In a season marked by surprising performances and significant betting trends, the Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Portland Trail Blazers emerged as standout stories in the NBA. As the most popular team to bet on the spread in total bets, the Lakers were undoubtedly one of the public’s favorite teams to pound. Meanwhile, the Thunder’s impressive performance against the spread set new records, while the Trail Blazers became the first team to exceed their preseason win total.
The Lakers’ betting popularity largely stemmed from their star player, LeBron James, who topped the list of most-bet players for prop bets at various sportsbooks. This season, however, was no-walks-barred, as the injury bug hit the team hard in the first half of the season. They only found their form in the second half of the season. Consequently, their underdog status turned out to be one of the most lucrative investments for bettors.
Lakers Attract Unprecedented Betting Interest
The Los Angeles Lakers were the biggest draw sports gamblers focused their attention on during the NBA season. And they covered the spread more than any other team. This peculiar trend is a testament to their unparalleled popularity among fans and gamblers alike. Johnny Avello, director of race and sports operations for DraftKings, one of the biggest names in sports betting, acknowledged the team’s nationwide popularity.
“If there’s one team that is America’s team when it comes to basketball, it’s the Lakers.” – Johnny Avello
As usual, perennial superstar LeBron James was at the forefront as the most popular player to bet on for prop bets. His performances were always riveting to watch. Millions of bettors watched him diligently, looking to take advantage of his ridiculous scoring and playmaking talents.
Even with the early season adversity, including injuries that hindered their performance as a unit, the Lakers bounced back in impressive fashion. Adam Landeka remarked on this turnaround:
“Despite their tear through the second half of the season, the Lakers found themselves as underdogs a decent amount in the first half of the year, especially as injuries piled up.”
As the playoffs marched on, bets moved on to the rebellious underdog Lakers. Their record of 18-14 against the spread demonstrated their capacity to deliver returns for those who backed them during critical matchups.
“Bettors were all over the Lake Show as an underdog and were often rewarded, as L.A. went 18-14 ATS this season.” – Adam Landeka
Thunder’s Historic Performance Against the Spread
The Oklahoma City Thunder seemed like the best NBA bet in decades during the regular season. They were extremely profitable and yielded a stunning 68.3% cover rate on full game spreads. That victory is the highest it has been in 35 years. That includes an amazing 18-3 record against the spread to close out the season.
They’ve done so in incredible fashion, having failed to cover the spread in just 11-straight games. This amazing stretch happened in March and April. This is why fans were so amazed at that consistency. It turned them into the favorite among bettors looking to get the most bang for their buck.
Their success was due to their calm, poised discipline to stick with the game plan and play such suffocating defense. And as they kept blowing past the numbers and continued to cover, they established themselves as an elite team to wager on.
Trail Blazers Make History with Early Win Total Surge
In Portland, the Portland Trail Blazers were loud! They went on to be the first team in NBA history to blow past their preseason over/under win total. They passed this milestone on February 4th in their 51st game of the year when they went over that 21.5 wins total. In the end, they finished the regular season with 36 wins.
Their efforts shone a light on an impressive reversal and showed their poise during a hard-fought season full of competition. The Trail Blazers got over the bar sooner than anyone thought. This accomplishment set them apart from most other teams still searching to hit their groove.
After a representative but disappointing down season, the Trail Blazers have had a dandy of a bounceback campaign. They shared the record for most outright underdog wins with the Chicago Bulls. Both squads demonstrated their penchant for beating the odds and providing out-of-nowhere results in big games.
Philadelphia 76ers Struggle Against the Spread
Although some teams had a glorious season this year, others were left holding the bag. The point spread rarely mattered with the Philadelphia 76ers last year, as they went a dreadful 28-54 against the spread. Yet their cover rate of only 34.1%, second-lowest in the nation, made them one of the worst bets for sports gamblers out there.
Even though the 76ers have a supremely talented roster filled with all-stars. Potential never quite translated itself to regular victories against the spread. This trend had a massive impact on how bettors played Philadelphia games during the entire 2022 season.
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