Patrick Everson
FOX Sports Betting Analyst
Now that NBA Finals odds are dominating the sports betting conversation, major wagers are starting to flow — and from some high-profile sources.
The Indiana Pacers-Oklahoma City Thunder series has already seen two seven-figure bets. One of those is from Jay Z, who after the Game 1 result has got to be sweating at least a little bit.
Read on for more on that wager, other notable big bets and some potential big parlay payouts tied to NBA Finals betting.
I Like Big Bets and I Cannot Lie
On Thursday, hours ahead of Game 1, Fanatics Sportsbook took a $1 million bet on Oklahoma City +230 to win the series in five games. Shortly thereafter, Fanatics posted on X that Jay Z was the source of that bet.
Full disclosure: Jay Z is a partner with Fanatics’ sports e-commerce platform, investing $325 million in 2021, in a move that led to the creation of Fanatics Sportsbook. So a million-dollar play is a literal drop in the bucket for him.
Regardless, it’s still a noteworthy bet from the music mogul. And thanks to Indiana’s stunning 111-110 Game 1 victory, Jay Z will be harder pressed to cash that bet.
Starting with Sunday’s Game 2 (8 p.m. ET), the Thunder have to win the next four games. If that somehow happens, then Jay Z profits a healthy $2.3 million on his $1 million wager (total payout $3.3 million).
Thunderstruck
Two more sizable series wagers landed on the Vegas Strip before Game 1. Both wagers were on Oklahoma City to just win the series:
- $1.05 million OKC -700, to win $150,000 (total payout $1.2 million)
- $200,000 OKC -700, to win $28,571.43 (total payout $228,571.43)
The path to victory for those wagers got a little tougher after Indiana overcame a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to steal Game 1 on the road. Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winning jumper surely put a lump in the throat of these two high rollers.
But they’ve got a better shot than Jay Z. All they need is four wins in six games, rather than the treacherous path of needing four straight wins.
Parlay Partay
As noted a week ago, a DraftKings Sportsbook customer is looking to turn $13 into a massive six-figure win. But much like the above Thunder bettors, his road to victory hit a big speed bump with the Pacers’ Game 1 upset.
Further, the bettor also needs the Edmonton Oilers to win the Stanley Cup Final vs. the Florida Panthers.
That series is tied at 1, with Game 3 at Florida on Monday night.
The wager:
- Liberty to win the WNBA title
- Dodgers to win the World Series
- Eagles to win the Super Bowl
- Oilers to win the Stanley Cup
- Thunder to win the NBA Finals
The first three legs are in. Prior to Florida taking Game 2 vs. Edmonton 5-4 in double overtime, the customer had a cashout option of $107,683.97.
He’s continuing to let it ride for the moment, going for a win of $270,761.40.
Similarly, a FanDuel Sportsbook customer has a very modest $4.44 on a six-leg futures parlay that needs the Thunder and Oilers to finish it off:
- Los Angeles Dodgers -1050 to win the World Series
- Joey Logano +340 to win the NASCAR Cup championship
- Ohio State +400 to win the College Football Playoff
- Philadelphia Eagles +1300 to win the Super Bowl
- Edmonton Oilers +800 to win the Stanley Cup
- Oklahoma City Thunder +600 to win the NBA Finals
If OKC and Edmonton lift their respective trophies, then the bettor walks away with $94,358.88.
Long-Shot Luck
It’s not just Thunder bettors getting their sweat on during the NBA Finals. A prescient Pacers backer is now just three wins away from a high-five-figure payday.
On April 29, the bettor put $1,000 on Indiana to win the NBA Finals, at hefty odds of +8500. He probably didn’t imagine at the time that Indiana would get to the championship series, then rally from a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit to grab Game 1 on the road.
But that’s where things stand. If the Pacers can claw out three more victories, then the bettor profits $85,000 (total payout $86,000).
Is Tyrese Haliburton’s postseason the most clutch ever?
Three-Point Play
Caesars Sportsbook took an interesting wager on an NBA Finals player prop: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to make two or more 3-pointers in each game of the championship series.
The customer bet $250 at +1800 odds. Gilgeous-Alexander made three 3-pointers in the Game 1 loss. If SGA keeps up that pace, then the bettor will collect $4,500 profit when this series ends (total payout $4,750).
Caesars also took a notable bet on an OKC player prop that’s not going quite as well: $100 on Chet Holmgren +15000 (150/1) to be the top scorer in the NBA Finals.
Holmgren’s Game 1 total was just six points. So he’ll have to perk up quite a bit for that bettor to claim a $15,000 win.
Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for VegasInsider.com. He is a distinguished journalist in the national sports betting space. He’s based in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golfing in 110-degree heat. Follow him on X: @PatrickE_Vegas.
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