Oklahoma City Thunder Target Historic NBA Finals Victory Against Indiana Pacers

Oklahoma City Thunder Target Historic NBA Finals Victory Against Indiana Pacers

The Oklahoma City Thunder enter the NBA Finals as the heaviest favorites in their franchise history, boasting odds of -700 against the Indiana Pacers who sit at +500. As the series prepares to tip off on Thursday evening, sportsbooks are firmly rooting for the Thunder to emerge victorious.

Halvor Egeland, a trading manager at BetMGM, expressed confidence in the Thunder’s position, noting, "The Thunder have been our best result just about the entire playoffs. That remains the case, and with where the finals pricing is, I can guarantee we'll be cheering on OKC." This sentiment highlights how the Thunder's success has aligned well with sportsbook interests throughout the playoffs.

Notably, the landscape of this year’s playoffs shifted significantly when the Los Angeles Lakers, who were previously a favorite to win the title, were eliminated in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Their early exit proved fortuitous for many sportsbooks, as the Lakers represented a substantial liability for BetMGM with a $100,000 bet placed at 10-1 odds that could have resulted in a $1 million payout.

Other teams that posed risks to sportsbooks—namely the Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics—were all eliminated before the conference finals, further smoothing the path for the Thunder. Jeff Sherman, vice president of risk at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, remarked, "Their odds were low enough all season that liability didn't accumulate. They were one of our best scenarios going into the playoffs, and we do very well on them." This strategic positioning underscores the financial benefit sportsbooks have gained from the Thunder’s performance.

The Thunder began the season with a brief window where they were 10-1 to win the championship but settled at +185 when entering the playoffs and moved to -175 as they faced the Timberwolves in the conference finals. Now, at -700, the Thunder ranks among the historically favored teams in the NBA Finals.

In stark contrast, the Indiana Pacers emerged as underdogs during their playoff journey. They initially opened with 50-1 odds and even saw them rise to 150-1 in March. It wasn’t until they progressed to the conference finals against the New York Knicks that their odds improved to +800. Interestingly, even during their playoff success, they were not favored in their series against the Knicks.

Adrian Horton, director of North American sports trading for ESPN Bet, noted, “Many bettors have backed the Pacers during a playoff run that includes taking down the top-seeded Cavs and the high-profile Knicks with multiple dramatic comebacks. Given their relatively long price compared to OKC, who have taken care of business as a 1-seed, it’s the Pacers who are our bigger liability today.” Despite coming on strong, the Pacers still represent a considerable risk for sportsbooks.

In a surprising turn of events, as the Pacers have gone on their playoff run—with a current record of 46-18 since January 1—bettors have rallied behind them, with 92% of the bets and 91% of the total dollars wagered on them to win the Finals. If the Pacers manage to pull off an upset, it would mark the biggest Finals upset since 2004, when the Detroit Pistons defeated the Los Angeles Lakers as +500 underdogs.

As excitement builds for Game 1, set to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC, the Thunder are 9.5-point favorites, with a total of 230.5 points. This matchup promises drama and a potentially historic outcome for whichever team comes out on top.