Wager of $100,000 Stands to Earn $1.1 Million if Lakers Secure NBA Championship
In the wild world of sports betting, one die-hard NBA fan just dropped a jaw-dropping bet on the 2025 NBA Finals. The risk-taker splashed $100,000 on the Los Angeles Lakers to take home the championship trophy, banking on them winning at odds of +1000. If they pull it off, they're set to rake in a cool $1.1 million!
Now, let's dive into what the Lakers' +1K odds mean. Essentially, it's saying that the chances of the Lakers lifting the championship crown are at a modest 9.09%. Remember, long shots mean betting on the underdog. This year's top seeds include powerhouses like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Historically, approximately two-thirds (66.7%) of all-time NBA champions were also their conference's top seed. But don't count out the underdogs! In the last 32 years, five underdog teams claimed victory. There have been some serious Cinderella runs, such as the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors, the 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks, and the 2018-19 Toronto Raptors.
The Lakers' 2025 Finals hopes received a significant boost when they swapped their big man Anthony Davis for superstar Luka Doncic in a February blockbuster trade. The Mavs shipped Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Lakers in exchange for Davis, Max Christie, and the Lakers' 2029 first-round draft pick. The Utah Jazz also walked away with Jalen Hood-Schifino, the Los Angeles Clippers' 2025 second-round draft pick, and Dallas' 2025 second-round draft pick.
The trade shook things up. Before the deal, the purple and gold had +4K odds of winning the championship. Post-move, sportsbooks bumped them to +2100! The addition of Doncic, a five-time All-Star and All-NBA member, sent a wave through the betting community.
Doncic led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season, and his impressive stats speak for themselves. This prodigious Slovenian sensation also took home Rookie of the Year honors in 2019, averaging eye-popping numbers during his rookie season. Most importantly, he placed third in MVP voting last season after putting up mind-blowing averages.
In case you're not up to speed on how good Doncic is, let's break it down for you. Among players with at least 400 games, Doncic's 28.6-point career average is third in NBA history behind only Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain (both averaged 30.1 PPG). Doncic is also one of only three players in NBA history with career averages of at least 25 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists per game. The other two are NBA legends LeBron James and Oscar Robertson.
If there's any team that could pull off an upset or two in this year's NBA playoffs, a star-studded Lakers squad with LeBron and Doncic could be the one to watch. But remember, the road to a championship isn't easy, and the Lakers are still finding their groove with the new lineup. With growing pains and defensive challenges on the table, they'll need to focus on shoring up their weaknesses if they want to emerge as the titans of the West.
- Despite the Lakers initially having +4K odds of winning the championship, the acquisition of Luka Doncic in a trade has significantly improved their chances, with sportsbooks bumping them to +2100.
- Doncic, a five-time All-Star and All-NBA member, led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season and boasts impressive career averages of 28.6 points, seventh in NBA history.
- Among players with at least 400 games, Doncic is one of only three players in NBA history with career averages of at least 25 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists per game, joining the ranks of NBA legends LeBron James and Oscar Robertson.
- With the addition of Doncic, a star-studded Lakers squad featuring LeBron James could potentially pull off an upset or two in this year's NBA playoffs, but they must address growing pains and defensive challenges to emerge as the titans of the West.
