2026 NBA All-Star Weekend Betting Guide: Slam Dunk Contest Highlights Massive Betting Weekend
The NBA is pulling out all the stops for its 75th All-Star Game. As the festivities land at the brand-new Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., the league has scrapped the traditional East vs. West format for a high-stakes USA vs. World Tournament.
This NBA All-Star Weekend betting guide breaks down the schedule, the new tournament mechanics, and the best betting values for the 3-Point Contest, Slam Dunk Contest, All-Star Game, and more.
📆 NBA All-Star Weekend schedule
Here's when and where the big events for the 2026 All-Star Weekend will be taking place, complete with some betting highlights:
| Day | Event | Time (ET) | Betting favorites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday | Rising Stars Tournament | 9 PM | Team Melo (+155) |
| Saturday | 3-Point Contest | 5 PM | Kon Knueppel (+330) |
| Saturday | Slam Dunk Contest | After 3PT contest | Carter Bryant (+180) |
| Sunday | All-Star Tournament | 5 PM | USA Stripes (+155) |
⭐ Friday: The Rising Stars Tournament
Let's take a look at the teams for the Rising Stars Tournament, complete with outright betting odds (all odds via FanDuel):
| Team Melo (+155) | Team T-Mac (+170) | Team Vince (+260) | Team Austin (+850) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper Flagg (injured) | Kon Knueppel | VJ Edgecombe | Sean East II |
| Reed Sheppard | Kel’el Ware | Derik Queen | Ron Harper Jr. |
| Stephon Castle | Tre Johnson | Kyshawn George | David Jones Garcia |
| Dylan Harper | Alex Sarr | Matas Buzelis | Yanic Konan Niederhäuser |
| Jeremiah Fears | Ajay Mitchell | Egor Demin | Alijah Martin |
| Donovan Clingan | Jaylon Tyson | Cedric Coward | Tristen Newton |
| Collin Murray-Boyles | Zaccharie Risacher | Jaylen Wells | Yang Hansen |
| Ace Bailey | Cam Spencer | Mac McClung | |
| Bub Carrington | Jahmir Young |
The coaches: Friday features the Castrol Rising Stars, a four-team mini-tournament coached by legends Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady, and Vince Carter, along with Austin Rivers (G League).
The format: For each semifinal game, the winner will be the first team to reach or surpass 40 points. For the championship game, the winner will be the first team to reach or surpass 25 points
Rising Stars: What to know before you bet
- The betting edge: Team Melo is still the favorite even though Cooper Flagg is out with injury. If you look closely, there's a team providing enough value that commands your attention.
- Top pick: I'm riding all the way with Team T-Mac, who sports the 3-Point Contest favorite Kon Knueppel from the Charlotte Hornets, with Kel'el Ware of the Miami Heat, with an absolute dawg in Cam Spencer holding them down. Sprinkle a .5u on them to with the tourney.
🏀 Saturday: State Farm 3-Point Contest
Let's take a look at the 3-point contest field, complete with betting odds and 3-point percentage:
| Player / odds | Team | 3-Point % |
|---|---|---|
| Devin Booker (+550) | Phoenix Suns | 31.3% |
| Kon Knueppel (+330) | Charlotte Hornets | 43% |
| Damian Lillard (+410) | Portland Trail Blazers | 42.8% |
| Tyrese Maxey (+600) | Philadelphia 76ers | 37.9% |
| Donovan Mitchell (+600) | Cleveland Cavaliers | 37.6% |
| Jamal Murray (+600) | Denver Nuggets | 42.8% |
| Bobby Portis Jr. (+1700) | Milwaukee Bucks | 45% |
| Norman Powell (+1000) | Miami Heat | 39.6% |
Saturday night is built for the sharpshooters and high-flyers. This year’s spotlight centers on the two marquee events: the 3-Point Contest and the Slam Dunk Contest.
Four competitors will be making their 3-Point Contest debuts - Kon Knueppel, Tyrese Maxey, Jamal Murray, and Bobby Portis Jr. Knueppel has a chance to make history as the first rookie ever to capture the title.
The format: In this two-round competition, players have 70 seconds to rack up as many points as they can from several spots beyond the arc. The three highest scorers in the opening round move on to the final, where the best score in the championship round decides the winner.
3-Point Contest: What to know before you bet
- Betting edge: Murray is shooting a career-best 42.8% from deep this season, but will he be able to hold off rookie Knueppel (+330) and veteran Damian Lillard (+400)?
- Top pick: It's a little chalky, but my money is on rookie Knueppel (43% 3P shooter). He simply won't miss on Saturday, and was a huge part of the Hornets' recent nine-game winning streak.
🤑 LONG SHOT ALERT (+1700)
The biggest underdog is Bobby Portis (+1700) from the Bucks. However, he has the highest 3-point percentage in the field. I'll be sprinkling a .3u on him before the lights turn on.
⛹️♂️Saturday: AT&T Slam Dunk Contest
Let's take a look at the participants for the Slam Dunk Contest, complete with betting odds:
| Player | Team | Betting Odds (FanDuel) |
|---|---|---|
| Carter Bryant | San Antonio Spurs | +180 |
| Jaxson Hayes | Los Angeles Lakers | +250 |
| Keshad Johnson | Miami Heat | +320 |
| Jase Richardson | Orlando Magic | +350 |
The contest has moved away from G League dominance back to young NBA high-flyers. Yes, Mac McClung won't be participating this year, so we're getting several of NBA young guns this year instead - all four players will be making their event debuts.
The format: The AT&T Slam Dunk Contest follows a straightforward, two-round elimination structure. In the opening round, all four participants showcase two dunks each; the two players with the highest aggregate scores move on to the finale. In the championship round, these finalists perform two more dunks, with the crown going to the player who earns the highest total score.
Slam Dunk Contest: What to know before you bet
- Betting edge: Statistically, Johnson (Heat) is the most explosive leaper in the field with a 42-inch max vertical (top of his draft class). He won’t miss many attempts, making him a very safe bet to at least reach the final.
- Top pick: We're running with Johnson here at +320. I'd price him closer to +250, so we're going to take this value and run.
📖 Fan favorite for the dunk contest?
Jase Richardson (+350): The son of two-time dunk champion Jason Richardson, Jase has the narrative on his side. While he has fewer dunks in actual NBA games this season than Hayes or Bryant, his pedigree suggests he’s been practicing contest dunks his entire life. He'll be ready, and he's the ultimate value play for a high-payout lottery ticket.
🌎 Sunday: USA vs. World All-Star Game
Here's a rundown of the odds, bets, and rosters for the All-Star Game:
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| USA Stripes | +155 |
| Team World | +160 |
| USA Stars | +200 |
In a bold move by the NBA, Sunday now features three teams (USA Stars, USA Stripes, and Team World) in a round-robin format.
The format: There will be four 12-minute games in total. If every team finishes 1–1, the two finalists will be decided by point differential. Once the initial three games are complete, the two teams with the best records will meet in a final 12-minute championship game to crown this year’s All-Star winner. Each matchup is determined strictly by the score at the end of regulation - there’s no Elam Ending or set target score involved.
Team USA vs. Team World: What to know before you bet
- Betting edge: This format prevents the lazy fourth quarter. Because point differential matters, teams will continue to score until the buzzer. Expect the "Over" to be a popular play in Game 3.
- Top pick: I'm going with the World - we have Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama, it should be a fun watch.
🦅 Team USA roster
| PLAYER | TEAM | ALL-STAR SIDE |
|---|---|---|
| Scottie Barnes | Toronto Raptors | USA Stars |
| Devin Booker | Phoenix Suns | USA Stars |
| Cade Cunningham | Detroit Pistons | USA Stars |
| Jalen Duren | Detroit Pistons | USA Stars |
| Anthony Edwards | Minnesota Timberwolves | USA Stars |
| Chet Holmgren | Oklahoma City Thunder | USA Stars |
| Jalen Johnson | Atlanta Hawks | USA Stars |
| Tyrese Maxey | Philadelphia 76ers | USA Stars |
| Jaylen Brown | Boston Celtics | USA Stripes |
| Jalen Brunson | New York Knicks | USA Stripes |
| Brandon Ingram* | Toronto Raptors | USA Stripes |
| Kevin Durant | Houston Rockets | USA Stripes |
| LeBron James | Los Angeles Lakers | USA Stripes |
| Kawhi Leonard | Los Angeles Clippers | USA Stripes |
| Donovan Mitchell | Cleveland Cavaliers | USA Stripes |
| De’Aaron Fox* | San Antonio Spurs | USA Stripes |
🏰 Team World roster
| PLAYER | TEAM | COUNTRY |
|---|---|---|
| Norman Powell | Miami Heat | Jamaica |
| Deni Avdija | Portland Trail Blazers | Israel |
| Luka Dončić | Los Angeles Lakers | Slovenia |
| Nikola Jokić | Denver Nuggets | Serbia |
| Jamal Murray | Denver Nuggets | Canada |
| Alperen Şengün* | Houston Rockets | Turkey |
| Pascal Siakam | Indiana Pacers | Cameroon |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | New York Knicks | Dominican Republic |
| Victor Wembanyama | San Antonio Spurs | France |
📺 How to watch NBA All-Star Weekend 2026
- Dates: Feb. 13-15
- Location: Intuit Dome (Los Angeles, Calif.)
- TV channel: NBC, ESPN
- Streaming: Peacock
❓NBA All-Star Weekend FAQs
What is the new USA vs. World format for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game?
The 2026 All-Star Game features a three-team round-robin tournament consisting of two American squads (USA Stars and USA Stripes) and one international roster (Team World). The top two teams from the round-robin advance to a final championship game to determine the winner.
Where can I watch the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend events live?
In the United States, you can watch the 2026 NBA All-Star Game and Saturday night contests on NBC or stream them live on Peacock. Friday’s Celebrity Game remains on ESPN, while the Rising Stars Challenge is available via Peacock.
How does the tiebreaker work in the 2026 NBA All-Star tournament?
Since the Sunday tournament uses a round-robin structure, if all three teams finish with a 1-1 record, point differential across the first three games serves as the tiebreaker. This new rule incentivizes teams to play with high intensity until the final buzzer of every 12-minute game.
📃 Affiliate disclosure
Sportsbook Review may receive a commission if you sign up through our links. Not intended for use in MA. Bonuses not applicable in Ontario. 21+ only. (Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
Related Articles
