Sports betting roundup: NBA and NHL playoffs near the end of the first round
Sports betting roundup: NBA and NHL playoffs near the end of the first round
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, right, makes a move to the basket against Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero during the first half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) shoots the ball past Memphis Grizzlies Vince Williams Jr. (5), Scotty Pippen Jr. and John Konchar (46) during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, center, shoots as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic defends during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) goes up for a dunk during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Washington Capitals’ Connor McMichael (24) watches as the puck goes through the pads of Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) for the game-tying goal by teammate Brandon Duhaime (not shown) during the third period of Game 4 in an NHL hockey first-round playoff series in Montreal, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)
Edmonton Oilers players celebrate a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during an overtime of an NHL playoff gamen in Edmonton on Sunday, April 27, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Ben Griffin, right, walks up the 17th fairway with teammate Andrew Novak during the final round of the PGA Zurich Classic golf tournament at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La., Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell, the Philadelphia Eagles’ first round draft pick, selected 31st overall, poses with a jersey during an NFL football news conference at the team’s training facility in Philadelphia, Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, right, makes a move to the basket against Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero during the first half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, right, makes a move to the basket against Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero during the first half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) shoots the ball past Memphis Grizzlies Vince Williams Jr. (5), Scotty Pippen Jr. and John Konchar (46) during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) shoots the ball past Memphis Grizzlies Vince Williams Jr. (5), Scotty Pippen Jr. and John Konchar (46) during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, center, shoots as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic defends during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, center, shoots as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic defends during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) goes up for a dunk during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) goes up for a dunk during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Washington Capitals’ Connor McMichael (24) watches as the puck goes through the pads of Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) for the game-tying goal by teammate Brandon Duhaime (not shown) during the third period of Game 4 in an NHL hockey first-round playoff series in Montreal, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)
Washington Capitals’ Connor McMichael (24) watches as the puck goes through the pads of Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) for the game-tying goal by teammate Brandon Duhaime (not shown) during the third period of Game 4 in an NHL hockey first-round playoff series in Montreal, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)
Edmonton Oilers players celebrate a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during an overtime of an NHL playoff gamen in Edmonton on Sunday, April 27, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Edmonton Oilers players celebrate a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during an overtime of an NHL playoff gamen in Edmonton on Sunday, April 27, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Ben Griffin, right, walks up the 17th fairway with teammate Andrew Novak during the final round of the PGA Zurich Classic golf tournament at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La., Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Ben Griffin, right, walks up the 17th fairway with teammate Andrew Novak during the final round of the PGA Zurich Classic golf tournament at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La., Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell, the Philadelphia Eagles’ first round draft pick, selected 31st overall, poses with a jersey during an NFL football news conference at the team’s training facility in Philadelphia, Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell, the Philadelphia Eagles’ first round draft pick, selected 31st overall, poses with a jersey during an NFL football news conference at the team’s training facility in Philadelphia, Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
One NBA playoff series is over, and most of the others are close. The NHL playoffs have been a little more even.
In the Western Conference in the NHL, all four series are tied at two games apiece. In the East, three of the four series are 3-1, with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers playing Game 4 Monday night.
It’s a little different in the NBA. The Oklahoma City Thunder have swept the Memphis Grizzlies and only one series is tied at two (Nuggets-Clippers).
Trends of the Week
The Boston Celtics took a 3-1 lead in their series against the Orlando Magic with a 107-98 win on the road Sunday night. At the BetMGM online sportsbook, Boston closed as 6.5-point favorites and took in 84% of the bets and 89% of the money in against-the-spread betting. In moneyline betting, only 26% of the bets and 20% of the money came in on the Magic (+240).
The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Los Angeles Lakers 116-113 in Game 4 on Sunday to go up 3-1 in the series. Minnesota closed as a 2.5-point favorite, so even with the narrow margin, they were able to cover the spread. They only drew 33% of the bets and 38% of the money, however.
In the NHL, the Washington Capitals now lead the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 after a 5-2 victory Sunday night. The Capitals took in 66% of the bets and 86% of the money in moneyline betting. The Edmonton Oilers also took a 3-1 series lead with their 4-3 overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings. Edmonton drew 69% of the bets and 85% of the money in moneyline betting.
Upsets of the Week
Saturday’s Nuggets-Clippers game was one of the best of the weekend with Denver winning 101-99 on Aaron Gordon’s buzzer-beating dunk. Los Angeles closed as 6.5-point favorites. Only 34% of the money was on Denver (+220). In against-the-spread betting, 60% of the bets and 80% of the money was on the Clippers.
In golf, Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak each won for the first time on the PGA Tour in the lone team event of the season, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. The pair finished at 28 under, which gave them a one-shot victory. They were +2500 in pre-tournament betting and took in 5.1% of the bets and 3.5% of the money.
Coming Up
Following the completion of the NFL draft, the Philadelphia Eagles still have the best odds to win the Super Bowl at +650.
The Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs all closely follow at +700, +750 and +750, respectively.
The Detroit Lions rounds out the top five at +900. Those are the only teams with odds shorter than +1000.
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This column was provided to The Associated Press by BetMGM online sportsbook.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports