Damian Lillard

Bucks emerge as NBA title favorites after Damian Lillard news

On Wednesday, the Milwaukee Bucks became the consensus favorites to win the NBA championship in betting circles. This shift in odds came after reports by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that the Bucks were set to acquire superstar guard Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers in a three-team blockbuster deal, causing a significant shakeup in U.S. sportsbooks' odds.

As a result of this reported trade, the Bucks surged ahead of the reigning champions, the Denver Nuggets, and claimed the top position in Caesars Sportsbook's championship odds. Milwaukee's odds stood at +375 on Wednesday afternoon following the news, while the Nuggets were at +425. The Boston Celtics were listed at +500, and the Phoenix Suns followed at +550. No other teams were given single-digit odds to win the title at Caesars.

Before this trade was announced, the Bucks had longer odds, going as high as +850 at some sportsbooks. They ranked fifth in terms of bets placed to win the NBA title at DraftKings, trailing the Nuggets, Celtics, Suns, and the Miami Heat in terms of betting interest.

Jeff Sherman, an experienced Las Vegas bookmaker responsible for overseeing NBA odds at the SuperBook, noted that there had been limited betting interest in the Bucks during the offseason. He also mentioned that there wasn't a sudden surge in bets on the Bucks when the news broke about the Damian Lillard trade.

Sherman made adjustments in response to the trade reports, increasing Milwaukee's season win total from 52.5 to 55.5 and shifting the point spread for the Bucks' Christmas Day game against the New York Knicks from Milwaukee -3 to -4.5.

Interestingly, the Miami Heat, who were considered strong contenders to acquire Damian Lillard, saw their championship odds at Caesars Sportsbook rise significantly from 6-1 to 25-1 following the news of the trade.

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