Making a wager on which team you think will win the NBA Finals is a time-honored tradition in sports betting. Speculating on the team that will eventually lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy when all is said and done at the end of the season is a solid method of turning a small stake into a healthy return.
Those who were savvy enough to back the Milwaukee Bucks to win the 2020-21 NBA title garnered odds of +550 at the start of last season. That’s a $550 profit from a $100 investment.
Sure, it requires patience. This isn’t a wager that will be cashed out quickly. And there’s always a bit of luck involved. However, investing early in the NBA futures market offers huge potential in rewards.
BetUS has ramped up the options when it comes to NBA futures. The online sportsbook is providing a vast array of options that fine-tune future book selections beyond simply determining which team is going to win the title.
Back A State
One option that they offer is a prop on which the US state will be the home of the 2021-22 NBA champion. California is the +175 favorite in this future book wager and that’s entirely understandable.
Four of the past seven NBA championships were from the Golden State, led by the Golden State Warriors, who won three times over that span. The Los Angeles Lakers also won a title in 2019-20.
The Lakers (+300) and Los Angeles Clippers (+1400) are the second and third betting choices in the 2021-22 NBA Championship odds. Golden State (+1100) is given the fifth-best odds to win next season’s NBA Finals. If you’re really bold, the Sacramento Kings provide a betting line of +15000 to earn the title.
Next in line in this prop is New York. It’s the Brooklyn Nets who are actually the +225 chalk to win next season’s NBA Championship. There’s also the New York Knicks at +5000 from the Empire State.
Texas (+2500) provides three options, though none look like legitimate title contenders. The Dallas Mavericks are at +1800, while both the San Antonio Spurs (+15000) and Houston Rockets (+30000) are extreme longshots.
Florida is also at +2500 because bettors would again be investing in volume. The Miami Heat, the 2019-20 Eastern Conference finalists, can be had for +1800. The Orlando Magic open at odds of +30000.
An intriguing option would be to play any other state at a betting line of +200. Three of the last seven NBA Finals winners didn’t come from any of the aforementioned states. And this all-encompassing wager includes the reigning champion Bucks (+900), as well as the Utah Jazz (+1400), Phoenix Suns (+1600), Philadelphia 76ers (+1600), and Denver Nuggets (+1800), among many other teams.
Which Division Will Win?
Wagering on the division that will provide the NBA Finals winner is another NBA futures option. It offers bettors a one-in-six chance at success.
The Pacific Division has provided seven successive Western Conference winners and four NBA Championship squads since 2015. It rates No. 1 in the odds in this prop at +150.
The Atlantic Division is the +175 second betting choice. Playing this choice would give bettors access to the Nets, Sixers, and the 2018-19 NBA Champion Toronto Raptors (+6600).
Take the Central Division at a betting line of +700 and you’ll get the defending champion Bucks.
Picking The Finalists
Another NBA futures possibility at BetUS asks bettors to select the two divisions that will be represented in the 2021-22 NBA Finals. It’s not necessary to pick the winner. Just nail down from where the two opposing finalists will arrive.
The favorite on the board is an Atlantic-Pacific matchup at -115. That matchup has only happened once in the NBA Finals since 2011, though.
However, over the past decade, a Central-Pacific (+500) has proven to supply the finalists five times. There’s also been two Southeast-Southwest matchups (+6600) and one Southeast-Pacific showdown (+800).
Nailing It Exactly
Taking this future book option one step further, bettors can make a call on the exact outcome of the 2021-22 NBA Finals.
There are co-favorites in this wager. Bettors can flip-flop the chalk. Taking the Atlantic to beat the Pacific or the Pacific to beat the Atlantic will ganer a betting line of +225.
The top four options in this wager all include the Pacific Division. Taking the Pacific to beat the Central, or the Central to defeat the Pacific are both offered at odds of +1000.
Either version of a Southeast-Southwest outcome offers the longest odds of +12500.
Conference Call
Another future wager is fairly straightforward. It asks which conference will supply next season’s NBA Championship squad.
Taking either option – the Eastern Conference or Western Conference – delivers the same betting line of -115. While the odds aren’t as rich as some of the other props on offer here, the bonus is that there is a 50-50 chance of winning on this wager.
Betting On The NBA
There are a number of leading online betting sites that will provide bettors with the chance to place a wager on the NBA, whether it be a moneyline or point spread wager, a future book bet, a parlay wager, or a player or team prop wager.
See below the top sportsbooks, like Bovada, where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
About the Author
Noelle Matthews is a highly experienced professional in the betting industry, with over 15 years of expertise. She has made significant contributions to leading organizations in the field, including Betfair, ESPN, and Sporting Life. With her deep understanding of sports betting, you can find her insightful and informative reviews, articles, and previews on this platform. Pandora's extensive knowledge and years of experience make her a valuable resource for anyone interested in sports betting.
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