When the NBA contenders were whittled down throughout the season, leaving followers with just two teams, many thought we were in for an underwhelming season.
Many NBA pundits on TV couldn’t see the Milwaukee Bucks living with the pace and power of the Pheonix Suns. They predicted a massacre. They said it was going to be a boring, one-sided affair.
They were dead wrong.
We are in the thick of the NBA finals, and the series hangs in the balance. Suns have proven they are involved in post-season basketball completely on merit and look determined to make a nuisance of themselves.
If Bucks do as expected and finish on top this summer, then they’ll be made to work every inch of the way for that success.
How will the series play out, and what betting clues can we take from the matches already played?
Looking closely at the views of major sportsbooks and flicking through the NBA betting odds and markets, there are clues on what lies ahead.
Traders aren’t always right, of course, but it’s fair to say they are rarely wrong. What’s their thinking on the games still to come? Let’s find out.
Traders Stick With Suns
Pheonix was betting favorites with the traders before game one, and the money men have stuck to their original position. The Suns remain the most likely team to win the NBA finals and secure their place in the history books, but it hasn’t proven to be the mismatch that some expected.
The odds on Phoenix have relaxed as the series has progressed, while the odds on Bucks have shortened as they are playing much better than expected.
Many bettors placed their gambles before game one of the series, but after having a good look at how both teams are performing, they return for another bite at the cherry. The top sportsbooks offer in-play betting on the NBA finals, which allows you to gamble on the series winner at any stage. You can bet before game one then again during the play, or you can watch the opening few matches to get a feel for how the teams perform before making your decisions.
The smartest bettors are always looking for the value and making bets to increase their chances of making a profit and minimalizing the risks involved. They do this by betting before game one then at various stages throughout the series to cover all bases. If they get their calculations right, they will profit from the Finals regardless of which team wins.
An example of this could have been to back Bucks to win the series before game one, then stake on Suns when the odds allow.
Specials
In addition to the betting market that allows you to gamble on the NBA finals winning team, there’s also a range of specials. The aim of the traders with these types of bets is to ensure there is something to suit every kind of bettor.
You can predict the winning team or play one of the exciting specials, including correct series score, the number of games, MVP, series spread, and more. The top bookies push the boat out with their coverage.
If you fancy one team to win the NBA finals, you may want to seek a better price by predicting the correct series score. Here you are challenged with calling the final score of the series in wins.
For example, the most likely at this stage is Phoenix Suns to edge Milwaukee Bucks by a 4-3 series score. According to the betting, other possible outcomes include 4-2 Pheonix Suns, 4-3 Milwaukee Bucks, and 4-2 to the Bucks. This bet gives you an interest in every game, and you could have a reason to cheer even if your team loses.
This market is more complicated than simply predicting the winning team in the finals, but the odds are much better and worth taking a shot at.
Another series bet is the total number of games, and with this option, you don’t need to predict which team will win the finals. Your main aim here is to call the total number of games. The favorite at this time is six games in total and seven games. Check out all markets available before betting.
