The Chicago Bulls are quickly trending in the wrong direction. After winning 46 games and advancing to the playoffs in 2021-22, Chicago finished 40-42 in 2022-23 and was eliminated from postseason contention after losing to the Miami Heat in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
The Bulls retained a large chunk of their roster this summer, including center Nikola Vučević, but they appearsto be heading toward a potential rebuild. If Chicago can’t put it together early in the season, it may end up being sellers ahead of the trade deadline.
Here are the best Chicago Bulls prop bets to make ahead of the 2023-24 NBA season.
Bulls Odds 2023
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Bulls Prop Bets 2023
NBA lines are current as of Wednesday, Sept. 6, at 5 p.m. ET. To see updated Bulls odds and lines, use the widget above.
Bulls: Under 37.5 Wins (-115)
Caesars Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
The Bulls feature two of the league’s most talented players — DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine — but the duo has yet to experience a ton of regular-season success. Their health isn’t to blame, either; DeRozan has missed just 14 games over the past two seasons, while LaVine has been absent for 20.
Chicago last hit its stride in the first half of the 2021-22 season, going 26-10 before losing 26 of 46 the rest of the way. That lines up with the beginning of Lonzo Ball‘s sustained injury issues, which are expected to hold him out for the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign as well.
The Bulls have yet to find another connector who can bring them together, and with DeRozan coming into the year on an expiring contract, the franchise appears to be running out of time. Chicago’s best bet may be to deal him ahead of the trade deadline and tank for the remainder of the season.
However this season ends up playing out, it seems unlikely that the Bulls will be able to eclipse 37.5 wins. Take the Under with your NBA bet of the day.
Bulls: Miss the Playoffs (-190)
Caesars Sportsbook • WAGER: 2 Units
Even with a healthy DeRozan and LaVine, the Bulls still failed to reach the playoffs in 2022. Chicago finished as the No. 10 seed and made it to the final round of the NBA Play-In Tournament, where it was eliminated after blowing a fourth-quarter lead to Miami.
The top half of the Eastern Conference has declined since the end of the 2022-23 season, which bodes well for the Bulls’ playoff chances. However, some of the lower-tier teams improved significantly, meaning Chicago is likely to be a play-in team once again should it keep its core intact beyond the trade deadline.
Regardless of how the season goes, I have my doubts about the Bulls qualifying for the postseason. Sportsbooks imply that they’re more likely than not to miss out, and I’m in agreement.
Bulls: Make Play-In Tournament (+115)
Caesars Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Units
Although I expect this season to be a disappointment for the Bulls, I’m not willing to write them off entirely. It’s also good to prepare for as many situations as possible, which is why I’m placing a smaller, half-unit wager on Chicago to at least make the play-in tournament.
Even if the Bulls overachieve this season, they’re not likely to finish higher than the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference standings, which is the high end of play-in qualifiers. On the other hand, if they finish with around 37 wins — as projected — they’d be close to the low end of qualifiers at the No. 10 seed.
At (+115), Chicago is one of the most likely play-in qualifiers in the Eastern Conference this season. This isn’t necessarily a great value, but it’s best to have all your bases covered.
Bulls Betting in Illinois
Sports betting is available in Illinois, which means Bulls fans are free to sign up and get started. If you’re unsure where or how to begin, consider reading our Illinois sports betting guide to find the best sportsbooks, welcome offers, promotions, and more.
How to Bet on Bulls Games 2023
How to Bet Bulls Moneylines
If you’re new to Bulls betting, I’d suggest starting with moneylines. In order to win this type of wager, you need to correctly choose the winner of a game.
A team’s moneyline odds will change depending on their opponent, health, and location. For example, the Bulls would be heavily favored for a home matchup with the Pistons and sizable underdogs on the road against the Celtics.
There’s a greater potential for profit if you pick a team to pull off an upset, but it’s important to keep in mind that favorites generally come out on top. Finding a good balance between backing favorites and underdogs is key to developing a winning strategy.
- 2022-23 Bulls Moneyline Record: 40-42
How to Bet Bulls Spreads
Spreads differ from moneylines in the sense that your pick doesn’t necessarily have to win the game for you to win your bet. Rather than picking a team to win or lose outright, spreads factor in a projected scoring margin that a team must “cover" for you to win your bet.
For example, if the Bulls are at home against the Pistons, Chicago would likely be expected to win. A sportsbook may list Chicago as an 8.5-point favorite. This means the Bulls would need to win the game by more than nine points in order to cover the spread.
The Bulls’ moneyline in that game might not be worth betting on due to a lack of value, but spread bets generally come in at (-110) odds, meaning you get close to a 1:1 payout on your investment.
- 2022-23 Bulls Against the Spread Record: 40-39-3
How to Bet Bulls Over/Unders
If it’s tough to predict when your team will win or lose, Over/Unders may be a better option. With these types of bets, you’re wagering on whether the total points scored in a game will be more (Over) or less (Under) than the projected amount.
The Over/Under between the Bulls and Pistons might be set somewhere around 217.5 points. In this case, the Over would hit if the total points scored by both teams exceeds 218 points, while the Under would hit otherwise.
The Bulls saw the Under hit much more frequently this past season, suggesting that they either failed to live up to expectations on offense or limited opponents to fewer points than projected.
- 2022-23 Bulls Over/Under Record: 37-45-0
