New York Just Poured HALF of the NBA Finals Money on *This* Underdog and Vegas Is Sweating

Alright, Seattle fam, you gotta see these numbers coming out of the NBA Finals, man. Vegas is absolutely reeling right now because New York fans, bless their passionate hearts, have dropped nearly *half* of all the money wagered on the NBA Finals winner onto their underdog Knicks! We're talking almost as much cash as *every other team combined* at DraftKings Sportsbook. That's a wild, wild bet, especially with Victor Wembanyama and the favored San Antonio Spurs standing in the way.

The House Is Crying: Knicks Bets Are Draining Vegas

Can you believe it? The Knicks are truly the people's choice, at least in New York. David Lieberman, Caesars Sportsbook's lead NBA trader, straight-up told ESPN that the Knicks are "very heavily bet on in New York," more so than any other state, both for individual games and futures. Both the Knicks and the Spurs are big liabilities for the house, meaning if either team wins, sportsbooks are looking at a huge hit. The initial line had the Spurs opening as high as -220 favorites to win the Finals, with the Knicks set as approximately +180 underdogs. But the money came in so fast that by Sunday morning, the Spurs' odds had already dropped to -200 favorites. That's a significant shift driven by a mountain of New York money, proving that loyalty runs deep even when the odds are stacked against you. Oh, and shoutout to Wembanyama, who just last month was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year, making the Spurs even tougher.

Rest vs. Rust: A Tale of Two Paths to the Finals

The way these two teams got here couldn't be more different, and it's making for some serious pre-Finals chatter. The Knicks are rolling into this series like a freight train, having swept their last two playoff series and winning an insane 11 straight games. They haven't even played since Monday, which means they're going to have a full eight days off before they tip off against the Spurs on Wednesday for Game 1 in San Antonio. Meanwhile, the Spurs had to fight tooth and nail, surviving an intense, grueling seven-game series against the Oklahoma City Thunder just to reach the Finals. Now, the Spurs are 4.5-point favorites for Game 1, but you gotta wonder about that fatigue factor. Historically, this is the ninth time we've seen a Finals matchup with one team coming off a sweep and the other going seven games. The team that swept their previous series actually went 5-3 in those past eight Finals matchups, according to ESPN Research. Will history repeat itself for the rested Knicks?

From Long Shots to Legit Contenders

Think about where these teams started! The Spurs opened the season as massive 65-1 long shots to win the title at DraftKings Sportsbook. If they pull it off, they'd be the biggest preseason underdog to win the championship in at least 40 seasons. Talk about an incredible run! The Knicks weren't quite as long of a shot, starting at 10-1 odds, but they had their ups and downs. Their championship odds actually drifted as long as 19-1 during a roller-coaster regular season. They even hit 35-1 briefly during the postseason when they struggled in their first-round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks. But here they are, against all odds, with New York betting big on their chances. So, Game 1 kicks off Wednesday in San Antonio, and all eyes are on whether the favored Spurs can handle the rested Knicks and the weight of all that New York money. Is it going to be a historic upset fueled by fan passion, or will the Spurs' grit and Wembanyama's defense prevail? Either way, this Finals is set to be an absolute battle!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.