Are you ready to start betting on the Indiana Pacers?
By Ben Gibson
With the United States Supreme Court ruling that individual states can decide if they want to legalize sports betting or not, it’s time to think about betting on the Indiana Pacers.
Betting lines meant little to the average Indiana Pacers fan for years. Unless you had a neighborhood bookie, a trip to Las Vegas was a lot of effort just to lay a bet down on Indy. But with the Supreme Court’s ruling that states can legalize sports betting, it won’t take a plane ticket much longer if you wish to try your luck.
While Indiana may take its time to legalize it — 2019 at earliest — it’s time to think about betting on the Indiana Pacers.
It was said countless times last year, but Indiana was only expected to win around 30 games. With 48 wins, the Pacers clearly hit the over. Had you wagered on them winning more than the line, you likely would have doubled up your money.
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Betting win totals are pretty simple. Whatever the line is, you bet if a team will win more or fewer games. Betting the spread — the number of points a team is an underdog or favorite by — is a little more complicated.
Last year’s team covered the spread more often than not, too. Indiana covered 59.3 percent of the time last season, meaning whatever the spread was, a bet on Indiana would have resulted in a win more often than not. Only the Boston Celtics’ 64.9 percent was better.
In gambling, the margins are slim, but Victor Oladipo and company covered the spread by +2.3 points on average, a number only bested by the Utah Jazz’s +2.5.
Hindsight is 20/20, but Indiana covering the spread isn’t a one year trend. Even when you go back to 2003, the Pacers cover the spread 51.2 percent of the time. So if you aren’t going to put much effort into your gambling, at least keep in mind that Indiana is more likely than not to cover the spread.
They did fall short of the 43.5 expected wins in 2017 (40-42) but beat the 42.5 wins in 2016 (46-36), and even in the Paul George injury season, they beat the 32.5 wins (38-44).
Next: Oladipo to drive the pace car at the Indianapolis 500
Bet on the Pacers to overachieve, and if it’s anything like last season, you’ve got a shot at making some money.