Why betting on Rockets and Warriors is a bad idea

Before reading any further, it should be noted that the point of this article is not to say that either the Warriors or Rockets won’t win the 2018 NBA

Before reading any further, it should be noted that the point of this article is not to say that either the Warriors or Rockets won’t win the 2018 NBA Championship, but rather to say that betting on either side to win might be something to be avoided.

Does that sound like a paradox? It might be, but the two best teams in NBA are just too short in the odds for punters to consider backing. Indeed, the current odds from William Hill (as of May 1st) see the Warriors at evens (+100) and the Rockets at 6/4 (+125). This would be a decent price for betting if both sides were hurtling towards a showdown in the Finals, but, of course, one of these two will be eliminated in the Western Conference Final.

Eastern Conference full of betting value

Now, without making a prediction of who will get to the Finals, let us look at the four remaining teams in the Eastern Conference: Raptors, Celtics, Cavaliers and 76ers. The only thing we know for sure is that one of that quartet will definitely be present when the Finals begin on the 31st May. At the time of writing, Boston have just opened a 1-0 lead against Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference Semi Final, whereas Toronto and Cleveland have yet to play Game 1. You can check the latest sports betting picks from canadiansportsbetting.ca to get a handle on those and other games in this year’s Playoffs.

Anyway, let’s look at the latest odds for those four teams from William Hill:

Raptors 7/1

Cavaliers 10/1

76ers 12/1

Celtics 25/1

As you can see, they offer a lot more value than either the Rockets or Warriors in terms of raw odds. However, we must go back to the point that one of these teams is guaranteed to make the Finals. That’s where the each-way bet comes in. You see, William Hill and other sportsbooks will offer half odds on an each-way bet for the NBA Finals, meaning you will get paid even if your selection gets hammered by the Warriors or Rockets next month.

Cavaliers look a big price to reach fourth successive Finals

For the uninitiated, an each-way bet means that you essentially make two bets, one on the team to win and the other to place as a runner up. For example, say you liked the Cavaliers – always a popular bet due to the Lebron factor – and you placed a $10 each way bet at 10/1. This would cost $20 and guarantee to pay $60 simply by way of the Cavaliers reaching the Finals. You would also have the added bonus of the original bet ($10 at 10/1 = $110) if Lebron, Kevin Love and the rest can somehow inspire a miracle against the Warriors/Rockets.