The National Basketball Association (NBA) will restart its 2020 season on July 30th in Orlando, Florida, despite a rise in Coronavirus cases and concerns from players and fans.
To combat the spread of COVID-19, the NBA has put itself into a bubble at Disney World and has strict guidelines for players and other team members participating in the restart. Players will have to get tested regularly, and if they test positive for COVID, they will be forced to quarantine for 14 days and until their test comes back negative. Other players who leave the bubble can be asked to quarantine for 4-10 days while being tested regularly.
With the season set to begin later this week, many fans that have been awaiting the action are concerned about how quarantines could affect betting lines associated with the games and the remainder of the season. On top of quarantine concerns, bettors also need to know which NBA players are opting out for the restart.
Online sportsbooks have been carrying NBA future odds since before the 2020 season started, but game lines have just returned now that the schedules are set. 18+ online sportsbooks allow bettors to wager on NBA action from the convenience of their mobile device or home computer. Sports bettors will also find several bonuses new and existing accounts can claim to boost their bankroll.
Oddsmakers have the Los Angeles Lakers favored to win the 2020 season based on their future odds, but with 16 teams entering the post-season, quarantines, and players opting out for the season, anything could happen. Below are the current future odds for the 2020 restart.
2020 NBA Championship Winner
Los Angeles Lakers +200
Milwaukee Bucks +280
Los Angeles Clippers +300
Boston Celtics +1200
Houston Rockets +1400
Toronto Raptors +1600
Philadelphia 76ers +2000
Denver Nuggets +3000
Dallas Mavericks +4000
Miami Heat +4000
Utah Jazz +6600
Oklahoma City Thunder +8000
New Orleans Pelicans +10000
Portland Trail Blazers +10000
Brooklyn Nets +15000
Indiana Pacers +20000
Memphis Grizzlies +25000
Phoenix Suns +75000
Sacramento Kings +75000
San Antonio Spurs +75000
Orlando Magic +100000
Washington Wizards +100000
In addition to future odds, there are now game lines for the eight seeding games leading up to the playoffs. Below are some of the game lines found online, along with their win odds.
Week 1 game lines:
Utah Jazz +115
New Orleans Pelicans -135
Los Angeles Clippers +165
Los Angeles Lakers -190
Orlando Magic -260
Brooklyn Nets +215
Memphis Grizzlies +110
Portland Trail Blazers -130
(More betting lines at Bovada)
Given that anything could conspire during the restart of the 2020 NBA season, it is hard to believe these odds will hold up as the road continues. With players being forced to quarantine, testing positive, and opting out for the season, anything could happen before or during the playoffs.
Betting on the NBA has been analyzed down to a science that is nearly impossible to predict. Oddsmakers choose who is favored by calculating stats and other factors that play into the game.