The NBA championship odds shifted slightly after Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves evened their Western Conference semifinal with the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday. A Victor Wembanyama ejection (and potential suspension?) looms over that series.
The Oklahoma City Thunder can build on their status as favourites with a win tonight to complete the sweep over the Los Angeles Lakers. Meanwhile, the New York Knicks await the winner of the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. the Detroit Pistons in the East.
Here are the latest NBA odds to win the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
🏆 Latest 2026 NBA Championship odds
| Team |  |
R2 opponent |
|---|---|---|
 Thunder |
-180 | Lakers (Up 3-0) |
 Spurs |
+390 | Timberwolves (Tied 2-2) |
 Knicks |
+650 | 76ers (Won 4-0) |
 Pistons |
+2000 | Cavaliers (Up 2-1) |
 Cavaliers |
+4500 | Pistons (Down 2-1) |
 Timberwolves |
+7500 | Spurs (Tied 2-2) |
 Lakers |
+50000 | Thunder (Down 3-0) |
Odds updated as of 5-11, courtesy of bet365, one of our best betting sites. Sign up with our bet365 promo code, or get one of our other sportsbook promos.
The Oklahoma City Thunder's odds moved to -180 after the San Antonio Spurs dropped Game 4 vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota only won by five despite Victor Wembanyama getting ejected for elbowing Naz Reid in the face.
The New York Knicks are now at +650 after becoming the first team to advance to the conference finals by sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Lakers now have the worst odds to win at +50000, as they are on the brink of elimination.
📈 2026 NBA Finals odds over time
Here's a visual representation of how the NBA championship odds have evolved since the offseason.
🔮 NBA Championship prediction
| Bet | Odds | Bet Date | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thunder |
+240 | Oct. 21 | 1.0 |
| Thunder |
+165 | Dec. 1 | 1.0 |
| Spurs |
+1000 | Feb. 24 | 0.5 |
| Spurs |
+550 | Mar. 30 | 0.5 |
| Pistons |
+2000 | Apr. 18 | 0.5 |
Oklahoma City has the cleanest runway to be the best team in 2026: an MVP-caliber engine in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander entering the heart of his prime, a two-way star wing in Jalen Williams, and a 7-footer in Chet Holmgren whose blend of rim protection, spacing, and feel supercharges modern schemes. That trio already drives elite half-court efficiency and a top-tier defense, and it’s backed by organizational continuity that reliably turns role players into playoff-useful pieces. Holmgren’s strength and timing appear to be fully NBA-hardened, unlocking more switching and fewer help-and-recover compromises, while SGA’s mid-range and foul-drawing remain matchup-proof in May and June.
Depth and optionality push the Thunder over the top. They can win big or small, play five-out without sacrificing rim protection, and toggle between pressure defense and conservative coverages depending on opponent. Crucially, they still have surplus picks and cap flexibility to plug the inevitable holes that show up in a long postseason, whether that’s a second unit scorer, another stretch big, or a specialist wing.
So, why did I decide to sprinkle half a unit on the Spurs in late February? Health. San Antonio was clicking at just the right time while Oklahoma City dealt with injuries to SGA, Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Ajay Mitchell. That was a lot of star power riding the pine.
I added another half unit at the end of March as the Spurs moved to within 2.5 games of the Thunder on the strength of a dominant 13-1 stretch. Consider San Antonio my insurance policy.
With the postseason set to start, let's sprinkle half a unit on someone in the East — and why not the No. 1 seed at 20/1! Cade Cunningham is only getting healthier after returning from a collapsed lung suffered a month ago, and Detroit will avoid the likes of the Celtics and Knicks until a potential conference final matchup. This could shape up to be a great hedge opportunity for a) if the Pistons are favored in the ECF and b) we could have both sides of a potential NBA Finals... at plus money.
💰 Sportsbook betting splits and insights
Highest ticket percentage
• Nuggets 12.0%
• Pistons 10.8%
• Spurs 10.8%
Highest handle percentage
• Spurs 17.5%
• Thunder 16.2%
• Nuggets 11.4%
Biggest liability
• Lakers
• Timberwolves
Data courtesy of BetMGM.
2026 NBA Championship opening odds
- Thunder +230
- Knicks +900
- Pacers +900
- Timberwolves +1000
- Cavaliers +1100
- Rockets +1200
- Lakers +1600
- Spurs +1600
- Nuggets +1700
- Celtics +2000
- Warriors +2300
- Magic +2500
- Mavericks +4000
- Clippers +4000
- 76ers +4500
- Heat +5000
- Pistons +7000
- Bucks +7500
- Grizzlies +10000
- Raptors +15000
- Suns +17000
- Kings +20000
- Pelicans +20000
- Nets +25000
- Hawks +30000
- Bulls +40000
- Trail Blazers +40000
- Wizards +60000
- Hornets +60000
- Jazz +60000
No team has overachieved more this season than the Pistons, who entered the 2025-26 campaign with distant +7000 odds.
Detroit shocked pundits by racing out to a 15-2 record thanks to a deep, athletic roster and the emergence of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, both of whom were named All-Stars. Their growing chemistry is the secret sauce that could power Detroit to a deep postseason run.
NBA Championship trends
- Since the Warriors' 2018 repeat, the NBA has seen seven different champions in seven years. This is the longest such streak since the late 1970s.
- 22 of the last 25 champions ranked in the Top 10 in Defensive Rating during the regular season.
- 23 of the last 25 champions were Top 5 in either Offensive or Defensive efficiency.
- Since 2019, nearly every champion has been led by a non-U.S. superstar or a team built on international depth.
🏀 NBA Finals winners since 2000
| Year | Team | Opening Odds |
| 2025 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
+950 |
| 2024 |  Boston Celtics |
+550 |
| 2023 |  Denver Nuggets |
+1400 |
| 2022 |  Golden State Warriors |
+1200 |
| 2021 |  Milwaukee Bucks |
+500 |
| 2020 |  Los Angeles Lakers |
+1800 |
| 2019 |  Toronto Raptors |
+6600 |
| 2018 | Golden State Warriors |
-168 |
| 2017 | Golden State Warriors |
+215 |
| 2016 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
+300 |
| 2015 | Golden State Warriors |
+2500 |
| 2014 | San Antonio Spurs |
+1000 |
| 2013 |  Miami Heat |
+250 |
| 2012 | Miami Heat |
+225 |
| 2011 |  Dallas Mavericks |
+3000 |
| 2010 | Los Angeles Lakers |
+250 |
| 2009 | Los Angeles Lakers |
+350 |
| 2008 | Boston Celtics |
+1000 |
| 2007 | San Antonio Spurs |
+450 |
| 2006 | Miami Heat |
+350 |
| 2005 | San Antonio Spurs |
+400 |
| 2004 |  Detroit Pistons |
+1500 |
| 2003 | San Antonio Spurs |
+1100 |
| 2002 | Los Angeles Lakers |
+200 |
| 2001 | Los Angeles Lakers |
+180 |
| 2000 | Los Angeles Lakers |
+400 |
Odds courtesy of Sports Odds History.
NBA Championship Odds FAQs
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the favorites for the 2026 NBA title.
The Oklahoma City Thunder won the 2025 NBA title, defeating the Indiana Pacers 4-3 in the NBA Finals.
NBA Championship odds above are in American format, meaning a $100 bet at odds of +250 would profit $250 if it wins.
Oddsmakers at sportsbooks create odds to win the NBA Championship based on the team's implied probability to win the title. The team with the lowest odds has the best chance to win the NBA Championship.
The Los Angeles Lakers are currently +15000 to win the 2026 NBA title.
Odds typically update in real time based on playoff outcomes, injuries, and market movement.
Most legal sportsbooks offer NBA Finals futures, including bet365, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, and DraftKings.
