NBA Finals 2025: Sportsbooks Rooting for OKC Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the largest NBA Finals favorites in franchise history, with odds of -700 at BetMGM, as they face the Indiana Pacers (+500). Despite the Thunder’s overwhelming favoritism, sportsbooks are cheering for Oklahoma City. Halvor Egeland, BetMGM trading manager, stated, “The Thunder have been our best result just about the entire playoffs. That remains the case and with where the finals pricing is, I can guarantee we’ll be cheering on OKC.”
Sportsbooks benefited significantly from the Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round exit to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers were BetMGM’s biggest liability, including a $100,000 wager at 10-1 odds that would have won $1 million. Other potential hazards like the Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics were eliminated before the conference finals.
Jeff Sherman, vice president of risk at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, noted, “Our best result is Oklahoma City. Their odds were low enough all season that liability didn’t accumulate. They were one of our best scenarios going into the playoffs, and we do very well on them.” The Thunder’s odds were as high as 10-1 before the season and +185 entering the postseason.
In contrast, the Pacers opened at 50-1 odds and reached 150-1 in March. Entering the playoffs, Indiana was 80-1 to win the title, only entering single digits before the conference finals against the New York Knicks. Adrian Horton, director of North American sports trading for ESPN Bet, highlighted, “Many bettors have backed the Pacers during a playoff run that includes taking down the top-seeded Cavs and the high-profile Knicks with multiple dramatic comebacks. Given their relatively long price compared to OKC, who have taken care of business as a 1-seed, it’s the Pacers who are our bigger liability today.”
Despite the Pacers’ underdog status, 92% of bets and 91% of total dollars wagered are on Indiana to win the finals. A Pacers victory would be the biggest NBA Finals upset since 2004 when the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers.
Game 1 tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET Thursday on ABC, with the Thunder as 9.5-point favorites and the total set at 230.5.