Westgate bettor wagers $100K to win $2K on 76ers to make playoffs

The Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers have the two highest NBA season win totals at Las Vegas sportsbooks, and one gambler has bet big on both teams to make the 2019-20 playoffs.

A Westgate bettor on Wednesday placed a $100,500 wager to win $2,010 on the 76ers (-5,000) to reach the postseason. The same gambler returned to the book Thursday to make a $10,000 bet to win $100 on the Bucks (-10,000) to make the playoffs.

“It seems kind of crazy to me,” Westgate sportsbook director John Murray said. “But he’s obviously going to win these bets.”

A Westgate bettor cashed a similar wager last season, winning a $67,000 bet that paid $670 on the Golden State Warriors to make the playoffs.

Milwaukee, which has a win total of 58½, had the league’s best record last season at 60-22 and returns most of its team, led by reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Philadelphia, which has a win total of 55½, finished 51-31 to place third in the Eastern Conference. The Sixers lost Jimmy Butler and J.J. Redick but added Al Horford and Josh Richardson.

Seven other teams have win totals of at least 49½: the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz at 54½; the Denver Nuggets at 52½; and the Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics at 49½.

Caesars Entertainment was the first Nevada book to post NBA win totals, and sportsbook director Jeff Davis said the biggest line moves have been on the Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

The Hawks, coming off a 29-53 season, opened at 36 and have been bet to 32½. Davis said he was a little aggressive with the opening number because Caesars is high on Atlanta.

“We’re the only people that seem to like the Hawks,” he said. “Trae Young and John Collins were really good last year, and they did well in the NBA draft, adding De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish.

“The middle bottom of the Eastern Conference is pretty mediocre. Of the teams that figure to improve, we kind of like their chances the best. But the bettors seem to think that’s the Bulls. We’ve taken a lot of Bulls’ over money. They opened at 30½ and are at 32.”

The Westgate took two notable bets on the Hawks to make the playoffs at plus 375.

The Thunder opened at 28 at Caesars after they traded Russell Westbrook to the Rockets for Chris Paul and draft picks, and the number was as high as 32½ before settling at 31 following two under bets.

“I would assume the guy that bet the under twice is thinking the Thunder are going to move Paul,” Davis said. “And given how good the Western Conference is, the Suns and Grizzlies can’t be the only bad teams.”

The Westgate enticed multiple bets on Oklahoma City to go over 30½.

“We think the Thunder are going to be pretty bad this year,” Murray said. “The Thunder are saying all the right things, but we expect them to kind of throw in the towel at some point.”

The Spurs, who went 48-34 last season and have made the playoffs 22 consecutive years, opened at 43½ before soaring to 48 and settling at 45½.

Charlotte, which lost All-Star guard Kemba Walker from a 39-win team, has the league’s lowest total at 23½, followed by the Cavaliers (24½), Grizzlies (26½), Wizards (27½) and Knicks (27½).

The Westgate took several under bets on the Knicks, who finished with the NBA’s worst record (17-65) but missed out on No. 1 draft pick Zion Williamson before settling for No. 3 pick RJ Barrett. The Knicks signed several veterans, including Julius Randle and Marcus Morris, who Murray said could help push them over their win total but won’t help them in the long run.

“I like that coach (David Fizdale), and I think they made a mistake signing all those veteran guys because it will actually make them better when they should just go to the bottom,” he said. “You don’t want to be in no man’s land. You’re not going to get any better.”

A Westgate bettor placed a $1,000 wager at 3-1 odds that the Brooklyn Nets will not make the playoffs. The Nets signed Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, but Durant is expected to miss the season with a torn Achilles tendon.

The Westgate posted lines on the NBA’s Christmas schedule shortly after it was reported Friday. The early line on the Lakers-Clippers game is a pick’em, regardless of the home team, while the Clippers are 2-point home favorites over the Lakers in their season opener.

More Betting: Follow at reviewjournal.com/betting and @RJ_Sports on Twitter.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.