The Toronto Raptors will return to the court after a shortened offseason when they take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, Dec. 23. This is technically a home game for the Raptors, but all of their home games will not be played in Toronto, at least to start the season. The Raptors will be playing their home games in Tampa, Florida, in Amalie Arena due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Raptors made a number of moves this offseason including re-signing point guard Kyle Lowry. We’ll see if the moves pay off in the 2020-21 season. For now, here’s a betting preview for the Toronto Raptors.
Toronto Raptors Betting Preview
Sportsbooks have odds for just about anything you’d want to bet on as they continue to vie for new users, and there are plenty of preseason odds available for bettors to place a wager on. All odds are via a popular United States sportsbook.
Team Futures Odds
Prior to the start of the season, the Raptors had the 10th best odds to win the NBA Finals in the summer of 2021 according to oddsmakers, at +2500. The betting favorite to win it this year is the Los Angeles Lakers at +275.
The Raptors have a better shot at winning the Eastern Conference, but oddsmakers still expect that to be a bit of a challenge. They rank sixth at +1200 odds with a major drop off behind them at No. 7. The Milwaukee Bucks are the favorites to win the conference at +230.
In the Atlantic Division, the Raptors have the third best odds to win it at +320, behind the Boston Celtics at +250 and the Brooklyn Nets, who are projected as the favorites, at +125.
Many sportsbooks are using overall team winning percentages instead of team win totals due to the likelihood of games getting canceled or postponed, but the Raptors’ winning percentage is set at 58.5% with the over getting -121 odd, and the under at +100.
Oddsmakers fully expect the Raptors to be a playoff team this season with “yes” to that question getting -835 odds and “no” receiving +550 odds.
Player Futures Odds
There are plenty of player futures odds available to be wagered on, and Toronto Raptors power forward Pascal Siakam has the best chance to win the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award, according to the oddsmakers. He is tied for 22nd at +1500 odds. Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks is the favorite at +400. Lowry is tied for 27th best odds at +20000.
The Raptors had a very late pick in the NBA Draft, so it’s unlikely they will have a player win NBA Rookie of the Year this season, and that’s what oddsmakers are telling us. Malachi Flynn is tied for 17th best odds at +6000 to win the award. LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets is the favorite at +400.
To win the NBA’s Most Improved Player award, Raptors small forward OG Anunoby is getting +2500 odds, which is seventh in the league. Siakam has the best chance among the team’s players to win Defensive Player of the Year according to oddsmakers, at +5000, the 10th highest in the NBA.
In the list of players who could potentially lead the NBA in triple doubles this season, Lowry is in a tie for 16th at +10000 with 14 other players.
As for the odds on which player will be the leading scorer across the entire NBA this season, Lowry is tied for the 37th best odds at +25000, along with teammates Siakam and Fred VanVleet.
Game 1 Betting Odds
The Raptors will play their first game of the season on Wednesday starting at 7:30 p.m. ET in Tampa, where they are favorites over the Pelicans. The Raptors come into this one favored by four points with the over/under for the game set at 229.5.
For moneyline odds, Toronto is getting -165 to win this game outright, with New Orleans checking in at +138 to get the upset victory to start the season.
