Canadian NBA fans might not feel like they have much to shout about this season. With bookmakers giving odds of up to 1000/1 for the Toronto Raptors to clinch the NBA championship, it looks unlikely that any silverware will be crossing the border.
However, as betting expert Neil Roarty explains, there is still a variety of NBA betting markets that offer great value. As well as the outright championship betting market, sports fans can also bet on conferences and divisions.
With that in mind, the following tips could help to spice up the title run-in and help keep fans of sports betting Canada interested in the latest action.
Outright Bets
Outright betting on the NBA is extremely popular, and as the season progresses it becomes easier to determine which teams will be in the thick of the action when it comes to crunch time. The most popular outright bet at the start of the season is on who will lift the Championship, but there are also conference and division outright bets that can offer more specialized options.
NBA Championship
At the halfway point in the NBA season, the current favourites for the championship are the Boston Celtics. Their great form this season is in part down to the quality of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, but Holiday, White, and Porzingis have also been crucial to Joe Mazzulla’s Celtics.
The Celtics might not have things all their own way with Michael Malone’s Denver Nuggets boasting the likes of two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, Michael Porter Jr., and Jamal Murray.
The Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks are also in with a chance and could be a good alternative to the two favourites should they hit form at the right time.
Eastern Conference
As you might expect from the outright betting, the Celtics are favourites to take the Eastern conference, with the Milwaukee Bucks seen as their closest rivals.
Western Conference
The Clippers are the 5/2 favourites to finish top of the Western Conference with the Denver Nuggets close behind. The Phoenix Suns are the closest rivals to the two favourites.
Divisions
The Atlantic Division is all but tied up and this is reflected in the Celtics being priced at 1/1000 by bookmakers. It would take a collapse of epic proportions for the 76ers or New York Knicks to sneak ahead at this point.
The Central Division is a little more open despite the Cleveland Cavaliers being odds-on favourites. A price of 100/30 for the Bucks to pip them to the division title is great value.
The Northwest division is a three-way battle between the Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Denver Nuggets. This is another division that could be teamed up in a parlay to provide bettors with an exciting wager.
The Pacific Division looks like the Clippers will run out winners and their odds of 1/25 reflect this. There is still some hope for the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings and odds of 18/1 and 40/1 could be tempting for many.
The Southeast Division looks like a two-way battle between the Miami Heat on 4/6, and the Orlando Magic on 11/8 with a similar outlook in the Southwest Division with the New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks in tight competition.
Player Bets
While basketball is a team game, it is the individual players that help to make it one of North America’s most popular spectator sports. In-match player props are popular among bettors who can place wagers on individual player performances and predictions. There are also player markets that take into account season-wide performances.
Regular Season MVP
The regular season MVP award goes to the player who has had the biggest impact throughout the season. The current favourite is Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets who picked up the award in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons.
Last season’s winner Joel Embiid looks to be out of the running following a knee injury that required surgery.
Canada’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder is the second favourite, with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic also in contention.
Rookie of the Year
The Rookie of the Year award looks at the most promising players who have made their NBA debut within the last year. This season’s overwhelming favourite is Victor Wembanyama.
The 20-year-old, San Antonio Spurs power forward was the 2023 NBA Draft first pick and has put in a solid start to his NBA career. At 7ft 4″, the towering figure is predicted to be a significant player for years to come.
The only other player that bookmakers fancy to rival Wembanyama is Chet Holmgren. The 2022 draft second pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder could have a chance if he helps his team into the playoffs.
LeBron James Bets
LeBron James has been nothing short of a phenomenon in the NBA since his debut in 2003. The 39-year-old is still going strong and smashing records, and the betting markets on when he will smash the 40,000-point barrier and how he will do it are a great option for fans.
The most popular fixtures for him to break the record are against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 4th, the Denver Nuggets on March 2nd, and the Sacramento Kings on March 6th.
The method of his record-breaking points sees the 2-point field goal lead the way on 11/18 followed by a layup at 7/4 and three pointer at 3/1.
Conclusion
The NBA’s popularity sees fans from across the globe backing their favourite teams and players, and Canada’s strong online sports betting market is no different.
The benefit of placing bets halfway through a season is that you can call on the team and players’ forms to place a well-informed wager. Predicting how trades work out and players settle, as well as how coaching staff lead a team can be challenging at the start of the season.
With so many betting markets available in the NBA, Canadian bettors can choose to show their allegiances and back Canadian markets or look at the stats to work out the best options.
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