The Minnesota Timberwolves weren’t the only ones celebrating after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 103-96, securing a 4-1 series win in Round 1 of the 2025 NBA playoffs. The Lakers were the most-bet NBA team in terms of total wagers and overall liability at multiple sportsbooks, making their elimination a relief for oddsmakers.
At BetMGM, the Lakers had the most wagers (15.6%) of any playoff team to win the championship, along with the third-highest handle (14%). With 10-1 odds to win the title entering the postseason, the liability for sportsbooks quickly accumulated.
“It was great for us,” said a BetMGM trader. “They were our biggest liability for the title. It’s always a Catch-22 with these public teams. The extra handle that comes in is great, but it obviously brings in more risk. We couldn’t write a bet on the Wolves before the series started, either. It was a fantastic result for us.”
Indeed, 88% of the total dollars wagered on the series price at BetMGM was on the Lakers, along with 69% of bets. The Lakers consistently attract outsized action compared to their overall team quality, especially after acquiring superstar Luka Dončić in February. They were short favorites to win the series against the Timberwolves.
The biggest reported wager at BetMGM was a $100,000 bet on the Lakers at 10-1 odds to win it all, which would have won $1 million. Instead, it will go back into the oddsmakers’ coffers, along with the rest of futures tickets on Los Angeles.
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