The Oklahoma City Thunder, after winning their first NBA championship, start as strong favorites to repeat the feat in the next season. The betting houses reflect this expectation, placing the Thunder with the lowest odds to win the title, a scenario similar to the previous season, where they were only considered “underdogs” in three games. The title defense will begin on Tuesday against the Houston Rockets. The current odds, at 2-1 on ESPN BET, are the shortest for a team at the start of the season since the Golden State Warriors in the 2017-18 season.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, with +650, are the second team with the lowest odds, followed by the Denver Nuggets (+650). The New York Knicks (+1000), the Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers (+1500) complete the list of teams with the greatest chances, according to the bets. Despite Oklahoma City’s favoritism, low odds have led bettors to seek other options. Almost 50% of the money wagered on the NBA title at ESPN BET has gone to the Nuggets. Denver has also attracted the most bets and money at BetMGM. The Nuggets’ odds have decreased significantly, going from around 15-1 to +650, following the team restructuring led by Nikola Jokic. Jokic is the favorite to win the MVP, with odds of +215 on ESPN BET, followed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Oklahoma City (+250). Luka Doncic of the Lakers is in third place with +440.They are far above everyone and will be favorites in almost every game, unless something unforeseen happens.
Jeff Sherman, NBA betting expert
