Sports Betting News: The Ascendant L.A. Lakers and the NFL’s Drake Maye Effect
Posted on: November 11, 2025, 02:46h.
Last updated on: November 11, 2025, 02:47h.
- LeBron cleared for contact basketball activities for NBA’s Lakers
- Bettor bets huge on Patriots Super Bowl win
- Makhachev big betting favourite to win the welterweight title at UFC 322 Saturday in New York
The big sports news of the day was the Dallas Mavericks firing general manager Nico Harrison, the same NBA GM who traded a basketball superstar, Luka Doncic, in his prime, to the Los Angeles Lakers last season.
Harrison never lived down that trade, first with fans then upper level team management, led by team governor Patrick Dumont. As ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith reminded everyone today, Doncic is tearing it up, 37.1 points per night average, 9.4 rebounds and 9.1 assists (MVP numbers), for the ascendant Lakers (8-3), while the key cog in the package that came back to the Mavs, Anthony Davis, is out of the lineup again with an injury.
Smith said Davis needed to be playing at an elite superstar level with the Mavs to make the trade even close to worth it and he hasn’t been. The Mavs have one of the worst offences in the NBA and are second last in the Western Conference, at 3-8.
NBA: Laker Championship Odds on LeBron News
Don’t sleep on the rise of Austin Reaves with the Lakers as well – 30.3 points and 9.3 assists in eight games on 48.0% FG’s and 32.4% 3’s per game. Who ever thought James would just be an add-on to that strong core? ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday that James, dealing with back problems, has been cleared for contact basketball activities. So the 40-year-old is closing in on getting back to the lineup.
“Yeah, we can’t wait. All of us can’t wait. It’s Bron, so it’s always good to have him back. So hopefully soon,” Doncic told reporters at the postgame press conference last night in Charlotte.
How do sportsbook traders see the Mavericks right now, and the Lakers? Remember, Doncic has missed four games already, and Reaves two, and the Lakers are still the fourth best team in the Western Conference.
“Not much movement with the Mavericks odds following the GM firing, as it’s hard to see it helping or hurting them too much on the actual floor,” said David Lieberman, Lead Pro Basketball Trader at Caesars Sportsbook. “Maybe there will be a bit less toxicity surrounding the team at home now, though. The team is just pretty flawed, and even with a healthy AD back, their lack of point guard options seems to be the biggest issue right now.
“I think the Lakers’ odds mostly have LeBron’s upcoming return baked in, but if he comes back and looks fully healthy, I could see the odds coming down a bit with how well they’ve started without him in the fold.”
At Caesars Sportsbook, the Lakers are +1100 to win it all, the Mavericks are +8000.
NFL: $30K Bet on Pats to Win the Super Bowl
Someone plunked down $30k on the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl (+2200, to win $660k) no doubt noticing the MVP-calibre play of QB Drake Maye of late. Maye sits third among NFL passers with 2,555 yards, tied for third in the NFL with 19 touchdown pass thrown, and third in pass completion percentage (71.7%). The Patriots (8-2) have leaped frogged the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East, now a full two games up on the Bills (6-3). Home field over the course of the post season is very much in the sights for the Pats.
“The trading team has shortened the Patriots odds to win the Super Bowl from +12500 to +2000 during the team’s 7-game winning streak. While we have seen an uptick in action on New England, the Pats winning it all would be a good outcome for the sportsbook,” said Christian Cipollini, Senior Trading Manager, BetMGM.
Notable Super Bowl line move from Open to Now in a season where a few of the pre-season betting favourites, namely the Bills, have faltered, is led by the Chiefs +750 to +550, the Seahawks +6000 to +1000, and the Colts +10000 to +1100.
And Don’t Forget UFC 322 This Weekend
Can’t remember seeing a UFC card as stacked as this one – UFC 322 this Saturday, at Madison Square Garden in New York, with the preliminary card kicking off at 8 p.m. EST, and the pay-per-view main card at 10 p.m. EST.
Jack Della Maddalena defends his welterweight title against Islam Makhachev, plus the women’s flyweight title fight between Valentina Shevchenko and Zhang Weili, are the two co-main events.
UFC needs a humdinger, after a mild debacle at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi, marked by a much-anticipated heavyweight title fight that ended in a no-contest after champion Tom Aspinall got poked in the eye by opponent Ciryl Gane. The crowd there booed, not knowing the extent of Aspinall’s injury. UFC referees are now looking at ways to better referee and enforce eye pokes during fights.
Makhachev is the challenger Saturday, favoured by the books to become the new champion. He’s at -265 on the DraftKings ML, with Maddalena at +215. Shevchenko is the slight favourite at -125, Weili at +105.
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