New York, NY (June 22, 2005) – Despite being in the middle of the 2005 NBA Finals, and with a possible lockout pending, NBA fans are already thinking ahead to 2006. Sportsbook.com is the first online site to offer Futures odds on who will win the 2006 NBA championship and the action has been swift.
‘Futures odds are a big draw for bettors,’ says Alex Czajkowski, Marketing Director, Sportsbook.com. ‘The allure is that you can put up smaller amounts of money with the chance for much greater returns. Anyone who bet $1,000 last summer on Phoenix winning the title was looking at a possible payout of $60,000 had they managed to keep their surprising run alive. Future bets give you an opportunity to take a chance on the underdog and really win big.’
Even if the underdog doesn’t come through, a Future bet on one of the favorites usually provides a better payout than the same wager once the season has started. A $1,000 wager last summer on San Antonio or Detroit would have paid $3,500 and $6,000 respectively, compared to $2,400 for the Spurs and $4,500 for the Pistons at the start of this year’s playoffs.
Sportsbook.com has listed the San Antonio Spurs as the pre-season favorite with 3-1 odds, followed by the Detroit Piston at 6-1 and Miami and Phoenix both at 8-1. The longest shot, for those looking for the biggest payout, is the Atlanta Hawks at 500-1.
NBA Odds – 2006 Champions
San Antonio Spurs – 3-1
Memphis Grizzlies – 50-1
Detroit Pistons – 6-1
Boston Celtics – 60-1
Miami Heat – 8-1
Golden State Warriors – 60-1
Phoenix Suns – 8-1
Los Angeles Clippers – 60-1
Indiana Pacers – 15-1
Philadelphia 76ers – 60-1
Dallas Mavericks – 20-1
Utah Jazz – 60-1
Denver Nuggets – 20-1
Washington Wizards – 60-1
Houston Rockets – 20-1
Milwaukee Bucks – 100-1
Cleveland Cavaliers – 30-1
New York Knicks – 100-1
Los Angeles Lakers – 40-1
Orlando Magic – 100-1
Minnesota Timberwolves – 40-1
Toronto Raptors – 100-1
New Jersey Nets – 40-1
New Orleans Hornets – 200-1
Sacramento Kings – 40-1
Portland Trailblazers – 200-1
Seattle Supersonics – 40-1
Charlotte Bobcats – 300-1
Chicago Bulls – 50-1
Atlanta Hawks – 500-1
About Sportsbook.com
Sportsbook.com is the largest sportsbook and casino on the planet, offering numerous products including sports betting, horse racing, poker, casino and virtual games. It is the flagship brand for Sportingbet PLC, (LSE: SBT). Headquartered in London, England, Sportingbet is the world’s largest publicly traded online betting, gambling and gaming company.