Best Strategies for Betting on NBA All-Star Weekend
The NBA All-Star game is almost upon us. On Sunday, February 19, in Salt Lake City, Utah, Team Lebron will face Team Giannis. The contest is simply an exhibition match with no real stakes at hand. Despite that, the All-Star game is always one of the most anticipated sports events of the year, with superstars from all around the league showcasing their skills.
Of course, betting is always a hot topic during All-Star Weekend. While not many odds have been posted, I have a few strategies for betting on this weekend’s festivities.
The Game
The All-Star game has a draft format for the two competing teams. Each captain (in this case, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lebron James) go head-to-head in a draft and pick the players voted in by fans, the media, and other players.
Normally we would know which players will be playing for which teams by now. However, the NBA decided to slightly alter the format this year, moving the draft to just minutes before the All-Star game tips off. That means we won’t know the teams until moments before the game begins.
On top of that, there are several players that won’t be participating due to injury. Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and Zion Williamson have all been ruled out, and their place as designated starters will be taken by Joel Embiid, Lauri Markkanen, and Ja Morant. Anthony Edwards, De’Aaron Fox, and Pascal Sikkim have moved in to fill the open roster spots. Other players may have yet to be omitted from the lineup due to injury, so stay vigilant on that front.
It would be foolish to bet on the All-Star game-winner because we don’t know the team’s rosters. But keep these things in mind going into Sunday.
The MVP
A much smarter bet right now would be on the All-Star game MVP. Every year, a player who stands out among his peers in the competition wins the award of MVP. There are a couple things to know if you want to bet on the winner of All-Star MVP.
Defense is usually an afterthought in the All-Star game; there are many open threes and dunks. Players just don’t want to get hurt, so they give little effort on the defensive end of the floor. This means three-point shooters and at-rim finishers shine.
A couple good bets for All-Star MVP are Giannis Antetokounmpo or Joel Embiid. They are two of the best driver and finishers in the league, so expect them to get quite a few easy buckets this Sunday. Another safe bet is Luka Doncic, who is a three-point marksman. Jayson Tatum is proficient in both aspects of the game, making him likely to exploit the lackluster defense. Lebron James is always a fair candidate to win MVP as well. In short, there are a lot of good bets, but I recommend Giannis or Luka.
The Over/Under
It’s important to know the All-Star game format when betting on the over/under. When the game arrives at the fourth quarter, a score is determined based on each team’s total after the third. That score is a target for the teams in the fourth quarter. Whoever reaches it first wins the game.
Because of this format, combined with the fact that little defense is played in the All-Star game, the contest is always high-scoring. The game is usually close, meaning each team ends close to that tall target score. It’s a good idea to take over the score total.
