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NBA Finals 2023: Denver Nuggets’ Win Would Be Bad for Sportsbooks

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Gia Nguyen
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Gia Nguyen Sports Editor

Gia is a Basketball Insiders contributor based in Canada. She graduated from the University of Windsor with a Bachelor of Science, so she knows the make-up of a winning bet. Gia uses her analytical background to tell stories using the latest data and statistics. Her work has been sourced by Entrepreneur, Inquirer, and more. Gia is also interested in health, wellness, and yoga.

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Sports Editor

Updated01 Jun 2023

NBA Finals 2023: Denver Nuggets' Win Would Be Bad for Sportsbooks

Game 1 of the NBA Finals is set to tip off in Denver on Thursday with the Nuggets taking on the Miami Heat. The Heat find themselves as 8.5-point underdogs with the sharp money pouring in on the Nuggets to cover the spread. Learn why Denver’s first NBA Finals’ win would be a bad outcome for the sportsbooks and find out how the NBA Championship odds have changed for the Nuggets and Heat on the road to the Finals.

Denver Nuggets Winning Would be Bad for Sportsbooks

Overall, the Nuggets winning the NBA Finals might be bad for the sportsbooks.

Since the start of the NBA Playoffs, money has poured in on Denver to win the NBA Finals.

The odds for the Nuggets to bring home their first NBA Championship have moved dramatically in every round. After opening the postseason with +1400 odds, Denver saw its NBA title odds move to +700 in Round 2 and +150 during the Western Conference Finals. Heading into Game 1 at Ball Arena, Denver is now an overwhelming -400 betting favorite, making the Nuggets the second-biggest favorite in the Finals over the past decade.

Nearly have of the series bets (40%) have come in on the Nuggets to sweep the NBA Finals, moving the odds from +450 to +425 at BetMGM. The Nuggets have dominated the postseason and have not lost a game at home.

With a ton of money continuing to pour in on the Nuggets, an NBA Finals victory for the Nuggets could cost the sportsbooks big time.

Denver Nuggets NBA Championship Odds:

  • Opened : +1400
  • Round 1 : +1000
  • Round 2 : +700
  • Conference Finals : +150
  • NBA Finals: -400

Are The Top Sportsbooks Disrespecting The Heat?

On the other hand, Miami still enters the NBA Finals as considerable underdogs heading into Game 1. The Heat own +310 odds to win the NBA Championship and +285 odds to steal Game 1 on the road in Denver. A former Play-In Tournament team, Miami has been at a talent disadvantage during every round of the NBA Playoffs but the Heat have found a way to win under the guidance of Jimmy Butler and head coach Erik Spoelstra. Miami is playing with house money at this point, which could be dangerous against a Denver team that has had 10 days to weigh the expectations of the franchise’s first NBA Championship.

Miami Heat NBA Championship Odds Throughout The Playoffs

  • Opened : +1400
  • Round 1 : +12500
  • Round 2 : +2500
  • Conference Finals : +750
  • NBA Finals : +310

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