Sports bettors uncharacteristically going against Lakers

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Los Angeles Lakers starters cheer from the bench near the end of a 111-87 playoff victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder Tuesday in Los Angeles. More bettors than usual are wagering against the Lakers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

By Case Keefer (contact)

Friday, April 30, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

Las Vegas' reputation as a Los Angeles Lakers town has done little to deter bettors from pouring in money against them in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

The volume of cash on the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Lakers' opponent, in each of the series' first five games has surprised sports books around the valley.

"This is very out of the ordinary," said Mike Colbert, race and sports book director at the M Resort. "Especially our crowd at the M. It's usually a lot of California people and a lot of support on the Lakers. But a lot of people are backing this Thunder team."

Los Angeles currently leads the best of seven series 3-2, but is 2-3 against the spread in those games. The Thunder and the Lakers will tip off at 6:30 p.m. today in Oklahoma City in game six of the series.

Oklahoma City is listed as a 1.5-point favorite at nearly every sports book in Las Vegas. Colbert said he expected more money to be on the Thunder's side once again. Oklahoma City has won and covered in each of its two home games in the series.

"You can say Vegas is a Lakers town," said Jason McCormick, director of the Red Rock Resort race and sports book. "But I'll tell you what: Vegas is really a town full of people wanting to make money. And if they don't think the Lakers will win, they won't bet them."

Perhaps it just took a while for bettors to catch on. With the lopsided amount of money on the Lakers' side during regular-season games, it sometimes shifted the line enough to create value on betting their opponents.

The Lakers are the most unprofitable team for bettors left in the playoffs, as they have a record of 35-49-3 against the spread this season.

"You're going to have the sharp guys jump on the underdogs and against the Lakers often," Colbert said. "But you didn't see as much money from the public against them until this series."

Colbert said he thought the end of the regular season turned some gamblers away from the Lakers and toward the Thunder.

Los Angeles went 4-6 in its final 10 games and appeared complacent, while Oklahoma City finished 6-4 behind strong performances from NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant.

"I don't think it's necessarily that people think the Lakers are bad," Colbert said. "They just think the Thunder are (darn) good. Kevin Durant is probably one of the five best players in the league and Westbrook can play."

Colbert, however, believes the Thunder are done making noise. Inspired by the Lakers' 111-87 home victory in game five Tuesday, Colbert picked them to finish the series tonight in Oklahoma City.

Ditto for McCormick.

"I think the Lakers put a stamp on the last game and let this young Thunder team know they don't belong on the court with them," McCormick said. "It all comes down to their state of mind and whether Kobe is going to come in and take over the game. I think Kobe is going to say, 'we don't want this to go to a game seven.'"

Lakers bias? Doesn't sound like it.