Folks, the NBA is back … basically.
On Thursday afternoon (12:30 p.m. ET), the NBA board of governors will vote on — and likely pass — a return-to-play proposal from commissioner Adam Silver.
The proposed scenario calls for 22 teams to be invited to Orlando to first, finish out a "regular" season, and then compete in the playoffs. You can read more about how exactly those playoff teams will be decided here.
As bettors, though, most of our eyes are now fixated on the NBA futures market, where three teams stand out as championship favorites. The Bucks, having put together a 53-12 record prior to the break, are +240 favorites, though they're followed closely by the Lakers at +270. The Clippers, at +340, are the only other team inside of 10-1.
And while LeBron and the Lakers should have no trouble drawing action from bettors at that +270 price, FanDuel is bumping those odds up to +350 for all users.
To give you an idea of what that means, a $30 bet on the Lakers could turn into $105, as opposed to the $81 you'd win at the current market price.
And in terms of probability, the +350 odds imply that the Lakers have a 22% chance to win the championship. So if you think their actual chance is higher, this is a bet you should be making.
Below is the complete list of current championship odds at FanDuel.
2020 NBA Championship Betting Odds
Odds as of Wednesday and via FanDuel. Get up to a $500 risk-free bet at FanDuel today or see more offers and reviews for the best online sportsbooks.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Milwaukee Bucks | +240 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +340 |
| Houston Rockets | +1200 |
| Boston Celtics | +2000 |
| Toronto Raptors | +2400 |
| Denver Nuggets | +2500 |
| Miami Heat | +2700 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +2700 |
| Utah Jazz | +2900 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +3600 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +6000 |
| Indiana Pacers | +10000 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +10000 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | +12000 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +21000 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | +21000 |
| San Antonio Spurs | +21000 |
| Orlando Magic | +25000 |
| Phoenix Suns | +25000 |
| Sacramento Kings | +25000 |
| Washington Wizards | +25000 |
