By TheNuts - Jun 17, 2026
Sportsbooks saw unprecedented betting traffic throughout the Knicks' NBA Finals run.
All things considered, the 2026 NBA Finals performed incredibly well.
The number of people watching the games was at its highest point since 1998, five years before ESPN and ABC started airing the Finals in 2003. Google searches also peaked, social media highlights smashed NBA records, and Knicks-related gear was selling out.
There was unprecedented activity at the window at sportsbooks as well. The Post was informed by DraftKings that this NBA Finals series accounted for five of the six most bet NBA games in the
sportsbook's history, with Game 5 being the highest-bet NBA game ever.
The average handle wagered on each game increased by 28.6% between the 2025 and 2026 Finals, according to BetMGM. Midway through the series, the Knicks became becoming a burden because they were such a big draw at BetMGM.
"The Spurs were the largest remaining liability on the futures market, so the sportsbook was rooting for the Knicks before the NBA Finals started," BetMGM Sports Trader Anthony Parenti stated. But our liability had changed by the time New York established a 2-0 series lead.
Prior to the series, BetMGM placed multiple large wagers on the Knicks.
Before the series started, one bettor placed a $20,000 betting on the Knicks to win the championship at 22/1 odds, while another placed a $200,000 wager on the Knicks to win the Finals. On those bets alone, the total payout was $750,000.
During the series, large bets came in at other sportsbooks besides BetMGM. After the Knicks won Game 1 of the series, a Nevada bettor wagered $500,000 at Caesars Sportsbook that they would win the Finals at -140 odds. The bettor won more than $350,000 from that strategic wager.