Slaw
One more to go! The SMX World Championship Final takes place this Saturday at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri, and we could be in for an amazing night.
As I outlined, we could see a scenario where Haiden Deegan, Hunter Lawrence, Ken Roczen and Cooper Webb are in a true winner-take-all scenario. How? It’s simple: If Jorge Prado finishes fourth or worse at the finale, then we have the above scenario!!!
Of course, Prado can make all of that irrelevant by finishing on the podium. Third or better and he’s your 2026 SMX World Champion, no matter what happens behind him. That’s what makes this weekend so damn interesting. We have five riders still mathematically alive, 75 points on the line, and past 450, 250 and MXGP Champions slugging it out. James, get me some popcorn!
There is plenty of banter to be had about how this could all play out, but this column is about one thing: the NXTbets odds for the week. So, what do the oddsmakers think about the biggest race of the year? Let’s get into it.
How it Works
The first thing you want to do is go to NXTBETS.COM/PLAYVURB. Yes, we have our own landing page… for a reason. Then, you want to Choose a Platform, Create an Account and Make Your Picks. Unlike when this launched a few years ago and you could only pick overall winners, NOW you can pick holeshots, podiums, top 5s and so much more. Visit NXTbets, they have a complete guide on how everything works.
NXTbets is more than just moto, so check out their site and see get in on some great signup offers. Odds Subject to Change. 21+ Please refer to Affiliated Operators’s T&C. Void where prohibited. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
2026 SMX Finale Odds
View all the NXTbets.com odds below.
Slaw’s Sleepers
As a 14-time AMA Media Member of the Year nominee, I am not eligible to make any of the picks you are about to see below. Hey, being an Capital J has its drawbacks. But–and believe me I double checked this (I am a 14x Media Member nominee for a reason)–I am ALLOWED to drop my superior knowledge on everyone.
Does this mean I have Ken Roczen for the title? It kind of does. Yes, it is technically a “sleeper pick,” but, hey, why not lay it all on the line with the SX champ? Did the second moto last weekend concern me? It sure did. You know what I did like, though? Kenny winning the first moto. I think he needed last weekend to really get the juices flowing. And now that they are, he has two strong motos in him.
I wrote this last week about Prado and the holeshot: This is my lock of the week. He’s not Mike Alessi, but my goodness, can Jorge Prado get a start. At +300 (!!!!), how can you not take this pick? He grabbed the Moto 1 holeshot in the mud last weekend, and I think he does it again in dry conditions.
And, what do you know, he got the Moto 1 holeshot. LOCK OF THE WEEK AGAIN!!!!!!
Yes, I have Ken for the title. But that doesn’t mean another rider can’t win the first moto. And that rider will be Hunter Lawrence. I really, really liked what I saw from him in the second moto last weekend. That carries over to Moto 1 at the finale.
Slaw, how can you have Kenny winning the title and Prado on the podium? That can’t happen. It’s called hedging my bets, doggies. And technically, both CAN happen. Kenny can win, Prado can finish second or third, and Prado still wins the title. But if Kenny doesn’t win the overall, hey, Prado for a podium is a great pick!
I’m not counting the mud race, so my last pick is my SECOND LOCK OF THE WEEK. RJ Hampshire finished sixth last weekend. He is currently +102 to finish ninth or better at the finale. Yeah, I like those odds.
Get the Edge with NXTbets Player Profiles
Not everyone is as good as me at this, so NXTbets is here to help with their NXTbets player profiles, which has all kind of stats and statistics that will make you much smarter than Bird Dog.
