BetMGM’s ladder bettor - who already won nearly $325,000 in the first two games of the NBA Finals - has $450,000 riding on the Knicks in Game 3 as New York looks to take a stranglehold of the series.
Key Takeaways
- The bettor is backing the Knicks from +4.5 to -2.5 in Game 3.
- One of the user’s few losses came at the hands of the Spurs in the Western Conference finals.
- BetMGM bettors are split between supporting the Knicks and Spurs in Game 3
The Knicks find themselves up 2-0 over the San Antonio Spurs ahead of the series’ Monday transition to Madison Square Garden. They were +4.5 and +6.5 underdogs in Games 1 and 2 but are 2.5-point favorites ahead of tipoff.
BetMGM’s ladder bettor backed New York in the first two contests and isn’t changing their tune now. The anonymous high-roller dropped six new five- or six-figure wagers on the Knicks, with values ranging from +4.5 (-225) to -2.5 (-105).
The bets are as follows:
- $200,000 on Knicks +4.5 (-225)
- $125,000 on Knicks +3.5 (-200)
- $50,000 on Knicks +2.5 (-175)
- $35,000 on Knicks +1.5 (-155)
- $20,000 on Knicks -1.5 (-120)
- $20,000 on Knicks -2.5 (-105)
BetMGM confirmed the wagers were accepted, meaning the user has now risked $1.05 million on the Knicks through just three games of the Finals.
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Knicks have history on their side
No team has ever recovered to win the NBA Finals after dropping the first two games of the series at home. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are up against it, although the 7-foot-4 Frenchman isn’t feeling the pressure.
Wemby on dealing with the pressure of being down 0-2 in the Finals:
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) June 7, 2026
"This is everything that I wish for, so there's no reason to really overthink it. I mean, this is what I'm built for." pic.twitter.com/TXMaDPU5cV
Which team is public backing?
The Spurs are effectively playing for survival, seeing as no team has ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit in any round.
One of the bettor’s few disappointing nights in these playoffs occurred in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals when they lost $350,000 backing the Oklahoma City Thunder; Wembanyama dropped 33 points in the Spurs' dominant 21-point victory that leveled the series.
While the Knicks may have begun the series as +185 underdogs, they are now anything but overlooked. Sixty-eight percent of bets and 82% of the Game 3 handle in the spread market are on the Knicks to cover the 2.5-point line.
That said, 59% of bets and 54% of the moneyline handle are still on the Spurs. The Knicks are also only -140 favorites in NBA championship odds, meaning they have a 58.3% implied chance - far from as dominant as the NBA’s precedent of no team ever overcoming home losses in Games 1 and 2.
“Before the NBA Finals began, the Spurs were the biggest remaining liability on the futures market,” said BetMGM senior trading manager Christian Cipollini. “The sportsbook was initially hoping for a Knicks win, but that has flipped after bettors jumped on New York following their first two wins. Now the series going seven games and the Spurs winning is the best outcome.”
Three of the most bet Spurs versus Knicks Game 3 player props involve players from the visiting Spurs. The full top five list includes:
- Dylan Harper Over 21.5 total points, rebounds, and assists (-135)
- Stephon Castle Over 11.5 total assists and rebounds (+105)
- Dylan Harper Over 13.5 points (-105)
- Josh Hart Over 12.5 total assists and rebounds (-135)
- Miles McBride Under 6.5 points (-140)
Finals MVP odds
The NBA Finals MVP odds market has seen a ton of movement throughout the playoffs and the first two games of the championship series. Jalen Brunson is the new leader, having shortened from +2,800 at the beginning of the playoffs to his current value of +110.
Karl-Anthony Towns is second in odds, down from +15,000 to +165. Wembanyama leads all Spurs players at +375, down from +600.
A whopping 20.1% of wagers and 63.1% of the money is on Brunson to win the award. Towns has 17.5% of bets and 10.7% of the pot, while Wembanyama has 12.1% of tickets and 9.9% of the handle.
