Sports | July 2, 2018 9:57 am

The Lakers Are Already a Championship Contender According to Vegas Oddsmakers

When LeBron James' decision was announced, Los Angeles' title chances jumped exponentially.

General view of banners honoring the Los Angeles Lakers victories in the NBA Finals during the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Staples Center on October 29, 2002 in Los Angeles, California. The San Antonio Spurs won 87-82. (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty Images)

NBAE/Getty Images

By Evan Bleier @itishowitis

What a difference a weekend makes.

When Las Vegas sportsbooks like the Westgate SuperBook first posted odds for next season, the Lakers were installed with a 20-1 shot to win the NBA championship and those odds, or similar ones, held up until this weekend.

After the Westgate re-opened betting on the title yesterday after stopping as free agency tipped off, the Lakers had 9-2 odds thanks to the addition of LeBron James. Those odds almost immediately shifted to 7-2 following a “respected wager” that quickly came in on LA.

“We have [the Lakers] lower based on anticipated support and the possibility of adding to the roster,” Westgate assistant manager Jeff Sherman told ESPN.

While those odds don’t make Los Angeles the favorite (that honor would go to the defending champion Warriors at 10-11), they tie the Lakers for second-best with their longtime rivals the Boston Celtics.

Following LA and Boston are the Houston Rockets at 7-1. From there, the odds plummet dramatically to the Philadelphia 76ers at 14-1.

With James no longer a Cavalier, Cleveland’s odds of winning the NBA title fell all the way to 500-1, putting them alongside the dregs of the league like the Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings.