Lakers mania fuels betting frenzy in California as NBA playoffs begin

Los Angeles, California – As the NBA playoffs tip off, the Los Angeles Lakers are once again at the center of attention — not just on the court, but in sportsbooks across the country. Fueled by a blockbuster midseason trade that brought Luka Doncic to L.A., bettors are flooding sportsbooks with wagers on the Lakers to go all the way.

BetMGM’s trading manager Halvor Egeland says it’s been a landslide of support: “It’s pretty much all Lakers money coming in so far in the series,” he said. With Los Angeles opening their first-round matchup against Minnesota on Saturday, an astonishing 99% of bets on the series are backing the Lakers. The line has shifted from -160 to -200 in favor of L.A., thanks in large part to the influx of casual money.

Caesars Sportsbook is seeing similar action, with bets pouring in not just on the Lakers’ first-round series, but on futures for the Western Conference title and NBA championship. Prior to the Doncic trade, the Lakers sat at 40-1 to win the title. Now, they’re a respectable 10-1 — and climbing.

Still, while the Lakers dominate headlines, the crosstown Clippers are quietly gaining respect. They’ve gone from underdogs to favorites against the defending champion Denver Nuggets, despite Denver holding home-court advantage.

“I really think the Clippers could come out of the West,” said Bruce Marshall of CBS SportsLine. “Nobody’s talking about them… but I think they could win everything.”

The key may be Kawhi Leonard, who has finally found his old championship form. But questions remain about his durability, and whether James Harden can deliver in the postseason.

Over in the East, the Boston Celtics are the betting favorites to make the NBA Finals, despite finishing behind Cleveland in the standings. At BetMGM, they’re +200 to win the title, just behind Oklahoma City at +185. Caesars lists them at the same price, with the Thunder at +170.

The Celtics are looking to become the first repeat champion since Golden State in 2018, but injuries could derail their hopes. Finals MVP Jaylen Brown has been limited by a knee issue and remains a question mark heading into the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Golden State’s acquisition of Jimmy Butler sparked late-season optimism, but an aging roster and a tough road ahead leave doubts. After surviving the Play-In with a win over Memphis, the Warriors face a challenging path.

And while Oklahoma City may be the top seed and home to MVP favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, bettors are hesitant to back the young squad at short odds.

“I don’t think that they’re doubting the Thunder,” Egeland said. “It’s more that you don’t want to place a bet on a team with that short of odds.”

As the postseason gets underway, one thing is certain — the action on the court may be intense, but the action at the sportsbooks is just as heated.