TL;DR

NFL bans prediction markets; Chiefs, 49ers lose WRs to suspension; Milan signs Nkunku from Chelsea.

Highlights

• NFL bans all personnel from using Kalshi-style prediction markets, labeling them prohibited gambling 1.
• Chiefs WR Rashee Rice suspended 6 games (personal conduct); 49ers WR Demarcus Robinson suspended 3 games (DUI) 3.
• Ravens make Kyle Hamilton NFL’s highest-paid safety with a 4-year, $100.4M extension 5.
• Cowboys reiterate Micah Parsons is not available for trade amid contract dispute and Packers rumors 6.
• Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi scores twice on return from injury, securing Leagues Cup final spot and 2026 Champions Cup berth 4.
• Grimsby Town eliminates Manchester United on penalties in Carabao Cup, increasing scrutiny on manager Ruben Amorim 2.
• AC Milan agrees to sign Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku for up to €42M; Chelsea seeks further squad moves 8.
• RB Leipzig allows Xavi Simons to negotiate with Spurs and Chelsea; Spurs now leading talks 7.
• Brewers place closer Trevor Megill on IL (flexor strain); White Sox lose Luis Robert Jr. to hamstring injury 13.
• Shohei Ohtani earns first pitching win in 749 days as Dodgers widen NL West lead 12.
• US Open: Medvedev fined $42,500 after first-round loss and outburst 10; Taylor Townsend upsets Ostapenko 11; Jack Draper withdraws injured 17.
• UEFA Champions League draw set for Thursday with new 36-team format 14; final moves to 18:00 CEST kickoff 15.

Commentary

The NFL is tightening its stance on gambling, now banning personnel from using event prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket 1. This move closes a compliance gap and clarifies league policy for players and staff, but also signals to fantasy players and bettors that the NFL continues to draw a hard line between regulated sportsbooks and emerging financial betting products 1.

Roster volatility is front and center as the Chiefs and 49ers lose key receivers to suspensions just before final cuts, forcing both teams to adjust depth charts and impacting early-season fantasy and betting projections 3. The Ravens’ extension for Kyle Hamilton sets a new market for safeties 5, while the Cowboys continue to hold firm on Micah Parsons despite his holdout and trade request, keeping a close watch on Dallas’s defensive outlook 6.

In Europe, the transfer window is active: AC Milan’s deal for Nkunku and Spurs’ lead in talks for Xavi Simons suggest major squad changes ahead of the Champions League 78, while Chelsea’s outgoing and incoming moves will affect both their domestic and continental campaigns 8. The Champions League draw, now with a 36-team format and new scheduling, will directly impact fixture congestion and squad rotation strategies for fantasy and betting 1415.

Injuries remain a key theme: the Brewers and White Sox lose core players during the playoff push 13, and Shohei Ohtani’s successful pitching return is a bright spot for the Dodgers 12. At the US Open, Medvedev’s meltdown 10, Townsend’s upset 11, and Draper’s withdrawal 17 shift the betting landscape and open up the men’s and women’s draws.