Thanks to a special 2021 NBA Finals Game 1 promotion from DraftKings VA, it’s going to be hard to bet against the Phoenix Suns.
The finale of the NBA Playoffs kicks off Tuesday (9 p.m., ABC) for the best-of-seven series.
The Suns, the Western Conference champions, meet the Eastern Conference champs, the Milwaukee Bucks.
Heading into the series opener, the Suns are substantial -250 favorites at most Virginia sports betting outlets, including DraftKings.
If you’re betting the moneyline, you’ll need to bet a lot to win a little on -250 Phoenix. In this case, you’d need to wager $25 to net $10 in profit if the Suns win. But thanks to DraftKings’ NBA Finals promotion, you can get an even-money payoff on the Suns with special +100 odds.
Even money on Suns in NBA Finals Game 1
The Suns (51-21, 12-4) and Bucks (46-26, 12-5) meet on Tuesday at Phoenix Suns Arena in Arizona.
That home-court advantage is one reason the Suns are 6-point favorites in Game 1. The total, meanwhile, opened at 217 and has steadily ticked up to 219 at most sportsbooks.
While a point spread bet is usually the go-to betting option for basketball bettors, DraftKings has put the focus on the moneyline in Game 1.
Straight up, are you going with the Suns, who beat the Los Angeles Clippers in six games to win the Western Conference? Or are you siding with the Bucks, who handled the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 to win the Eastern Conference?
Instead of the Suns -250 and the Bucks +205, you can get the Suns +100 and the Bucks +210.
And with two plus-money options, there are a few ways to go about betting Game 1 to ensure you lose nothing.
A no-lose NBA Finals Game 1 bet?
Despite those tempting boosted Suns odds, what if you still want to back the Bucks?
Well, there’s a way to ensure you bet on Game 1 and don’t lose a penny. In fact, if the Bucks win, you still win.
The DraftKings promo has a max bet of $25, so if the Suns win, you net $25 in winnings. However, you could take that Suns bet but then also wager on the Bucks, too.
As of Tuesday morning, both FanDuel VA and Caesars VA offered the Bucks at +210 odds. If you bet $25 on those odds and win, you’ll profit $62.50.
Now, if you’re on both sides of Game 1 with moneyline bets and the DK boost, here’s what would happen:
- Bucks win: $62.50 Bucks profit – $25 Suns loss = $37.50 overall profit
- Suns win: $25 Suns profit – $25 Bucks loss = $0 overall result
In other words, if the Suns win, you break even. But if the Bucks win, you clear $37.50 in profit.
It’s not exactly pure arbitrage, but it’s a no-lose proposition.
And sure, if you’re rooting for Milwaukee, it may feel sacrilegious to bet anything on the Suns, especially if it lowers your expected value a bit. But with the DraftKings boosted odds, it’s a good way to either win – or lose nothing. And in sports betting, those opportunities don’t come around very often.
Other Suns vs. Bucks promotions
Be sure to keep an eye on your favorite VA sportsbooks this week.
With the NBA Finals likely to garner much of the sports world’s attention, the books are going to look to capitalize on that interest.
FanDuel, for example, is offering “NBA Playoffs Enhanced Odds” for new users. Place a $5 wager on any NBA single-game moneyline, and you’ll get +3000 odds. That means your $5 bet would have a $150 payoff if you’re correct.
FanDuel also has the “Taco Bell 2021 NBA Finals Comeback Bonus” for all users. If you place a pre-game moneyline wager of at least $25 on the NBA Finals and if your chosen team overcomes a halftime deficit to win, you get a $10 bonus in site credit.
BetMGM VA, meanwhile, has a “Lion’s Boost” for Game 1. Will both teams score at least 25 points in the first quarter? If you think yes in the answer, the bet would usually have +120 odds. However, with the boost, they increase to +145.
BetMGM also has “Finals OT Insurance” for all users for all NBA Finals games. If your team loses in overtime, you get your wager back – up to $20 – in bonus bets.
Unibet VA, meanwhile, has a special “Suns/Bucks 3-pt Frenzy” option. If the Suns and Bucks combine for 30 three-pointers, you’ll win with special +150 odds. (The teams combined to average 22.6 three-pointers per game during the regular season.)
William Hill, meanwhile, has a smorgasbord of special NBA options, including the Suns to win by 20 or more points on Tuesday (+650).
BetRivers VA also has some special NBA betting markets, including one that “Bucks vs. Suns Finals to go to Game 7″ at +220 odds.
