Say what you want about the regular season but there’s no denying the NBA playoffs are one of the most enjoyable postseasons in professional sports. That also makes them one of the more exciting tournaments to bet on.
Round 1 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs got underway on April 19 and there have already been plenty of attention-grabbing moments including the Lakers getting even with the Timberwolves after their Game 1 upset, the Thunder taking a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Grizzlies, and the Clippers getting ahead of the Nuggets in a 2-1 series.
Here’s a quick look at the betting favorites to win the NBA title as well as my NBA picks and predictions based on the latest NBA odds.
đ NBA Championship odds
| Team | Opening Odds |  |
|---|---|---|
 Oklahoma City Thunder |
+950 | +160 |
 Boston Celtics |
+310 | +190 |
 Cleveland Cavaliers |
+5000 | +500 |
 Los Angeles Lakers |
+2500 | +1800 |
 Golden State Warriors |
+2500 | +2000 |
 Los Angeles Clippers |
+750 | +2000 |
 New York Knicks |
+1600 | +3500 |
 Minnesota Timberwolves |
+1000 | +4000 |
 Indiana Pacers |
+5000 | +6000 |
 Houston Rockets |
+10000 | +6500 |
 Denver Nuggets |
+2000 | +10000 |
 Milwaukee Bucks |
+1000 | +15000 |
 Detroit Pistons |
+4000 | +40000 |
 Memphis Grizzlies |
+50000 | +100000 |
 Miami Heat |
+3500 | +100000 |
 Orlando Magic |
+5000 | +100000 |
Odds as of 4-25.
Who will win the NBA Championship?
Oklahoma City Thunder (+160)
The Thunder’s 68 wins put them in good company entering the NBA playoffs. Only five other NBA teams have boasted a higher win percentage than OKC’s .829 win rate and four of those clubs went on to claim the NBA Championship. Oklahoma City’s +12.8 net rating is second all-time behind only the 72-win Chicago Bulls.
Boston Celtics (+190)
Winning back-to-back NBA titles is an accomplishment reserved for the elite, with Curry’s Warriors, LeBron’s Heat, and Kobe’s Lakers as the most recent franchises to pull it off. Can Jayson Tatum put his name among those legends?
Boston is the No. 2 seed in the East but with the second most tickets and third highest handle to win the Larry O’Brien, books have the Celtics as big faves to make it back to the finals.
Cleveland Cavaliers (+500)
For the top seed in the Eastern Conference, oddsmakers have little faith in the Cavaliers when it comes to winning the NBA title. Cleveland has the third highest ticket count and second highest handle in the futures book, yet is sitting at 6/1 odds to win it all. The Cavs went 11-5 SU against the four other teams below them in the standings (1-3 vs. Indiana) and enter the postseason as the top-ranked offense in the NBA.
2025 NBA Championship odds contenders
Los Angeles Lakers (+1800)
The Lakers’ spot in the futures odds has a lot to do with liability. Los Angeles has drawn the most bets and most money in the NBA Championship odds, making L.A. the second worst outcome for bookmakers. So, bookies are adjusting those futures to discourage any more action on the Lakers. That said, the trio of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves is a handful – if those stars can stay healthy during the demanding postseason run.
LUKA MAGIC IN THE POSTSEASON đĒ
— NBA (@NBA) April 23, 2025
GAME 1: 37 PTS, 5 3PM
GAME 2: 31 PTS, 11-11 FTM
DonÄiÄ joins George Mikan and Shaq as the ONLY players to score 30+ points in their first two playoff games w/ the Lakers. https://t.co/hzzrLTJHOC pic.twitter.com/8pYrpCojph
Golden State Warriors (+2000)
Golden State is another team whose odds to win the NBA title are a little puffed up due to action. The Warriors were as big as +2500 and the move to add Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline put the Dubs back in the hunt. As it stands, another Warriors title would be the worst result for bookmakers. Golden State enters the playoffs as the No. 7 seed (after winning in the Play-In Tournament) but was in contention for the No. 3 seed down the home stretch.
History from deep đ¯
— NBA (@NBA) April 17, 2025
5 players in NBA history have hit 300+ threes in a season. For the first time, 3 did it in the same year! pic.twitter.com/qPVkEIOcBZ
2025 NBA Championship odds live long shots
New York Knicks (+3500)
There’s a notable gap between the Cavs and Celtics… and then the rest of the East. The Knicks were the best of the rest, finishing third in the conference. Jalen Brunson is a proven playoff performer, who can keep his team competitive, but New York was a combined 0-8 SU versus Cleveland and Boston this season. That’s a big hump to get over if the Knicks want to make the finals.
Denver Nuggets (+10000)
The Nuggets are a threat, as long as Nikola Jokic is on the floor. Denver’s title pursuit hit an unexpected speed bump at the end of the schedule with the team surprisingly canning head coach Mike Malone. I mean, at this point in the season the bus kind of drives itself. But you now have an interim coach in David Adelman having to navigate the playoff waters.
Los Angeles Clippers (+2000)
The Clippers should scare the crap out of the Western Conference. Los Angeles enters the postseason as one of the hottest teams, riding an eight-game win streak and jumping up the standings to finish fifth. This is the second-best defense in the league and Kawhi Leonard has looked like his old self since the All-Star break (averaging 25 ppg). The Clips did, however, go 2-10 SU against the Top 3 seeds in the West.
đ 2025 NBA Finals odds over time
Here's a visual representation of how the NBA championship odds have evolved over the course of this season.
âī¸ My NBA Championship pick: Boston Celtics
As a Lakers fan, this pick hurts my soul. There’s a reason bookies are giving Boston the benefit of the doubt with his price. The Celtics’ seeding was of no concern to Joe Mazzulla’s team. Getting to the tournament healthy and with all key pieces intact was. Jaylen Brown has had an extended break to rest his wonky knee and the C’s playoff experience will pay off over the course of a seven-game series. Light the cigars and hang another banner in the rafters of the Garden.
âšī¸ Popular NBA futures odds
- NBA MVP odds
- NBA win totals
- Rookie of the Year odds
- Defensive Player of the Year odds
- Sixth Man of the Year odds
- Coach of the Year odds
- Clutch Player of the Year odds
đ° Sportsbook betting splits and insights
- The Lakers (16.2%), Celtics (13.4%), and Cavaliers (10.3%) have the highest NBA Championship ticket percentage.
- The Celtics (17.6%), Lakers (15.2%), and Thunder (15.0%) have the highest NBA Championship ticket handle percentage.
- The sportsbook considers the Warriors, Lakers, and Pistons its biggest liabilities.
All data courtesy of BetMGM.
"The Lakers and Warriors are the biggest liabilities to win the NBA Championship," said Christian Cipollini, Trading Manager, BetMGM. "As a result, the sportsbook gets to cheer for the Thunder and Celtics, both favorites to win their respective conferences."
đ NBA Finals MVP odds
| Player | |
|---|---|
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander |
+190 |
| Jayson Tatum |
+270 |
 Donovan Mitchell |
+800 |
| Luka Doncic |
+2200 |
| Jaylen Brown |
+2500 |
| Kristaps Porzingis |
+2500 |
| Nikola Jokic |
+2500 |
| Stephen Curry |
+2500 |
| Darius Garland |
+4000 |
| Evan Mobley |
+4000 |
The 2024-25 season was a coming out party for Shai Gilgeous Alexander, whose prolific scoring and prodigious playmaking powered the Thunder to the best record in the NBA. The three-time All-Star led the league with 32.7 points per game and scored 50 points or more three times over a seven-game stretch. His ability to score any time against anyone has OKC favored to be the last team standing in June.
Visiting our NBA Finals MVP Odds page for more detailed analysis.
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đ NBA conference winner odds
Western Conference odds
- Thunder: -140
- Lakers: +550
- Warriors: +650
- Nuggets: +1200
- Clippers: +1200
- Timberwolves: +1600
- Rockets: +2200
- Grizzlies: +8000
- Mavericks: +50000
- Kings: +50000
Eastern Conference odds
- Celtics: -145
- Cavaliers: +185
- Knicks: +1000
- Pacers: +2200
- Bucks: +4000
- Pistons: +10000
- Magic: +25000
- Hawks: +50000
- Bulls: +50000
- Heat: +50000
NBA Championship Odds FAQs
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the favorites for the 2025 NBA title.
The Boston Celtics won the 2024 NBA title, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-1 in the NBA Finals.
NBA Championship odds above are in American format, meaning a $100 bet at odds of +250 would profit $250 if it wins.
Oddsmakers at sportsbooks create odds to win the NBA Championship based on the team's implied probability to win the title. The team with the lowest odds has the best chance to win the NBA Championship.
The Los Angeles Lakers are available at around +1400 to win the 2025 NBA title.
Odds typically update in real time based on playoff outcomes, injuries, and market movement.
Most legal sportsbooks offer NBA Finals futures, including bet365, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, and DraftKings.
