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New Orleans Pelicans Best Bets As LA Sports Betting Goes Live

Adam Thompson for Bookies.com

Adam Thompson  | 

New Orleans Pelicans Best Bets As LA Sports Betting Goes Live

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As the NBA season reaches the 50-game point for teams, the New Orleans Pelicans are already on the outside looking in of a rugged Western Conference.

The Pelicans are 18-29 heading into the weekend, a .383 win percentage that puts them in 11th place in the West and a full 20 games behind the Phoenix Suns. Finishing first in the West wasn’t a realistic goal to begin with, but the playoffs certainly were. It will now take a big second-half effort to achieve.

With online sports betting in Louisiana live as of Friday morning, Bookies.com looks at some of the NBA futures best bets involving the state’s team. Some look straightforward, while on others we just love the value.

New Orleans Pelicans Best Bets & Futures To Consider

Bet Odds
Over 32.5 Wins -125 at DraftKings
To Not Make Playoffs -2500 at Caesars Sportsbook
To Win Southwest Division +100000 at BetMGM

Odds via DraftKings, Caesars Sportsbook and BetMGM, and accurate as of publication. Other betting apps are available, including FanDuel LA and BetRivers LA

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Total Wins: 32.5 – Over

Odds: -125 at DraftKings

Going into the weekend, the Pelicans would need to go 15-20 to hit the Over on this number. There’s reason to be optimistic for NBA betting fans looking to wager the Over on New Orleans.

For one, the injuries are going to settle. Through 47 games, Brandon Ingram has missed 11 of them, Josh Hart has been absent for 10 and Zion Williamson hasn’t played yet. Everyone’s missed at least four games.

Ingram, Hart and Devonte' Graham – ironically, all out due to ankle injuries, are to the point of being game-time decisions. Zion (foot) has one more month of recovery. If he comes back then, there will be 23 games left on the schedule. Win half of those and this number is hittable – especially if they’re playing to get into the play-in games. Lock in these odds at DraftKings LA now.

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To Make The Playoffs – No

Odds: -2500 at Caesars Sportsbook

The Pelicans are only 1.5 games out of the 10th place in the Western Conference. Remember, with the play-in format, the Nos. 7-10 teams in the regular season battle for the final two spots in the playoffs.

The injury-ravaged Trail Blazers are No. 9. A healthy and surging Pelicans team can pass them. The problem is, the other teams at the bottom of the Western Conference are some of the premier championship contenders.

Right now, the Denver Nuggets are holding on to the No. 6 spot, with the L.A. Clippers at No. 8 and the L.A. Lakers at No. 9. If the Pelicans can slip into the playoffs, knocking off those teams on the road is too much to ask, Zion or no Zion. Find the best NBA odds for this bet at Caesars Sportsbook Louisiana.

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Southwest Division: To Win – Yes

Odds: +100000 at BetMGM

Oddly, oddsmakers at betting sites have given New Orleans the same odds to win the NBA title as its own five-team division. That screams value for the Pelicans here, but is it a waste of bankroll?

Probably, yes. The Grizzlies (33-17) and Mavericks (28-21) are well ahead of the Pelicans, with the Spurs and Rockets behind them. With Zion Williamson unlikely to return until late February, and the way Memphis especially is playing, a Southwest crown is probably too much to ask, even at this surprising value.

That said, there is a hiccup in the odds at DraftKings and BetMGM. While other sites have the Pelicans at around +28000 to win the Southwest, those sportsbooks have odds far, far higher. Either someone went all-in on another team or it’s a clerical error. Either way, you’ve spent $5 on worse. A Yes here would more than cover losing the No wager on making the playoffs. Get these ultra-high odds over at BetMGM LA.

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About the Author

Adam Thompson for Bookies.com
Adam Thompson
Long established as one of the nation's premier handicappers, Adam Thompson joined Bookies.com in 2019 after a successful run as senior handicapper for SportsLine & CBSSports.com. He specializes in the NFL and MLB, where he's hit on well over 60% of his picks the past five years. Adam's NBA and horse racing picks have also produced consistent, major winners over the years.