Los Angeles Lakers Are Popular Bet in Las Vegas Despite Long Championship Odds

If the average fan had to put money on either the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Los Angeles Lakers to win the NBA title this season, the majority would ride with the Cavaliers.

However, Las Vegas bettors are going with the underdog.

According to David Purdum of ESPN.com, the Lakers are among the most popular bets in the NBA. Of course, that's likely because they are at 300-1 odds. Those odds indicate that it's a long shot that the team will be the last one standing, but that also means that there's potential for a huge payout.

Here are the teams attracting the most money at the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas, per Purdum:

• Golden State Warriors
• San Antonio Spurs
• Los Angeles Clippers
• Chicago Bulls
• Los Angeles Lakers

None of the teams in the top five is overly surprising—until you see the second Los Angeles team. Most fans would expect to see teams like the Cavaliers or the Houston Rockets on that list, not the Lakers. But again, it's all about the odds.

"You get more sharp play on the season wins, betting the Lakers under," SuperBook assistant manager and NBA oddsmaker Jeff Sherman said, per Purdum. "But then you have the more general public saying, 'Let me take a shot at 300-1 on them.' Right now, the Lakers are third in ticket count in the entire NBA. They've got more tickets than Cleveland, more than Golden State."

The SuperBook has Cleveland as the favorites to win the title at 2-1 odds, so it's not surprising that the Cavaliers are not a popular pick among bettors. There's much greater upside elsewhere. According to Purdum, there have been 1.4 times more bets on the Lakers to win the championship than the Cavaliers.

Will the Lakers win the title? Some bettors may think that the reward is worth the risk. After all, the Lakers do still have Kobe Bryant, a five-time champion. Others may view those bets as a waste of money.

Then again, who would've had the New York Mets playing the Kansas City Royals in the World Series in March? Or Appalachian State beating No. 5 Michigan in the Big House back in 2007? The thing about sports is that anything can happen.