2025 NBA Finals: Jay-Z Places $1M Bet on OKC
by Tyler Doty | by Tyler Doty
Jay-Z Drops $1M on OKC in 5
Following Drake's hefty wager of $620,000 for the Minnesota Timberwolves to oust the Lakers in the Western Conference playoffs, Jay-Z is the latest to make the sports betting headlines. Fanatics announced that Jay-Z had laid down an easy $1M on SGA and the Thunder to take the 2025 NBA Finals in five games.
No doubt that the Brooklyn rapper and hip-hop's first billionaire has the spare change, but last night's Game 1 thriller must've had Jay-Z sweating as the Pacers continue to shock. The vibe was electric in OKC as the Thunder were in the driver's seat for the majority of the match, outscoring the Pacers in the first three quarters. Heading into the 4th, it seemed like it was OKC's night as SGA continued his unstoppable run.
IND vs OKC - Series Correct Score Shifts
The odds, as you may have guessed, have shifted a bit since Jay-Z's initial futures bet. His 4-1 correct score bet is now being offered around +290 (vs his +230 initial wager). OKC have shown time and time again that they're the best team in the NBA this season but they'll need something special to go on a 4-0 run and win Jay-Z his $2.3M. For our money, it's more likely that the series will go beyond 5 games to find a winner as the public continues to underestimate this Pacers team. OKC are still favored to win the Finals according to the top sportsbooks, but the odds have certainly shifted Indiana's way. Here's a look at the current series correct score futures:
- Oklahoma City Thunder 4-1 +290
- Oklahoma City Thunder 4-2 +285
- Oklahoma City Thunder 4-3 +265
- Indiana Pacers 4-0 +1800
- Indiana Pacers 4-1 +1300
- Indiana Pacers 4-2 +710
Odds from FanDuel.com. Sign up now and get $200 on a winning bet of $5 or more.
Cardiac Pacers Keeping the Dream Alive
Despite being on the back foot all game, turning the ball over 19 times in the first half alone, the Pacers showed their grit and shocked everyone in the 4th quarter, outscoring the Thunder 35-25 and pulling out an upset on the road. Instead of one standout player, the Pacers pulled through collectively, showing a familiar story we've seen this year against the Cavs, Bucks, and most recently the Knicks. With a total 25 turnovers in the match, only 11 points were conceded off of those turnovers, which paints the picture of how impressive this team has been this season, defensively.
Thanks to his game-winning shot in the dying seconds, Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers are 4-0 in Game 1's in this year's NBA playoffs. Truly unbelievable numbers. Continuing this form against easily the best team in the NBA this season is incredible. For some perspective, the last time OKC lost to a team from the East at home was on March 12th, 2024, against....the Pacers.
SGA Still Unstoppable
The 2025 MVP had another stellar night, scoring 38 points with 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Shai dominated when he was on the court but sat out for a good 5-6 minutes of the 4th quarter and likely got cold, leading him to miss the crucial midrange jumper with less than 10 seconds to go. That being said, OKC's issue this evening was clearly their inability to capitalize on turnovers and an overall lack of offensive support.
Aside from the turnovers, the Pacers played a clean game, keeping OKC from their usual free-throw fest. Shai brought the energy the OKC needed in Game 1 at home, and put on the performance to back up his MVP credentials but the main problem was the fact that Chet and Jdub simply didn't play well. There's no doubt that SGA will continue to perform in these 2025 Finals, but if OKC are going to win Jay-Z some money, the rest of the OKC offense HAS to step it up.
