2024 NBA Finals Odds, Betting Trends: Everything You Need To Know

Patrick Everson Sports Betting Expert

5 minute read

NBA Finals odds are coming more into focus, with the playoffs nearing the end of Round 2. The looming question: Will anyone stand in the way of the favorite?

The Boston Celtics remain atop odds to win the NBA Finals. But there's plenty of shuffling going on below the Celtics.

Here's everything you need to know about 2023-24 NBA Finals odds: action, movement and betting trends. Check back regularly for updates, and use our BetMGM bonus code to get more when you wager.

NBA Finals Odds

Will The Wolves Go Timber?

Minnesota's regular-season success continued through the first round and into the second round. The Timberwolves were the first team through to the second round, sweeping Phoenix 4-0. But it's been a back-and-forth battle with Denver in the second round.

Minnesota took Games 1 and 2 on the road, lost Games 3 and 4 at home, then dropped Game 5 on the road to stand on the brink of elimination. The T-Wolves saw their NBA Finals odds get as short as +300 and as long as +1800 in the process.

After winning Game 6 at home, Minnesota is the +800 co-third choice. Game 7 at Denver looms large for the Timberwolves – and for BetMGM.

"There was a lot of T-wolves money early in the year, for both the Western Conference and the NBA Finals. They’re one of our worst results. So we’ll be pulling for the Nuggets," Egeland said. "We’d really like to avoid a T-Wolves vs. Thunder Western Conference finals. We’d just about guarantee ourselves a losing book on the Western Conference should they match up."

Last June, Minnesota opened +6600 to win the championship. Entering the first round, the Timberwolves were +2000, and they halved those odds after beating Phoenix.

Celtics Up, Nuggets Rebounding

With the Milwaukee Bucks injury-riddled – and now eliminated – the Boston Celtics' path to a championship perhaps got a little easier. The Celtics are now -135 favorites in BetMGM's odds to win the NBA Finals.

The Denver Nuggets, aiming for a second straight title, have a tougher road to travel through the West. As noted above, they're in a second-round duel with the Timberwolves.

Denver entered the playoffs as the +260 second choice to win the championship. The Nuggets drifted out to +1600 after going behind 2-0 against Minnesota. But they're now back at No. 2, priced at +325.

Boston has been plenty popular with bettors, but BetMGM would be fine with a Celtics crown.

"The Celtics would be a pretty decent result for us, should they win the championship," BetMGM trader Hal Egeland said. "The Nuggets would be a relatively small loser for now. I anticipate that to grow a bit should they keep advancing, but they won’t be a terrible result for us either way.

"Each team has had a decent amount of action. But liability isn’t piling up on either team."

Boston finished off No. 4 seed Cleveland 4-1 in Round 2.

Knicks of Time

Like Minnesota, New York is a notable mover in BetMGM's NBA championship odds market. Last summer, the Knicks opened +4000. Coincidentally, the Knicks were +4000 at the beginning of the postseason.

Jalen Brunson and Co. took out Philadelphia 4-2 in Round 1, then took a 2-0 lead against Indiana in Round 2. That led BetMGM to move New York to +900, its shortest price of the season.

But the Knicks have been banged up throughout the second round against Indiana. The series is tied at 3, and New York is +2800 in odds to win the NBA Finals. That makes the Knicks the sixth choice among the seven remaining teams, with the Pacers seventh at +5500.

New York is a popular play, most notably in its home state, which has a massive betting base.

"There’s certainly been a big increase in interest, particularly on our digital platform," Egeland said of betting via mobile/online. "In New York, we're live on digital only, so that makes sense."

BetMGM actually wants a prolonged Knicks playoff run.

"A Celtics-Knicks Eastern Conference finals would do wonders in terms of handle," Egeland said. "I think it would probably walk us into a spot where we lose on the Eastern Conference, regardless of outcome. But the handle on the individual games would far outweigh the potential liabilities in our futures book."

Ticket Takers and Money Makers

When factoring in both retail and digital betting, Egeland said BetMGM has a couple of preferences in the NBA Finals odds market.

"Of the teams who I consider legitimate contenders, the Mavericks will likely be our key rooting interest in the West," Egeland said. "We’d love a team like the Cavaliers or the Pacers to make it to the Finals. But being realistic, the Mavericks and Celtics are the two teams we’ll be cheering for."

Dallas beat the Los Angeles Clippers 4-2 in a first-round series and is tied 3-3 vs. the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round. BetMGM has the Mavs as the +800 co-third choice in NBA Finals futures odds. The Thunder are the +2200 fifth choice.

As noted above, Indiana is tied with York 3-3 in a second-round series and is the longest shot to win the title. Cleveland lost to Boston 4-1 in a second-round series.

"We’ll be cheering against all of the remaining teams from the Northwest Division," Egeland said. "The Nuggets, Timberwolves and Thunder would all be losers for us. Unfortunately, I’d be somewhat surprised if one of them didn’t win the West."

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Patrick Everson

Patrick Everson is a senior reporter for VegasInsider. Based in Las Vegas since 1994, he's worked in the sports betting journalism/content space for more than a decade. He's most known for his deep roster of contacts behind sportsbook counters, providing readers and viewers with the ins-and-outs of how events are being bet. He's also a thought leader in the sports betting space, often appearing on or moderating panels at national conferences. More from Patrick Everson