- The Chicago Bulls are the most popular bet in the Eastern Conference futures betting market.
- Chicago has the best record in the East at 27-15 SU.
- The Bulls opened with a +12500 odds to win the East but have steadily risen and are now a +900 to win the conference.
The Brooklyn Nets are still the odds on favorite to win the Eastern Conference. However, the Chicago Bulls are the most popular bet to win the East right now.
According to BetMGM, the Bulls have 27% of the total betting tickets and 22% of the total betting handle for its Eastern Conference futures betting market. The Cleveland Cavaliers meanwhile, are the biggest liability at the said sportsbook.
Chicago is currently a +900 to win the conference, the fourth shortest odds behind the Nets (+135), Milwaukee Bucks (+300), and Miami Heat (+550). The Cavaliers meanwhile, are tied for the 6th shortest odds at +3000 along with the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks.
Management Didn’t Think it Would Happen This Quickly
Chicago Bulls COO Michael Reinsdorf on franchise’s revitalization under Arturas Karnisovas: “When we hired Arturas, I was confident that he would help turn things around, but I can’t say I thought it would be this quickly.” ESPN story: https://t.co/ERt5WtHtO1
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 14, 2022
Chicago Bulls COO Michael Reinsdorf recently told ESPN that while he expected the Bulls to be revitalized under new EVP Arturas Karnisovas, he admitted that he didn’t think that the team’s development would happen this quickly.
Karnisovas was hired in April 2020 with the hopes of restoring the Chicago Bulls franchise back to relevancy after missing the playoffs in six out of the last seven postseason. But Karnisovas’ offseason moved have fast-tracked their team’s growth curve and Chicago is currently the no. 1 team in the Eastern Conference at 27-15 entering Wednesday’s games.
The Bulls finished 11th in the East last season but after acquiring DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, and Alex Caruso during the offseason, the team was given a -170 odds of making the playoffs or a implied probability of making the playoffs. Right now, ESPN’s Playoff Index has the Bulls with an 82% chance of entering the postseason.
Eastern Conference Odds
Odds to win NBA Eastern Conference at @BetMGM
Nets +135
Bucks +300
Heat +550
Bulls +900
76ers +1200
Hawks +3000
Celtics +3000
Cavaliers +3000• Highest Ticket%: Bulls 27%
• Highest Handle%: Bulls 22%
• Biggest Liability: Cavaliers— John Ewing ? (@johnewing) January 19, 2022
The Bulls’ Eastern Conference odds have gone a long way since the betting lines first opened after the 2021 NBA Finals. Chicago opened at +15000 at BetOnline but saw their odds cut to half after at +7000 signing Ball and DeRozan. Their strong start has even shortened those odds to +3000 early in the season and now those odds are down to +900.
As for their championship odds, the Bulls are still in the 7th to 8th range as far as betting odds are concerned. Their price ranges from +900 to +1200, depending on which of the top NBA sportsbooks you are using. Despite that, their current title odds are a massive leap from their opening price of +12500, which is again a testament to the handiwork of Karnisovas.
With DeMar DeRozan among the current MVP betting favorites and Zach LaVine having an All-Star campaign, plus Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, and Coby White delivering consistent production, this Chicago Bulls team looks for real and bettors are realizing that before their value increases again.
