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Welcome to the latest edition of the Newsweek Sports Betting newsletter, which you can start receiving in your inbox by subscribing here. Right now, here's what your free subscription entails: Weekly look at the NBA (every Tuesday evening) College football weekend preview (every Thursday evening) NFL weekend preview (every Friday morning) College Football ATS picks (every Saturday morning at 10 a.m. ET) NFL ATS picks (every Sunday morning at 10 a.m. ET) This morning's edition is available below, to subscribers only. Ball In! Ready or not, the NBA – complete with the long-lost sound of Roundball Rock* – is back! The 2025-26 season tips off this evening with two star-studded matchups between Western Conference contenders. First, reigning champ Oklahoma City takes on Kevin Durant and the Rockets in Oklahoma City at 7:30 p.m. ET (TV: NBC, Peacock). For night owls on the East Coast, tonight’s late game is also worth staying up for, as the Warriors visit the Lakers at 10:30 p.m. ET (also on NBC, Peacock). We’ll get to how to bet on both those games, but first, let’s put a few preseason predictions on the record before tipoff of Rockets-Thunder. *ICYMI, that’s right, the NBA is back on NBC this season for the first time since 2002. Eastern Conference + Western Conference + NBA Finals 🏆 Picks The Thunder – at shorter than 3-to-1 odds across the board (DK: +245, FD: +200) – are the clear favorites to once again win the NBA title. As young and loaded as the OKC roster is, I don’t see anyone making it out of the loaded West in back-to-back seasons. Western Conference Winner: Denver Nuggets There are several credible threats to MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, but personally, I like the Nuggets. They drastically upgraded their bench by acquiring sharpshooter Tim Hardaway Jr. and big man Jonas Valanciunas. Denver also added some much-needed 3-point shooting this offseason via deals for Cameron Johnson and Bruce Brown. With this supporting cast around Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, the Nuggets have a real chance to topple the Thunder if these teams once again meet in the playoffs. Eastern Conference Winner: Orlando Magic In the East, the Cavaliers and the Knicks are the clear favorites to win the conference, as the Celtics and Pacers have low expectations with Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton out of commission. It will take (drastically) better injury luck than this team has enjoyed in years for this to happen, but I like the Magic to come out of the East. Former Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane gives Orlando exactly what it has lacked (elite shooting), and 22-year-old Paolo Banchero has a chance to be the top player in the East. If healthy (yes, it's a big if), Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Wendell Carter Jr. could round out an excellent starting five alongside Banchero and Bane. NBA Finals Winner: Denver Nuggets If we get a Denver vs. Orlando matchup in the Finals, I expect a one-sided series in favor of Jokic and Co. Best bets: - Nuggets to win West (best odds: +410 at FanDuel) - Magic to win East (best odds: +650 at FanDuel) - Nuggets to win Finals (best odds: +650 at FanDuel) NBA MVP Predictions, Best Bets Below are the odds at FanDuel and DraftKings for favorites SGA, Jokic and Luka Doncic: SGA: +275 at DK, +160 at FanDuel Jokic: +220 at DK, +300 at FanDuel Doncic: +380 at DK, +400 at FanDuel Jokic has won this award three of the last five years. He posted career-best numbers as a scorer and passer last year, while also finishing third in the league in rebounds per game. With an improved supporting cast, Jokic could easily match or surpass those numbers this year. If that happens, don’t expect voters to side with SGA over Jokic again, even if the Thunder star once again leads the league in scoring. Pick: Nikola Jokic (best odds: +300 at FanDuel) Best NBA MVP Longshot/Value Bet: Victor Wembanyama My favorite “darkhorse” outside of the three candidates we just mentioned is Spurs star Victor Wembanyama. He’s virtually a lock to win Defensive Player of the Year (as long as he stays healthy, of course). There’s also a real chance he dominates on both ends of the court en route to an unprecedented season in Year 3. Wembanyama's MVP chances might end up being decided by how many games the Spurs win. At 12-to-1 at DraftKings, to me, Wembanyama offers more value than SGA, Jokic, Luka or fellow second-tier contenders Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Edwards. Pick: Victor Wembanyama (best odds: +1200 at DraftKings) Editor's note: last night's edition also recommended Under 227.5 (-106 at FanDuel) ❌ in Rockets-Thunder and Reed Sheppard o2.5 Assists (-104 at FD) ✅. In Warriors vs. Lakers, we recommended Warriors -2.5 (-114 at FD) ✅and Al Horford 2+ Made Threes (+124 at DK) ❌. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through any links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
