It's Finally Time for the Finals!
Sports betting news and information for bettors by bettors ...
I appreciate that the NBA and NHL postseason structures intend to put the two best teams in the finals. It just takes so long to get there!
But more games mean more betting opportunities, of course, and that is something no bettor will ever complain about.
The long wait is finally over. The NBA Finals get underway tonight with Game 1 between the surprising Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets. Miami has made history just by getting there, but can they do it again and win it all? The odds paint a bleak picture for the Heat, but upsets do happen …
I'll have more on the NBA Finals and Stanley Cup finals in just a moment, along with the latest and greatest coverage of other sports and so much more.
It's a great day to bet on sports. So, let's do it.
It's time to talk about the week in sports betting!
NBA Finals
The Los Angeles Lakers made the early rounds more exciting, but the right team emerged from the Western Conference. The Boston Celtics made the East Finals exciting, but they couldn't seal the deal. As a result, we have a No. 1 seed facing a No. 8 seed in the NBA Finals for only the second time.
So, should we look at the Finals in the same way as a first-round series this year? In a way, yes. No. 1 seeds are heavy favorites in the first round, and the Nuggets are heavy favorites here. While No. 1 seeds have a solid record against No. 8 seeds in the first round (67-5), they are not perfect, and the Heat are not your typical No. 8 seed.
They will not go down without a fight.
How should you approach betting on the NBA Finals? Every bettor has to answer that question on their own, but we are here to help:
NBA Finals Series Price & Props: Heat vs. Nuggets Betting Line Continues to Shift
NBA Finals Same-Game Parlay Picks: Three Bets for Heat vs. Nuggets Game 1
NBA Finals MVP Odds: Nikola Jokic Remains the Favorite for Nuggets vs. Heat
We'll have coverage of each game throughout the Finals, but you can also keep up with the latest NBA Championship odds here and the betting lines for upcoming games here.
Stanley Cup Final
Hockey fans will have to wait a couple more days for the Stanley Cup Final to start, but bettors do not have to wait for Game 1 to start putting money down. Sportsbooks have betting lines posted for the Florida Panthers vs. Vegas Golden Knights (want to see the whole schedule?).
According to our Stanley Cup odds page, the Knights are favored to win (-125 via DraftKings and FanDuel), but the Panthers do not have bad odds at +110 (BetMGM and BetRivers).
Kris Johnson has you covered Game 1 betting analysis, props, and the latest Conn Smythe odds (Stanley Cup Playoff MVP):
Panthers vs. Golden Knights Game 1 Odds, Series Price & Props: First Look at Stanley Cup Final
Conn Smythe Trophy Odds 2023: Underdog Panthers Have Top-Two Betting Choices
Elsewhere in the Wide World of Sports Betting…
With the football season still months away, and the NBA and NHL seasons winding down, there will not be as many sporting events for bettors to enjoy in the near future. But that doesn't mean there will not be options like the ones we've covered this week:
He's one of the best wide receivers in the game today, and he's looking for a home.
The NCAA Baseball Tournament gets underway with regional action on Friday. So, there is still time to get your bets in on who will win the College World Series.
Other events of interest this weekend include:
The FA Cup on Saturday and CONCACAF Champions League Final on Sunday, UFC Fight Night (Saturday), USFL Week 8 (Saturday and Sunday), Women's College World Series (all weekend), and NASCAR’s Enjoy Illinois 300 (Sunday).
This Week on the Sports Betting Legal/Business Landscape…
It's a happy time for sports bettors in North Carolina this week. The good news began early in the week when a sports betting bill passed the Senate Finance Committee, but then the good times continued to roll as the full Senate passed the bill on its third reading today. Due to several amendments, the bill still has to go back to the House, where the vote was 64-45 the first time.
In Nebraska, retail operators had hoped to launch on Memorial Day but did not. They are now targeting the start of the College World Series (June 24) held in Omaha.
In other news, Massachusetts has joined the growing list of states asking the federal government to prosecute offshore betting sites. Why now? Well…
According to an American Gaming Association report last year, around $511 billion is gambled by Americans each year with illegal and unregulated sportsbooks, online casinos, and other games. The illegal activity "robs state governments of $13.3 billion in tax revenue annually – nearly $2.5 billion more than legal operators generated in 2021," per the report.
Sportsbook Promotions: June 1, 2023
The following promotions could come in handy this weekend:
FanDuel: With the NBA Finals here, FanDuel is offering new customers a $2,500 No Sweat First Bet.
PointsBet: A same-game parlay bonus bet for every NBA Finals Game will drop during Power Hour (6-7 p.m. ET).
BetRivers: NBA Playoffs Live Bet & Get! Place a real money, LIVE (in-play) wager of $10+ on any NBA Playoff Game, and receive a 50% Matched Bet as a Bonus Bet, up to $25.
Caesars: 50% NBA Same Game Parlay Token: 50% NBA Same Game Parlay Boost -- Thursday 6/1: Opt-In and get one (1) 50% Same Game Parlay Token to use on a +400 minimum odds SGP for NBA Finals Game 1!
DraftKings: Place a bet of $5+ and get $200 in Bonus Bets instantly!
Terms and conditions apply. Check out our promo page for the best sign-up offers sportsbook apps have to offer.
Fun With Futures: NBA Finals MVP
This market may not look fun since Nikola Jokic is a heavy favorite, -360 at DraftKings. These odds imply there is a 78.26% chance he'll win. But with the odds favoring one player that much, you'll have an easier time finding players with large potential payout.
Take Jamal Murray.
Murray has +1400 odds at DraftKings, which gives him a 6.67% chance. But Murray isn't just some role player. He was Denver's second-best scoring threat this season behind Jokic, has averaged just two points fewer a game during the playoffs than Jokic (27.7 to 29.9), and led the team in scoring in as many playoff games as Jokic (seven).
Jokic has averaged a triple-double during the postseason, which is why the odds are so heavily in his favor. But Murray has proven he can make plays and lead the team when needed. Should an additional shot or two go his way at the right moments, he could make a solid case for NBA Finals MVP.
I am not saying you should go all-in on Murray, but there is value in betting on him. There is enough value to warrant skipping your morning latte a couple of days and putting $10 down on Murray while his price is still north of +1000.
That’s it for the GTP, Ben.
Don’t worry. We’ll be back next week.
That's it for this edition of the Gaming Today Playbook. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much or more as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any questions or want to request a topic to get covered in a future newsletter, you can reach me via email at travis.pulver@catenamedia.com or via Twitter at @FatManWriting.
Bet wisely, my friends.
Until Next Week,
Travis Pulver, Sports Betting Writer