LAFC beat the rival LA Galaxy in the opening round of the MLS Cup playoffs but lost to Seattle in the Western Conference Finals. LAFC is coached by Bob Bradley and will hope to begin filling their trophy case soon.

Official Los Angeles FC Website | Roster | Schedule

Los Angeles FC Rivalry: vs. Los Angeles Galaxy. There was a little question when LAFC was founded who their top rival would be. The crosstown Galaxy has been hated rivals from the very start. The teams met in LAFC's third game ever, and LAFC blew a 3-0 lead to lose 4-3, the club's first-ever loss. The Galaxy have dominated the few regular-season meetings, but LAFC has won both playoff matchups so far. This bitter crosstown rivalry is dubbed El Tráfico, a pun on the Spanish rivalry, El Clásico. The teams have only played 10 times, but El Tráfico is already one of the best and most heated rivalries in the MLS.

Los Angeles Galaxy | Roster | Schedule

San Jose Earthquakes

San Jose was one of the MLS charter clubs in 1996, though they were the San Jose Clash to start. The Clash played in and won the first game in MLS history, then eventually changed their name to Earthquakes in 1999. The Quakes have won two Supporters' Shields and two MLS Cups. The team briefly moved to Houston as the Dynamo in 2006 but returned to San Jose in 2008. They play their home games in Earthquakes Stadium in San Jose. Matias Almeyda coaches the Quakes.

Official San Jose Earthquakes Website | Roster | Schedule

San Jose Earthquakes: vs. Los Angeles Galaxy. The California Clásico is one of the most historic rivalries in the MLS, pitting Northern and Southern California against one another in a regional and cultural battle. The rivalry was especially strong in the early 2000s when the teams won a pair of MLS Cups and battled for league supremacy. The Galaxy leads the all-time series, but the teams have split 10 MLS Cup playoff matches.

Los Angeles Galaxy | Roster | Schedule

NWSL Betting in California

Angel City FC

Angel City FC is a new expansion team coming to the NWSL in 2022, and they will be the first NWSL team in California. The team has a majority female ownership group led by actor Natalie Portman. Other founding members of Angel City include soccer stars Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Abby Wambach, Lauren Holiday, and other names like Billie Jean King, Serena Williams, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Garner, Jessica Chastain, Candace Parker, and Lindsey Vonn. Angel City does not have a logo or team colors yet but is expected to release them in 2021 as the team prepares for launch.

Official Angel City FC Website

Recommended Resource: How to Bet On Soccer Guide

Where Online Sports Betting is Legal

Location

Sportsbooks

Bonus Offers Available