Comprehensive 2021 NBA Finals Betting Preview and Prediction

by WagerHome Blog on July 4, 2021

On Saturday night, and missing their former MVP, the Bucks won Game 6 over the Hawks and advanced to their first NBA Finals since 1974 and the days of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson.

2021 NBA Finals promise a great show for everyone involved and millions of fans across the globe, so let’s take a closer look and see which of these two teams will clinch te big W!

2021 NBA Finals Betting Preview

The Suns punched their ticket to the Finals with a win over the Clippers three days earlier, and it’s the first time they will be a series away from winning the NBA title since 1993 when they were led by Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson, and Dan Majerle.

Without the injury concerns of Milwaukee, it is the Suns who have opened as pre-Finals favorites to win their first-ever NBA championship.

Milwaukee Bucks: +160

The absence of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo looms large for the Bucks. However, let’s not forget that they just won Game 5 and Game 6 against the Hawks without Giannis in the lineup. It wasn’t easy, and it won’t be easy against the Suns, but it is doable.

Khris Middleton stepped up when needed, scoring 23 of his 32 points in an incredible third quarter on Saturday. He also scored 26 points in Game 5 and went off for 38 in Game 3. He’s not a total fill-in for Giannis, but he’s playing at a high level and this team will stay competitive.

And Giannis hasn’t been ruled out for the series just yet. The official word is that he is “day-to-day.” There had been some reports that he would be ready to play in a Game 7 against Atlanta if necessary. If those reports are true, then a Tuesday return for Game 1 of the NBA Finals, while not likely, is a possibility.

Phoenix Suns: -180

With the Bucks banged up the Phoenix Suns are the obvious favorite. And even if Giannis was healthy heading into the Finals, a strong case can be made that the Suns should be the favored team.

Chris Paul is a leader and just scored 41 to close out the Clippers. Devin Booker is a true scorer, and it’s easy to forget he is still just 24 years old. He’s averaging 27 points a game this, his first-ever trip to the playoffs. And this is the team that knocked off LeBron and the Lakers, this year’s MVP Nikola Jokic, and put together a nine-game playoff winning streak. They also played the Bucks twice this season and won each game by a point.

Prediction: Phoenix Suns

The Suns don’t beat themselves. They’ve been playing good and steady basketball all season long and have really turned it up in the playoffs. Each game might be close, but overall the series won’t be. Phoenix in five games. Six games if Giannis can play at 80-90%.

Pay Per Head Software

If you are an independent bookmaker taking bets on the 2021 NBA Finals, get yourself a pay-per-head partner right now. At WagerHome.com you get your own customizable website, access to their huge menu of sports and betting options, plus EZ live betting. See how you can maximize your profits with a free demo today at WagerHome.com.

read more
WagerHome BlogComprehensive 2021 NBA Finals Betting Preview and Prediction

Updated NBA Title Odds Heading Into the Conference Finals

by WagerHome Blog on June 21, 2021

We are down to the final four NBA teams in what has been one of the most exciting postseasons in years. We’re also seeing the new stars in the league step forward, and new teams in a position to win an NBA title for the first time in decades.

In fact, the Milwaukee Bucks has the short title droughts among the remaining playoff teams, with its last championship won 50 years ago in 1971.

Current Odds to Win NBA Finals

  • Milwaukee Bucks (+105)
  • Phoenix Suns (+150)
  • Los Angeles Clippers (+800)
  • Atlanta Hawks (+1100)

Milwaukee Bucks (+105)

Milwaukee is the obvious favorite of the remaining four teams. The Bucks are a battle-tested bunch, having played in the Eastern Conference Finals just two years ago. They’ve won 162 games over the last three seasons, recorded 23 playoff wins over the same span, and just knocked off the title favorite Brooklyn Nets.

The Bucks are also the only remaining team with a former MVP on the roster in the person of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

They opened the preseason paying +550 for an NBA title. Now it’s down to +105.

Phoenix Suns (+150)

The most unlikely of conference finalists, the Phoenix Suns have emerged as the favorite to come out of the West. They were a lottery team the previous 10 seasons before exploding this year with 51 wins, a Pacific Division title, and the No. 2 seed in the playoffs.

They have no MVPs on the roster, but Devin Booker is playing like one, and the entire team is steamrolling opponents. Phoenix beat the Los Angeles Lakers 4-2, the Denver Nuggets 4-0, and on Sunday, they took a 1-0 lead on the LA Clippers.

A preseason championship bet on the Suns paid as much at +7500.

Booker, Ayton and Bridges break down Suns' second-half run, fan energy in  win over Nuggets - Bright Side Of The Sun

They have no MVPs on the roster, but Devin Booker is playing like one, and the entire team is steamrolling opponents. Phoenix beat the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

Los Angeles Clippers (+800)

The Clippers were able to get past the top-seeded Utah Jazz without injured superstar Kawhi Leonard, getting to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in team history. And while they are the only remaining team in Los Angeles, anything less than a championship will still have them playing second fiddle to the ousted Lakers.

Just how far can they get without Leonard, who is out for an undetermined amount of time? Most experts say this is the end of the road, even though LA is much more than just one superstar.

Interestingly a preseason bet on the Clippers only paid +650, so even though they are one of four teams remaining, the odds of a win are now longer.

Atlanta Hawks (+1100)

The underdog of the bunch are the Atlanta Hawks, returning to the conference finals for the first time since 2015. They were one series away from the NBA Finals. However, the Hawks were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Trae Young has grown into a superstar. But more importantly for Atlanta, they won Game 7 over the favored Philadelphia 76ers on the road when Young wasn’t at his best. This makes them more dangerous going forward, even as the longest shot to win the title. Although at +10000 in the preseason, their fortunes have definitely risen.

Pay Per Head Software

There is still time this NBA playoffs for independent bookmakers to maximize their profits by partnering with a top pay per head software provider. At WagerHome.com, you get a customizable website, access to their huge menu of sports and betting options, plus EZ live betting.

See a demo today at WagerHome.com.

 

read more
WagerHome BlogUpdated NBA Title Odds Heading Into the Conference Finals

Updated Betting Favorites, Darkhorses, and Underdogs in the NBA Playoffs

by WagerHome Blog on May 24, 2021

The NBA Championship won’t be decided for nearly two months, but this past weekend the eight first-round series began, giving us a first look at how teams are playing in the postseason. It also provides us with a chance to update where things stand when betting on the eventual winner of the NBA title.
Current Odds to Win NBA Championship

  • Nets (+200)
  • Lakers (+450)
  • Clippers (+700)
  • 76ers (+750)
  • Jazz (+800)
  • Bucks (+850)
  • Suns (+1400)
  • Mavericks (+3000)
  • Trail Blazers (+3500)
  • Nuggets (+4000)
  • Heat (+4000)
  • Hawks (+5000)
  • Grizzlies (+8000)
  • Knicks (+12500)
  • Celtics (+15000)
  • Wizards (+15000)

Sixteen teams still have a chance at winning the championship, but it’s the big three of the Brooklyn Nets that have the bookmaker’s attention. In the Nets’ first game with Boston, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden combined for 82 points, 27 rebounds, and 10 assists, and the Nets started their quest for the title with an 11-point win.

The Lakers are the next favorite, and they remain that way even after losing Game 1 to the Suns and after LeBron James left the game briefly with an injured shoulder. If the Lakers are to justify such high odds, Anthony Davis must play better. He made just 5 of 16 shots and finished with 13 points in a disappointing start for the defending champs.

The second betting favorite in the West and third overall is the other team from LA, the Clippers. And they are another team that got off to a rough start, getting outscored 18-5 over the final six minutes of their game with Dallas and losing by 10. Kawhi Leonard managed to score just three points in the fourth quarter.

The second team in the East is Philadelphia, who got things started against the Wizards with a win. Joel Embiid was his usual steady self, scoring 30 points in Game 1. However, the real story was Tobias Harris and his 37 points and what he might mean for the Sixers going forward.

Underdogs Worth Betting

If you’re looking for longer odds to play, the Blazers (+3500) should have your attention. They have the shooters to get past Denver and make some noise later in the playoffs.

The Hawks (+5000) have a true star in Trae Young, who scored 32 points and added 10 assists in Game 1 against the Knicks. He is good enough to put this team on his back and carry them through a couple of rounds of play.

The other No. 5 seed is Dallas (+3000), who is always a threat because of Luka Doncic. If the Mavs can get past the Clippers, and the Lakers and Suns continue to beat each other up, the West could open up for Doncic’s run.

Pay Per Head Software

Independent bookmakers taking NBA bets should be partnered with a pay per head software provider like WagerHome.com. To maximize your profits, you get a customizable website, automated odds, access to WagerHome.com’s huge menu of sports and betting options, plus EZ live betting.

See a demo today at WagerHome.com

read more
WagerHome BlogUpdated Betting Favorites, Darkhorses, and Underdogs in the NBA Playoffs

NBA Playoffs Betting Guide to Win 2021 Title

by WagerHome Blog on May 17, 2021

On Tuesday, the play-in tournaments begin, leading us to the first round of the NBA Playoffs that tip-off on Saturday. And as we enter the best part of the NBA season, the number one question on everyone’s mind is who is going to win and where I should put my money.

So which teams in their respective conferences are favored to win the NBA’s Larry O’Brien trophy, regardless of their current standing coming into the NBA playoffs?

Eastern Conference

Brooklyn Nets (+225): The Nets are the No. 2 seed in the East but the betting favorite to win the NBA Championship at +225. And they make a great betting favorite if they can stay healthy. Brooklyn’s top three players – James, Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant – have played just eight games together this season.

Philadelphia 76ers (+750): The top seed in the East, the Sixers are the second betting favorite in the conference. If defense truly does win championships, the excellent defense in Philadelphia is going to be tough to beat.

Milwaukee Bucks (+900): When you take the floor with the defending MVP, you always have a chance to win. But even with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the lineup, the last two years have seen playoff disappointment in Milwaukee. And last year’s disappointment came at the hands of the Miami Heat, which just so happens to be the Bucks’ first-round opponent.

Miami Heat (+3000): Only the 6th seed, the Heat are the fourth betting favorite in the East. But at +3000 and an underdog in the first round, at best, the Heat are a longshot.

Western Conference

Los Angeles Lakers (+425): If you take a shot at the king, you better kill him. The Lakers have taken so many shots this season that they actually find themselves taking on Golden State in the play-in tournament. But they are the defending champions, they have LeBron James, and they are the betting favorite in the West.

Los Angeles Clippers (+600): Another team that has struggled with injuries, and thus struggled to find chemistry, are the Clippers. They had expectations of finishing higher than the fourth seed, as the second betting favorite in the West, bettors have higher expectations as well.

Utah Jazz (+750): They won an NBA-best 52 games and have been on top of the Western Conference for most of the season. The Utah Jazz has been consistently good all season, and at +750 – only third-best in the West – they provide good betting value.

Denver Nuggets (+3000): Nikola Jokic is the deserved MVP favorite, and he is enough by himself to carry the Nuggets through a couple of rounds. But too many injuries leave a championship in doubt, and the 3rd seed in the West is paying the long odds of +3000.

Pay Per Head Software

The NBA Playoffs begin this week, and there is no better time for independent bookmakers to become partners with a top pay-per-head software provider like WagerHome.com. Get a customizable website, fully automated odds, access to WagerHome’s full menu of sports and betting options, plus EZ live betting.

See a demo today and get four free weeks free at WagerHome.com.

.

 

read more
WagerHome BlogNBA Playoffs Betting Guide to Win 2021 Title

Christmas Day Opens Door for Nice Multiple Sports Parlay

by WagerHome Blog on December 24, 2020

If you are an independent bookmaker or just someone who has thought about opening your own bookmaking shop, you already know about the NBA showcase on Christmas Day. It’s the biggest day on pro basketball’s regular-season television calendar.

But with Christmas falling on a Friday this year – which is close enough to the weekend for the NFL to jump on board – we’re getting two professional sports on one big day. Add in a college bowl game and three college basketball games involving Top 25 teams, and it’s a sports betting Christmas Miracle.

NBA Lineup

From right after you open the presents under your tree to right before you go to bed, there are five of the best NBA matchups of the season to watch and wager.

  • New Orleans Pelicans Miami at Heat (-5)
  • Golden State Warriors at Milwaukee Bucks (-8)
  • Brooklyn Nets (-1) at Boston Celtics
  • Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers (-6)
  • LA Clippers at Denver Nuggets (Pick)

The day starts with last season’s Eastern Conference champion, the Heat, hosting Lonzo Ball, Zion Williamson, and the New Orleans Pelicans. Next, the favorite to win the East this season, the Milwaukee Bucks, host a returning Stephen Curry and the Warriors.

Then, the Celtics, a conference finalist a season ago, host the Nets, who are led by a now-healthy Kevin Durant.

In the Western Conference, the defending NBA champion Lakers continue the defense of their title against the Mavericks. The two biggest challengers to the Lakers, the Clippers and Nuggets, finish off the night in Denver.

Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints

New Orleans sports fans have a full day, starting with the Pelicans and ending with the Saints and their effort to stay as the NFC’s second seed. The Saints are seven-point favorites over the sliding Minnesota Vikings, who see their Wild Card hopes on life support.

christmas dayIt’s the second game for Drew Brees since he came back from broken ribs, and it will be the second game since Michael Thomas was placed on injured reserve. The rushing title is Derrick Henry’s to lose, but the Vikings’ Dalvin Cook leads the NFL in total yards from scrimmage and is on pace to break 2,100 yards.

College Sports Schedule

Adding to the mix of great Christmas Day professional sports is the Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. Both Marshall and Buffalo began the season with long winning streaks but head into their bowl matchup after each taking a loss. Buffalo is favored by 3.5 points, and the over/under is 53.5.

College basketball has four Big Ten games on its schedule, including three games involving ranked teams.

  • No. 9 Wisconsin at No. 12 Michigan State
  • No. 19 Michigan at Nebraska
  • No. 4 Iowa at Minnesota

Pay Per Head Software

It’s not too late to get a pay per head partner to help you make the most of Christmas Day parlay action. With PPH powering your bookmaking business, you get a fully customizable website, automated odds, 24/7 customer support, and detailed reports on each of your clients.

Get a demo today at WagerHome.com and sign up now for a free four-week trial.

read more
WagerHome BlogChristmas Day Opens Door for Nice Multiple Sports Parlay

NBA Draft Betting Preview

by WagerHome Blog on November 17, 2020

The new NBA season won’t begin until the end of December. But the delayed NBA Draft provides bettors with a little pre-Thanksgiving wagering gift on Wednesday night.

It’s no longer about just the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat and which team will capture the NBA title. Instead, we look at the worst teams in the NBA – teams that failed to make the playoffs – and who their future building blocks are for 2021 and beyond.

Favorites to Go No. 1 Overall

  • LaMelo Ball (-176)
  • Anthony Edwards (+175)
  • James Wiseman (+600)
  • Obi Toppin (+5000)
  • Deni Avdija (+6500)

Ball is the pre-draft favorite, and as a 6-7 point guard with versatility, you can see why. He does have his own clothing line already, and a father who is less than desirable if you’re an NBA general manager. But his talent outweighs his baggage.

To consider before plunking down a bet on Ball is that the Minnesota Timberwolves already have a possession-dominant point guard in D’Angelo Russell, who they traded a pair of 2021 picks for just last season. So while Ball might be the best player in the country, he may not be the best fit in Minnesota.

That’s where Georgia’s Anthony Edwards comes in. He averaged 19 points per game as a freshman, and the 6-5 shooting guard would fit perfectly on the wing.

James Wiseman is 7-1 and destined to be an elite big man. But after just three games at Memphis last year, he was ruled ineligible, making him a wild card going into draft day.

Player Draft Positions

Not sure which player is coming off the board at No. 1? No problem. You can bet on each player’s NBA draft position with a bet that mimics an over/under bet.

  • LaMelo Ball: 2.5 (over +260; under -345)
  • Anthony Edwards: 1.5 (over -213; under +175)
  • James Wiseman: 2.5 (over -125; under +105)
  • Obi Toppin: 4.5 (over -189; under +155)
  • Deni Avdija: 4.5 (over +100; under -121)
  • Killian Hayes: 6.5 (over -200; under +165)
  • Tyrese Haliburton: 7.5 (over +135; under -164)
  • Isaac Okoro: 8.5 (over -115; under -105)
  • Devin Vassell: 11.5 (over +105; under -125)
  • Aaron Nesmith: 12.5 (over -125; under +105)

nba draft

Most mock drafts have Deni Avdija going to the Bulls with the fourth overall pick. It makes sense with former Nuggets general manager Arturus Karnisovas making the pick for Chicago and with a history of picking international players. So the under looks good there.

The most volatile of these top picks might be Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton. He could go as high as fourth, or possibly as low as eighth.

Pay Per Head Software

If you are an independent bookmaker taking bets on the NBA Draft or the full slate of football games on the weekend schedule, you need to partner with a pay per head software provider. Get a customizable website, your choice of sports and betting options, and access for your clients to a 24/7 online casino.

See a demo today and get a four-week free trial at WagerHome.com.

read more
WagerHome BlogNBA Draft Betting Preview

Opening NBA Action: Best Bets of the Weekend

by WagerHome Blog on July 28, 2020

In NBA betting, the general rule is the more that is known, the harder it is to find good value. If Team A is exponentially better than Team B, the lines reflect it.

But if that rule is true, then the opposite must also be true. The less that is known, the more volatile the line, the more the public is off, and the greater chance that you can find a line with good value.

Well, never in the history of basketball has there been less known about what is going to happen in Orlando. No home courts, no fans, and everyone living under one bubble. Trying to parse what will happen based on where things stood in March is a fool’s errand.

LA Clippers (+4.5) vs. Los Angeles Lakers – July 30

That takes us to our first best bet this weekend. Are the Lakers really 4.5 points better than the Clippers? Four months away from competitive basketball makes it impossible to say. This feels like too big of a line for these two very evenly matched teams.

Also, it’s important to remember that this is just a seeding game, and the Lakers are already going to be tough to catch atop the West. The Clippers have a much greater incentive when they take the floor.

Orlando Magic (-6.5) vs. Brooklyn Nets – July 31

No NBA team has less to play for than the Nets, and no team is headed to Orlando with fewer of its star players. No Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving, and with no real incentive to win, means that the Nets will be treating the Orlando bubble like a training camp for next season.

The Magic, on the other hand, can pass the Nets in the standings with this one win and move into a better seed. Being the only true home team for the restart may also aid the Magic a bit, but really it’s the tattered shape of the Nets roster that makes this a strong bet to make.

Oklahoma City Thunder (-1) vs. Utah Jazz – Aug. 1

These two teams are right next to each other in the standings, making it an even matchup on a regular day. But this is Utah’s second game of the restart after taking on New Orleans Thursday night. Considering no one has played competitive basketball in four months, turning around and playing again on Saturday will take its toll.

nba

When things shut down in March, Oklahoma City was playing some of the best basketball in the league and was particularly good at winning close games – which is what will happen here.

Pay Per Head Software

The NBA is back, the NHL is just around the corner, and Major League Baseball is now in full swing. If you have your own bookmaking business that made it through the sports downturn, you absolutely must get partnered with a pay per head service today.

You are about to become very busy, so let PPH software help out by doing the heavy lifting. WagerHome.com offers a demo on how you and your clients will benefit, plus they give you four weeks to try it free.

read more
WagerHome BlogOpening NBA Action: Best Bets of the Weekend

MLB, NBA, NHL All Set to Return in July

by WagerHome Blog on June 30, 2020

Normally, the sports calendar in July is so slow that ESPN puts out its annual award show, The Espys, just to help fill the void until things return. With only baseball to fill our weeks, and NFL training camps beginning at the end of the month, sports fans and sports bettors know that July is the best time to take family vacations.

Not this year.

Get ready for the greatest month of July the sports world has ever seen.

The Return of Baseball

Finally, after multiple weeks of negotiating, fighting through the media, telling us the season was 100% going to happen, then not happen, and then happen again, MLB and its players union have an agreement to begin the season on July 23.

It will be an all-out 60-game sprint to the playoffs and a season unlike anything we’ve ever seen before, with all teams only playing games against their division or the corresponding regional division in the other league (NL East vs. AL East, and so on).

NBA Seeding Games and Playoffs

One of the reasons the NCAA Tournament is so great is that there is no waiting for basketball to start. Games tip off early, and never seem to stop. Now imagine an NBA world like that. How amazing would it be?

Imagine no more, because when the NBA resumes on July 30, they will play 88 seeding games to finish out the season in just two weeks time. Twenty-two teams, three courts, four television networks (TNT, ESPN, ABC, and NBATV), and games starting as early as 12:30 pm ET through as late as 9 pm ET.

You can’t really go anywhere at the moment, so grab your remote, your favorite betting app, and prepare for NBA basketball overload.

NHL Playoffs

A Stanley Cup Playoffs like we’ve never seen before will also be coming to our televisions in late July. Twelve teams from each conference are in, with the top four teams in each playing a round-robin tournament for seeding, while everyone else plays in a best-of-five series for the right to get into the final playoff bracket.

return

The NHL still hasn’t decided which cities will serve as hubs for these games, or when exactly players will report. A new CBA is close to finalization, which, along with creating labor peace for the next six years, will create the return-to-play protocols, including a date certain for the resumption of training camps and the playoffs that follow.

Pay Per Head

As the saying goes, get in while the getting is good. And the getting is about to get really good with all the sports action and betting that is coming our way.

The best bookies need the best bookie software and a pay per head service that can truly enhance their business. For a nominal price per head, bookmakers get a fully customizable website, detailed client reports, 24-hour customer service, and all the sports and automated odds and lines your clients could ever want. Get your pay per head demo for free right now at WagerHome.com.

read more
WagerHome BlogMLB, NBA, NHL All Set to Return in July

Restart Updates For NBA, NHL; MLB Negotiations

by WagerHome Blog on June 11, 2020

You can now get a haircut, go to a restaurant, and very soon you will be able to watch major American team sports on television. We’ve almost made it. Congratulate yourself, and then get ready for the wildest summer of sports you’ve ever seen as leagues continue to put together their plans to restart.

NBA Going to Orlando

The NBA’s return won’t happen until July 31, but when it does, watch out. If you thought two months of playoffs with 16 teams was intense, the restarted NBA will feature 22 teams, eight seeding games, a play-in tournament, and then a full playoff schedule of 16 teams, with every game taking place at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando.

We’ll get the draft lottery at the end of August and October will feature the end of the NBA Finals, the Draft, and the start of free agency. Then, a new season is set to begin Dec. 1.

All of this has been approved by both the league and players union, but, as with everything in the sports restart world of COVID-19, it’s all subject to change.

NHL With 24-Team Playoffs

One-upping the NBA is the NHL’s agreed-upon restart format. The top four seeds in each conference will play a round-robin to determine final seeding, while the other 16 teams (seeds five through 12 in each conference) will play best-of-five series to determine who moves on to face those top seeds.

An exciting change and one many hockey fans have been pushing for long before this season, is that each playoff round will be reseeded. Instead of a hard bracket, which would render the round-robin of the top seeds moot, the top seed will always face the lowest remaining seed.

restart

Teams have begun to return to their practice facilities, and the league hopes to resume play by late July/early August in two yet-to-be-selected hub cities – one for all Eastern Conference games and the other for all Western Conference games.

MLB Remains A Mystery

For weeks we have heard: “Don’t worry, there is too much money at stake for baseball to cancel its full season.”

Maybe that’s the problem. There is simply too much money at stake, both for 2020 and beyond, for MLB and its players union – two long-time adversaries – to come together.

Sliding scales, prorated pay, and different season lengths have all been discussed. Even the dreaded label “salary cap” has been said.

They’ve blown past their self-imposed June 1 deadline to get a deal done, but negotiations do continue. So does that mean there is still hope for a baseball season? Las Vegas oddsmakers say yes.

There is still a 75% chance a season will be played. But with each passing day, that becomes a longer bet.

Pay Per Head Software

Baseball notwithstanding, sports betting is coming back in a big way, and if you run your own bookmaking service, you need to be ready. Now is the perfect time to join forces with a pay per head software provider and make the most of the coming wave.

A partnership with WagerHome.com gets you a fully customizable website, automated odds, complete customer support, and all for a small fee per person.

read more
WagerHome BlogRestart Updates For NBA, NHL; MLB Negotiations

Three Dark Horse NBA Title Contenders In Second Half Of Season

by WagerHome Blog on February 18, 2020

From a legendary slam dunk competition to a battle to the very end in the NBA All-Star Game, it was an All-Star weekend for the ages, all underscored with tributes to the life and play of the late Kobe Bryant.

The pause in the season came at the perfect time, allowing everyone to celebrate and reflect on what has happened in the last three weeks. And everyone seems to have left the weekend re-charged and with a new sense of purpose for the upcoming sprint to the postseason.

The favorites to compete for the title have already established themselves. But who might emerge in the second half as dark horse candidates that could give the heavyweights a run for their money?

Denver Nuggets

The favorites in the West are the two teams in Los Angeles, with the Lakers moving clear of the field in the week before the All-Star break. But both the Lakers and Clippers are an injury away from coming back to the pack. The Nuggets, on the other hand, run deep. They’ve rarely had everyone healthy at the same time, yet are still hanging around.

If Paul George’s bad hamstring acts up for the Clippers, or one of the big-two with the Lakers goes into the playoffs less than healthy, keep an eye on the depth of the Nuggets.

Miami Heat

No team has seen a bigger jump in its odds to win the NBA title over the course of the season more than the Miami Heat. They began the year at 600-to-1, and now stand as high 25-to-1.

No, that doesn’t make them a likely winner. But they’ve played great basketball inside the Eastern Conference, they’ve been absolutely dominant at home, and they added Andre Iguodala at the trade deadline.

That doesn’t necessarily put them in Milwaukee’s league, but it does put them in position to capitalize should the Bucks stumble.

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors have also seen a meteoric rise in their championship odds largely fueled by an amazing 15-game win streak right before the All-Star break. Power forward Pascal Siakam has emerged as a consistent scorer down low, and he’s been complimented on the outside by the great play of guards Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet.

nba

They obviously lost Kawhi Leonard in the offseason, and expectations for this team were low because of that. But they still have plenty of playoff experience and the ability to get hot at a moment’s notice.

Pay Per Head Software

If you run your own bookmaking business, you know that this is one of the busiest times of the year. But to capitalize on the increased wagering that the end of the NBA season is sure to bring, a small investment in pay per head software is your best bet.

WagerHome.com offers bookmakers four weeks free to give it a try and see just how much of a difference it can make for you and your customers.

read more
WagerHome BlogThree Dark Horse NBA Title Contenders In Second Half Of Season