The initial hype among free agents in July has died down, but there are still moves that can be made.
LeBron James, as expected, re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, staying with the team for the next two years for $104 million. However, the Lakers’ chances for the NBA championship have not changed and remain at the level of +3000, since the composition of the team has not changed much since last season. Maybe they should add someone like DeMar DeRozan to improve their chances?
Philadelphia and Dallas made big moves in the offseason, so let’s see how the NBA championship odds have responded—or not.
Favorites for the 2025 NBA championship
The Philadelphia 76ers significantly improved their chances of a 2025 NBA championship after signing Paul George on July 1st. While their odds were between 14/1 and 16/1 at the end of June, they are now down to +850 or less. They are behind only the Boston Celtics and the Oklahoma City Thunder, and some bookies even have them ahead of the Denver Nuggets.
It’s Philadelphia’s latest attempt to build a core trio around superstar center Joel Embiid after the temporary appearances of Jimmy Butler, James Garden and the decline of Ben Simmons. Now George, Embiid and Tyrese Maxey will try to take over the East, which is easier said than done. To preserve their new core, the Sixers also agreed to a five-year maximum contract extension with Maxey.
While George left the Los Angeles Clippers, James Garden decided to stay for at least two more years, signing a $70 million contract. However, the Clippers’ odds have plummeted from 20/1 on June 17 to 50/1 after George’s departure, even with Garden’s return.
The Boston Celtics are favorites to repeat in 2025 at +290 odds (at DraftKings). Boston has two stars in Jayson Tatum and reigning Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, and one of the strongest supporting casts in modern NBA history.
The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to climb, currently sitting in second place with odds of +750. Last year’s Western Conference leader effectively traded Josh Giddy for Alex Caruso and also signed center Isaiah Hartenstein to a three-year contract after the New York Knicks focused on acquiring Mikal Bridges and re-signing OG Anunoby.
Next on the list are the 2022-23 champions Denver Nuggets (about 8/1), who are always a threat with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic leading the way.
Defending Western champions Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks are 10/1, as are the Milwaukee Bucks and the upstart Minnesota Timberwolves. Their biggest accomplishment was the acquisition of Klay Thompson and a three-year, $50 million contract extension in a sign-and-trade deal with the Golden State Warriors and Charlotte Hornets. The chances of “Mavericks” for the championship have not changed.
Acquiring Bridges sent the Knicks odds from +1,600 to +900 at BetMGM, who reported a 42% chance to win the championship immediately following the deal. The impact on the betting market was even more dramatic for odds in the Eastern Conference, with 94% of bets placed on the Knicks in the days following the trade, which moved the odds from +750 to +450 to win the East.
Finally, the Detroit Pistons have the lowest odds at 1,000/1. Their numbers didn’t change after signing Tobias Harris to a two-year, $52 million deal.
Recent NBA Finals Winners
In 2024, the Boston Celtics raised the Larry O’Brien Trophy for a record-setting 18th time, defeating the fifth-seeded Dallas Mavericks in five games.
Here are the last 10 NBA Finals winners along with their opening odds:
| Season | NBA Finals Winner | Opening Odds | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Boston Celtics | +400 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2022-23 | Denver Nuggets | +1,800 | Miami Heat |
| 2021-22 | Golden State Warriors | +1,200 | Boston Celtics |
| 2020-21 | Milwaukee Bucks | +500 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2019-20 | Los Angeles Lakers | +1,800 | Miami Heat |
| 2018-19 | Toronto Raptors | +6,600 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2017-18 | Golden State Warriors | -168 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2016-17 | Golden State Warriors | +215 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2015-16 | Cleveland Cavaliers | +300 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2014-15 | Golden State Warriors | +2,500 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2013-14 | San Antonio Spurs | +1,000 | Miami Heat |
Teams with the Most NBA Championships
No team has ever enjoyed a longer stretch of dominance than the Boston Celtics, who won eight straight championships from 1959 to 1966. Their most recent victory marked the team’s 18th title, surpassing the Lakers for the most by any franchise all-time.
| Team | NBA Championships |
|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | 18 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 17 |
| Golden State Warriors | 7 |
| Chicago Bulls | 6 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 5 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 3 |
| Detroit Pistons | 3 |
| Miami Heat | 3 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 2 |
| New York Knicks | 2 |
| Houston Rockets | 2 |
| Toronto Raptors | 1 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 1 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 1 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 1 |
| Denver Nuggets | 1 |
2024 NBA Finals Odds Over Time
Here’s a look at how NBA championship odds stacked up league-wide last season. We’ll be updating this when the 2024-25 season gets underway to show how the odds race evolves.
NBA Finals Betting Tools
- NBA Odds
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- NBA Playoffs Predictions
- Best NBA Betting Sites
- Today’s NBA Matchup Info
Understanding NBA Finals Futures, Point Spreads, and Lines
Sportsbooks will post NBA Finals futures as soon as the previous season concludes, and some even sooner. These betting boards are constantly adjusted throughout the summer and ensuing season as players get hurt or are traded. Once the regular season begins, NBA Finals odds will change daily as teams win and lose games, and as more players are injured or traded. Sportsbooks will also adjust the NBA title odds based on handle and liability to certain teams.
How to Read NBA Championship Odds
NBA Championship odds usually look like this:
- Dallas Mavericks +240: This means that on a $100 bet, you’ll stand to win $240 if the Mavericks win the NBA title.
- Boston Celtics -150: This means that if you bet on the Celtics during the 2023-2024 NBA season, you would have needed to bet $150 to profit $100 if Boston won the championship.
Understanding NBA Finals Moneyline Odds
Betting the moneyline (ML) in the NBA means simply picking which team wins the game outright. Moneyline favorites have a negative value (-110), while moneyline underdogs have a positive value (+110).
Best NBA Finals Betting Sites
If you’re in a state that allows mobile or online betting, make sure you know which sites are the best basketball betting sites. The best betting sites offer sharp odds, quick payouts, and are safe and secure when it comes to depositing and withdrawing your money.
Popular NBA Futures Odds
- MVP Odds
- NBA Win Totals
- Rookie of the Year Odds
- Defensive Player of the Year Odds
NBA Championship Odds Trends
- The Western Conference has won 14 of the last 22 NBA Championships.
- A No. 1 seed has won the championship in 12 of the last 22 seasons.
- The last time a non-Top-3 seed won the championship was in 1995 (Houston, No. 6).
- The Golden State Warriors have won four of the past nine NBA titles and were crowned Western Conference champions in two of the five seasons they didn’t lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
How to Bet NBA Finals Odds
There are many strategies to consider when making an NBA futures bet on which team will win the championship. Obviously, you’re looking to bet on who you think can navigate through the NBA playoffs and come out on top. Just because a team is in first place at the NBA All-Star break doesn’t mean that’s the best roster to win in the postseason.
One thing to consider is the conference the teams play in because a team needs to win its conference before it can win the NBA title. The West has long been considered the better of the two conferences, but the East’s depth of elite teams has recently become as impressive, if not more.
Also, consider how an injury may affect a futures bet. Let’s say the Milwaukee Bucks are heavy favorites to win the Eastern Conference and short favorites to win the NBA title. But what happens if Giannis Antetokounmpo gets hurt? In that case, a ticket on a rival team to win becomes extremely valuable.
Other things to consider are the strength of the schedule and load management. Maybe a team is undervalued in the futures market because it has played the more difficult portion of its schedule early on. Or perhaps a team has more losses than it should because it has been resting its best player in the second half of back-to-back games all season.
NBA Championship Odds FAQs
Who is favored to win the 2025 NBA Championship?
The Boston Celtics are the favorites for the 2025 NBA title.
Who is the defending NBA Champion?
The Boston Celtics won the 2024 NBA title, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-1 in the NBA Finals.
How to read NBA Championship odds? NBA Championship odds above are in American format, meaning a $100 bet at odds of +250 would profit $250 if it wins.
How do NBA Championship odds work?
Oddsmakers at sportsbooks create odds to win the NBA Championship based on the team’s implied probability to win the title. The team with the lowest odds has the best chance to win the NBA Championship.
What are the Lakers’ odds of winning the NBA Finals?
The Los Angeles Lakers are available at around +3000 to win the 2025 NBA title.