The end of the 2022-23 season left a sour taste for the Milwaukee Bucks and their fanbase when they were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round by the No. 8 seed Miami Heat.
Former head coach Mike Budenholzer was fired this offseason as a result of the team’s shortcomings and replaced with first-time head coach Adrian Griffin. Despite the coaching change, the team is still expected to contend for an NBA title.
Many of the core players from the Bucks’ 2020-21 championship roster remain on this team, and they still have one of the best players in the world in Giannis Antetokounmpo.
With that said, let’s take a deeper dive into the best Bucks prop bets for the 2023-24 NBA season.
Bucks Odds 2023
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Bucks Prop Bets 2023
NBA lines are current as of Monday, Aug. 28, at noon ET. To see updated Bucks odds and lines, use the widget above.
Conference Seeding: Bucks Under 2.5 (-110)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 2 Units
The Bucks finished last season as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. It was smooth sailing for them up until the playoffs, going 58-24 in the regular season, which was good for the best record in the NBA.
Losing was not something the Bucks made a habit of doing last season. They were 32-9 at home and a league-best 26-15 on the road. Unfortunately, they ran into a Miami team that was clicking at the right time, while Antetokounmpo was forced to miss part of the series due to injury.
We cannot discredit the campaign the Bucks had last season and allow recency bias to cloud our judgment. They had a disappointing finish to a remarkable season and it would be wise to bet on that being more of an outlier than the norm.
Given the continuity within the organization and the uncertainty surrounding last year’s conference rivals, they should have no issue finishing as a top-two seed in the East. They have ended the regular season first in the Eastern Conference in three of the past five seasons, making this my NBA bet of the day.
Bucks: Win Eastern Conference (+330)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Milwaukee’s track record of sustained success cannot be overlooked. The Bucks won an NBA title just a few years ago and still have the nucleus of that team currently on the roster.
They also benefit from playing in a conference with plenty of question marks surrounding several rival teams, though that doesn’t mean the NBA Eastern Conference odds still aren’t stacked.
The Boston Celtics are preparing for their first season in the post-Marcus Smart era. The Philadelphia 76ers are dealing with the ongoing fiasco surrounding James Harden. The Heat are at a standstill with the Portland Trail Blazers in trade talks involving Damian Lillard.
Antetokounmpo has shown the world that he can put a team on his back and lead them to an NBA Finals, and the 2023-24 season provides him with a great opportunity to do it again.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: NBA MVP (+550)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Units
Antetokounmpo has won two of the last five NBA Most Valuable Player Awards and finished no lower than fourth place in the other three years. Barring injury, he is virtually a lock to at least be in contention.
Antetokounmpo is coming off a season in which he averaged 31.1 points per game while recording a true shooting percentage of 60.5% to go along with 11.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists.
He put up these monster video-game-like numbers last season while also being one of the best defenders in the NBA (as he is yearly), finishing sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Known as “The Greek Freak,” Antetokounmpo’s ability to control a game on both sides of the floor on any given night while playing for a team that should win plenty of games puts him in a good spot to maintain his status near the top of the NBA MVP odds board.
Bucks Betting in Wisconsin
Sports betting in Wisconsin is limited at the moment. If you are a hometown fan and want to bet on the Bucks, you may not be offered the same bets that can be made in other states. Be sure to check out our US sports betting guide for more on how to bet legally in Wisconsin.
How to Bet on Bucks Games 2023
How to Bet Bucks Moneylines
The Bucks’ ability to consistently win games has made them a rewarding team to bet on. Those who wager on the moneyline are betting on them to win their respective game on a given night. While the Bucks do their fair share of winning, these moneyline odds come at a cost.
Due to the team’s winning ways and Antetokounmpo’s tendency to affect the outcome of a game by himself, the Bucks are usually highly favored in their games. While being more highly favored is beneficial for a team’s chances of winning, it means having to place larger wagers to make the reward worth the risk.
Even with a first-time head coach, this team figures to be favored in plenty of games and should have no issues winning a majority of them.
- 2022-23 Bucks Moneyline Record: 58-24
How to Bet Bucks Spreads
Betting on a team to cover the spread is a fun alternative to moneyline wagers. When placing a wager on the spread of a game, you are betting on a team to win by a certain amount of points on a given night.
For example, the Bucks were 13-point favorites in their Game 5 first-round playoff loss to the Heat. They lost the game outright, failing to cover the spread (or hit the moneyline, either).
Despite being favored in games throughout the course of the 2022-23 season, the Bucks were clobbering teams and finding ways to cover the spread. They had the second-highest point differential last season and figure to rank near the top of that list yet again in 2023-24.
- 2022-23 Bucks Against the Spread Record: 43-33-6
How to Bet Bucks Over/Unders
For those who were not comfortable with betting on the Bucks as big favorites, the Over/Under was a great option to explore. The Over/Under of a game is based on the combined score of a game between two teams on a given night.
The Over/Under in the Bucks’ Game 5 first-round playoff loss to the Heat was 219, meaning the game had to exceed 219 total points for anyone who bet the Over to cash their bet. The final score was 128-126, which meant the Over hit with ease.
The Bucks’ powerhouse offense made it tempting to bet the Over in their games, but their group of defensive-minded players such as Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Brook Lopez made that a risky proposition.
- 2022-23 Bucks Over/Under Record: 42-40
