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The betting public is all-in on the Indiana Pacers.

Tyrese Haliburton and Co. are currently garnering a whopping 90 percent of bets and 88 percent of the handle to beat the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, making them the most bet-on team at BetMGM Sportsbook to advance.

The Pacers opened as a massive +260 underdog against the Bucks, but Giannis Antetokounmpo’s calf injury has shifted the odds in their favor.

Indiana is now just +100 to win the series versus Milwaukee’s -120 figure.

Antetokounmpo is expected to miss at least the start of the series after suffering a calf strain against the Celtics on April 9.

The former NBA MVP missed the Bucks’ final three regular-season games, which included two consecutive defeats to end the season, allowing the Knicks to leapfrog them for the No. 2 seed in the conference.

Even with Antetokounmpo healthy, the Bucks haven’t inspired much confidence for bettors this season.


  Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks is helped off the court by Thanasis Antetokounmpo #43 and Brook Lopez #11 after suffering an injury during the second half of a game against the Boston Celtics on April 9, 2024. Getty Images Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks is helped off the court by Thanasis Antetokounmpo #43 and Brook Lopez #11 after suffering an injury during the second half of a game against the Boston Celtics on April 9, 2024. Getty Images

Milwaukee went 35-46-1 against the spread (ATS) this season, which was tied with the Toronto Raptors for the fifth-worst record ATS mark in the league.

With 49 wins, the Bucks also fell short of their 53.5 preseason over/under total.

The Pacers, on the other hand, overachieved preseason expectations on all counts, going 44-36-3 ATS and well over their 38.5 preseason over/under with 47 wins.

The Bucks fired Adrian Griffin in January and replaced him with Doc Rivers despite the former’s 30-13 record as head coach.

Betting on the NBA?

But they were merely mediocre under Rivers in the regular season, going 17-19.

Despite several months now of underwhelming play and Antetokounmpo’s injury, the Bucks are tied with the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns (+2000) for the sixth-best odds to win the NBA Finals at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Whoever survives the Bucks-Pacers series will take on the winner of the Knicks’ series against the 76ers.

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