NBA Championship Odds & Favorites 2024: Celtics, Nuggets Favorites Ahead of Second Round
The Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets are far ahead of the field as the consensus favorites by the 2024 NBA championship odds from our best NBA betting sites as we prepare for the second round.
The Boston Celtics showed they could bleed once in the opening round, but that victory by the Miami Heat mostly seemed to anger the consensus favorites. Despite a setback with a 10-point loss on their home court in Game 2, the Celtics rebounded with three straight wins to punch their ticket to the second round, where they await the winner of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic. Cleveland holds a 3-2 edge in that series.
Celtics star Kristaps Porzingis missed Game 5 against the Heat with a calf injury and is likely to be sidelined for an extended period of time. His absence didn't help Miami at all, but it may become a bigger hurdle against future opponents.
The Denver Nuggets, Boston's nearest competitor on the oddsboard, have eliminated the Los Angeles Lakers to secure their spot in the second round. Next up for the Nuggets is the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have also punched their ticket to the second round. The Indiana Pacers hold a 3-2 series lead against the Milwaukee Bucks, and the New York Knicks have the same advantage over the Philadelphia 76ers. Both teams have a shot at advancing on Thursday.
Here is our look at the latest 2024 NBA championship odds from our best NBA betting sites; don't miss our NBA playoffs betting preview.
NBA championship odds 2024
(Odds updated May 2)
| Team | DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | bet365 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celtics | +130 | +115 | +130 | +125 | +115 |
| Nuggets | +245 | +270 🔥 | +260 | +235 ❄️ | +250 |
| Thunder | +850 ❄️ | +950 🔥 | +900 | +900 | +900 |
| Timberwolves | +900 | +850 | +900 | +800 ❄️ | +850 |
| Mavericks | +1200 | +1300 | +1300 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Knicks | +1600 | +1500 | +1400 | +1600 | +1400 |
| 76ers | +4500 | +4500 | +4000 | +5000 🔥 | +4000 |
| Pacers | +5000 | +4600 | +4000 ❄️ | +6000 🔥 | +5000 |
| Cavaliers | +5500 | +4200 | +4000 | +6000 🔥 | +4000 |
| Bucks | +6500 ❄️ | +7500 | +6600 | +7000 | +8000 🔥 |
| Clippers | +10000 🔥 | +7500 ❄️ | +8000 | +9000 | +8000 |
| Magic | +35000 🔥 | +27000 | +30000 | +30000 | +25000 ❄️ |
Who has the best odds to win the 2024 NBA championship?
Celtics (+130 via DraftKings)
We now know that the Celtics can lose, but they responded to that defeat as you'd expect. Our best sports betting sites raised their odds only slightly to +140 following the Game 2 loss, and now they're slightly shorter again after rattling off three straight wins to secure their spot in the second round.
The Celtics were 27-14 on the road in the regular season compared to their stellar 37-4 home record. Next up is another best-of-seven against the winner of the Cavaliers and Magic.
Nuggets (+270 via FanDuel)
The Nuggets' NBA Finals odds shortened following each of their first three victories over the Lakers, and while they lengthened a bit after dropping a game to the Lakers, they've shortened right back up with their Game 5 win.
Denver has a concerning trend of needing second-half comebacks to win the series, trailing all five games at halftime. That may become a more difficult task as it progresses through the playoffs.
Mavericks (+1200 via BetMGM)
The Mavericks' NBA championship odds inflated to a market-high of +2200 following their Game 1 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Those who pounced on that number feel great, with the series squared up at 2, despite Dallas dropping Game 4 at home.
The Mavericks had a statement 30-point victory in Los Angeles in Game 5, snagging a 3-2 series lead. Luka Doncic put up 35 points with seven rebounds and 10 assists. Dallas now has two shots to close out the series, including Game 6 at American Airlines Center on Friday.
NBA Round 1 matchups
| Western Conference | Eastern Conference |
|---|---|
| Thunder (4) def. Pelicans (0) | Celtics (4) def. Heat (1) |
| Clippers (2) vs. Mavericks (3) | Cavaliers (3) vs. Magic (2) |
| Timberwolves (4) def. Suns (0) | Bucks (2) vs. Pacers (3) |
| Nuggets (4) def. Lakers (1) | Knicks (3) vs. 76ers (2) |
NBA Finals odds over time
With the Celtics being a major favorite to win the NBA Finals, there's been little movement lately at our best sportsbooks. The Celtics' and Nuggets' odds are shortening, while the Minnesota Timberwolves have been the biggest risers on the oddsboard.
Beyond those big four, our best live betting sites differ on the odds, with the Suns, Thunder, and Mavericks all in that next tier of contenders. Dallas, in particular, has experienced a notable shift in the odds over the last month, with books like Caesars slashing its price from 40/1 to 16/1 thanks to the brilliant play of Doncic lately.
NBA Finals opening odds
Odds as of June 12, 2023
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Nuggets | +500 |
| Celtics | +550 |
| Bucks | +600 |
| Suns | +850 |
| Mavericks | +1200 |
| Warriors | +1200 |
| Lakers | +1200 |
| Clippers | +1400 |
| 76ers | +1400 |
| Grizzlies | +2000 |
| Heat | +2000 |
| Cavaliers | +2500 |
| Kings | +3000 |
| Pelicans | +3500 |
| Knicks | +4000 |
| Hawks | +6600 |
| Timberwolves | +6600 |
| Thunder | +6600 |
| Raptors | +8000 |
| Nets | +10000 |
| Rockets | +10000 |
| Trail Blazers | +10000 |
| Bulls | +12500 |
| Pacers | +15000 |
| Magic | +15000 |
| Jazz | +15000 |
| Wizards | +15000 |
| Spurs | +20000 |
| Hornets | +50000 |
| Pistons | +50000 |
NBA finalists odds 2023-24
(Odds via FanDuel as of April 29)
| Matchup | Odds |
|---|---|
| Celtics vs. Nuggets | +170 |
| Celtics vs. Thunder | +500 |
| Celtics vs. Timberwolves | +650 |
| Knicks vs. Nuggets | +850 |
| Celtics vs. Mavericks | +950 |
| Celtics vs. Clippers | +2100 |
| Knicks vs. Thunder | +2100 |
| Pacers vs. Nuggets | +2400 |
| Knicks vs. Timberwolves | +2600 |
| Knicks vs. Mavericks | +3600 |
NBA Finals exact result odds
(Odds via FanDuel as of April 29)
| Matchup | Odds |
|---|---|
| Celtics to beat Nuggets | +390 |
| Nuggets to beat Celtics | +500 |
| Celtics to beat Thunder | +800 |
| Celtics to beat Timberwolves | +940 |
| Nuggets to beat Knicks | +1340 |
| Celtics to beat Mavericks | +1480 |
| Thunder to beat Celtics | +1600 |
| Timberwolves to beat Celtics | +2000 |
| Knicks to beat Nuggets | +2400 |
| Mavericks to beat Celtics | +2600 |
Past NBA Finals winners
| Team | Year | Preseason odds |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Nuggets | 2023 | +1800 |
| Golden State Warriors | 2022 | +1200 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 2021 | +550 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 2020 | +1800 |
| Toronto Raptors | 2019 | +6600 |
| Golden State Warriors | 2018 | -168 |
| Golden State Warriors | 2017 | +215 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 2016 | +300 |
| Golden State Warriors | 2015 | +2500 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 2014 | +100 |
| Miami Heat | 2013 | +250 |
Teams with the most NBA Championships
| Team | Championships |
|---|---|
| Lakers | 17 |
| Celtics | 17 |
| Warriors | 7 |
| Bulls | 6 |
| Spurs | 5 |
| 76ers | 3 |
| Pistons | 3 |
| Heat | 3 |
| Knicks | 2 |
| Rockets | 2 |
| Bucks | 2 |
NBA Championship FAQs
Who are the NBA Finals favorites?
The Boston Celtics are the favorites to win the 2024 NBA championship, with odds as long as +130. Those odds imply a probability of 43.48% that the Celtics will win the NBA championship.
Who won the NBA Finals last year?
The Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat in five games during the 2023 NBA Finals, securing their first NBA title in franchise history.
When will the 2024 NBA Finals be decided?
The 2024 NBA Finals begin on June 1, with Game 7 (if necessary) scheduled for June 18.
NBA betting odds pages
Here are our best NBA betting sites
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- DraftKings Promo Code | Read our DraftKings Review
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Related pages
- Best Sports Betting Sites | Best Sportsbook Promos (U.S. only)
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