Favorites in the East and West Conferences
Betting on who wins each NBA conference is one of the most popular wagers aside from the NBA Championship odds. There are several attractive features to the NBA odds for betting on conference winners.
Among them is that there are only two conferences to focus on. Unlike betting on division winners, you only have to research one or two groups of teams to make a reasonable wager on the NBA lines for conference winners.
Current Contenders in the East and West
As of this writing, there are two favorites in each conference to take home the crown and represent the East or West in the NBA Finals.
In the East, the Milwaukee Bucks (+145) hold a razor-thin lead over the Boston Celtics (+150). Despite the small gap in NBA odds, the two are basically in dead heat as the bookmakers can’t decide who is more deserving of the title.
The Bucks are led by superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo while Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown headline the Celtics roster.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers round out the top three with +450 odds to win the East.
No other team has NBA lines shorter than +1800 (Cleveland) to take home the Eastern Conference title.
A similar situation is brewing in the West, with the Phoenix Suns (+225) favored over the Denver Nuggets (+300). The Suns have a better team on paper with Chris Paul and Kevin Durant, but the Nuggets have much more experience playing together and should not be overlooked.
They also feature arguably the best player in the West, Nikola Jokic, who leads the team in points, rebounds, and assists. Unlike the East, there are three additional contenders to take the conference crown. The Golden State Warriors (+500), Memphis Grizzlies (+550), and the Los Angeles Lakers (+750).
Betting Strategies for NBA Conference Champions
Regarding betting strategies for NBA Conference champions, there are a few things to remember. First, the results of the regular season are important but do not decide who wins the conference.
All too often, the team with the best record in the regular season ends up on the losing end of a playoff series and gets knocked out of contention. That’s not to say that the Bucks and Suns are bad bets or won’t win their respective conference.
But it does mean that they are not locks to win, and there is better value to be found the further down the NBA odds board you look.
Teams like the Memphis Grizzlies are attractive at +550 over the Suns and Warriors. The Lakers NBA odds feel slightly overhyped just because LeBron James leads the team.
But they are not even a lock to make the playoffs as of today, and James has been very brittle this season. The odds are juicy, but there are better underdogs to focus on than LA.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Boston Celtics
Brooklyn Nets
New York Knicks
Philadelphia 76ers
Toronto Raptors
Chicago Bulls
Cleveland Cavaliers
Detroit Pistons
Indiana Pacers
Milwaukee Bucks
Atlanta Hawks
Charlotte Hornets
Miami Heat
Orlando Magic
Washington Wizards
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Denver Nuggets
Minnesota Timberwolves
Oklahoma City Thunder
Portland Trail Blazers
Utah Jazz
Golden State Warriors
Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers
Phoenix Suns
Sacramento Kings
Dallas Mavericks
Houston Rockets
Memphis Grizzlies
New Orleans Pelicans
San Antonio Spurs
The Winners of Each of the Eastern and Western Conferences Face Off in the NBA Finals Series.
So accurately predicting the winners of each conference may not be as huge of an accomplishment as it would be to predict the NBA Finals Champion, but it’s a pretty close second. Once the season gets going, you will find plenty of NBA futures odds, including the NBA conference odds. You will find all team’s odds of winning their respective divisions, and your job is to pick accurately!
Betting on NBA Conference odds is pretty straightforward, but you are betting on a future outcome, so you have a 1/15 chance of being accurate. However, it is much easier to bet on Conference and Divisional futures than it is to bet on the NBA Finals.
Usually, bettors will place a reasonable wager at the start of the season, but you start to see the real money rolling in as the playoffs get closer. Big bettors will start flooding sportsbooks with their larger wagers as it becomes a little more apparent who the front runners are.
Keep an eye on this page throughout the NBA regular season and keep an eye on these NBA odds to ensure you don’t miss out on any important line moves or odd shifts.
For the latest news, guides, lists, and team stats visit NBA News, and before you make your betting decisions check out our NBA Picks for the best picks and predictions to bet on the NBA Championship.