Wade and LeBron Make Miami Heat the Sports Betting Favorite

With Dwyane Wade persuading LeBron James to join him on the Miami Heat, the Heat have vaulted into the favorite's spot for NBA futures on sports betting sites.

As predicted on OCA, the NBA free agency period has resul;ted in major shifts in futures sports betting on next year's championship. With Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh all going to the Miami Heat, the Heat have emerged as the early favorite at Las Vegas sports books.

MGM casinos have established the Heat as a 8-5 choice to win the 2011 title. Only two days ago, a play on the Heat would have fetched an astonishing 20-1 return, an investment clever and lucky fans who bet the Miami team before the signings are now relishing.

Last year's champions, Kobe Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers, are expected to return all contributing players, but the new superteam assembled by Pat Riley has pushed the Lakers to second choice, at 11-5.

Considering that ESPN statistician John Hollinger has Wade, James, and Bosh listed as the three most efficient and effective players in basketball last year, it is no wonder fans are lining up to wager on the Heat's future. Most analysts have LeBron and D-Wade as two of the three best players on the planet, along with Bryant.

The last time two players as highly ranked as Wade and James played together was in the early 80s, when Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were first united.

The Chicago Bulls, despite only landing forward Carlos Boozer, are showing strong in future betting, being listed at 10-1 as the fourth pick behind the Orlando Magic at 8-1. Rising star Kevin Durant has propelled the Oklahoma City Thunder into the discussion as well, earning a 14-1 payday.