For sports fans around the world, predictions are a crucial part of being a supporter. They give you the run down not only on your team and how they should progress in the season to come, but on your opponents too and who you should look out for. Predictions are also a great help when it comes to placing sports bets and give you a better chance of winning. Platforms like BetMGM Maryland sportsbook allow you to place your bets, as well as take advantage of a range of bonuses and promotions.

If you're interested in finding the best sports predictions for next season, whether it's NFL, baseball, or soccer, read on to find out more.

NFL predictions for 2022

Although the NFL season for 2022/23 doesn't kick off until September, it's never too soon to start making predictions of how it may turn out for the teams! There are many factors that can affect predictions going into the next season such as the success of certain teams off the back of the season past, as well as off-season additions to the team. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is wait and see — but here are a few results that may ring true next season.

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Miami Dolphins

There are a few games, seven in total that the Miami Dolphins need to win if they're going to consider themselves contenders for the playoffs. Playing the way they have been and pulling it out of the bag means that the Miami Dolphins should get over the line with 8.5.

New England Patriots

If the Patriots are looking to hit the over, there are a few things they need to take care of going into the next season. They will need to make sure that the coaching staff can take on necessary roles to ensure they're building a strong defence and address problems like the linebacker and cornerback positions.

New York Jets

The New York Jets have been building from the ground up with improvements in coaching and on the field. The Jets should surely be able to win six games and should be giving it their all next season. All eyes will be on quarterback Zach Wilson and his development throughout the year.

MLB Predictions for the season

Major League Baseball is one of the most followed sports in the US, with fans not just in America but all over the world too. The seasons are broken up into three parts, pre-season, regular season and post-season. The pre-season is training to get fit and work to get in shape for the coming season. With the regular season packed full of gruelling games that run from April to late September, here are some of the predictions going into 2022.

2022 MVP

One of the bold claims made before the MLB season started was that Yankees all-star Joey Gallo, in his prime could receive votes for 2022 MLB MVP. He is expected to find himself in the conversation around MVP and we are all expecting to see him hit a high batting average, resulting in more home runs for Gallo and more victories for the Yankees.

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Milwaukee Brewers

With quality pitchers galore at their disposal this season, The Brewers are expected to use their elite pitching credentials to bring home the World Series win in 2022. They have always been an under the radar kind of team, but don't sleep on them this year. Their rotation features three of the biggest stars in baseball today, all dominant in how they play — look out for The Brewers as the season plays out.

MLS Predictions

Major league soccer is the top soccer league in the US and with the 2022 season running from February to October, let's take a look at some of the predictions for this year.

New England Revolution

Due to New England Revolutions Supporters' Shield success, the trophies are set to continue into the 2022 season. Playing to such a high standard in 2021, they have no reason to stop now and settle with what they've achieved. Expect to see this team storming the MLS cup race in the months to come.

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New York City FC

Kings of the MLS, this team boasts new and talented players, with plenty of midfield capacity. They have a couple of open spots to fill this season, so with any luck, they could end up with an even stronger team. New York City FC has shown that they're able to work out the play-offs, so in the upcoming season, there's nothing to stop them from being the team to beat!

Artificial Intelligence has been improving the sports we watch and analyze for nearly the past 20 years, but the latest generation of ultra-modern AI tools is revolutionizing every aspect of sports, from improving player and team performances to ensuring safety along with fan engagement and the experiences.

AI can process and store large amounts of data, which allows us to gain insights that we couldn't see before. This capability is at the center of the revolution. For the players, this brings improved strategies, varied training methods, and a significantly lower risk of injury.

The fans enjoy a whole new level of engagement in the game, thanks to Al-powered platforms providing content tailored to them, such as virtual reality experiences and more.

The massive impact of AI in the Sports Industry

Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing the Sports Industry rapidly by offering solutions to common problems such as individual performance, tactical requirements, injuries and recoveries, variations in training, etc.

The capacity of AI and GenAI tools to analyze complex data and provide instant insights is ushering in a new era of athletic performance and fan engagement as well.

From predictive analytics that improve player safety and performance to AI-powered viewing experiences for fans, the influence of artificial intelligence is setting the bar higher across the industry.

1. Player and team performance

GenAI can analyze team and player behavior to reach conclusions that would contribute to improved training and coaching. For example, they can monitor and analyze the movements of players with computer vision.

In this way, they can assess whether an athlete is moving wrongly or could be injured. Machine learning algorithms can watch game videos to identify patterns of the opposing team. Sports coaches can be made to develop wiser game plans and strategies by artificial intelligence.

Some techniques, including motion tracking and motion analysis, can capture changes in the posture, movement, or technique of a player that indicte fatigue or poor motor control.

According to a study by Grand View Research, the sports analytics market size was valued at $1.9 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $5.2 billion by 2028, showcasing the rapid growth and demand for advanced analytics tools in sports.

The following two tools are widely applicable to player and team analysis:

• SportVU: This system tracks detailed player and ball motion in a game with computer vision and machine learning. It can analyze shot mechanics, accelerations and decelerations, speed, and distance.
• KINEXON: This system tracks positional and motion data in real-time by equipping players with sensors.

2. Injury Prediction and Prevention

Injuries occur regularly in professional sports. Identifying and preventing injuries before they even occur is likely one of the most thrilling applications of AI.

Teams can utilize AI algorithms to monitor an individual's motion as they move their joints and strain their muscles. It can search for patterns or instabilities that signify an injury before the symptoms themselves appear.

AI can recognize a slight deviation in the amount of strain a soccer player puts on their knee joint and warn the coaches or medical staff. Way before the injury became acute enough to cause the player to miss games, the team could either give them rest or do exercises to help them recover.

A report by MarketsandMarkets estimates that the global sports medicine market, which incorporates AI-driven health monitoring solutions, is projected to reach $9.3 billion by 2026, underlining the significant role of AI in athlete well-being.

The following two tools could be used in the AI-powered prediction and prevention of injuries:

• Sparta Science: It uses computer vision and motion sensing in analyzing movement patterns of an athlete. Based on motion data, biomechanical deficiencies, and especially risks of increased injury, machine learning models are able to identify those. 
• Zone 7: It measures injury risk using factors such as workload, degree of fatigue, and others through artificial intelligence and research in sports science. Their methods take age, position, body composition, and medical history into account. 

3. Training Through AI-Powered Analytics and Wearables

Smartwatches and fitness trackers are examples of wearable technology that have become essential for tracking many of the parameters mentioned earlier.

Wearable GPS devices that can track athletes' speed and location, overall distance traveled, and movement patterns are available to provide relevant information.

Wearable heart rate monitors use optical sensors to measure blood flow in real-time, tracking the heart rate. This is an important aspect of monitoring heart health, fitness levels, and recovery. It also helps in tracking blood oxygen levels, which is another important component of modern-day fitness trackers. They use optical sensors to track the oxygen saturation level of blood.

Since the 2010s, Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), such as GPS tracking vests, have been commonly used in professional sports. Such vests are offered with discrete and effective GPS tracking and sensors located on the back and shoulders; they are typically worn as tank tops.

In football and rugby, the vest is mainly utilized to track the location and movement of a player and, thereby, report strengths and weaknesses.

4. Sports Commentary and Reporting

Sports commentary and reporting can automatically be generated from match events and live data by employing natural language processing (NLP) methods like GPT-3. Artificially intelligent commentary not only comments on a strategy but also summarizes the critical events of match play. 

Similarly, GenAI can create such highlights, summaries, and post-match data reportage for viewing audiences as well.

NLP methods can make the commentary more dramatic and interesting by taking into account the game statistics and situations in real-time data. With the use of generated personalities and tones, it is possible to accommodate various fan interests in the coverage.

Automated GenAI reporting enhances sports coverage and commentary without losing interesting and captivating stories.

5. Sports Officiating

The use of AI in sports officiating is not without controversy, including traditional backlash and concerns regarding technology's influence on the game. Yet, the improvements it introduces, such as real-time analysis and decision support, are dramatically enhancing the accuracy and fairness of officiating.

Its capabilities to review plays from multiple angles and analyze them in seconds are proving invaluable in high-level games where every call matters.

Despite initial doubts, the use of AI in officiating is increasingly being accepted, with many seeing its potential to eliminate human error and ensure a level playing field.

As the technology improves and its uses extend, its role in assisting fair play and accuracy in sports is poised to increase, ushering in a new era in the use of technology and sportsmanship.

6. Player Scouting

Team owners are using artificial intelligence to review the performance of the players. To determine the most skilled people to invest in, they use data analysis using artificial intelligence. It takes millions of dollars to find talent in the sports world.

So, team owners would like to ensure that scouting one player is the best decision. Artificial intelligence is used widely in scouting players for any sport, be it cricket, football, or basketball.

AI-powered Change in Fan Engagement and Experiences

1. Personalized Fan Engagement

To provide customised fan experiences, GenAI algorithms can model the preferences and behaviours of audiences. Sports teams and broadcasters can use these insights to optimize engagement across media channels.

For example, social media platforms can deliver tailored video highlights, personalized promotions, and AI-recommended content to resonate with each fan.

The NBA revealed 'NB-AI', allowing fans to activate "movie mode" and watch live games animated like popular films, such as Spider-Man

pic.twitter.com/zb2IYT2YBX

— Dexerto (@Dexerto) February 16, 2024

Based on their past interactions and activities, the Generative AI identifies what content types, sports stats, and topics each fan finds most appealing. It creates and sends personalized content for each person. This level of customization, enabled by GenAI in sports, helps sports organizations connect more deeply with their audiences.

2. Viewing Experiences

GenAI can process live video to generate augmented reality (AR) overlays and graphics that enhance broadcasts or live streams.

For example, shot trajectories, real-time player stats, and situational analysis can be visualized and overlaid onto the gameplay footage. For virtual reality (VR), GenAI can create real-world simulated environments for an immersive in-game perspective.

The key innovation is using Generative AI to dynamically generate and adapt AR/VR overlays and environments on the fly, customized to each moment. As the narrative and action of the game shift, the GenAI-powered augmented experiences shift with them, elevating viewing to multidimensional engagement. 

A survey conducted by PwC found that 65% of sports fans are interested in using AR or virtual reality (VR) devices to watch sports, indicating a growing appetite for immersive experiences enabled by AI-driven technologies.

Conclusion

AI collaboration with sports is making the place safer as well as fairer. Predictive modeling and algorithms in AI are becoming a must for injury prevention. AI guarantees that more accuracy and fairness can be introduced in the outcome of a game by enhancing officiating. Both the aspects of performance and integrity are vital components in ensuring the prosperity and popularity of sports continue.

The impact of AI reaches sports journalism, advertising, and the creation of next-gen sports equipment, beyond the field or court. These innovations create new revenue streams and provide more exciting ways for fans to engage with their beloved sports and teams.

In this sense, artificial intelligence in the sports field could be said to be, by itself, a change not only for the athletes or for the coaches but for the sports system in general. With AI, the sports of the future could easily be foreseen because technology would harmoniously mix with manly athleticism at its highest levels.

In his first full season in the MLS, Argentine forward Lionel Messi claimed the prestigious MVP award, which is given to the best-performing player in the League for that season.

Despite missing 15 matches due to injuries and international commitments, Messi led MLS in goal contributions with 20 goals and 16 assists in 19 appearances. He became the third player in the league's history to record at least 20 goals and 15 assists in a single season, following Carlos Vela (2019) and Sebastian Giovinco (2015). This achievement also marks the first time an Inter Miami player has won the award.

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Lionel Messi Secures Prestigious Honor for the First Time in His Career

Our MVP by our @InterMiamiAcad 💫 This is the #FreedomToDream pic.twitter.com/EpGWNVfeKj

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) December 6, 2024

Inter Miami had a dominant MLS regular season, setting a record with 74 points, but was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Atlanta United. Messi joined the team in June 2023 after departing Paris Saint-Germain.

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Messi secured 38.4% of the average vote, edging out Hernandez, who received 33.7%. The top five was completed by Portland Timbers midfielder Evander (9.2%), DC United's Christian Benteke (7.1%), and Messi's Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez (2.2%).

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How the MVP Voting Looked Like?

1. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) --> 38.4%
2. Cucho Hernandez (Columbus Crew) --> 33.7%
3. Evander (Portland Timbers) --> 9.24%
4. Christian Benteke (DC United) --> 7.10%
5. Luis Suarez (Inter Miami) --> 2.17%

Messi, Busquets, and Alba led Inter Miami to victory in the Leagues Cup, a competition featuring MLS teams against Mexico's Liga MX, earning the club its first-ever trophy.

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In the 2024 season, Inter Miami excelled during the regular season, claiming the Supporters' Shield as the team with the highest points across both conferences. All these achievements helped propel Messi to win this award.

Lionel Messi will have a new coach at his club from next season onwards; as Inter Miami boss Gerardo 'Tata' Martino has left his position as the head coach on 20 November 2024. Martino has resigned due to some personal reasons. 

Martino leaves after winning the MLS Supporters' Shield with a record 74 points tally and crashing out of the MLS Cup play-offs in November 2024. the 62-year-old Argentinian coach also won the Leagues Cup with Miami last year.

🚨 Tata Martino’s Record as Inter Miami Coach:

🏟️ Games: 67
✅ Wins: 38
❌ Losses: 16
🤝 Draws: 13
📊 Points per game: 1.90

🏆 Leagues Cup Champion
🛡️ Supporter’s Shield Winner
📈 MLS All-Time Points Record pic.twitter.com/e2RLBXwUuC

— Inter Miami News Hub (@Intermiamicfhub) November 19, 2024

However, the Major League Soccer outfit will be looking for a new coach as Martino's heir at Miami. Inter Miami has entered the expanded FIFA Club World Cup 2025 and the star-studded group will need a high-profile coach to get them to the furthest in the competition. 

Read Also | Teams qualified for FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Messi's Inter Miami enters the tournament

Some great profiles have already emerged as potential candidates to be the next coach of Inter Miami. Sportzpoint explores the options that can be suitable for The Herons. 

Xavi

According to the Miami Herald, former Spain and Barcelona midfielder Xavi has emerged as an option to be the head coach of Inter Miami.

Xavi Hernandez has emerged as the top candidate to replace Tata Martino as Inter Miami’s head coach, according to reports! 🔥🦩

𝑨 𝑹𝑬𝑼𝑵𝑰𝑶𝑵 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯 𝑴𝑬𝑺𝑺𝑰 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑪𝑶.? ✨#LionelMessi #Xavi #InterMiami pic.twitter.com/l9WGOoLImw

— Sportskeeda Football (@skworldfootball) November 20, 2024

The former teammate of Lionel Messi at FC Barcelona can be reunited in Miami as his name has started to surface as one of the top candidates to take up the Miami job. Xavi's former teammates such as Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba are all part of the Miami squad, and that is why Xavi has emerged as the most reasonable option for The Herons. 

Xavi has not taken any other managerial job since he left his position as head coach at FC Barcelona in June 2024. He has won the LaLiga title and Supercopa de Espana in the 2022-23 season with Barca and also won seven trophies during his first tenure as a head coach for Qatar's Al-Sadd club.

Javier Mascherano

According to the Miami Herald, former Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano has emerged as another top choice for the MLS outfit.

🚨 Xavi and Javier Mascherano have emerged as options for head coach at Inter Miami! 👔🇺🇸

Both are former teammates of Leo Messi. 👀

(Source: @MiamiHerald) pic.twitter.com/7ofnJsZ0K9

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) November 20, 2024

Javier Mascherano has emerged as another top choice to sit at the Inter Miami dugout. The former Argentine midfielder who also played with Messi, Busquets, Alba, and Suarez at FC Barcelona was also a close teammate of Lionel Messi in the Argentina national team during his time.

However, Mascherano is currently the manager of the Argentina U-20 and U-23 team. It can be a risky choice considering he has no managerial experience in club football so far and AFA may not permit his departure leaving the national age-group teams. Mascherano's name has emerged but it is highly unlikely considering the scenario and all the possibilities. 

Zinedine Zidane 

Zinedine Zidane has close ties with his former Real Madrid teammate David Beckham, who is the co-owner of Inter Miami as well. Daily Mirror reported back in 2018 that Beckham had held preliminary talks with the French legend to manage the newly established Inter Miami, 

We have seen Messi, Beckham, and Zidane spending time together, so the 3-time UCL winning coach can be a very realistic option to be Miami's next coach. It was also reported in 2021 that Zidane's son, Enzo Zidane was on trial with Inter Miami. 

💥Cette photo légendaire de : Messi. Beckham. Zidane. 🇦🇷 🇬🇧 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/gMk82G4RkU

— INTER MIAMI FR (@IntermiamiFR_) February 24, 2024

Zidane has been a free agent since he decided to leave Real Madrid in 2021 after his second stint at the Spanish club. He has previously been linked with the France national football team's head coach job but no progress was made there. 

However, Zidane has managed the 3-times Champions League-winning Real Madrid squad filled with great figures and talents; which proves his immense man-management quality. It will be interesting to see if Zidane comes together with Messi and Beckham again, and this time to produce something great at Miami. 

Jim Curtin 

Jim Curtin may seem like an odd name in the list of some familiar stars of the game but the 45-year-old manager has proved himself as one of the best coaches in MLS' history. 

It was a heavily unexpected move by MLS side Philadelphia Union to part ways with Jim Curtin who was their head coach for 10 long years as he left his position on 7 November 2024. Curtin stayed on the Philadelphia Union's touchline for 11 seasons and won them the MLS Supporters' Shield in the 2019-20 season. 

Ya know who's cool?
This guy.

Just droppin' some Jim Curtin Appreciation on your timeline 🐍 #DOOP pic.twitter.com/1BJS44J1W5

— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) July 31, 2020

Union has been one of the lowest-spending teams in the MLS but Curtin still managed to have a 42% winning rate after 420 games in charge over 10 years. He was potentially named as the USMNT assistant coach previously in 2023 but now he can be a very realistic option for the Miami job. 

Sports governing bodies are constantly tweaking the rules of play to enhance competition, player safety, and fan experience. Several major leagues rolled out impactful new regulations for the 2024 season. Let's explore some of the most notable changes in sports rules introduced across football, baseball, soccer, cricket, rugby, and more this year.

New Kickoff Format in the NFL

The NFL overhauled its kickoff rules for 2024 in an effort to improve safety and boost excitement. Kickoffs now feature a "landing zone" between the receiving team's goal line and 20-yard line. Aside from the kicker, the kicking team lines up 5 yards apart at the receiving team's 40-yard line. They can't move until the ball is caught or hits the ground.

This setup encourages more returns while reducing high-speed collisions that commonly cause concussions. Additional changes allow creative onside kick attempts in the 4th quarter. So far, the revamped kickoffs have been well-received. Returns are up, injuries are down, and fans are enjoying the intriguing strategic implications.

Fewer 100-Minute Matches at Euro 2024

Football matches stretching well over 100 minutes due to excessive injury time were commonplace at the 2022 World Cup. But Europe's governing body UEFA took a different approach for its 2024 European Championship tournament. Rather than meticulously adding on every second lost to celebrations and subs, referees focused on restarting play quickly.

As a result, Euro 2024 matches adhered much closer to 90 minutes on average. Only captains could speak to referees, reducing dissent. VAR explanations were also displayed on stadium screens to improve transparency. While some fans missed the added drama, others appreciated UEFA reining in meandering matches.

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New Pace-of-Play Rules in Major League Baseball

MLB introduced several subtle but impactful rule tweaks for 2024 designed to improve pace-of-play. The pitch timer was reduced from 20 to 18 seconds with runners on base, attempting to claw back some of the time increase observed over the course of last season.

Mound visits were reduced from 5 to 4 per team. Pitching changes now shave 15 seconds off the between-innings timer. Circumvention tactics like delaying the pitcher's arrival to the mound and meeting the umpire before he places the ball in play are now prohibited.

While games still averaged nearly 3 hours, these changes represent MLB's continued efforts to combat dead time. Fans have responded positively to the increased flow and action.

MLB also issued new guidance aimed at reducing unsafe blocking of bases. Players will be called for obstruction if they position themselves to impede a runner's path before receiving the ball. This protects baserunners while encouraging aggressive base-running.

New Penalty Law in English Football

One of the most discussed rule changes in English football this season regards penalties. IFAB clarified that referees should not automatically show a yellow card to players who commit handball and concede a penalty. This gives referees more flexibility when interpreting intent on handballs.

The aim is to only caution players for deliberate, tactical fouls. Inadvertent handballs leading to penalties should not draw a booking. This nuanced approach has received praise for balancing fairness and common sense application of the rules. Those who take advantage of a free bet offer from Kwiff and bet on bookings will need to bear this new rule in mind.

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More Points for Drawn Matches in County Cricket

In the 2024 County Championship cricket tournament, a drawn match will now be rewarded with 8 points for each county. This is increased from 5 points for a draw last season. The aim is to better incentivise teams to bat long while still pushing for victory.

With batting bonus points unchanged, the tweaked draw points system should encourage high-quality pitches and competitive multi-day cricket.

New Offside Law in Rugby

World Rugby introduced a law change regarding offside in front of a kicker for 2024. Previously, a player could be deemed onside if the opposing catcher ran 5 meters or passed the ball after fielding a kick. The new law removes these allowances, requiring offside players to actively work to get onside rather than remaining stationary. This should reduce "kick tennis" stalemates and improve flow.

The key sports leagues are thinking creatively about how to improve their product. It will be fascinating to see what new regulations are tested out across various sports in the years to come. For now, the early returns on this year's crop of rule changes are largely positive. The altered kick-off format, pitch timer adjustments, and base-blocking guidance all seem to be enhancing their respective sports.

Lionel Messi is not sure if he will be fit to play in Inter Miami's pre-season friendly in Japan this week. Two days ago, furious fans in Hong Kong booed Messi and club co-owner David Beckham, shouting "Refund", as the Argentinian didn't start or come as a sub for the friendly.

"I don't know if I can (play) or not but I feel a lot better and really want to do it," Messi told the reporters ahead of their match against Vissel Kobe on Wednesday. "This afternoon we're going to practise, we'll try again. I have a good feeling, compared to how I was," he added.

Also Read: Inter Miami Beaten 6-0 by Al Nassr Without Cristiano Ronaldo

Excitement has been building for the friendly and Tokyo's National Stadium is getting ready with Inter Miami's pink colours. Tickets for the Japan leg of the Major League Soccer (MLS) club's globe-trotting pre-season tour cost between 10,000 yen ($68) and 200,000 yen ($1,346) with "special experience" packages priced even higher.

A crowd of nearly 40,000 in Hong Kong who paid for similarly expensive tickets left out the field in disappointment after Messi stayed at the bench during their 4-1 win against a local select XI. The Hong Kong government also demanded for an explanation from the match's organizers.

"It was really bad luck that I couldn't play in Hong Kong," Messi said. "Unfortunately this happens in football, in any game it can happen that you can't play," he added.

"I always want to participate, I want to play, especially in these games where we travel so far and people want to see our games. I hope we can return and play a game in Hong Kong."