The sports betting site Sportsbook.com has announced its odds for this years NBA Championship. Although everything seems to be clear about the NBA: which teams have more probabilities of winning, which are clear favorites and which are not, etc.; theory usually does not work in the world of sports.
Sportsbook has divided its odds into divisions. According to this website, the Atlantic and the Central are going to face the fiercest competition. In the Atlantic, there will be four teams fighting for the Championship: New York (9-2), Boston (6-1), Philadelphia (3-1), and New Jersey (5-7). Indiana is the favorite team in the Central with 7-5. The second place is occupied by Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers, both with 11-5. They are followed by Chicago Bulls, with 8-1. In the Southeast, Miami is the favorite with 1-14. All other teams in that division are listed at 8-1. In the Southwest, San Antonio gets a 5-12, Houston 7-2, and Dallas 17-5, in what is expected to be the best division of this years NBA. In the Northwest, the favorites are Denver Nuggets, listed at 5-7, Seattle at 7-2, and Minnesota at 3-2. Finally, in the Pacific, bets favor the Sacramento Kings, listed at 5-6, while the Lakers get a 8-1, the Clippers 10-1, and Phoenix a 14-5.
Peter Childs, Oddsmaker of Sportsbook.com said that it is always difficult to predict which division will win, because no one can predict injuries or suspensions, like Indiana last year, or teams that have had a regular season might not win the first place of their division eventually. That is why, he says, prediction division winners is so exciting, because no one knows what is going to happen. So, what bettors actually guess is not results or divisions winners but surprises. If you manage to guess them, you can make a lot of money, Childs said.
