The Daily Sweat: Cade Cunningham a virtual lock for top NBA draft pick, but what will order be after that?
If Cade Cunningham somehow, someway doesn't get drafted with the first overall pick in Thursday's NBA draft, it will be an upset for the ages.
Cunningham is -5000 odds at BetMGM to go first overall to the Detroit Pistons. That means someone betting $500 will win $10.
Let's assume Cunningham goes first. There are some betting opportunities at BetMGM after that first pick.
Here are the odds for the second through fourth picks, in what looks like a clear tier of four elite prospects:
Second pick (Houston Rockets): Jalen Green -400, Evan Mobley +350, Jalen Suggs +900
Third pick (Cleveland Cavaliers): Mobley -275, Green +300, Suggs +400
Fourth pick (Toronto Raptors): Suggs -200, Scottie Barnes +250, Mobley +350, Jonathan Kuminga +600, Green +1100
As you can see, the betting market sees the first four being relatively set. There's some intrigue if someone leaps over Suggs, who had a great season at Gonzaga as a freshman, but there are clear favorites for the first four picks. That order is so locked in, the BetMGM prop on Cunningham, Green, Mobley and Suggs going in that order to start the draft is -200.
BetMGM has dozens of over/unders for prospects' draft positions, and odds on certain prospects going in the top 10. That helps since the top four seems pretty predictable, based on the odds.
The NBA draft isn't like the NFL draft in terms of interest or betting handle, but it's still a chance to wager in what is a dry sporting landscape.
Here's a first look at Thursday's sports betting slate:
What are some other interesting NBA draft props?
The most popular bet at BetMGM is the under for UConn guard James Bouknight's draft spot. It opened at 10.5, and the under got a ton of action before it moved to 7.5. Of all the money bet on Bouknight's draft postion, 98.1 percent is on the under.
The other props that got the biggest line movement were the under on Oregon guard Chris Duarte (opened 20.5, currently 15.5 with 84.7 percent of the money on the under) and Baylor guard Davion Mitchell on the over (opened 8.5, currently 12.5 with 86 percent of the money on the over).
One riser that might be worth a bet: Arkansas' Moses Moody to be drafted in the top 10. That's +150 odds at BetMGM.
Who cashed tickets on Wednesday?
The Los Angeles Dodgers won as a -130 favorite, beating the San Francisco Giants 8-0. That sets up an interesting series finale on Thursday. The New York Mets beat the Atlanta Braves in a big NL East game, with outfielder Michael Conforto throwing a runner out at home in the ninth inning to help the Mets hold on to a 2-1 win. That won bets for those who took the Mets at -135. Also, the New York Yankees (welcome, Joey Gallo) are showing signs of life. They beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 as +110 underdogs.
What else is there to bet on today?
We have the Olympics. United States women's basketball is in action and Team USA is a 20.5-point favorite over Japan.
Major League Baseball has just 11 games, but six are early. The NL East has a big day, with the Atlanta Braves at the New York Mets and the Washington Nationals at the Philadelphia Phillies. The New York Yankees wrap up their series against the Tampa Bay Rays. And the other marquee afternoon game is the San Francisco Giants vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers, a big game in the NL West race.
At night, the best MLB game is the Toronto Blue Jays vs. the Boston Red Sox.
What is the best bet?
The Cincinnati Reds have been the pick in this spot for two straight days and Cincinnati has gone 2-0 for us, so why not go for a three-peat? The Reds are fairly short -125 favorites against a Cubs team that is wondering who will get traded where this week. Cincinnati with revitalized starting pitcher Luis Castillo is the play.
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