One of the marquee sporting events of the Summer is set to take place tonight and many fans will be looking into how to bet on the NBA Draft. Over the years the NBA Draft has become a legitimate spectacle, and while the 2024 class may not be the most star-studded lineup of players, there is still more than enough action for sports bettors to sink their teeth into this evening.
The event will officially begin tonight, Wednesday, June 26 at 8:00 pm ET from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. So before the Atlanta Hawks are on the clock with the first overall pick, let’s cover some of the basics as far as betting on the 2024 NBA Draft.
How to bet on the 2024 NBA Draft
While there won’t be anything recorded in the win/loss column this evening, the NBA landscape could see a massive shift as it pertains to the championship picture. Impactful rookies, Draft-day trades, and free agency dominoes will all be influenced by this evening’s proceedings, and there are several ways that NBA fans can gamble on the action.
Note: All odds on this page are provided courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. New users can take up the DraftKings promo to get started with additional bonus bets.
NBA Draft No. 1 pick odds
Among the first tickets to be cashed this evening will be those who successfully bet on the first player drafted. This is a very straightforward betting market, as users are wagering on individuals from a field of draftable players.
The Atlanta Hawks hold the #1 pick in this year’s Draft, and if the reports are to be believed, Atlanta intends to stick and pick in the top spot. Here are the odds to be the first pick in the 2024 NBA Draft:
- Zaccharie Risacher (-260)
- Donovan Clingan (+270)
- Alexandre Sarr (+600)
- Stephon Castle (+2200)
- Reed Sheppard (+7500)
Based on the current betting odds at top gambling apps, the NBA appears to be headed for back-to-back years with a French-league prospect being taken #1 overall in the Draft. After the Spurs selected Victory Wembanyama with the top pick of last year’s Draft, the current (-260) betting favorite to be selected #1 this evening is Zaccharie Risacher of the French professional league. Donovan Clingan of UCONN currently has the second-best odds to be selected first, coming in at (+270), followed by another French-league prospect Alexandre Sarr at (+600).
NBA Draft No. 2 pick odds
In addition to betting on the player to be selected first overall, DraftKings offers betting markets for the second pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The DraftKings odds heavily suggest that Zaccharie Risacher will go first overall, and the odds for Alexandre Sarr to be the second overall pick are even more suggestive. A breakdown of the odds for the second overall pick are as follows:
- Alexandre Sarr (-650)
- Zaccharie Risacher (+650)
- Donovan Clingan (+1600)
NBA Draft No. 3 pick odds
Exactly how the board falls for the first two picks could present massive betting value for those who have wagered on the No. 3 pick of the NBA Draft. Different teams will view prospects differently, and as the first round of the Draft goes on, there could be some surprises. The odds for the third overall pick are the following:
- Reed Sheppard (-190)
- Donovan Clingan (+330)
- Zaccharie Risacher (+1100)
Top 3 picks exact order
While users have the option to bet on each of the first few picks individually, they can take even longer odds to call their shot on the exact order of the first three picks. Seeing that this bet type requires users to get all three of the first Draft selections correct, the odds are much longer than betting on the picks individually. Very similar to a traditional parlay bet, the risk is higher, but so is the potential payout.
On DraftKings, the odds to be the first three picks are:
- 1st: Risacher, 2nd: Sarr, 3rd: Sheppard (-160)
- 1st: Clingan, 2nd: Sarr, 3rd, Sheppard (+400)
Individual player Draft position
NBA Draft bettors also have the option to wager on an individual player to be taken before or after a set number of picks. This is very similar to traditional over/under bets that many users have already placed on various sports/games, but instead of traditional stats, the counting numbers are draft pick selections.
The following are some of the more interesting names and their associated draft position odds:
- Donovan Clingan: Over 3.5 picks (-140), Under 3.5 picks (+115)
- Zach Edey: Over 15.5 picks (+105), Under 15.5 picks (-150)
- Bronny James: Over 47.5 picks (-170), Under 47.5 picks (+130)
Before the player-picking gets underway this evening, eligible users can get in on the action and bet on the 2024 NBA Draft using the linked offers on this page.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is not an online gambling operator or gambling site. We provide this information about sports betting for entertainment purposes only. The AJC may receive a commission for purchases made through the links in this article.
About the Author
