December 30, 2024

NBA draft betting: The Raptors produced the first surprise of the draft at No. 4

Raptors #Raptors

The first three picks of the NBA draft weren’t much of a surprise to oddsmakers even before the bets were taken off the board.

Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green and Evan Mobley were all the heavy favorites to go 1-2-3 in that order before BetMGM took the bets off the board following the Thursday afternoon revelations that those players would be picked by the Pistons, Rockets, and Cavaliers. 

With Cunningham, Green and Mobley gone, the first real drama of the draft started with the Toronto Raptors at No. 4. And the Raptors didn’t go with the favorite. 

Toronto took Florida State’s Scottie Barnes at No. 4 ahead of Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs. Barnes was +250 to be picked at No. 4 while Suggs was -200. Barnes was the first player picked who returned bettors more than their initial wager. Mobley was at -275 to go No. 3, Green was -400 to go No. 2 and Cunningham was a crazy -50000 to go No. 1. A parlay of Cunningham-Green-Mobley in that order was just -350.

With Barnes off the board, Suggs went at No. 5 to the Orlando Magic. Bettors could have gotten Suggs at +450 to go No. 5 before the draft. That’s a nice return.

Barnes and Suggs at Nos. 4 and 5 were followed by another surprised at No. 6 when Oklahoma City took Australia point guard Josh Giddey with the pick. Giddey entered the draft at -200 to go inside the top ten and he comfortably cashed that bet, though few people would have guessed he’d be drafted by the Thunder.

Here’s a look at some other over/under bets that hit during Thursday night’s draft. 

Alperen Sengun: Under 12.5 (+105)

The Turkish league sensation was taken by the Rockets at No. 16 after they made a trade with the Thunder for the pick.

Luka Garza: Under 54.5 (-110)

The Iowa forward was taken at No. 52 by the Detroit Pistons.

Davion Mitchell: Under 12.5 (-125)

The star of the national champion Baylor Bears was taken by the Kings at No. 9.

Tre Mann: Under 24.5 (+145)

Mann was chosen by the Thunder at No. 18. OKC has an intriguing roster full of guards as they continue to rebuild the team.

Moses Moody: Over 11.5 (+120)

The Arkansas guard was the last pick of the lottery when he went to the Warriors with their second selection of the first round at No. 14.

Franz Wagner: Over 7.5 (-150)

Wagner went over by just one pick as he went No. 8 to the Magic.

James Bouknight: Over 6.5 (+115)

Bouknight was mocked as high as No. 6 to the Thunder and fell to the Charlotte Hornets at No. 11.

Corey Kispert: Over 13.5 (-135)

Kispert joins Bradley Beal (for now) in Washington after he was taken at No. 15.

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