NBA bettors rushed to back the Los Angeles Lakers after they acquired Luka Doncic in a shocking deal with the Dallas Mavericks and traded away Anthony Davis.
Since the trade, the Lakers have amassed 46.6% of bets and 65.2% of handle (money wagered) placed on the NBA championship market on theScore Bet/ESPN Bet.
As of 11 a.m. ET on Sunday - roughly 11 hours after the trade - theScore Bet/ESPN Bet had already taken the second-highest number of bets on the NBA champion in a single day since the season started.
The Lakers' title odds shifted drastically as a result of landing Doncic, going from +3300 to +1600 (5.9% implied probability).
People were also eager to back the Doncic-less Mavericks; since the trade, Dallas garnered the second-most bets and handle. However, the Mavericks' title odds have lengthened from +2500 to +3000.
The Lakers and Mavericks will meet for the first time since the trade Feb. 25. The Lakers are 4.5-point favorites at home.
The Boston Celtics remain the favorite to win their second straight NBA title at +210. The Oklahoma City Thunder are just behind them at +225.
