NBA Finals 2024: 28 Betting Trends & Interesting Facts Before Game 1

Before we get into some NBA Finals betting trends and Game 1 facts, this article is brought to you by BetOnline. BetOnline is a market leader in sports betting, offering various options from NBA postseason betting odds to the UFC and everything in between.

The 2024 NBA Finals are finally here, pitting the Dallas Mavericks against the Boston Celtics in this year’s championship matchup. It’s shaping up to be a superstar-filled showdown as Luka Doncic aims to strike gold in his first Finals appearance while Jayson Tatum and the Celtics aim to taste some glory after coming up short two years ago.

As of Thursday afternoon, BetOnline is favoring the Celtics to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy at -225 odds while the Mavericks open the series as +195 underdogs. Obviously, these odds will change as the series continues, however, it’s telling who oddsmakers like more.

Odds don’t always reveal how a series could unfold, though, which is why it’s important to also consider historical NBA betting trends.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the more prominent NBA Finals betting trends, as well as interesting Game 1 facts.

NBA Finals Historical Betting Trends

• Since the 2000-01 season, the Western Conference is 16-8 SU (66.7%) in the NBA Finals. In fact, a Western team has won seven of the last 10 championships — including the two most recent.
• The higher seed is 7-3-1 SU (68.2%) in the last 11 Finals, however, the team with the better regular-season record is 9-2 SU (81.8%). Having said that, this year marks just the third time in the last 12 matchups that the Eastern team (Boston) has the better record.
• The last 10 NBA Finals averaged 5.6 games with only one of those series (2018) ending with a sweep. Five of the last six championship series finished with exactly six games.
• The Mavericks are just the second No. 5 seed to reach the NBA Finals since 1991, joining the 2020 Miami Heat team that last to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.
• No. 1 seeds are 29-18 SU (61.7%)/25-22 ATS (53.2%) in the championship round over the last 10 seasons.
• The Under is 105-73-4 since the 1990-91 NBA Finals, which includes a 4-1 record in last year’s matchup.
• The home team is 31-26 SU (54.4%) and 27-29-1 ATS (48.2%) since 2013.

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Mavericks NBA Finals Facts

• Despite having joined the league in 1980, the Mavericks have only been to two NBA Finals in their 44-year existence.
• The Mavericks first appeared in the 2006 Finals, falling to the Miami Heat in six games.
• The Mavericks returned to the NBA Finals in 2011 to face the Heat again, this time winning 4-2 as Dirk Nowitzki took home MVP honors.
• The Mavericks own a 6-6 SU in the championship round of the NBA postseason.

Celtics NBA Finals Facts

• The Celtics are one of the league’s most storied franchises, having reached 22 NBA Finals in 78 years.
• The Celtics are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most championships (17) in NBA history.
• Nevertheless, the Celtics are 0-2 in their last two appearances (2010, 2022).
• The Celtics’ 58.5% winning percentage (79-56) in the NBA Finals is tied for third-best among teams who’ve played at least 30 games.

Mavericks vs Celtics Betting Trends

• The Mavericks and Celtics have clashed 86 times over the years, resulting in 46 wins for Boston.
• Since the 2015-16 campaign, the Celtics are 11-7 SU/ATS across 18 meetings with the Mavericks.
• The Under is 8-7-2 in the last 18 Dallas-Boston matchups.
• This series is the first-ever postseason matchup between the Mavericks and Celtics.
• The Celtics have won each of their last four games against the Mavericks, outscoring them by an average of 19.8 PPG.

NBA Finals Game 1 Betting Trends & Facts

• The home team is 9-1 SU/8-2 ATS with a plus-13.4 average scoring margin in the last 10 Game 1s of the NBA Finals.
• The Game 1 favorite is 21-9 ATS across the last 30 NBA Finals.
  • The Celtics are currently 3-0 SU/2-1 ATS in series-openers this postseason.
  • The Mavericks are 1-2 SU/1-2 ATS in Games 1s in 2023-24.
• The Over is 20-13 across the last 33 championship Game 1s.
• Teams favored by 6-8 points in Game 1 are 10-3 ATS/11-2 SU since 1991.
• The Celtics are 15-7 SU all-time in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
• The Mavericks are 1-1 SU in Game 1.
• The team that has won Game 1 has gone on to win the NBA Championship 70.1% of the time in league history.

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NBA Best Bets and Picks Today

Looking to get in on even more NBA picks tonight? Check out our NBA Picks page for consensus picks for every 2023-24 playoff game.

You can also check out:

• NBA betting odds
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• How to bet on the NBA

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NBA Finals 2024: Mavericks vs. Celtics Series Schedule

• Game 1: @ TD Garden — Thursday, June 6 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 2: @ TD Garden — Sunday, June 9 at 8 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 3: @ American Airlines Center — Wednesday, June 12 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 4: @ American Airlines Center — Friday, June 14 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 5: @ TD Garden — Monday, June 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 6: @ American Airlines Center — Thursday, June 20 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 7: @ TD Garden — Sunday, June 23 at 8 p.m. ET (ABC)

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NBA Finals 2023-24 FAQ

When are the 2023-24 NBA Finals?

• The 2023-24 NBA Finals are scheduled to begin on Thursday, June 6, and should be wrapped up by Sunday, June 23.

Where are the 2023-24 NBA Finals?

• The 2023-24 NBA Finals will be played at TD Garden (Boston) and American Airlines Center (Dallas).

How can I watch the 2023-24 Finals?

• Every game of the 2023-24 NBA Finals will be airing exclusively on ABC.

Where can I bet on the 2023-24 Finals?

• Basketball bettors can wager on this year’s NBA Championship and Finals MVP odds on the majority of online sportsbooks, including the following that Betting News highly recommends:

• Trusted Online Sportsbooks
• BetOnline Sportsbook Review »
• MyBookie Sportsbook Review »
• Bovada Sportsbook Review »
• BetWhale Sportsbook Review »
• SportsBetting Sportsbook Review »
• BetUS Sportsbook Review »
• BetDSI Sportsbook Review »
• Everygame Sportsbook Review »
• Bookmaker Sportsbook Review »
• WagerWeb Sportsbook Review »