One of the most stunning NBA trades in years changed the sports betting landscape over the weekend.
The Dallas Mavericks made a deal to send All-Star guard Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for veteran big man Anthony Davis and other pieces in a three-team trade involving the Utah Jazz.
Yes, this is real. Sources tell ESPN: Full trade:
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 2, 2025
- Lakers: Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris
- Mavericks: Anthony Davis, Max Christie, 2029 LAL 1st
- Jazz: Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2025 Clippers 2nd, 2025 Mavericks 2nd https://t.co/bltojdTaQj
The out-of-nowhere move sent shockwaves through the league, something sportsbooks felt immediately in the futures markets.
ESPN BET reported Sunday that with Dončić joining LeBron James, the operator moved the Lakers’ odds to win the NBA championship from +3,300 to +1,600. The Mavs fell from +2,500 to +3,300 after losing the 25-year-old Slovenian.
BetMGM said the NBA Finals odds went from Lakers +4,000 to +1,400 overnight while Dallas went from +2,000 to +3,000. In the Western Conference champion market, the online sportsbook moved the Lakers from +2,000 to +900. The Mavericks changed from +1,200 to +1,400.
DraftKings moved the Lakers from +4,000 to +1,700 following the trade.
Here’s the immediate impact at @DKSportsbook of Luka Doncic being traded to the Lakers:
— Julian Edlow (@julianedlow) February 2, 2025
Lakers to win Championship: +4500 ➡️ +1700
Lakers to win West: +2000 ➡️ +950
Mavericks to win Championship: +1800 ➡️ +3500
Mavericks to win West: +900 ➡️ +1500
Over the last 12 hours, 80%… pic.twitter.com/rrvncW7Odw
Caesars Sportsbook reported similar shifts in the NBA champion market and even moved the Lakers to +1,000 to win it all.
NBA Finals Futures Odds Movement Post Luka-AD Trade 👀
— Caesars Sportsbook & Casino (@CaesarsSports) February 2, 2025
Lakers NBA Finals odds moved from +4000 to +1000 📈
Mavs NBA Finals odds moved from +1800 to +3000 📉 pic.twitter.com/e6hoGorSse
Popular bet
Dončić is one of the top players in the NBA. He’s been selected to the All-Star Game and made the All-NBA first team five times in his seven-year career. Dončić led the league with 33.9 points per game last season when he took Dallas to the NBA Finals.
Davis is a 10-time All-Star with four appearances on the All-NBA first team and five on the All-NBA Defensive team in his 13-year career. He won an NBA title with the Lakers in 2020.
By 11 a.m. Sunday, ESPN BET reported taking the second-highest number of bets in the NBA champion market for a single day since the 2024-25 season began.
ESPN BET also said 46.6% of the tickets and 65.2% of the handle have been on the Lakers since the trade was reported on Saturday night. During that time, the Mavs received 9.5% of the bets and 11% of the money, the second-most in the market.
The Celtics were third with 10.3% of the bets and 4.3% of the handle.
bet365 told Covers that 55% of bets have come in on the Lakers to win the title since the deal was announced. The Mavs have seen 13% of that action.
DraftKings reports the Lakers have been the most-bet team to win the NBA Finals by handle and tickets since Sunday morning.
BetMGM said 64% of wagers and 57% of the money has come in on the Lakers post-trade, and they are also the sportsbook’s biggest liability in the Western Conference winner market.
Still to come
The Lakers and Mavericks will square off in two more contests this season.
The next matchup is scheduled for Feb. 25 in Los Angeles, and ESPN BET released an early line, making the Lakers a 4.5-point favorite with a point total of 226.5.
DraftKings made the line Lakers -5 and -198 on the moneyline.
February 25th is gonna be a movie 🍿 pic.twitter.com/3uuhHkMHbT
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) February 3, 2025
The other showdown is set for April 9 in Dallas. No line have been provided yet.
