The Highlights
- The Golden State Warriors opened -12 against the Cleveland Cavaliers for Game 1 of the NBA Finals and have since moved to -12.5.
- The Los Angeles Lakers are the largest finals favorite we've ever tracked, closing -12 against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals.
- Bettors have not been deterred by the historically large point spread.
The 2018 NBA Finals will not tip off until Thursday, but lines are posted and sportsbooks are open for action. Not only is Golden State a historic favorite to win the series, but the Warriors are also a whopping 12.5-point favorite against the Cavaliers in Game 1.
Golden State has even crept up to -13.
Double-digit favorites are extremely rare in the NBA Finals, but favorites of 12.5 points are unheard of. Since 1991, the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers are the only team to come close in an NBA championship series, closing -12 in Game 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers. Behind Allen Iverson's 48 points, Philadelphia actually pulled off the upset in that game before losing four straight to Los Angeles.
Despite the historically large point spread, most bettors are still happily laying the points.
With all seven of our contributing sportsbooks now reporting betting percentage data, 54% of tickets and 57% of dollars wagered have come down on Golden State.
There's still plenty of time for more action to come down on this matchup, so be sure to check in at The Action Network's NBA Live Odds page for updated odds and betting percentage data.
More NBA Finals Coverage
- Moore's Predictions: Investing in the Garbage Time Warriors and More
- Game 1 Trends: Underdog LeBron Has Been Historically Profitable
- Locky: Why I'm Betting the Over/Under in Game 1
- Download Our Free NBA Finals Prop Sheet
- The Angles: The Importance of George Hill and the Power of the Switch
- Should Golden State Bettors Be Wary of a Rested LeBron?
- Finding Value in Betting NBA Finals Exact Series Odds
