The Indiana Pacers continue to defy the odds in the playoffs, and their latest victim is the famous rapper Jay-Z. The famous rapper is a frequent high-stakes bettor, and he loves betting on NBA games. This time, he placed a huge wager on the NBA Finals series.
Jay-Z Had 99 Problems, and the Pacers Made It a Million
Before the Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder finals matchup began, Jay-Z placed a $1 million wager on the Thunder. He put a wager for them to win the Finals in five games, a gentleman’s sweep. He would have won $2.3 million if the Thunder had dominated the Pacers, as many believed would be the case. However, with Indiana winning Game 3 of the Finals series, that is now an impossible feat. He has already lost his wager, and there is no info on whether he had a separate wager on the Thunder winning it all, no matter the number of games.
Jay-Z Made a Popular Pick
Many experts believed that Thunder in Five is the most logical outcome in the NBA Finals. Before the series began, 14 out of 32 ESPN reporters and analysts predicted the same outcome. Jay-Z was just trying to follow the common logic and make some money out of it. Speaking of betting and odds, the Indiana Pacers entered the Finals as a 5-1 underdog to beat the Thunder. Those are the longest odds for a Finals team since the 2004 champion Detroit Pistons. Detroit was also 5-1 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Pacers Continue to Defy Odds
The Pacers continue to prove doubters wrong in these playoffs. They were hardly a popular pick in any of the series they played. For example, in the Conference Semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, all ESPN reporters picked the Cavaliers to win the series. Some picked them to win six, and some in seven. But no ESPN employee picked the Pacers in the Conference Semifinals.
Things improved in the Eastern Conference Finals for the Pacers, but they were still the underdog. Nine out of 13 ESPN reporters picked the Knicks, while the Pacers had only four votes. And they dominated that series as well. As it stands right now, they are on the road to proving people wrong again. Only two out of 32 ESPN reporters picked them to win the Finals. One of them is Jeremy Woo, who had the Cavaliers in the Conference Semifinals, but then rode with the Pacers since the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Pacers Have History on Their Side
The Indiana Pacers right now have a great chance to win the first championship in their history. So far, teams winning Game 3 and leading 2-1 in the series have gone on to win 80.5% time in the Finals. Indiana has yet to lose a back-to-back game in these playoffs. While the Thunder haven’t lost a back-to-back game as well, Indiana has the lead right now. If they win the title, it will be the first in modern franchise history (they do have three titles in the ABA). Last, but not least, the Pacers will prove Jay-Z and all the experts wrong by claiming the championship.
Featured image: © Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
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