Western Conference Teams Dominate NBA Championship Betting With

LAS VEGAS (AP) - The Western Conference is so loaded that its champion may be the genuine NBA Finals, a minimum of if all the betting cash pouring in on those groups is any indication.


Of the leading seven prospective NBA champions that would be bad monetary news for BetMGM Sportsbook, six live in the West. Miami, at 200-1 odds, is the only Eastern Conference group that the book would not be delighted see hold up the Larry O'Brien Trophy.


"Seemingly, we're just going to be cheering for whoever comes out of the East," stated Halvor Egeland, BetMGM trading method supervisor.


Western Conference groups have actually won three of the previous four championships, with Boston in 2024 the exception.


The leading two favorites at BetMGM are defending champ Oklahoma City (+240) and 2023 champ Denver (+550 ). Eastern Conference groups Cleveland (+750) and New York (9-1) are next.


"Obviously, the Knicks, if they make a huge run, our liability grows," Egeland stated. "But currently, they're in fact one of our finest outcomes. Like constantly, we're expecting the Lakers to be a big liability. We're expecting the Warriors to be up there. We usually take a great deal of Nuggets cash. We're live in Colorado, and personally, I believe they're going to be an excellent team also."


Milwaukee Bucks guard/forward Kevin Porter Jr. (7) tries to get around Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein, second from right, as he trails behind Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) as Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis (9) searches throughout the first half of a preseason NBA basketball video game Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)


Caesars Sportsbook is seeing that exact same kind of patterns.


"The Nuggets, clearly with their offseason, they took some heavy action early," stated David Lieberman, Caesars' NBA sports lead. "The Warriors and Lakers are quite always 2 of our most significant liabilities. Just popular groups for people to bank on."


CBS SportsLine handicapper Bruce Marshall said he anticipates this NBA season to end like last season.


"I believe Oklahoma City's clearly the team to beat," Marshall said. "They've got great depth and even with a couple of front line injuries, they can overcome them. They're using a larger target this year. I think they're going to be much the same as a year back."


The Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the ruling MVP and is the favorite at BetMGM at +260 to capture the award once again.


But, he has business.


Denver's Nikola Jokic and the Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic are next at each 3-1. Jokic is a three-time MVP. Doncic has actually never received the award, but he figures to be the focus of LA's offense, especially with LeBron James missing out on the very first part of the season because of sciatica.


Voters tend to prefer to provide the advantage of the doubt on close races to those who have not won the award recently or at all.


"That's constantly the thing with awards," Egeland stated. "It does not always go to who had the finest season. You need to price it as if you're choosing who's going to be voting. That's why I like Jokic. I think he ought to've won last year."


Jokic is the preferred at Caesars.


"I personally think Jokic needs to be the favorite," Lieberman stated. "I believe there's an argument he probably must've won last year, however I do believe SGA was deserving of it. They had such an excellent year, I had no problem with him winning, but I think there's sort of a prevailing idea that he won since the group's record was so good."


Marshall stated he liked Orlando (50 1/2), Indiana (37 1/2), Miami (37 1/2) and Charlotte (26 1/2) to go over the win overalls.


The Magic were especially intriguing to him.


"I believe this is the team that might be ready to remove," Marshall stated. "They had a great deal of injury problems in 2015. ... They still made the playoffs."


He was more bearish on Boston (41 1/2), Philadelphia (42 1/2) and Memphis (39 1/2), anticipating those team to go under. Marshall said health issues were a problem for all 3 clubs.


The Lakers are 16-1 to win the champion and the crosstown Clippers are at 18-1.


Both teams face their share of questions.


For the Lakers, it James' health as well as whether this will be his last season. The NBA is whether the Clippers breached the salary cap relating to a recommendation offer for Kawhi Leonard.


"I think the most significant X-factor is the Clippers, even more than the Lakers, because of Kawhi," Marshall stated. "His schedule, you never ever understand about that. ... This off-court thing with Kawhi's agreement, will that be a diversion? I don't know.


"The Lakers, you can sense change coming. I'm practically convinced this is it for LeBron. Maybe Luka is primed for an MVP season, but that was no fluke when Minnesota beat them (in the playoffs) in 2015. They just out-athleted them all over."


Dallas ´ Cooper Flagg, the leading choice in this year ´ s draft, is the clear favorite for Rookie of the Year. BetMGM even lists him in minus area at -225.


The closest are Utah ´ s Ace Bailey and Philadelphia ´ s V.J. Edgecombe, each at 10-1.


While acknowledging Flagg is worthy of to be the preferred, Marshall also tempered expectations.


"I ´ m not actually sure how much of an impact Flagg is really going to make," Marshall said. "I think Dallas is not a risk this year. I just don ´ t see it with them, and I don ´ t think Flagg is going to be the superstar everybody believes."


Denver Nuggets center Nikola Joki (15) is fouled by Chicago Bulls forward Isaac Okoro (35) as Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vuevi (9) looks on throughout the first half of a preseason NBA basketball video game Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)


Los Angeles Lakers forward/guard Luka Doni (77) shoots between Phoenix Suns Isaiah Livers and and Koby Brea (14) during the very first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)


Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) drives against Utah Jazz guard Walter Clayton Jr. (13) during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rob Gray)