According to senior trader Halvor Egeland, despite the Celtics being considered the strong favorites to win Game 1 of the NBA Finals and secure their 18th championship, the majority of bets at BetMGM Sportsbook are actually favoring the Dallas Mavericks. Currently, 80% of the bets are being placed on Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and the Mavericks to secure their second NBA title. Although Boston is still expected to come out on top with odds of -225, indicating that a $225 wager would result in a $100 win, the money is flowing towards Dallas. In terms of the series opener, the Celtics are favored by 6 1/2 points, but 63% of the money is being placed on the Mavericks to cover the spread. Furthermore, Dallas is also receiving 70% of the bets to win the game outright at +200 odds. This suggests that the public has a strong belief in the Mavericks’ chances of success.
However, the Celtics’ odds have consistently remained strong not only at BetMGM but also at other sportsbooks. While professional bettors may not see much betting value in this series, according to Egeland, he does not anticipate the lines being greatly impacted.
