"There are certain periods of the sports calendar that stand out more than others. Sometimes, they correspond with the mainstream holiday calendar (such as Thanksgiving for the NFL, Christmas Day for the NBA or Fourth of July for MLB), while other times, championship festivities become quasi-holidays in and of themselves (such as the Super Bowl and March Madness)."
"Sports equinoxes generally fall in October due to the way league calendars line up: MLB is in its postseason and the NFL is in its second month, while the NBA and NHL begin their seasons during the month. Sometimes, sports equinoxes stretch into November -- the most recent occurrence being Nov. 3, 2022 -- and in 2020, there were actually three equinoxes in September, owing to schedule irregularities from the COVID-19 pandemic."
"Aside from being a generally joyous occasion for sports enthusiasts, the "holiday," as BetMGM chief revenue officer Matt Prevost describes it, provides a boost to sports betting handle when bettors look to join in on the excitement and sportsbooks amplify their special offerings to get in on the fun. "It's an incredible period of time," Prevost told ESPN."
Sports equinoxes occur when MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL all have games on the same day. The first sports equinox occurred Oct. 17, 1971, and there have been 31 occasions, with the 32nd on Oct. 27, 2025. Since 2015 there has been at least one per year, sometimes up to three. They generally fall in October because MLB is in postseason, the NFL is in its second month, and the NBA and NHL begin their seasons then. Sometimes equinoxes stretch into November, and 2020 saw three in September due to COVID-19 schedule changes. Bettors increase activity on equinox days, with sportsbooks reporting higher wagers and promotional offerings.
Read at ESPN.com
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