My favorite bets for the 2021 season
I’m a betting man and my favorite form of betting is a future play. Yes, winning a Sunday parlay or a big Thursday night bet is a great feeling, but future tickets give you something to root for every night for months, even if you’re just throwing $10 to the local bookie.
Before each season, I spend a lot of time ( but not too much time) thinking about and analyzing the numbers around these bets. And I plan to spend even more time — an entire season — gloating about them when they hit:
BUCKS +230 TO WIN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE >> I’m high on the Sixers and Celtics in the Eastern Conference this year, but the Bucks brought in a clear No. 2 for Giannis in Jrue Holiday, who also allows Khris Middleton to take on his perfect role — that of being the third option. The Bucks’ defense is going to be stout. Their offense will be more dynamic, and I think the difference between Holiday and Eric Bledsoe will pay dividends come the playoffs.
All this, too, with a Giannis Antetokounmpo who will no doubt have a new trick in the bag for this season and won’t have contract issues lingering over him, either.
This has been the East’s best team for the last two years. This year, they’re better equipped to show it and I think they do.
SPURS +350 TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS >> There are 10 teams that will make the playoffs. There are 15 teams in each conference. The Spurs might have four veterans who are all on expiring deals — making the end of the season a bit hairy — but are you willing to bet that they are a bottom-five team in the Western Conference? Are you willing to put your money down on that collective of randos not doing what the Spurs have always done, which is overachieve? I can tell you right now that they’re better than the Thunder, Kings and the Wolves. Give me two more teams to underachieve — New Orleans, Houston, Memphis ... maybe another Northern California team ... and we’re in the money. This is just too fat a number to not bet.
DONOVAN MITCHELL +7000 TO WIN MVP >> I don’t think there’s a clearcut MVP favorite and I doubt that Giannis wins the award for a third