Welcome to this week's PREDICT picks, where we break down the most exciting prediction markets available on Duelbits Predict. This week is absolutely stacked, the Champions League knockout phase kicks off with heavyweights like Real Madrid, PSG, and Juventus fighting for survival, the BAFTAs on Saturday set the stage for what could be Paul Thomas Anderson's historic Oscar sweep, the Epstein files continue to shake global politics, and Bitcoin's volatile February rolls on.
Whether you're a seasoned prediction market trader or just getting started with PREDICT, our weekly analysis helps you identify the best opportunities across sports, entertainment, politics, and culture. Let's dive into the top markets for this week.
The UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-offs kick off this week with eight blockbuster first-leg ties across Tuesday and Wednesday. Under the competition's revamped format, now in its 71st season, the 16 teams that finished 9th through 24th in the league phase must battle through these two-legged ties to join the top eight in the Round of 16.
According to UEFA's official fixtures, Tuesday's card features Benfica vs Real Madrid, Galatasaray vs Juventus, Monaco vs PSG, and Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta. Wednesday brings Qarabağ vs Newcastle, Club Brugge vs Atlético Madrid, Bodø/Glimt vs Inter Milan, and Olympiacos vs Bayer Leverkusen.
As ESPN noted, last season's playoff round produced fireworks when Manchester City were eliminated 6-3 on aggregate by Real Madrid after finishing 22nd in the league phase, while defending champions PSG steamrolled past Brest on their way to their maiden Champions League title. The stakes couldn't be higher.
If you're also looking for traditional match odds and player props, check out the full Champions League coverage on Duelbits Sportsbook.
Market: Will there be 12 or more goals scored in Tuesday's Champions League matches?
With four matches on the card, including a Benfica vs Real Madrid rematch after Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin's dramatic last-minute goal secured a shock win in the league phase, 12 goals requires an average of three per game. Given the attacking quality on show and the knockout-round desperation factor, the "Yes" at 1.80 looks solid.
Market: How many goals will be scored in Tuesday's Champions League matches?
For those chasing bigger payouts, the 16+ goals bracket at 5.00 offers decent value. That's four goals per match, ambitious but not unrealistic when elimination is on the line and sides like Real Madrid and PSG need positive results away from home.
Market: Will there be a red card in any of Tuesday's Champions League matches?
Playoff tension, two-legged ties, and the pressure of elimination, the recipe for red cards is right there. Newcastle face a gruelling 5,000-mile round trip to Azerbaijan to face Qarabağ, the kind of unfamiliar setting where tempers can flare. At 1.65, the market suggests roughly a 60% chance of seeing at least one dismissal across four matches.
Market: Will VAR overturn any goal scored in Tuesday's Champions League matches?
VAR drama is practically a guaranteed feature of modern Champions League football. With the stakes this high, expect marginal offside calls and handball controversies. At 2.30, a disallowed goal across four high-intensity matches is attractive value.
Market: Will any manager/head coach be carded in Tuesday's Champions League matches?
Since the introduction of manager cards, touchline theatrics have become a market category in their own right. At 3.25, you're betting on at least one of eight managers losing composure, not a bad punt considering the intensity of knockout football.
Wednesday's slate mirrors Tuesday with its own suite of markets. A few standouts:
Market: Will there be 13 or more goals scored in Wednesday's Champions League matches?
NBC Sports highlighted the potential for a UCL Klassiker if Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich both advance, noting there's a 50/50 shot they'd be drawn against each other in the Round of 16. Wednesday's matches could feature even more intensity as teams react to Tuesday's results.
Market: Will there be a red card in any of Wednesday's Champions League matches?
A perfect coin flip according to the odds. With Atlético Madrid — never shy about a tactical foul — playing their first leg, this one could easily land on "Yes."
For the stats enthusiasts, PREDICT offers granular markets on shots on target and corners for both days:
Will all 8 teams have 2+ shots on target each in Tuesday's matches? - Yes: 1.50 / No: 2.60
Will there be 39 or more corners in Tuesday's matches? - Yes: 2.10 / No: 1.75
Will all 8 teams have 1+ corners each in each half of Wednesday's matches? - Yes: 4.50 / No: 1.20
The "every team gets a corner in every half" market at 4.50 is a fun one, it only takes one dominant first-half display where a team barely crosses halfway to kill it.
The 79th British Academy Film Awards take place on Saturday, February 22nd at London's Royal Festival Hall, and this year they carry enormous weight as the final major precursor before Oscar voting opens on February 26th.
Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" has been on an extraordinary run — winning the DGA Award, Critics Choice, and Golden Globe. AwardsWatch reported that a BAFTA win this Saturday would give the 14-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker "a nearly unbeatable trajectory." The DGA Award has predicted the Oscar Best Director winner 18 out of the last 20 times, and the Academy is currently riding a five-year perfect match streak between the two awards.
Market: BAFTA for Best Film?
"One Battle After Another" led the BAFTA nominations with fourteen nods. At 1.50, it's the clear favorite, but "Hamnet" at 2.75 is an intriguing alternative, Chloé Zhao's film made BAFTA history as the most-nominated film by a female director.
Chalamet is the overwhelming favorite after sweeping the Golden Globe and Critics Choice. At 30, he would become the second-youngest Best Actor winner in history if he carries this momentum through to the Oscars on March 15th.
Buckley at 1.02 is virtually a certainty. Her career-defining performance has been the one constant in an otherwise competitive awards season.
The supporting categories are slightly more competitive. Variety reported that at the Oscar nominees' luncheon, Benicio Del Toro, nominated for supporting actor for "One Battle After Another", drew "a spontaneous and sustained reaction" upon entering the room, hinting that the supporting actor race may be more open than the odds suggest.
Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" may not win the top prizes, but Original Screenplay is where it has its best shot. The film set the all-time Oscar nominations record with 16, and Variety projects it to win the most individual Oscar categories (six) including Best Original Score and Best Casting.
The Epstein files saga has become the biggest story in global politics. The Department of Justice published over 3.5 million pages under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, including more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. The fallout has been seismic.
According to CNBC, the files have triggered a wave of resignations worldwide: Goldman Sachs top lawyer Kathryn Ruemmler, the CEO of Dubai's largest port, former Harvard president Larry Summers, and Paul Weiss chairman Brad Karp have all stepped down. NPR reported that the European fallout has been even more dramatic, UK ambassador Peter Mandelson was fired over Epstein ties, and Prince Andrew now faces a British police investigation over claims he shared confidential trade information with Epstein.
CBS News revealed that Trump's ambassador to Turkey, Thomas Barrack, maintained regular contact with Epstein for years after his 2008 conviction. CNN reported that the DOJ shared a list of over 300 prominent people named in the files with Congress, though Rep. Ro Khanna criticized the department for "purposefully muddying the waters."
Market: Who will be named in newly released Epstein files by February 28?
These odds reflect whether names appear in released documents — not accusations of wrongdoing. With the DOJ continuing to un-redact names under Congressional pressure, more revelations are expected.
Market: Will anyone be charged over Epstein disclosures?
The "No" is favored, but the political momentum is intense. The Washington Post reported today that the files have brought "a wave of resignations and investigations", the question is whether that translates into criminal charges.
Market: Who will testify to Congress about Epstein?
Both Clintons at 1.10 suggest testimony is practically a foregone conclusion. Hillary Clinton herself called for "total transparency" on the Epstein files, according to The Independent.
There's a dedicated market tracking everything Trump says in any public setting this week, separate from the upcoming State of the Union, which falls outside this week's window.
Market: What will Donald Trump say this week?
Notable picks:
The Winter Olympics mention at 1.90 is a smart play, the Games are in full swing in Milano Cortina, and with NHL players representing Team USA, it would be unusual for Trump NOT to mention it. Crypto/Bitcoin at 2.50 is interesting given BTC's ongoing volatility and the administration's previously pro-crypto stance.
Market: What will be said on the first Joe Rogan Experience episode of the week?
Near-locks:
Fun value plays:
The Epstein market at 1.30 is practically free money given the ongoing file releases dominating every news cycle. Cocaine at 2.00 is a classic JRE topic that surfaces in almost any long-form conversation.
Bitcoin has had a turbulent start to 2026. After hitting an all-time high above $126,000 in October 2025, the cryptocurrency has been in steady decline, briefly dipping below $61,000 in early February before recovering to around $68,600 as of February 16th.
CNBC reported that "institutional demand has reversed materially," with CryptoQuant noting that U.S. exchange-traded funds, which purchased 46,000 bitcoin this time last year, are now net sellers in 2026. Deutsche Bank analyst Marion Laboure warned that "traditional investors are losing interest, and overall pessimism about crypto is growing." Standard Chartered has a 2026 forecast of $150,000 (revised down from $300,000), while a University of Sussex professor forecasts a "high-volatility range" between $75,000 and $150,000.
Market: Will Bitcoin fall below $60K in 2026?
The market strongly expects BTC to revisit sub-$60K at some point this year — given that it already touched $60,062 in early February, this market could resolve quickly on any renewed sell-off.
Market: When will Bitcoin cross $100k again?
With BTC trading around $68,700, a return to $100K would require a 45% rally. The "Before July" bracket at 4.00 is where the value lies if you're a Bitcoin bull.
Market: Elon Musk # tweets February 16 - February 18, 2026?
The 65-89 bracket is the clear favorite for this 48-hour window.
Market: Elon Musk # tweets February 17 - February 24, 2026?
A wide spread with no overwhelming favorite, reflecting genuine uncertainty. The 220-239 range at 17.00 could offer decent value.
Market: What will MrBeast say during his next YouTube video?
Feastables at 1.15 is practically a given, MrBeast promotes his chocolate brand in virtually every video. "Subscribe" at 1.75 and "Insane" at 1.80 are classic MrBeast vocabulary.
Will GTA VI be released before November 20th 2026? - Yes: 1.35 / No: 3.00. The gaming world's most anticipated release is expected on schedule.
Which company has the best AI model end of February? - Anthropic: 1.35 / Google: 3.60 / OpenAI: 15.00. Anthropic is the heavy favorite on the Chatbot Arena leaderboard.
Tyson vs. Mayweather before May 1st? - Yes: 1.40 / No: 2.75. After Jake Paul made a Tyson fight happen, a Mayweather exhibition is looking increasingly likely. If you're into combat sports, Duelbits Sportsbook has comprehensive UFC and boxing betting markets too.
Will Bitcoin hit $200,000 before January 1st 2027? - Yes: 8.00 / No: 1.06. Despite the current downturn, CNBC's roundup of industry forecasts puts the 2026 high range at $150K-$225K.
Will there be a Russia x Ukraine ceasefire before January 1st 2027? - Yes: 2.20 / No: 1.62. One of the platform's most-watched geopolitical markets.
