The NBA Finals are here, although they’re a few months late.
The NBA’s championship series usually gets underway in June, but COVID-19 threw up some road blocks.
Now, it’s finally time for the Los Angeles Lakers to face off against the Miami Heat within the safety of the NBA’s Florida bubble.
The best-of-seven series starts on Sept. 30. ABC broadcasts every game live with the help of ESPN’s crew.
All nine of Indiana’s online betting apps will be taking wagers on the series.
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NBA Finals odds
The Heat are the first fifth-seed or lower to carve their way into the finals since 1999’s eighth-seeded New York Knicks.
The bubble environment certainly helps with that kind of run, since there’s no home court advantage or travel to deal with.
The Heat are the underdogs in the finals after their improbable run through the Eastern Conference.
DraftKings Sportsbook has Miami at +280 to win the championship, with Los Angeles as the -375 favorite.
Given LeBron James’ playoff resume, that’s hardly a surprise.
Those series lines are basically identical across every sportsbook. The Lakers are the favorites across the board.
If you’re feeling confident, you can also bet on exactly how many games it will take the winning team to come out on top. Here’s a look at those odds from DraftKings:
- Lakers to win 4-0: +425
- Lakers to win 4-1: +300
- Lakers to win 4-2: +325
- Lakers to win 4-3: +500
- Heat to win 4-0: +4,500
- Heat to win 4-1: +1,700
- Heat to win 4-2: +800
- Heat to win 4-3: +650
Game 1 Odds
Overall, the odds for the first game of the finals are pretty similar from sportsbook to sportsbook.
Every book has the Lakers as the favorites for the series opener.
Here’s a quick look at the Game 1 odds from every Indiana sportsbook:
| Point Spread | Total Points | Moneyline | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | LA -5, MIA +5 | O/U 217.5 | LA -215, MIA +175 |
| FanDuel | LA -5, MIA +5 | O/U 217.5 | LA -198, MIA +166 |
| BetMGM | LA -5, MIA +5 | O/U 217.5 | LA -209, MIA +170 |
| PointsBet | LA -5, MIA +5 | O/U 217.5 | LA -196, MIA +165 |
| Unibet | LA -5, MIA +5 | O/U 217.5 | LA -215, MIA +175 |
| Caesars | LA -5, MIA +5 | O/U 217 | LA -200, MIA +175 |
| BetRivers | LA -5, MIA +5 | O/U 217.5 | LA -215, MIA +175 |
| BetAmerica | LA -4.5, MIA +4.5 | O/U 217.5 | LA -200, MIA +160 |
| theScore Bet | LA -5, MIA +5 | O/U 218 | LA -220, MIA +180 |
Obviously, the outcome of the first game will have a big effect on the Game 2 odds.
If the Heat come out on top on Wednesday night, the lines might move closer to even for the second game.
Lakers vs. Heat DraftKings prop bets
DraftKings has the biggest selection of prop bets out there for the finals.
There are a ton of options available, so we’ll hit a few of the highlights here.
To start, you can bet on whether or not Game 1 will go to overtime. “Yes” is at +1,300, with “no” as the heavy -3,335 favorite.
Final score betting is also on the table.
You can bet on whether the combined final score will be an odd or even number. Odd is currently at -115, with even at a close -106.
Player-specific props are also a betting option.
For example, you can take the over/under on how many points Jimmy Butler will score in the first game.
Right now, that total is set at 20.5. Butler is averaging 20.7 points per game so far in the postseason.
Another player-specific option at DraftKings is taking the over/under on a certain player’s points, rebounds and assists total.
LeBron James‘ total is set at 46.5 for Game 1, which is a little higher than his playoff average of 45.9 this year.
Those are only a few of the prop betting options that DraftKings has. Everything from how many three-pointers a certain player will hit to whether or not a certain player will record a double double is on the board.
The prop options change from game to game, so shop around on DraftKings’ website or app for the full list of options.
BetMGM NBA Finals MVP
BetMGM is taking wagers on which player will win the Finals MVP.
LeBron James is the favorite to take home the Bill Russell Trophy for the fourth time in his career. James previously won the award in 2012 and 2013 playing for the Miami Heat, and in 2016 as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Heat forward Andre Iguodala is also a previous Finals MVP winner. He took home the award in 2015 as a member of the Golden State Warriors.
Here’s a glance at BetMGM’s odds for the top potential Finals MVP candidates:
- LeBron James: -143
- Anthony Davis: +280
- Jimmy Butler: +550
- Bam Adebayo: +1,800
- Goran Dragić: +2,500
- Tyler Herro: +3,000
FanDuel bonus NBA Finals promotion
So far, FanDuel is the only sportsbook in Indiana that has a promotion out for the NBA Finals.
Users can enjoy the sportsbook’s bonus bet promotion.
The promo is refunding bettors who place a same-game parlay on the first game of the finals.
To take advantage of the promo, you’ll have to opt-in on FanDuel’s website or app.
Once you do, just place a parlay of three legs or more on Game 1 and you’re good to go. The odds on your parlay have to be at +200 or higher to qualify.
Once you’ve hit the requirements, FanDuel will refund you up to $10 if your parlay misses.
More promotions will come out as we get closer to the series tip off, so check in with your favorite sportsbook for the most up-to-date list of deals.
