As the NBA and NHL playoffs roll on, more potentially big-paying bets come out of the woodwork. That includes futures wagers — one made months ago — that are now closer to the precipice of a profitable payday.
Exhibit A: The Hard Rock Bet customer who, on Christmas Day, plunked down $20,000 on a Spurs NBA championship. That person is now very much in the hunt for a hefty six-figure win.
Exhibit B: Nick Wright, co-host of FS1’s “First Things First,” has a live ticket — for the moment — that would bag $2 million if the Timberwolves go on a title run.
However, one of those two tickets is going to die before the weekend is over.
Read on for more on both of those major wagers and other notable futures bets on NBA and NHL playoffs.
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.
Something’s Gotta Give
Preseason, it was thought that the Spurs would be good this year.
Just not quite this good.
San Antonio was in the +2500 range in NBA championship futures odds. By Christmas Day, even with a strong 23-7 record, the Spurs could still be had at +2000. So a Hard Rock patron ponied up $20,000.
That proved quite prudent.
By the end of the regular season, San Antonio was 62-20, the second-best record in the NBA, behind only the defending champion Thunder (64-18).
Accordingly, the Spurs trailed only Oklahoma City in NBA Finals futures. That’s still the case, with OKC the -190 favorite and San Antonio the +300 second choice among the six remaining teams.
Heading to Friday, San Antonio has a 3-2 edge over Minnesota in a best-of-7 second-round series. If the Spurs finish that off and keep it rolling two more rounds — granted, no easy chore — then the bettor bags $400,000 profit (total payout $420,000).
Much more recently, on May 2, Wright was in Las Vegas for the weekend. As Wright explained in a New York Post article, while looking to bet on boxing and the Kentucky Derby at Aria Sportsbook, he noticed the Timberwolves’ NBA championship odds.
Wright felt +20000 (200/1) was too good to pass up. So he wagered $10,000.
Part of the reason for the long odds: concern ahead of Round 2 about how soon T-Wolves star Anthony Edwards would return from a hyperextended knee.
But Edwards returned two days later for Game 1, helping Minnesota post a 104-102 road upset. And through four games, the series was tied at two games apiece.
However, the Timberwolves are now up against it. They need to win Friday at home and Sunday on the road just to get to the West finals against OKC.
If somehow Minnesota goes on a championship run, then Wright pockets a massive $2 million win (total payout $2.01 million).
One of those two bettors will be disappointed by Sunday evening. And Wright’s ticket could be out by Friday night.
The Exacta Factor
NFL Super Bowl futures odds attract plenty of exacta bets. It’s a wager on which two teams reach the big game, and from there, which team wins.
Such a bet is most popular as the playoffs begin, though at most sportsbooks, you could make that bet in preseason or at any point during the season.
NBA Finals exactas aren’t nearly as popular, but you can still certainly bet on them. Hard Rock Bet has three notable exactas, all taking the Spurs to win the title:
- $2,500 Spurs over Pistons +5000
- $2,500 Spurs over Knicks +5000
- $1,600 Spurs over Cavaliers +7500
New York is already into the Eastern Conference finals. Cleveland and Detroit are in a best-of-seven series that the Cavs can clinch at home in Game 6 on Friday night.
San Antonio has to do its part, as well. But keep in mind that, if the Spurs advance past Minnesota, they are 4-1 against the Thunder this season.
If either of the first two bets hit, the bettor profits $125,000 (total payout $127,500). If the Spurs beat the Cavs in the Finals, then that customer nabs $120,000 profit (total payout $121,600).
Destiny Calling?
Speaking of the Cavs, on Wednesday night, it looked as if Cleveland would fall into a 3-2 deficit in its series with Detroit. With three minutes left, the Cavs trailed 103-94.
Then Cleveland finished regulation on a 9-0 run and went on to nab a 117-113 road win. So the Cavaliers are just a game away from the East finals.
That helped keep alive a bet made long ago at Caesars Sports. In July, a customer put $11,200 on Cleveland +850 to win it all.
If the fourth-seeded Cavs pull off a surprising title run, then the bettor collects $95,200 in profit (total payout $106,400.)
Avalanche of Action
A Hard Rock Bet representative said Thursday that there’s more Stanley Cup futures money on the Avalanche than any remaining team. In fact, Colorado has two times more money on it than any other playoff team.
Much of this season, the Avs have been favored to win it all, and they’re currently +130 favoritesat Hard Rock, just ahead of the Hurricanes (+160).
On April 29, two weeks into the postseason, a Hard Rock customer put $50,000 on Avalanche +220 to lift the Stanley Cup. If Colorado delivers, then the bettor wins $110,000 (total payout $160,000).
Colorado is already into the Western Conference finals, after sweeping the Kings and taking out the Wild in five games. Carolina is even hotter, with 4-0 sweeps in each of its first two series, over the Senators and Flyers, respectively.
