Thanksgiving Side Odds: What’s Most Likely to Make Your Plate This Year

If you think Thanksgiving dinner is all about the turkey, you’re only half right. The bird might be the headliner, but let’s be honest — it’s the sides that turn a family gathering into a full-on food festival.

The betting experts at Action Network actually put numbers to it this year, ranking the odds of each classic side dish showing up on an American Thanksgiving plate. So grab your stretchy pants and emotional support gravy boat — here’s how Vegas would probably set the line for your dinner table.

No surprise here: mashed potatoes are the LeBron James of Thanksgiving sides. Creamy, buttery, dependable — and they show up every single year ready to carry the meal.
Whether you prefer Yukon Golds, russets, or the lumpier “I gave up halfway through” version, the odds are nearly certain that these will grace your plate. Add a pat of butter or drown it in gravy, and you’re in championship territory.

Verdict: Bet the house on mashed potatoes. They’re undefeated.

Stuffing (or dressing, if you’re from the South) is Thanksgiving’s great regional divide — but either way, it’s a powerhouse. It’s carbs, butter, and nostalgia baked into one casserole dish.
Everyone claims their recipe is “the best,” and everyone’s aunt has a strong opinion about celery chunks.

Verdict: You’ll see it. You’ll love it. You’ll fight about it later.

Mac and cheese used to be the alternate side dish for kids who didn’t like cranberry sauce. Now it’s prime time.
This creamy heavyweight has climbed into the top tier of Thanksgiving staples — thanks in part to soul food traditions and TikTok recipes that basically involve an entire brick of Velveeta and zero regrets.

Verdict: Lock it in. Mac and cheese is now part of the Thanksgiving starting lineup.

Love it or leave it, cranberry sauce has staying power. The odds dip a little because half the country serves it fresh, and the other half just releases it from a can with that slow-motion plop sound.
Still, it’s the only item on the table that can legitimately be classified as both condiment and dessert.

Verdict: Moderate odds — but if your family owns a vintage Tupperware mold, you can safely wager on its appearance.

This dish is part vegetable, part dessert, and 100% controversy. Do you top it with marshmallows or pecans? Do you count it as a side or a sugar bomb?
It’s not on every table, but it’s earned its place as a southern staple and a wildcard across the Midwest.

Verdict: Good odds — especially if your mom has ever said, “I’ll just make a small one.” (She’s lying.)

Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup has built an entire empire on this one dish.
It’s divisive — half the table loves the crunchy onions, the other half acts like you just served compost. But for many families, green bean casserole is a non-negotiable.

Verdict: Decent odds. It’s the middle-of-the-pack veteran that always finds a roster spot.

Technically a topping, but emotionally? A lifestyle. Gravy is the great unifier of Thanksgiving — it fixes dry turkey, fills mashed-potato craters, and salvages questionable stuffing.
The only reason its odds aren’t higher is because somebody inevitably forgets to make enough.

Verdict: A solid 8/1. Worth a side bet — just make sure you have backups.

A baked potato at Thanksgiving is like a bench player getting unexpected minutes. It’s not standard, but every now and then, someone’s uncle goes rogue.
It’s usually there because someone doesn’t like mashed potatoes — which is, frankly, suspicious behavior.

Verdict: Long shot, but if your family’s from Idaho, maybe bump the odds to 3/1.

The artsy cousin of sweet potatoes, butternut squash is the dish that makes you feel like you’re eating something seasonal and responsible before you crush a second piece of pie.
Roasted, pureed, or stuffed — it’s trendy, but not traditional.

Verdict: Occasional guest star. The odds aren’t great, but it wins presentation points.

The long shot of the lineup — hated by kids, loved by food bloggers.
Sure, they’ve had a glow-up thanks to air fryers and balsamic glaze, but let’s face it: they’re still fighting a century of bad PR.

Verdict: 9/1 and fading fast. But if you find yourself saying, “These are actually good,” congratulations — you’re officially an adult.

If you’re betting on what’ll fill your plate this year, here’s the truth — Thanksgiving is a carb casino, and everyone’s holding mashed potatoes, stuffing, and mac & cheese in their hand.
The rest? Those are prop bets. Cranberry sauce might sneak in, green beans will keep their casserole contract, and Brussels sprouts are the underdog story that never quite pays off.

So when you sit down this Thanksgiving, look at your plate like a betting slip — and remember: the house always wins… especially if the house smells like gravy.