The Los Angeles Lakers turned the NBA on its head Saturday evening when they acquired Anthony Davis in a blockbuster trade with the New Orleans Pelicans. The Lakers dealt away Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first-round picks to pair the superstar forward with LeBron James.
Vegas sportsbook took $10,000 Lakers bet three hours before Anthony Davis trade
Someone might have had a little bit of inside information about Saturday’s NBA madness.
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
The trade sent shockwaves through the NBA and reinforced a new potential power structure in the league. Prior to the trade, the Westgate SuperBook installed the Lakers at 5-1 to win the 2019-2020 NBA title. They were the favorites, just ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers (both 6-1), primarily due to the potential for some kind of big name addition this offseason.
They made that move on Saturday, but before the trade happened, a sports bettor showed some clairvoyance. Approximately three hours before the trade happened, someone placed a $10,000 wager on the Lakers to win the title.
That wager improved the Lakers to 9-2, and the Davis trade improved them further to 3-1 — where they currently stand. They are followed by the Bucks at 6-1 and the Clippers at 7-1.
Did the bettor know something about the trade ahead of time? We may never know, but whether he did or not, most casinos limit the action on futures bets because of this kind of thing. There are generally fewer limits on point spread and moneyline game bets, but title futures feature lower limits. The Westgate sets their win total limits at $50,000. Westgate executive Jeff Sherman told The Action Network, “I’m sure it was with knowledge, but that’s why we have liability limits in place.”
Sports bettors are always on the hunt for inside information. You can find some edges on the injury report and with advanced analytics for a given game, but with futures bets, a single trade nobody sees coming can swing odds considerably.
A sportsbook looks to protect itself against unnecessary risk, and someone having inside information on the Davis trade is a notable risk. People might have access to inside information about an injury heading into an individual game, but there is more easy access to that kind of information through the injury report and extensive coverage of the major sports leagues. Additionally, with a line only set for a couple days for a given game in the NBA, or at most a week in the NFL, there is less time for much in the way of shenanigans.
With futures bets, knowledge of a huge trade can make a big difference. The NBA in particular has become a league where a single big name move can change the balance of power across the league.
The 2019 NBA Draft is just a few days away, which means there is a decent chance we see some more significant action in the coming days. The rest of the league will continue shuffling through trades, the draft, and free agency, but it’s safe to say you are no longer going to find hidden value in a Lakers NBA title bet.
Here are your full 2020 NBA title odds following the Anthony Davis trade.
Los Angeles Lakers: 3-1
Milwaukee Bucks: 6-1
Los Angeles Clippers: 7-1
Houston Rockets: 8-1
Toronto Raptors: 10-1
Golden State Warriors: 12-1
Philadelphia 76ers: 12-1
Boston Celtics: 16-1
Denver Nuggets: 16-1
Oklahoma City Thunder: 20-1
Brooklyn Nets: 25-1
Utah Jazz: 30-1
Portland Trailblazers: 30-1
Dallas Mavericks: 40-1
New York Knicks: 50-1
San Antonio Spurs: 60-1
Indiana Pacers: 60-1
New Orleans Pelicans: 60-1
Orlando Magic: 80-1
Atlanta Hawks: 80-1
Chicago Bulls: 100-1
Sacramento Kings: 100-1
Memphis Grizzlies: 100-1
Phoenix Suns: 100-1
Detroit Pistons: 200-1
Charlotte Hornets: 200-1
Miami Heat: 200-1
Washington Wizards: 200-1
Cleveland Cavaliers: 200-1
Minnesota Timberwolves: 200-1
See More:
