Bronny James is among the most intriguing prospects within the 2024 NBA draft class — possible as a result of choosing him might improve the probabilities for a staff to land his legendary father, LeBron James, in free company. That identify recognition is driving an astonishing variety of wagers on the youthful James in draft markets.
At FanDuel, James has attracted 30% of the tickets to be chosen first total by the Atlanta Hawks, probably the most for any participant on the sportsbook. BetMGM studies that the USC guard has 36.8% of the bets, nicely forward of Alex Sarr (-300), who has the second most at 14%. James was not initially listed within the No. 1 total market at DraftKings, however discovered himself within the subject as of Thursday afternoon.
James has consensus odds of 200-1 to be taken with the draft’s first choose — tied with Purdue’s Zach Edey for the longest on the board. These lengthy odds, along with the discrepancy in bets to deal with, would appear to point that lots of small-money bettors are taking a flier on the wild situation. James is projected as a late-second-round choose in ESPN’s newest mock draft.
FanDuel reported that James has solely 6% of the deal with to go first total, whereas BetMGM positioned that determine at 4.1% — a far cry from Sarr’s commanding 65.5% of deal with on the ebook.
“We’re not involved with racking up a legal responsibility there,” BetMGM senior dealer Halvor Egeland mentioned. “It is all comparatively small wagers, nothing over $100.”
Whereas the percentages and most draft pundits would appear to agree that James going with the primary choose could be ludicrous, there are different betting markets in play for the younger participant’s skills.
DraftKings and BetMGM each record LeBron James’ present staff, the Los Angeles Lakers, as the favourite to draft the youthful James with +180 odds. At DraftKings, the 19-year-old is the chief in each bets (33%) and deal with (60%), however BetMGM has LeBron’s former staff, the Cleveland Cavaliers (10-1), because the deal with chief with 34.8%.
