NBA Finals Odds

The Format of the NBA Finals

If you’re planning to place a bet on basketball’s end-of-season showdown, you first need to understand how the NBA finals work. The NBA is split into two conferences - Eastern and Western - and the winners of each come together for a best-of-seven-game series to determine the eventual winners of the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.

So, the champion is the first team to win four matches in the NBA Finals. 

Home advantage in the finals is given to the franchise with the best W-L record during the regular season, which sees that team play at home for games 1, 2, 5, and 7. Understanding home advantage is crucial before betting on the NBA Finals, as the team playing at their home court typically has the edge. 

Understanding NBA Finals Odds and Betting Options

As basketball’s end-of-season showdown, the NBA finals present sports bettors with a wealth of markets and opportunities, including: 

Lines and spreads

The easiest way to bet on the NBA Finals is to place a straight-up moneyline bet. In an NBA line, your only job is to pick the winner: 

Cleveland Cavaliers (+155) vs. LA Clippers (-140)

Above, the Clippers are clear favorites to win the match against the Cavs, with a $140 bet returning $100. Should the Cavs secure an upset, a $100 bet will return $155.

Another option is to place an NBA Finals spread bet, which is a form of handicap betting: 

Cleveland Cavaliers +5.5 (+130) vs. Boston Celtics -5.5 (-135)

Here, the Celtics are favorites to win the match, even with a 5.5-point handicap. Provided that the Cavs don’t lose by more than five points, a spread bet on the team from Cleveland would come home. 

Futures

Think the Cavaliers will make it to the NBA Finals this season? You can place a futures bet on them making the NBA Finals earlier in the season to access the best odds.

Outright winner

Alternatively, you can wait until the winners of the Eastern and Western conferences have been announced, so you can back the team that you think will win the championship trophy outright, and the odds might be presented in the following way: 

Boston Celtics +600 

Golden State Warriors +650 

Milwaukee Bucks +750 

LA Clippers +750 

Brooklyn Nets +900 

Totals (over/under)

As the NBA finals are played out over the course of seven games, you can place several totals bets on the number of points scored on the court. For instance, the line might be set at 191.5, and you have to decide whether to bet over or under the total. 

Proposition bets 

The NBA Finals are packed with proposition bet opportunities, from the top point scorer to the team with the most rebounds on the court. Prop bets are a great way of extending and building value into your betting slip. 

Recap: NBA Finals Odds and Betting

As you can see, there are so many ways to bet on the NBA finals. Be mindful that odds will change throughout the season, depending on a team’s form and level of performance.

But ultimately, there are many ways to back your favorite team during basketball’s end-of-season showdown, so be sure to check the latest odds and markets to find value for your betting slip.