After capturing the 2025 NBA championship with a Game 7 victory over the Indiana Pacers, the Oklahoma City Thunder find themselves as the betting favorites at FanDuel Sportsbook to defend their title in 2026 and become the first team to repeat since 2018.
Here's an updated look at where all teams currently sit in the NBA championship odds as of early July:
2026 NBA Finals odds
| Teams | Odds |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +220 |
| Houston Rockets | +700 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +750 |
| Denver Nuggets | +800 |
| New York Knicks | +850 |
| LA Lakers | +1400 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +1400 |
| LA Clippers | +1800 |
| Orlando Magic | +1800 |
| Golden State Warriors | +2200 |
Odds as of Agosto 22nd, 2025 07:08am EDT. |
2026 NBA Finals Odds Favorites: Oklahoma City Thunder
(related) Oklahoma City Thunder 2025-26 NBA Season Preview, Betting Odds
The Thunder have begun locking up their championship core to long-term extensions, starting with inking Most Valuable Player and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to a four-year, $285-million contract on top of the two remaining years he has on his current deal. Chet Holmgren has also agreed to a five-year extension which could reach upwards of $250 million, and now Jalen Williams has committed to a five-year rookie max extension worth up to $287 million, as well.
Capturing consecutive championships isn't guaranteed in this era of parity. Seven unique champions in seven years has never been done before in the history of the league, but Oklahoma City's win carries forth that miraculous streak. With an average age of 25.33, the Thunder are the second-youngest champions ever, but as we've seen with past winners, going back-to-back is easier said than done.
No team to have won a title since 2018 managed to advance beyond the second round the following year. Oklahoma City has all of the pieces in place to buck the trend, at the very least. Whether or not it can remains to be seen.
2026 NBA Finals Odds Contender: Cleveland Cavaliers
(related) Cleveland Cavaliers 2025-26 NBA Season Preview, Betting Odds
The Cleveland Cavaliers managed to secure the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference this past season with a 64-18 record, and now their greatest competition in the Boston Celtics has traded away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis after losing Jayson Tatum to a serious Achilles injury.
Sometimes not pressing detonate on a roster and playing it cool despite recent second-round exits is the path to success. With the likes of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and the newly-acquired Larry Nance Jr. and Lonzo Ball, Cleveland is primed to make another run at the top spot in the East and possibly get back to the Finals for the first time in a post LeBron James world.
What Impacts NBA Finals Odds?
- Winning and losing streaks
- Injuries to key players
- Seeding in the standings
- Win-loss records against specific opponents
- Postseason success
How To Bet On NBA Futures
An NBA futures bet tends to revolve around the outcomes of both the regular season and playoffs as opposed to specific games the day of.
Here are some examples of some of the more popular futures bets:
- Which team will win the NBA Championship?
- Which player will win the Most Valuable Player award?
- Will Team X qualify for the NBA playoffs?
Last 10 NBA Finals Winners
| Year | Winning Team | Preseason Odds To Win Title | Opponent In Finals | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Oklahoma City Thunder | +500 | Indiana Pacers | 4-3 |
| 2024 | Boston Celtics | +350 | Dallas Mavericks | 4-1 |
| 2023 | Denver Nuggets | +1800 | Miami Heat | 4-1 |
| 2022 | Golden State Warriors | +900 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 |
| 2021 | Milwaukee Bucks | +550 | Phoenix Suns | 4-2 |
| 2020 | Los Angeles Lakers | +450 | Miami Heat | 4-2 |
| 2019 | Toronto Raptors | +1850 | Golden State Warriors | 4-2 |
| 2018 | Golden State Warriors | -187 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-0 |
| 2017 | Golden State Warriors | -128 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-1 |
| 2016 | Cleveland Cavaliers | +280 | Golden State Warriors | 4-3 |
NBA Teams With The Most Championships
| Team | NBA Titles | NBA Finals Appearances | Most Recent NBA Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | 18 | 23 | 2024 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 17 | 32 | 2020 |
| Golden State Warriors | 7 | 12 | 2022 |
| Chicago Bulls | 6 | 6 | 1998 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 5 | 6 | 2014 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 3 | 9 | 1983 |
| Detroit Pistons | 3 | 7 | 2004 |
| Miami Heat | 3 | 6 | 2013 |
| New York Knicks | 2 | 8 | 1973 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 2 | 3 | 2021 |
NBA Teams That Have Never Appeared In A Finals
| Team | Number Of Seasons | Furthest Finish |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Clippers | 49 | Western Conference Final (2021) |
| Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats | 30 | Eastern Conference Semifinals (1993, 1998, 2001, 2002) |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 29 | Western Conference Final (2004) |
| Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies | 23 | Western Conference Final (2013) |
| New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans | 17 | Western Conference Semifinals (2008, 2018) |
NBA Finals Odds Trends
- Four of the last seven NBA Finals have been decided in six games.
- In the last 22 years, the Western Conference is 13-9 in NBA Finals.
- Also over the past 21 years, the No. 1 seed has won the championship 14 times. Those are solid odds.
- The lowest-seeded team to win the NBA Finals in recent history was the sixth-seed 1995 Houston Rockets.
- Since 2010, the top team in the regular season has won the championship six times.
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