Jeremy Lin needs no introduction anymore but just several days ago that wasn’t the case. Unsurprisingly, sports bookies have taken notice too and they’re not going to let you just walk all over them with your renewed hope for the Knicks. Online sportsbook site Bovada scrambled to drop the odds of the Knicks winning it all drastically since the week before.
“The action has really picked up on NBA futures with Jeremy Lin making the Knicks the hottest team on the NBA,” said Kevin Bradley, Bovada’s Sportsbook Manager. “They have dropped by more than half in one week from 40-1 to 18-1 and we keep taking money. A guy like this is great for the game and has drawn a lot of interest from bettors on the Knicks games also. I am having visions of how the public was treating the Giants going into the Super Bowl being the hottest team in the NFL and costing us a mint and right now the Knicks are by far the biggest loser for the book.”
For reference, the Heat still remain unchanged atop the list on Bovada with 8/5 odds followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder at 9/2 and the Chicago Bulls with 5/1. The Washington Wizards are not faring as well with 1000/1 odds but at least they’re listed on the site because I don’t find the words “Charlotte” or “Bobcats” anywhere on their list.
Not that you’re into sports betting or anything, ahem, but here are the odds that have been altered or added since Lin’s emergence:
New York Knicks Odds to Win Championship
Before Lin’s First Game 40-1
Today 18-1
New York Knicks Odds to win Eastern Conference
Before Lin’s First Game 22-1
Today 10-1
Odds to win the 2012 NBA Atlantic Division
Philadelphia 76ers 2/5
Boston Celtics 5/2
New York Knicks 6/1
New Jersey Nets 200/1
Toronto Raptors 200/1
Will the New York Knicks Make the 2012 Playoffs?
Yes 1/5
No 3/1
New York Knicks Season Win Total
Over/Under 36.5
Will Jeremy Lin win NBA MVP?
Yes 40/1
Will Jeremy Lin hit a game winning buzzer beater shot from February 15th on in the Regular Season?
Yes 3/1
