Top sports leagues to bet on Cloudbet in January 2026

January is one of the busiest months on the sports calendar, with top-tier competition running simultaneously across tennis, soccer, basketball, and ice hockey. Domestic leagues continue at full pace, cup competitions reach knockout stages, and several major tournaments either begin or conclude within a tight window.

In tennis, the season opens with competitive warm-up events before moving straight into the Australian Open. Soccer features league fixtures, domestic cup ties, international finals, and the return of European competitions. The NBA and NHL both hit the midseason stretch, where scheduling density increases and marquee matchups become more frequent.

For bettors, January offers a rare combination of volume and quality. There are more high-profile events, more liquid markets, and more opportunities to engage across different sports without long gaps between fixtures.

Below is a breakdown of the top sports leagues and competitions to bet on Cloudbet in January 2026, with current context around what is happening and why these events stand out during the month.

Tennis in January 2026

January is one of the most active periods on the tennis calendar, with multiple high-level tournaments feeding directly into the Australian Open. Events are tightly scheduled, played on the same surface, and often influence player preparation, fitness management, and early-season form heading into the year’s first Grand Slam.

Key tennis tournaments in January 2026

Adelaide International (WTA 500)

The Adelaide International (Jan 12–17, 2026) is the final WTA 500 event before the Australian Open and features a strong field despite its timing.

Madison Keys, the defending champion, returns alongside top-10 players Jessica Pegula and Mirra Andreeva, with hard-court specialists like Ekaterina Alexandrova and Belinda Bencic also in the draw.

For seeded players, the priority is match rhythm rather than pushing through physical strain, while lower-ranked entrants treat the week as a last opportunity for ranking points and confidence.

Because the tournament finishes the day before the Australian Open main draw begins, players reaching the later rounds are managing recovery as carefully as results. That tends to show late in the week, particularly in longer matches and deciding sets, where risk management becomes more conservative than at a standalone event.

Australian Open

The Australian Open (Jan 18 – Feb 1, 2026) is the first Grand Slam of the year and the focal point of January tennis betting. With almost the entire top-100 entered on both the men’s and women’s sides, early rounds are deeper than at most Slams, while later rounds quickly tighten as elite players settle into Melbourne conditions. Recent warm-up results and physical readiness tend to matter more here than reputation alone, particularly during the opening week.

Men’s Australian Open

Jannik Sinner returns as the defending champion after his straight-sets final win in 2025 and enters as one of the top seeds. Carlos Alcaraz headlines the draw alongside him, while Novak Djokovic remains a factor in Melbourne, where conditions historically suit his game. Daniil Medvedev arrives with early-season momentum following a Brisbane title, placing him firmly in the top tier of contenders.

Women’s Australian Open

Madison Keys defends her title, but the market is led by Aryna Sabalenka after a dominant Brisbane International run. Iga Świątek remains among the top seeds, with Coco Gauff also positioned as a major contender. Depth across the draw is strong, which tends to reduce first-round mismatches and increase early volatility.

Soccer

January soccer betting is shaped by league position, managerial stability, and fixture congestion. Matches during this period tend to reflect structural realities rather than short-term variance.

Premier League

There are competitive matches in the Premier League every week, but January features several standout fixtures involving teams at the top of the table and clubs dealing with real pressure points.

Arsenal played out a 0–0 draw with Liverpool on January 8 that kept them six points clear at the top, underlining their position as the early pace-setters in the title race.

Manchester United feature heavily in January’s big EPL games. However, the club dismissed Ruben Amorim earlier this month, with Darren Fletcher stepping in as interim manager. United’s early performances under Fletcher have shown attacking intent, but also signs of instability in pressing and late-game control — issues that tend to surface more clearly against elite opposition.

That makes the Manchester derby on January 17 one of the month’s most interesting fixtures. City arrive with tactical continuity and settled rotation patterns, while United are still adjusting on and off the pitch. The difference between those situations often becomes clearer as the match develops, particularly once tempo and territorial control are established.

Arsenal’s meeting with Manchester United later in the month carries a different kind of pressure. Arsenal are protecting a lead at the top of the table, while United are chasing stability and points. Those dynamics tend to shape how aggressively teams approach the early phases of the game.

EFL Cup (Carabao Cup)

The Carabao Cup is down to four Premier League sides, all competing over two legs for a place in the final at Wembley. At this stage, team selection and game management become more deliberate, particularly with all four clubs balancing domestic league fixtures and Champions League commitments during January.

Newcastle United enter as the defending champions and have treated this competition seriously since last season’s title run, often fielding strong lineups in later rounds. Manchester City bring extensive experience in the EFL Cup, with squad depth that allows them to manage fixture congestion without significantly weakening cup teams.

The Chelsea vs Arsenal tie adds a London derby to the semi-finals. Chelsea are back in the Champions League this season, increasing schedule pressure, while Arsenal are balancing a Premier League title push alongside European commitments. Over two legs, these ties often start cautiously, with second legs opening up once the aggregate scoreline dictates approach.

La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup

The Spanish Super Cup Final takes place in Jeddah, with Barcelona entering the match as La Liga leaders, four points clear of Real Madrid. That shifts the pressure distribution: Barcelona are protecting momentum, while Madrid are chasing a statement result.

Real Madrid’s decision-making around Kylian Mbappé’s fitness also adds uncertainty, particularly in terms of early tempo and attacking balance.

Serie A

Currently, Juventus and Napoli are separated by a single position in the table, making the fixture a direct contest for Champions League qualification. Matches with stakes this tight tend to open cautiously, with limited commitment numbers and emphasis on defensive control.

Roma vs Milan carries similar pressure, with both sides competing for European places.

Coppa Italia

The Coppa Italia quarter-finals take place over two midweek dates — Feb 4 and Feb 11, 2026 — as single-elimination ties with a spot in the semi-finals at stake. All eight teams in this stage are from Serie A, and the draw has set up a mix of heavyweight clashes and intriguing tactical matchups.

• Bologna vs Lazio is a clash between last season’s cup winners and a side looking to maintain momentum across competitions.
• Juventus vs Atalanta brings together two of Italy’s most competitive sides; Juve’s historical pedigree in the Coppa Italia and Atalanta’s dynamic attacking style make this one of the more balanced ties.
• Inter vs Roma or Torino will pit a team with strong European ambitions against a traditional top-half Serie A side, pending the resolution of the prior round between Roma and Torino.
• Fiorentina/Como vs Napoli sees Napoli, a consistent contender for silverware domestically, waiting to meet the winner of the earlier tie featuring Fiorentina and Como. 

Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)

The last four teams standing in the 2025 AFCON (played in Morocco) are Senegal, Egypt, Nigeria, and hosts Morocco.

• Senegal earned their place with a narrow 1–0 quarter-final win over Mali
• Egypt beat defending champions Ivory Coast 3–2 to reach the semis
• Nigeria beat Algeria 2–0
• Hosts Morocco progressed with a 2–0 victory over Cameroon

The semi-finals on January 14 set up a heavyweight clash between Senegal and Egypt, a fixture featuring elite attackers from Europe’s top leagues, and Nigeria vs Morocco, where the hosts have both form and home support. The winners of these matches advance to the final in Rabat on January 18 to decide the continental title. 

UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League

These are the final league-phase matchdays, directly determining qualification and seeding. Teams near the cutoff line often show intent early, while those already secure may manage minutes and energy depending on position.

Basketball (NBA)

The Western Conference hierarchy is clearer by January. Oklahoma City sit at the top, with San Antonio close behind, while the Lakers, Nuggets, and Rockets occupy playoff positions.

San Antonio’s recent 107–91 win over the Lakers, driven by strong performances from Keldon Johnson and Victor Wembanyama, adds immediate head-to-head context to this run of matchups.

Ice Hockey (NHL)

By January, NHL teams have settled line combinations and clear goaltending rotations, which tends to stabilise game patterns compared to earlier in the season.

• Bruins vs Canadiens stands out as an Original Six rivalry, where intensity and physical play often rise regardless of form.
• Stars vs Golden Knights features two established playoff sides built around defensive structure, which usually keeps games tight.
• The Hurricanes–Panthers and Stars–Lightning matchups bring together teams with recent postseason pedigree, making them reliable indicators of mid-season form.

A packed month across the biggest leagues

January 2026 delivers a packed schedule across the world’s biggest sports. From the Australian Open and African Cup of Nations to domestic cup semi-finals, European football, and mid-season NBA and NHL matchups, there is no shortage of high-profile action.

For Cloudbet players, the month stands out for its range and consistency. With major leagues and tournaments running in parallel, January offers regular opportunities across sports without long gaps between marquee events.