Portland Trail Blazers Gambling Guide: Best Bets Moving Forward

Year after year, Blazers fans unite to hold grudges against the national media, the odds makers, and the “experts” who underrate the  Portland Trail Blazers. This year, let’s stop complaining about them and start taking their money. Here’s your Trail Blazers gambling guide to a few bets that could hold some value for Rip City bettors. 

Portland is currently three and two through the first give games of the season. In those games we have gained some insights into what we can expect from the Portland Trail Blazers this season and how they stack up against other teams around the league. We’ve seen a lot so far that can help us with our picks. The win-less Sacramento Kings look like a disaster, the Nets are struggling, the Golden State dynasty appears to be over and the Warriors are now on the brink of tanking, and 11 different teams have only one or fewer losses.

So where does that leave the Blazers? What are the best bets to make? And what bets hold the most value? Here are four bets to keep an eye on.

1. Blazers OVER 46 Wins (-112)

It should come as no surprise that the Blazers are undervalued here, as they always are. The Trail Blazers have hit the “over” on wins in five of the past six seasons. Last years expected win total was 41.5. The Blazers finished the season with 53 wins and claimed the third seed in the Western Conference. This year, the field is tougher, and it’s likely the Blazers won’t have the strength to match last years win total. However, getting to 46 wins is well within reach.

2. Blazers +369 to win the Northwest Division

The betting odds predict Portland finishing third in the Northwest division. Considering in each of the past two seasons the Blazers have finished third in the entire conference, this seems like another bet that holds some value. Both Denver and Utah are primed to have successful regular seasons, but the Blazers may very well be the best team in the division. With a few breaks and a possible move before the trade deadline, betting on the Blazers to win the division is a smart move that could pay off.

3. Blazers +1818 to win the Western Conference

Here is where it starts to get a lot more risky. But, with great risk comes great reward and a path exists for the Blazers to steal the top seed in the Western Conference. However, that path is a tough one with a lot of obstacles. The bet makes sense only if you believe the teams who are valued ahead of the Blazers (Clippers, Lakers, Rockets, Jazz, Nuggets, and Warriors) have enough issues that could allow the Blazers to sneak ahead of them when the regular season ends.

4. Blazers +3689 to win the Championship

Is this the year it happens for the Blazers? Eh, maybe. But why not have a little faith and roll the dice on Damian Lillard to pull off a historic playoff run that ends with the Larry O’Brien Trophy in his hands. You never know what the Blazers are capable of. Plus, if you win this bet your championship celebration party could be fully paid for all thanks to the people who constantly undervalue the Portland Trail Blazers. That sounds pretty nice to me.

If you were to bet $10 on all four of the future’s bets and they all hit, that $10 would net you nearly $600. Futures betting is a sports fan’s heaven. It provides even more reason to tune in and watch the Blazers games with an even deeper interest.

There are a ton of other bets out there. You could bet on Damian Lillard to win MVP, Zach Collins to win the NBA’s Most Improved award, Coach Stotts to be named Coach of the Year, or even Kent Bazemore to be named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year.

So much could happen and so much money could be made (or lost). I can’t guarantee any of the bets will win, but I can guarantee they will make you smile at times and laugh out of sheer happiness, cry at losses, cuss at the refs, and yell at the team for missing open shots. And at the end of the day, that right there is exactly what sports fans do best.

(All odds via Action Network)