Safe to say that the Philadelphia 76ers won’t be sneaking up on the rest of the NBA this season.
After winning a mere 28 games during the 2016-17 season, Philly entered the 2017-18 campaign with a general over/under win total of 42.5 games. Staying relatively healthy, and led by eventual Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons and Defensive Player of the year finalist Joel Embiid, the 76ers won 52 games, grabbed the No. 3 seed in the East, and advanced to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Naturally, Philly is pegged as a contender in the east. Behind only the Boston Celtics (with 58.5 wins), the Sixers are projected by MGM to win 54.5 games this season. Additionally, FanDuel Sportsbook pegs the franchise as the fifth-best odds (+1,800) to win the league title.
The NBA season tips off tonight with two games:
- Philadelphia at Boston, 8 p.m.
- Oklahoma City at Golden State, 10:30 p.m.
As Pennsylvania sports betting still awaits its first sportsbooks, nearby New Jersey features a variety of mobile betting products. As such, we take a look at the best spots to get in on the NBA action for opening night and the season.
DraftKings Sportsbook
With only two games slated for NBA opening night, both are listed as “featured matchups” on DraftKings Sportsbook.
In their opener, the 76ers sit as five-point underdogs against the Eastern Conference favorite Celtics. Listed at -114 to cover, Philadelphia also features an odds boost from DraftKings.
Through the platform, a prop exists for users to determine if Philly will reach 20 points before or after the Celtics. Eclipsing that total first pays off +114, while passing the total after Boston will net a +135 payoff.
For the first time, you can bet on regular season #NBA games on #DKSportsbook today! pic.twitter.com/8hrykMoOjO
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) October 16, 2018
FanDuel Sportsbook
Not willing to let it ride on the 76ers? Need more promotional action on other teams? Head to FanDuel Sportsbook, which boasts three separate promos for NBA action.
Partnered with Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, the natural local ties reside in New York. As a result, FanDuel’s “local locks” promotion incorporates the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets. Users can place a moneyline wager on the Knicks or the Nets to win their respective season openers. Should the bet-on team lose, bettors will receive a refund on their wager up to $100.
Another promotion via FanDuel is the “3-Point Bonus,” which pays off a $5 bonus for every 3-pointer made by the team wagered on by bettors during the Oklahoma City-Golden State matchup. A minimum $25 is required for the game’s moneyline. The bonus will come through within 72 hours.
What would the NBA season be without focusing a bit on LeBron James? At FanDuel, users can wager on the moneyline for the Los Angeles Lakers’ opening game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday. With a minimum $50 bet, bettors will receive a $3 bonus for every point James scores. The bonus will be issued as site credit.
BetStars NJ
Through BetStars NJ, bettors can take advantage of several odds boosts for futures.
As an example, Philadelphia’s current listing to win the Eastern Conference stands at 15/4. With the odds boost promotion, however, bettors receive 5/1 odds. To win the NBA championship, Philly’s odds sit at 16/1, but the odds boost provides bettors with 25/1 odds.
BetStars also offers three other odds boosts:
- Celtics to win NBA title: 6/1 current, 8/1 odds boost
- LeBron James to win regular-season MVP: 3/1 current, 5/1 odds boost
- Lakers to win NBA title: 9/1 current, 18/1 odds boost
Speaking of LeBron, BetStars features a “LeBron Lifeline” promotion. There, bettors wagering on a Lakers moneyline will be equipped with insurance. Should the Lakers lose but James scores at least 35 points, bettors will receive their money back up to $20. Similarly, if a team bettors wager on loses in overtime, users will receive up to $20 back in bonus bets.
MGM (via NBA)
Not all promotions/contests specifically revolve around the 76ers, or any particular franchise.
In late July, MGM Resorts International teamed up with the NBA to become the league’s “official gaming partner.” As a byproduct of that deal, and via the official NBA site, a $1 million contest was launched.
All 30 teams are listed with projected win totals for the 2017-18 season. According to the contest: “Simply predict whether each team will be ‘Over’ or ‘Under’ their projected season wins!”
Correctly predict all 30 over/unders to score a cool $1 million. Even accurately predicting 25 win totals will earn a $100 gift card for the NBA Store. The contest locks before the Philadelphia-Boston matchup.
PointsBet
What will soon become the ninth mobile product offered in New Jersey, PointsBet (partnered with Meadowlands) current features a futures contest similar to the NBA-MGM offering.
Users must correctly predict what the top eight seeds in the Eastern and Western Conference playoffs. An accurate prediction will net at least a share of $1 million.
