In the last five months alone, the Texas Rangers won their first World Series in the 62-year history of the franchise, the Denver Nuggets earned their first NBA title since joining the league in 1976 and the Vegas Golden Knights won their first Stanley Cup title last year, though it only took them six years since joining the NHL. 

You never forget your first, and the first-time championship is a benchmark for the rest of every franchise’s history that has had the talent and luck to win it all. 

Across the four major sports leagues in the U.S., there are still 39 teams that have never hoisted a championship trophy or held a parade through downtown streets. Some are closer than others in realizing the ultimate goal. 

Bookies.com veteran oddsmaker Adam Thompson has looked at the present and the future of all 39 title-less sides, creating odds as to which one has the best shot at being the “next first.” 

Next Team To Win 1st Championship Odds

These odds are for entertainment purposes only and do not reflect odds that may be available on legal betting apps.

The top-three teams on the board are poised to win a title this season. But they’re also in decent shape to be contenders for the next few years down the road, as well. 

The Phoenix Suns are +700 to win the NBA title in 2023-24, behind only the Celtics (+360), Bucks (+425) and Nuggets (+475). If it doesn’t work out immediately, it’s not the end of the world. Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal are all signed through at least 2026. 

The Cincinnati Bengals made the Super Bowl just two seasons ago and have Joe Burrow to build around. 

The Buffalo Bills have Josh Allen, but it appears a steeper climb after dropping to 5-4 following a Week 9 Sunday night loss to … the Bengals. 

Cincy (+1200) has the eighth-lowest odds to win this year’s Super Bowl, Buffalo (+2000) the 10th-lowest. 

Four other teams can be considered in the “win now, or later” circle. The San Diego Padres has a disastrous 2023 season and is looking to cut payroll for 2024. 

But the base and resources are still enough to continue being a contender, at least on paper. The Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions are on-the-upswing contenders, while the Memphis Grizzlies have a star to build around in Ja Morant. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars lead a group of teams form all sports that are heading in the right direction but is projected to get beat out by a team just a little further along in the process.   

The Los Angeles Clippers are +1300 to win the NBA title this season but a more-modest +3000 to be the first among this group. 

That’s because they’re only No. 4 among just Western Conference teams for this season (behind the Nuggets, Suns and Warriors), and the aging, veteran group is built to win immediately and not really set up for the future. If it doesn’t work out this year, it may not for a long time.

The Florida Panthers, at +3500, rank as the best NHL team without a Stanley Cup to acquire one. Florida is at +1600 this season to take the title, ninth-lowest on the NHL Futures market. 

The Minnesota Wild and Buffalo Sabres have built a strong pipeline that could see them as real contenders sooner than later. 

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