The future of AEW has naturally been brought into question in the past few months due to the news that its parent company, Warner Brothers Discovery, will be merging with Paramount Skydance. AEW’s current media rights deal is set to expire in 2027 at the earliest as there is an option to add an extra year, which would keep AEW under the WBD umbrella until the end of 2028. What follows that deal is still up in the air, especially with Paramount already having links to TKO thanks to its extensive deal with the UFC, and with recent rumors floating around in WWE that the merger will prevent AEW from getting a new media rights deal when the current one expires.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select has since reported that while there have been claims of Paramount and WBD merging being a bad thing for AEW, Tony Khan is reportedly very excited about the merger. AEW sources have claimed that Khan is very about potentially continuing to work with WBD post-merger, with one source claiming that Khan sees Paramount as a more favorable option for AEW as opposed to the original deal WBD had with Netflix. Paramount does have a history of working with wrestling companies stretching back to the 1990s, having worked with the likes of WWE, TNA, and even ECW.
As far as the relationship Paramount currently has with TKO, that shouldn’t be a problem for AEW either. Despite having the exclusive rights to air the UFC, a Paramount source told Fightful that there was no exclusivity clause in place with TKO, meaning that nothing would stand in AEW’s way if the company was to be taken on board. The source also made sure to note that the UFC works for Paramount, not the other way around.
Canada online sports betting has a different feel to it now than it did three or four years ago. Back then, placing a wager felt like something you did quietly. Today, it is part of the pregame conversation, debated openly in group chats and over drinks before puck drop.
Fans in Toronto are arguing about puck line value the same way they argue about defensive zone coverage. In Vancouver, the World Cup brings out a distinct betting crowd that prioritizes odds comparison over highlight reels. As betting culture in Canada has matured, sportsbooks have been forced to evolve quickly or risk losing ground in an increasingly competitive market.
This guide covers the sportsbooks that have actually earned their place in that market, what bettors across Canada are prioritizing right now, and how the World Cup, NHL, and NBA each create their own distinct betting environment.
What Bettors Are Actually Chasing in 2026
Ask most experienced Canadian bettors what they care about, and the answer is rarely the welcome bonus. That wears off after a few weeks. What keeps someone on a platform through a full NHL season or a month-long World Cup is harder to manufacture.
Consistent odds are the foundation. A bettor who places three or four NHL bets a week from October through June is making hundreds of decisions over the course of a season. If one platform is consistently offering better prices on puck lines and totals, that difference shows up in the bankroll by spring. Line shopping across Canadian betting sites is not a complicated strategy. It is just paying attention.
Market depth matters more during certain events than others. For regular-season hockey, most platforms cover what a casual bettor needs. But during the World Cup, the range of available markets becomes the dividing line between platforms that are worth using and those that are not. Goal scorer props, corner bets, both teams to score, live half-time lines: bettors who want to engage seriously with international football need all of that available and priced well.
The mobile experience stopped being optional years ago. Bettors are not opening laptops to place a live bet during the second period. They are on their phones, often with one eye on the screen and one on the game. A slow app or a clunky live betting interface is not a minor frustration at that point. It is the reason someone switches platforms and does not come back.
Payouts and support close the loop. A platform can have excellent odds and a great app and still lose users permanently over one delayed withdrawal or one ignored support ticket. The sportsbooks that retain Canadian bettors long-term have figured out that the operational side of the business matters as much as the product side.
Toronto and Vancouver Are Not the Same Bettor
Sports betting Toronto and sports betting Vancouver describe genuinely different habits, and it is worth understanding why before picking a platform.
Toronto bettors are detail-oriented in a way that reflects the city’s sports culture. Leafs fans have spent decades overanalyzing everything about that team, and that habit carries into how they bet. Player props, Corsi numbers, goaltender form, line combinations: these are not exotic considerations for Toronto hockey bettors. They are standard research. NBA wagering follows a similar pattern, with a preference for live markets that reward quick reading of momentum shifts.
Vancouver runs a bit differently. There is a stronger international dimension to the city’s sports identity, and that shows up clearly in betting behaviour during the World Cup. Soccer props and live football markets generate real volume there in a way they simply do not in most other Canadian cities.
NHL betting is still central, but it shares the calendar more openly with global football. Bettors there are also more likely to maintain accounts across multiple platforms and move between them depending on which one is offering better coverage for a given event.
The Sportsbooks That Have Earned Their Reputation
Everygame has been around long enough that its reputation rests on track record rather than marketing. The football markets during the World Cup are competitive and varied, and the platform handles the traffic surge that comes with a major tournament better than many newer entrants. For bettors who want substance over novelty, it holds up.
Bet365 is the benchmark. The live betting experience during NHL games is as good as anything available to Canadian bettors right now. Odds move with the game rather than behind it, the interface stays responsive under pressure, and the market depth across basketball and football is genuinely difficult to match. Experienced bettors who have tried most of the alternatives tend to keep a Bet365 account running regardless of what else they use.
BetWay fills a useful role in most Canadian bettors’ rotation. The NBA coverage is strong, the boosted odds during the playoffs are worth watching, and the platform is accessible enough that it works as an entry point for bettors who are newer to the market. It is not trying to be everything, and it is better for it.
TonyBet is a different proposition. It does not have the brand recognition of Bet365 or BetWay in Canada, but among bettors who spend serious time on World Cup markets it has developed a real following. The alternative lines and less conventional betting options give it a distinct identity that more mainstream platforms have not bothered to cultivate.
Bet99 is the most locally grounded option on this list. It was built with Canadian users specifically in mind, which shows in the payment infrastructure, the promotional calendar, and the depth of NHL coverage. Bettors who have found that global platforms feel slightly misaligned with how Canadians actually watch and bet on sport tend to find Bet99 more naturally suited to their habits.
Three Sports, Three Different Tests
The World Cup is the stress test. It generates the highest betting volumes of any event on the calendar, and platforms either hold up or expose their limitations in a very public way. Bettors who get burned by a crashed app or frozen live odds during a knockout stage match do not forget it.
The NHL season is the endurance test. Eight months of near-daily games require consistent pricing, reliable performance, and a platform that does not get complacent once the sign-up bonuses have been collected. An online sportsbook Canada bettors actually stick with through April is one that has earned that loyalty the slow way.
The NBA playoffs are the speed test. Fast scoring, dramatic swings, and series that shift entirely between games make live wagering central to how serious bettors engage. Platforms that cannot keep pace with a fourth-quarter run lose the plot entirely.
Most bettors running active accounts across all three of these sports are not loyal to a single platform. They are loyal to value, and they go where they find it. That is probably the most honest description of where Canada online sports betting sits in 2026: more competitive, more informed, and less forgiving of platforms that are coasting on name recognition alone.
Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns are not done with each other following WWE Clash in Italy. After the premium live event ended on Sunday, WWE released backstage footage showing a tense moment between the two champions.
The clip showed Rhodes, who is the WWE Champion, crossing paths with Reigns backstage. The two shared a brief staredown. Rhodes gave a slight nod before walking past Reigns. The moment was short, but it added more tension to their ongoing rivalry.
The interaction came right after Reigns retained the World Heavyweight Championship in the Tribal Combat main event. He defeated Jacob Fatu to keep his title. As he walked backstage, Reigns made it clear that he still sees himself as the top name in WWE. He also took a verbal shot at Rhodes.
“Now they know who the head of the table is, who the capitan of the ship is…QB1? F** that noise. It’s the Tribal Chief,”* Reigns said.
His comments quickly gained attention. Rhodes was later asked about them during the Clash in Italy post-show. He did not escalate the situation but instead focused on their history.
“I think it’s a unique position for me to be in,” Rhodes said. “For me to say something negative or for him to say something negative about me, and for the simple fact that he doesn’t have two wins over me, I don’t have two wins over him. He beat me once, and I beat his a* once.”*
Rhodes made it clear that their rivalry is still even. Neither man holds a clear advantage after their WrestleMania matches. He also suggested that Reigns could step up as a challenger in the future.
“So, I don’t know. Add him to the list,” Rhodes said. “We said Gunther can get a rematch whenever he wants it, come and get it. Easy to find, hard to beat, that goes for Roman Reigns as well.”
Both stars are world champions, and both have something to prove. With their rivalry still tied, another match between Rhodes and Reigns remains a strong possibility in WWE’s future.
Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns Backstage Tension After WWE Clash in Italy
At WWE WrestleMania 42, Brock Lesnar left his boots and gloves in the middle of the ring after losing to Oba Femi, seemingly signifying his retirement from the pro wrestling industry. Then, on the May 18, 2026 episode of “WWE Raw”, Lesnar made a shocking return, attacking Femi and resetting their feud. Much like Lesnar, AJ Styles also retired this year, but could he follow in the footsteps of “The Beast Incarnate?”
“Just because Brock came back doesn’t mean I am!” Styles exclaimed during an episode of his “The Phenomenally Retro Podcast.” Styles then weighed in on Lesnar’s return, and why it works for Lesnar as opposed to him potentially doing the same. “I think there’s definitely more meat [on the bone]. Based on the crowd reaction and everybody’s reaction who thought Brock was done, it works!”
Styles further praised the way WWE booked Lesnar’s return, noting that the company created a must-see clash between Lesnar and Femi. The veteran then circled back to the notions of him returning, criticizing a fake-out retirement. “And who would do that? Who would say they’re going to retire and don’t? Anyway! I don’t think I ever said I was gonna retire, I just kind of [did],” he explained.
While an official return to WWE as talent isn’t something “The Phenomenal One” is currently considering, he’s far from retired from the industry. Styles opened up about his new ventures within the promotion, noting how he’s begun filling in for training and scouting, which is something he enjoys and as a means to transfer his passion to the next generation.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “The Phenomenally Retro Podcast,” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
Konosuke Takeshita has AEW gold back around his waist following AEW Double or Nothing 2026, where he defeated Kazuchika Okada to become a two-time AEW International Champion. It’s Takeshita’s first run with the title since March 2025 when he was dethroned by Kenny Omega, and it’s his first without The Don Callis Family backing him up, but he didn’t need any backup on the May 30 episode of “AEW Collision” as he successfully defended his crown against Daniel Garcia.
Jake Doyle and Brian Cage of The Don Callis Family were at ringside as Takeshita was making his entrance, and if it wasn’t for the swarm of security and referees, a brawl would have likely broken out before the match had even started.
Garcia would put up a strong fight throughout the match, even locking in the Dragon Tamer towards the end of the bout that Takeshita only just escaped from. However, he was no match for the champion, who after hitting his patented Wheelbarrow German Suplex, hit Garcia with a stiff forearm strike that left the challenger out on his feet. This gave the champion the perfect opening to hit the Raging Fire, hook the leg, and make his first successful defense of his newly won title.
#ANDSTILL!
Watch the #AEWCollision replay RIGHT NOW on @HBOMax! pic.twitter.com/xmrV84rrVp
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 31, 2026
After the match, a mass brawl broke out as The Don Callis Family snuck in behind Takeshita and attacked him. This prompted The Conglomeration and “Speedball” Mike Bailey to come to the rescue, but they were thwarted by Shane Taylor Promotions who were still angry about The Infantry losing to the Death Riders earlier in the night. However, Jon Moxley, who was on commentary for the “Collision” main event, decided to get himself involved along with his group, and even Nigel McGuinness on commentary got a couple of shots in before Takeshita, Bailey, the Death Riders, and The Conglomeration stood tall to close the show.
IT’S AN ALL OUT BRAWL BETWEEN THE CONGLOMERATION, STP, SPEEDBALL, THE DEATH RIDERS AND THE DON CALLIS FAMILY!
Watch the #AEWCollision replay RIGHT NOW on @HBOMax! pic.twitter.com/TZaB2D9k9Y
