How to Bet on the NBA Finals Winner (2025)

The NBA Playoffs have officially begun! While the first round is full of action, it mainly works to separate the pretenders from the contenders. We will see which teams emerge as the favorites to make it through their conference and into the NBA Finals.

Certain teams are already heavy favorites to not only make it to the Finals, but to win it all. If you want to get in on the action, you need to know which teams are the best bets to get there. Here’s how to bet on the NBA Finals and which teams are currently favored to win the whole thing.

Betting on the NBA Finals Winner

Betting on the winner of the NBA Finals is easier than you think. Just follow these steps and you can place your bet for who you think will win the NBA Championship this season.

1.) Sign up at a sportsbook. The first thing to do is to choose from one of the many sportsbooks. Look for one that has a great sign-up offer like bonus bets or a no-sweat first bet.

2.) Make a deposit. With many of these first bet offers, you will need to make a qualifying deposit. Check the fine print to see how much you need to deposit in order to cover those requirements.

3.) Go to the NBA section. Head over to the NBA section where you should find the next upcoming games. On the bar above those games should be a number of options; find the “futures” section.

4.) Choose who you think will win the NBA Championship. Finally, you will see odds on who will win the NBA title. Each team has their odds listed to the right; you can make several bets on who you think will win to spread out your chances.

The Best Odds to Win the NBA Finals

Ready to place a future bet on who will win the NBA Finals? These are the teams that stand a cut above the rest of the pack:

Oklahoma City Thunder

Though they may be the youngest team in the NBA, the Thunder were the most dominant in the regular season. The Thunder won 68 games, powered by what is likely to be the NBA MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. “SGA” has been one of the most dominant players in the league this season, leading the NBA in scoring.

The Thunder are far and away the favorite in the Western Conference. Though teams like the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors could come out of the conference, it appears to be the Thunder’s to lose.

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are the defending NBA Champions for a reason. With a deep lineup, they cruised through the regular season without having to go full throttle in terms of their effort.

With 61 wins, the Celtics easily dominated. They have a stacked lineup with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and others. The Celtics remain the team to beat out of the East.

Cleveland Cavaliers

If anyone is going to beat the Celtics, it is going to be the Cavaliers. They quietly won 64 games, the best in the Eastern Conference. Powered by superstar Donovan Mitchell, the Cavs have a lot to offer.

Though they were a bit quiet down the stretch, the Cavaliers have the kind of depth to challenge teams like the Celtics and Thunder. Don’t be surprised if the Cavaliers are the last team standing.

Who Will Win it All?

Though it is always tough to predict who will win the NBA Championship, it is hard to not like a couple of teams. The Boston Celtics are the defending champions and the favorite to come out of the Eastern Conference. In the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder are the overwhelming favorites. In the end, the Celtics are probably the best bet to win it all.