How to Bet on the NBA Draft: A Comprehensive Guide
The NBA Draft betting odds are available well before the actual event. It is a key part of NBA betting overall. So whenever you get the itch or you have a hunch about how things will unfold, feel free to dive into one of these top NBA Draft betting sites
In the current NBA season, the Boston Celtics have demonstrated their prowess in the NBA Playoffs, advancing to the NBA Finals after a cleansweep series against the Indiana Pacers. The Celtics dominated the matchups, securing a decisive victory in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. This success followed a strong regular season when they emerged as one of the top NBA teams. As sports betting heats up, fans eagerly anticipate a potential showdown between the Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks, a matchup that promises to be a highlight of the NBA season. The excitement surrounding the NBA is drawing comparisons to the fervor typically reserved for MLB and NFL seasons.
NBA Draft Betting Odds
The NBA lottery odds will become available closer to the time. For now, we only have provisional NBA Draft betting odds for the No. 1 pick, with Alexandre Sarr currently at the top of the pile, which were last updated on May 28, 2024:
| NBA Draft Odds 2025 |  |  |  |
| #Player 1 | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| #Player 2 | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| #Player 3 | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| #Player 4 | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| #Player 5 | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| #Player 6 | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Last season’s NBA Draft was a highly anticipated event, particularly in the First Round, where all eyes were on the First Overall Pick. The spotlight shone brightest on Victor Wembanyama, the towering French prodigy, who was widely regarded as the Top Pick. Wembanyama, known for his impressive rebounds and versatile skills, was selected by the San Antonio Spurs, adding a significant asset to their roster.
Another notable mention was Anthony Edwards, whose previous performances set high expectations for new draftees. The 2024 NBA Draft Lottery also created buzz, especially among teams like the Golden State Warriors, who were keen on strengthening their lineup for future title runs. The draft highlighted the strategic moves of NBA teams as they aimed to build competitive rosters for the upcoming seasons.
There are a few things to remember when looking at the odds on the NBA Draft. The first thing is to know the dates of when the draft will be happening each year. This way you will be able to plan ahead and take into account how odds will change over the year.
Normally the NBA Draft takes place in June. The 2024 NBA Draft will take place on June 26-27th. You can expect the Bovada NBA draft odds to be among the first to come out.
Understanding NBA draft odds is a lot like odds for other sporting events. For those of you using American odds, the lower the number, the more likely the bet is to win. That also means that you would win less money. That’s just how the relationship between risk and reward works.
The other key to understanding the NBA draft odds is to look at the different bets available. Let’s take a look at some of the most common bets you can make during the NBA draft.
First Four in Order
One of the most difficult NBA draft bets is to pick the first four athletes that will go in the draft. This is really tough. It is like a parlay in that you have to get them all right in order to cash out on this bet.
Getting the first pick may be easy. There is often a big star that lots of people are going for. In order to nail this bet, we recommend that you look carefully at the needs of each of the first four teams to pick. Compare that with the athletes available in the draft.
That’s the easy part. The second level of analysis is to look at which teams will get a pick before the first teams get a second pick. You can bet that the teams are strategizing based on who they think will still be available by the time their second picks come around.
NBA Draft First Pick Odds
Some of the most important wagers for this event are the NBA Draft first pick odds. These are the biggest bets during this time. This is also very related to the NBA Draft lottery odds which are harder to find.
The first pick NBA draft odds can refer to a couple of things. You can bet on which team will have the first pick of the draft. This type of bet can only happen early on.
You can also bet on which athlete will be the first one to be drafted. A third and related option is to bet on which position will be the first one to be drafted.
It is always good to study up! It is good to see how these odds have shaped up in years past. With this information, you will be better prepared to dive into the NBA draft with all your tools ready.
Here are the NBA Draft Odds 2024, translated to probability, on which team will get the first pick:
- Detroit Pistons: 14%
- Washington Wizards: 14%
- Charlotte Hornets: 13.3%
- Portland Trail Blazers: 13.2%
- San Antonio Spurs: 10.5%
- Toronto Raptors: 9.0%
- Memphis Grizzlies: 7.5%
- Utah Jazz: 6.0%
- Brooklyn Nets (to Houston Rockets): 4.5%
- Atlanta Hawks: 3.0%
- Chicago Bulls: 2.0%
- Houston Rockets: 1.5%
- Sacramento Kings: 0.8%
- Golden State Warriors: 0.7%
Why We Chose NBA Draft Betting Sites
When it comes to making the best NBA Draft bets, you need great NBA betting sites for just this event. Because it is somewhat of a niche, not all sportsbooks will be excellent places for this type of bet. Here are the top things we look for when recommending an NBA Draft betting site.
NBA Draft Betting Odds
First comes first. There is a minimum of betting markets the sites need to have in order to be on this list.
But that is also not enough. There are lots of levels here. Just having the NBA Draft odds is not enough. We also expect a variety of types of bets in the NBA Draft betting market.
Big Bonuses
We also expect the best betting sites on any list to have excellent welcome bonuses. These are vital. They keep us going and help us start out on the right foot. Some sportsbooks come across as stingy at this point when they either don’t offer a welcome bonus, or a very small one, around 10%.
Compare that to GT Bets. There, they will double your initial deposit. So if you start out depositing $150, you automatically will have $300. That’s a great way to start out!
Types of NBA Draft Bets
The NBA Draft is such a big event that people are eager to make plenty of types of bets. It’s not just the headline first draft pick odds that people follow closely. Check out these popular types of NBA Draft bets.
NBA Draft First Pick
This is the king of NBA Draft betting odds. In this bet you are wagering on who will be the first player to be drafted. Looking at the lottery and which team will be making the first pick is key here, of course. All teams that did not make the playoffs are eligible for the lottery. They are all looking for the NBA’s next MVP.
Then take a look at their roster. Where do they have deep strength, and where are they more limited? Then compare this information to the available players. If they need a point guard but are likely to get an excellent one in their second pick, maybe they will snatch the only star center on the tab that year.
It is important to keep in mind trends for first picks as well. It is a super important pick to get right, but we so often come up short. It’s a great spot to sharpen your research skills. Reading our NBA picks articles is a great way to familiarize yourself with basic betting research skills.
Teams tend to draft for size. This even comes above athleticism and their record of success. In many ways, they want to work with the basics and change what they can. Size is “baked in” by the time the players are being drafted ot the NBA.
The most common picks are small and power forwards. This is an overall trend but cannot guarantee what will happen in the 2024 NBA Draft.
NBA Draft Props
Proposition bets are wagers that are a little more creative and do not deal with the big headline bet. Once we get a clear view of the draft lottery, top NBA Draft sportsbooks will release lot of Draft prop bets generally across these categories:
- Draft Position Props: The hottest picks come stacked at the start of the draft. You can bet on players being drafted in specific positions, especially top three
- Player-Specific Props: This area can be very creative. We have seen sportsbooks offer wagers on the color of the outfit the player is wearing when he gets drafted.
- Team-Specific Props: Here you will mainly be betting on which teams will get which players. It gets progressively harder as the draft moves into the later rounds.
With a nice range of NBA Draft prop betting options available to players, we thought we’d highlight the most exciting prop bet for the 2024/25 season. It centers around one of the GOATs of the sport, LeBron James, who has said he would love to step onto the court with his son Bronny James. As such, bookmakers are offering odds on which team will pick Bronny. Let’s take a look:
| Team To Select Bronny James | | | |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +160 | +2000 | +160 |
| Utah Jazz | +1000 | +1200 | +1000 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +1500 | +1500 | +1200 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +1800 | +1800 | +1800 |
| New York Knicks | +1800 | +2000 | +1800 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Miami Heat | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
Best Betting Sites