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Much like typical fans, the public betting masses – and even the sharp bettors, at times — want to be entertained. They’re certainly getting that with NBA Finals odds, as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers head to Game 7.
In particular, one BetMGM Nevada customer is on a ride that might cost seven figures. Or it might profit low six figures. Depending on what happens Sunday night in Oklahoma City.
Read on for more on that wager, other notable bets and some potential big parlay payouts tied to NBA Finals betting, along with a fairly incredible MLB parlay hit.
I Like Big Bets And I Cannot Lie
Back on June 4, a day before the NBA Finals opened, a BetMGM Nevada customer walked into one of the operator’s big sportsbooks on the Vegas Strip. The bettor proceeded to put $1.05 million on the Thunder -700 to win the series.
That’s a hefty bet with equally hefty odds. At -700, it takes $700 just to win $100. Take that up to $1.05 million, and the customer is aiming to profit $150,000, for a total payout of $1.2 million.
OKC has been favored in every game of this series, by no less than 5.5 points. Yet the bettor now has to sweat out a Game 7 to learn his fate.
Additionally, on June 5, just before Game 1, BetMGM Nevada took a $200,000 bet on OKC -700 to win the series. That customer is looking to profit $28,571 on Sunday night (total payout $228,571).
It’s a nervous time behind the betting counter, too, with a chance to collect $1.25 million off those two high-rollers.
"Game 7 will be a big swing no matter what happens. Obviously, we will be rooting for the Pacers, due to multiple large series bets on the Thunder," BetMGM Nevada’s Scott Shelton said. "We’re not sure yet how the million-dollar bettor will hedge Sunday night, since he only wins $150,000."
Shelton had this suggestion:
"I would personally take Pacers +8 on the point spread for $200,000 or $300,000, and have a chance to scoop it all up if the Thunder win but fail to cover. Whatever he does, Sunday will be stressful for him and the house."
Underdog Story
The biggest potential win on the NBA Finals would come from a bet made on May 31 at Fanatics Sportsbook. The wager was placed in Colorado, just before the Pacers finished off their 4-2 series victory over the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.
The customer put $127,667 — a kind of unusual sum — on Indiana +700 to win the NBA championship. Three weeks later, that bettor is now on the precipice of profiting $893,669.
All that’s required is a Pacers road upset Sunday night. As of Friday afternoon, Indiana is a 7.5-point underdog at Fanatics, and on the moneyline — wagering simply on just which team wins Game 7, regardless of margin — the Pacers are +240.
A FanDuel Sportsbook customer is in for a great Sunday night sweat, as well. And he had faith in the Pacers at a time when oddsmakers did not.
On April 29, the bettor put $1,000 on Indiana +8500 — that’s 85/1 — to win the championship. Since then, he’s been on a roller-coaster ride that’s somehow arrived at Game 7.
He’s also a huge Pacers fan, as demonstrated by each game on social media. We’d link here, but this is a family-friendly article, and the bettor has a tendency to drop a few too many F-bombs.
But I digress. If Indiana pulls the upset, then he’ll not only have the satisfaction of his team winning the title, but also profit $85,000.
On the flip side, another FanDuel customer has a seven-leg parlay that’s been simmering since the NFL playoffs’ Divisional Round. It’s a $2,000 wager that could become nearly $85,000:
All he now needs is a Thunder win on Sunday night.
Parlay Pity Party
As noted earlier in the NBA Finals, a DraftKings Sportsbook customer was looking to turn 13 bucks into a massive six-figure win. But he needed help from both the Thunder and the Edmonton Oilers on his five-leg futures parlay:
• Liberty to win the WNBA title
• Dodgers to win the World Series
• Eagles to win the Super Bowl
• Oilers to win the Stanley Cup
• Thunder to win the NBA Finals
Edmonton wasn’t able to do its part, though. For the second straight year, the Oilers lost to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final. The Oilers got drilled in Game 6 on Tuesday, falling 5-1 to lose the series 4-2.
The bettor was hoping to cash out for a whopping profit of $270,761.40. Here’s hoping he hedged in some form or fashion.
MLB Miracle
On Wednesday, a William Hill US customer in Las Vegas put $350 on a 15-leg MLB moneyline parlay. Yep, he played every game on the schedule, aiming to pick the winner of each game:
• Red Sox
• Phillies
• Rockies (yes, the Rockies!)
• Angels
• Reds
• Braves
• Rays
• Royals
• Astros
• Dodgers
• Tigers
• Cubs
It’s fairly difficult just to get a four or five-team parlay to the finish line. Fifteen teams is lottery-ticket-like. So perhaps fortuitously for the bettor, three games were postponed: Pirates-Tigers, Cards-White Sox and Brewers-Cubs.
His bet was still alive, but it was lowered to a 12-team parlay. And wouldn’t you know it, all 12 teams came through. Plus, he got a great sweat in the last game.
The Dodgers beat the Padres 4-3 on a Will Smith walkoff home run. That clinched the parlay and a massive win of $555,809.58.
Also, the Rays pulled a shocker earlier Wednesday evening to keep the parlay going. Tampa Bay gave up eight second-inning runs to Baltimore, falling into an 8-0 hole. But by the end of the fifth inning, the Rays tied it at 8, and a four-run seventh inning gave them a 12-8 victory.
FWIW: If the Tigers, Cardinals and Cubs played and won, the bettor would’ve profited approximately $1.9 million. But that’s a big if. Something tells me he’s quite satisfied with half-a-million.
Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for VegasInsider.com. He is a distinguished journalist in the national sports betting space. He’s based in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golfing in 110-degree heat. Follow him on X: @PatrickE_Vegas.
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