Ben Simmons or Lonzo Ball? Las Vegas bookmakers at odds on NBA Rookie of the Year favorite
Ben Simmons or Lonzo Ball? Las Vegas bookmakers at odds on NBA Rookie of the Year favorite
There is a difference of opinion between two prominent Las Vegas sports books about who is the favorite to be awarded NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2017-18 season, with the 76ers’ Ben Simmons priced with the shortest odds at the Westgate SuperBook, but the Lakers’ Lonzo Ball listed as the chalk at William Hill U.S.
Simmons and Ball are the top overall picks from the last two NBA Drafts, although Simmons missed all of last season as he was recovering from foot surgery.
Westgate bookmakers are higher on the Sixers than they are on the Lakers, a key reason they opened Simmons the favorite.
"We expect Philadelphia to exceed the Lakers in wins and make the playoffs in the East, with Simmons having better stats (than Ball)," Jeff Sherman, assistant manager at the Westgate, told ESPN in a text message. "Had Simmons come out in this loaded class, he still would have been the No. 1 pick in the draft."
The Lakers are sizable 6-to-1 underdogs to make the playoffs.
At 4/1, the Mavericks’ Dennis Smith is third on both books’ Rookie of the Year oddsboards, followed by Philly’s Markelle Fultz, the Kings’ De’Aaron Fox and the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum.
The Suns’ Josh Jackson, meanwhile, is getting more respect at the Westgate than he is at William Hill.
Here is a partial list of the Rookie of the Year odds at both shops.
Rookie of Year odds | Westgate | William Hill |
|---|---|---|
Ben SIMMONS (PHI) | 5/2 | 4/1 |
Lonzo BALL (LAL) | 11/4 | 9/5 |
Dennis SMITH JR (DAL) | 4/1 | 4/1 |
Markelle FULTZ (PHI) | 15/2 | 13/2 |
De'Aaron FOX (SAC) | 10/1 | 8/1 |
Josh JACKSON (PHX) | 10/1 | 15/1 |
Jayson TATUM (BOS) | 10/1 | 8/1 |
Donovan MITCHELL (UTA) | 15/1 | 25/1 |
Malik MONK (CHA) | 25/1 | 15/1 |
Jonathan ISAAC (ORL) | 30/1 | 50/1 |
John COLLINS (ATL) | 30/1 | 50/1 |
Bam ADEBAYO (MIA) | 30/1 | 75/1 |
Milos TEODOSIC (LAC) | 40/1 | * |
Justin JACKSON (SAC) | 40/1 | 50/1 |
Lauri MARKKANEN (CHI) | 40/1 | 25/1 |
Zach COLLINS (POR) | 40/1 | 75/1 |
Frank NTILIKINA (NY) | 50/1 | 50/1 |
Luke KENNARD (DET) | 50/1 | 75/1 |
Jonathan ISAAC (ORL) 30/1 50/1
listed as part of betting field, at 10/1