BetMGM Announces the Most Bet NBA and NHL Teams and Players in 2025 Season

Posted on: June 2, 2025, 08:35h. 

Last updated on: June 2, 2025, 09:33h.

Mark Keast Read More
Expertise: Canadian Gaming, iGaming, Las Vegas, Sports Betting, NFL, Boxing, UFC.
  • Gilgeous-Alexander and McDavid lead their teams into NBA and NHL finals
  • The LA Lakers were the most bet NBA team, Golden Knights most bet NHL team
  • Jokic sees new league highs in tickets and handle

If you’re a Canadian sports fan, rarely has there been a time like there is now, with two prominent Canadian-born athletes leading their respective organizations into the NBA and NHL finals.

The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals Thursday night. (Image: Shutterstock)

The Edmonton Oilers, led by Connor McDavid, from Richmond Hill, Ont., host the Florida Panthers at Rogers Place (8 pm EST) Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals, a rematch from last year’s final. The Panthers won the Stanley Cup in 2024, in seven games.

On Thursday, the Oklahoma City Thunder, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, born in Toronto but who grew up in nearby Hamilton, Ont., host the Indiana Pacers (start time 8:30 pm EST) in the NBA Finals. Gilgeous-Alexander was named NBA MVP in May. Line move on Gilgeous-Alexander winning finals MVP has moved from +900 to -625 at BetMGM.

“The Thunder are big favorites to win the NBA Championship and a great result for the sportsbook on the futures market. We are cheering against the Pacers lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy,” said BegMGM Trading Manager Christian Cipollini.

Ovechkin Most Bet NHL Player

Despite these being heady times if you’re a Canadian sports fan, the on-court and on-ice successes weren’t reflected in betting numbers, according to BetMGM’s betting statistics.

The operator just released betting insights for the most bet NBA/NHL teams and players for the 2025 regular season.

On the NBA side, only one of the five most-bet players reached the finals, and that of course was Gilgeous-Alexander, who had the fifth-most player prop tickets at 1.55%. No other players with a ticket share above 1.5% or handle share above 1.3% played in the NBA conference finals.

The Los Angeles Lakers had the highest handle share (6.19%) and ticket share (5.84%) during the regular season, followed by the Boston Celtics (5.80% tickets, 5.60% handle) and Cleveland Cavaliers (5.58% tickets, 4.88% handle). 

Lakers Most Bet NBA Team

Denver’s Nikola Jokic had 1.9% of all bets and 1.78% of all handle placed on players — both league highs — to lead the pack of most-bet NBA players during the regular season. 

Gilgeous-Alexander was fifth in both tickets and handle – 1.55% and 1.36%.

On the hockey side, the Oilers were nowhere near a popular pick. The Vegas Golden Knights were the most bet team in terms of tickets (5.70%) and handle (5.97%), followed by the Winnipeg Jets (5.40% tickets, 5.24% handle) and Toronto Maple Leafs (5.00%, 4.56%).

Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals was the most bet NHL players – 1.91% tickets, 2.22% handle – while McDavid was distant ninth (1.37% tickets, 1.64% handle). Perhaps that’s not a surprise with Ovechkin, considering the media attention he generated this past season, chasing, then passing, Wayne Gretzky’s all-time scoring record of 894 goals.