2025 Big Bets report: Two 7-figure bets land on Thunder to win NBA Finals
Now that NBA Finals odds are dominating the sports betting conversation, major wagers are starting to flow — and from some high-profile sources.
The Indiana Pacers-Oklahoma City Thunder series has already seen two seven-figure bets. One of those is from Jay Z, who after the Game 1 result has got to be sweating at least a little bit.
Read on for more on that wager, other notable big bets and some potential big parlay payouts tied to NBA Finals betting.
I Like Big Bets and I Cannot Lie
On Thursday, hours ahead of Game 1, Fanatics Sportsbook took a $1 million bet on Oklahoma City +230 to win the series in five games. Shortly thereafter, Fanatics posted on X that Jay Z was the source of that bet.
Full disclosure: Jay Z is a partner with Fanatics' sports e-commerce platform, investing $325 million in 2021, in a move that led to the creation of Fanatics Sportsbook. So a million-dollar play is a literal drop in the bucket for him.
Regardless, it's still a noteworthy bet from the music mogul. And thanks to Indiana's stunning 111-110 Game 1 victory, Jay Z will be harder pressed to cash that bet.
Starting with Sunday's Game 2 (8 p.m. ET), the Thunder have to win the next four games. If that somehow happens, then Jay Z profits a healthy $2.3 million on his $1 million wager (total payout $3.3 million).
Thunderstruck
Two more sizable series wagers landed on the Vegas Strip before Game 1. Both wagers were on Oklahoma City to just win the series: $1.05 million OKC -700, to win $150,000 (total payout $1.2 million)
$200,000 OKC -700, to win $28,571.43 (total payout $228,571.43)
The path to victory for those wagers got a little tougher after Indiana overcame a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to steal Game 1 on the road. Tyrese Haliburton's game-winning jumper surely put a lump in the throat of these two high rollers.
But they've got a better shot than Jay Z. All they need is four wins in six games, rather than the treacherous path of needing four straight wins.
Parlay Partay
As noted a week ago, a DraftKings Sportsbook customer is looking to turn $13 into a massive six-figure win. But much like the above Thunder bettors, his road to victory hit a big speed bump with the Pacers' Game 1 upset.
Further, the bettor also needs the Edmonton Oilers to win the Stanley Cup Final vs. the Florida Panthers.
That series is tied at 1, with Game 3 at Florida on Monday night.
The wager: 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
The first three legs are in. Prior to Florida taking Game 2 vs. Edmonton 5-4 in double overtime, the customer had a cashout option of $107,683.97.
He's continuing to let it ride for the moment, going for a win of $270,761.40.
Similarly, a FanDuel Sportsbook customer has a very modest $4.44 on a six-leg futures parlay that needs the Thunder and Oilers to finish it off: Los Angeles Dodgers -1050 to win the World Series
Joey Logano +340 to win the NASCAR Cup championship
Ohio State +400 to win the College Football Playoff
Philadelphia Eagles +1300 to win the Super Bowl
Edmonton Oilers +800 to win the Stanley Cup
Oklahoma City Thunder +600 to win the NBA Finals
If OKC and Edmonton lift their respective trophies, then the bettor walks away with $94,358.88.
Long-Shot Luck
It's not just Thunder bettors getting their sweat on during the NBA Finals. A prescient Pacers backer is now just three wins away from a high-five-figure payday.
On April 29, the bettor put $1,000 on Indiana to win the NBA Finals, at hefty odds of +8500. He probably didn't imagine at the time that Indiana would get to the championship series, then rally from a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit to grab Game 1 on the road.
But that's where things stand. If the Pacers can claw out three more victories, then the bettor profits $85,000 (total payout $86,000).
Three-Point Play
Caesars Sportsbook took an interesting wager on an NBA Finals player prop: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to make two or more 3-pointers in each game of the championship series.
The customer bet $250 at +1800 odds. Gilgeous-Alexander made three 3-pointers in the Game 1 loss. If SGA keeps up that pace, then the bettor will collect $4,500 profit when this series ends (total payout $4,750).
Caesars also took a notable bet on an OKC player prop that's not going quite as well: $100 on Chet Holmgren +15000 (150/1) to be the top scorer in the NBA Finals.
Holmgren's Game 1 total was just six points. So he'll have to perk up quite a bit for that bettor to claim a $15,000 win.
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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