NBA Draft Odds: Edwards, Ball Short Odds For Number 1 Pick

• Anthony Edwards has -130 odds to be the number one overall pick in the NBA Draft.
• James Wiseman is favored at -200 odds to be the second overall pick.
• LaMelo Ball is favored at -175 odds to be a top-two pick.

BRISTOL, Conn. – The 2020 NBA Draft kicks off Wednesday and online sportsbooks have some of the best betting lines available for the big event.

Most action is being placed on who will be the number one overall pick with short odds on both LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards getting drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

James Wiseman on the other hand has the shortest odds to go second overall to the Golden State Warriors. Several rumors are surrounding the Warrior's interest in Wiseman. Online sportsbooks show that sports bettors believe the rumors.

NBA Draft Night

When really looking to bet on the NBA Draft, it is important to know who has what pick, as that is a major deciding factor on where a player will be drafted.

NBA Draft Top Draft Pick By Teams
1st Pick – Minnesota Timberwolves
2nd Pick – Golden State Warriors
3rd Pick – Charlotte Hornets
4th Pick – Chicago Bulls
5th Pick – Cleveland Cavaliers
6th Pick – Atlanta Hawks
7th Pick – Detroit Pistons
8th Pick – New York Knicks
9th Pick – Washington Wizards
10th Pick – Phoenix suns

Since the Timberwolves have the number one overall pick, and their best player Karl Anthony Towns is an All-Star center, it makes sense that the two guards LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards have the shortest odds over big man James Wiseman to be selected first.

In addition, Wiseman has outright stated his disinterest in playing for Minnesota, making the decision to put action on his longshot odds to go number one a bad idea.

There has been a lot of hype surrounding both guards heading into the draft and many speculate the Timberwolves will lean in on either one of them. Edwards has been touted for his athleticism, while Ball is being sought after for his playmaking ability.

The Timberwolves have given no direct indication as to which young guard they will draft. However, rumors of a bad interview with Ball managed to shorten Edwards's odds to go number one.

“Here is what I’m hearing from the league at large: LaMelo Ball is not performing very well at job interviews,” said Rick Bonnell of Sports Radio WFNZ in Charlotte. “I’ve heard that from multiple sources. He is not improving his perception via job interview. There are people drafting later in the top 10 who were not preparing for the possibility of Ball still being around.”

Although Ball has short odds to be the number one pick, he is a longshot for the number two overall pick as Wiseman has the shortest odds.

Back to who has the pick, the Golden State Warriors have Steph Curry and Klay Thompson in their backcourt, they do not need to draft a guard. What they do, however, need is size therefore it makes sense why Wiseman is favored so heavily.

What longshot bettors may profit from, however, is if the Warriors were to trade that pick before the draft, leading to someone other than Wiseman being taken.

There are rumors of a Warriors and Chicago Bulls trade which would send the number two pick to Chicago. Should this happen, then the longshot odds on either Ball or Edwards, or any other prospect may become a good bet.

The number three pick held by the Charlotte Hornets is also a major draw at legal sports betting sites, with long odds on all the prospects in the draft.

Charlotte initially had an interest in Wiseman, even attempting to move up in the draft to select him. Most executives do not expect Wiseman to fall out of the top two, however, giving a reason to why the two-star guards yet again have the shortest odds.

Essentially, sports bettors believe both Edwards or Ball will either go number one or fall to number three. Michael Jordan has even given his blessing to the Hornets to draft Ball at three should he still be available.

NBA bettors who are on the fence as to which direction to wager for this 2020 NBA Draft may want to hedge their bets by taking Ball for both going number one and number three.

With the -110 odds to go number one and the +175 odds to go third overall, should Ball go third sports bettors would make a profit. Should Ball go number one, then sports bettors would lose no money. This takes some of the pressure off of this betting line.

The NBA Draft is filled with winning opportunities for sports bettors. The top three picks have been rumored for months, with still a lack of certainty coming from teams. Long shot bettors may cash in big, and the odds lend themselves to hedging bets.

The NBA Draft kicks off Wednesday night at 7 p.m. EST on ESPN. Now is the best time to wager before the lines shift.