The Los Angeles Lakers went on a hot streak after trading for Luka Doncic, and one bettor is wagering big that they will ride that momentum to an NBA Championship.
If they do, the bettor will win $1 million.
According to Yahoo! senior sports betting analyst Ben Fawkes, one bettor wagered $100,000 on the Lakers to win the title with +1000 odds at BetMGM Sportsbook. The bet would profit $1,000,000 if the Lakers win it all.
The Lakers are currently fourth on the oddsboard at BetMGM behind the Thunder (+185), Celtics (+200) and Cavs (+550). They’re also fourth at FanDuel and DraftKings, but their odds are more favorable to bettors there, with +1500 and +1400 odds to win the Championship, respectively.
This bettor likely placed the bet with BetMGM because they were willing to take the larger wager. For those betting smaller, FanDuel offers the best potential payout.
Since their blockbuster trade for Doncic, the Lakers are 18-10 in games he plays. In games where both Doncic and LeBron James play, they’re 15-8.
The Lakers have also seen a massive improvement in their odds to win it all since the trade. Before acquiring Doncic, they were +4500 at DraftKings. After acquiring him, they were +2000 at DraftKings. Now they’re +1400 at DK.
The Lakers, who secured the third seed in the Western Conference thanks to their strong finish, face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. They’re -195 at DraftKings, -186 at FanDuel, and -200 at BetMGM to win their opening-round series. The teams split their season series 2-2.
The +1000 odds at BetMGM tell us the Lakers have a 9.1% implied probability of winning the NBA Championship. The Thunder, at +185 odds, have a 35.1% implied probability.
It’s not surprising to see a big bet on the Lakers. Not only do they have plenty of rich fans, but they also have two of the biggest superstars in the game.
Doncic led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last year, where they lost to the Celtics. LeBron James is a four-time champion. While the duo has only played 23 games together, their performance, coupled with the continued improvement of Austin Reaves, has lifted the team.
The Lakers are averaging 116.2 points per game since acquiring Doncic. Before that, they averaged 111.9 points. Their offensive rating has improved from 115.3 to 119.8 in that time.
If the Lakers beat the T-Wolves, they would face the winner of Warriors-Rockets. Despite being the 7 seed, the Warriors are -166 favorites at FanDuel to upset the second-seed Rockets. If the Lakers get to the Western Conference Finals, they’ll likely face the Thunder, Nuggets, or Clippers.
It won’t be an easy path to $1 million for this bettor, but they believe the trio of James, Doncic and Reaves is talented enough to push the Lakers over the top. Oddsmakers aren’t currently as bullish on their chances, but it’s clear the Lakers are better positioned now than they were two months ago.
