The Miami Heat are coming off a historic season that saw them go to the NBA Finals as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. They joined rare company along the 1998-99 New York Knicks as the second eighth-seeded team to reach the finals in the history of the NBA.
Now, the Heat enter the 2023-24 season looking to win it all. They have been to the Eastern Conference Finals in three of the past four seasons, reaching the NBA Finals twice during that span without a title to show for it.
Jimmy Butler, also known as “Playoff Jimmy,” has proven he can put this team on his shoulders when they need a win in the playoffs. His two-way dominance enabled him to perform heroically last postseason and develop his reputation as a superstar.
However, there is no guarantee that the roster the Heat have now will be the same one they have in April. If one thing is certain, the trio of Butler, perennial NBA Defensive Player candidate Bam Adebayo, and head coach Erik Spoelstra aren’t going anywhere.
Heat Odds 2024
See the latest Heat prop bets with our interactive widget below.
Heat Prop Bets 2024
NBA lines are current as of Monday, Aug. 28, at noon ET. To see updated Heat odds and lines, use the widget above.
Heat: Damian Lillard Next Team (-250)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 2 Units
After cementing himself as arguably the greatest player in franchise history, superstar point guard Damian Lillard has requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers — specifically, to move on and join the Miami Heat.
Lillard’s outspoken desire to end up with the Heat has reportedly deterred other teams from putting their hats in the ring and making an offer, while Miami is rumored to have offered a package of three first-round picks, guard Tyler Herro, a young player, and potentially more.
The Heat have the interest of Lillard, the sense of urgency to make a trade happen at any moment, and seem to be bidding against themselves. It all sets up for Lillard to be traded to Miami sooner rather than later, making this my NBA bet of the day.
Southeast Division Straight Forecast: 1st ATL/2nd MIA (+340)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
The Heat aren’t the only team that has been linked to a star player in trade rumors.
The Hawks are prepared to make a splash in their first full season under head coach Quin Snyder and have reportedly offered forwards De’Andre Hunter, AJ Griffin, and additional draft capital to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Pascal Siakam.
Even without Siakam, the Hawks still have one of the more talented rosters in the Eastern Conference thanks to the dynamic backcourt pairing of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.
Six of the players on the roster were a part of the Hawks team that went to the Conference Finals in 2020-21, a sign of their capability of hanging with the best teams in the East.
Butler hasn’t played more than 65 games since 2016-17, making a habit of ensuring he gets the maintenance days he needs if/when he’s injured to preserve his body for a deep playoff run. Lillard has had his own trouble with injuries, playing 29 and 58 games, respectively, over the last two seasons.
The Hawks are certainly capable of winning this division, and per the NBA Southeast Division odds, none of the Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic, and/or Charlotte Hornets have much of a shot at finishing in a top-two spot in the Southeast as things stand.
Erik Spoelstra: Wins NBA Coach of the Year (+850)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Units
Despite posting a winning record in 13 of his 15 seasons and winning two NBA titles as a head coach, Spoelstra has never won an NBA Coach of the Year Award. Through 1195 career games, he has posted an incredible 704-491 record.
Spoelstra’s ability to make in-game adjustments and scheme up defensive tactics is what stands out most about his excellent coaching. He is a big part of the famous “Heat culture” Miami has been able to implement within the organization.
There isn’t a head coach in the league who can make a greater impact on the outcome of a game than Spoelstra, and the NBA Coach of the Year odds will reflect that in 2023-24.
Heat Betting in Florida
Fans are unable to bet on the Heat in the state of Florida. However, there is optimism that sports betting could be making its way to the state soon. Be sure to check out our Florida sports betting guide to find the best sportsbooks, sign-up bonuses, promotions, and more.
How to Bet on Heat Games 2024
How to Bet Heat Moneylines
Wagering on moneylines can be an easy way to get into sports betting for those looking to start. To win a moneyline bet, all you need to do is correctly predict the winner of a game, and your ticket will cash.
Moneyline bets reflect a team’s odds of winning a game outright on a given night. For example, the Heat had (+260) odds to defeat the Denver Nuggets in their Game 4 loss of the NBA Finals.
As 8.5-point favorites on their home court, the Nuggets were highly favored to win the game outright, which made the Heat moneyline odds as long as they were.
The Heat got off to a slow start last season, going 18-18 in their first 36 games before ultimately finishing 44-38. Spoelstra’s track record of winning consistently has made the Heat a profitable moneyline team throughout the years.
- 2022-23 Heat Moneyline Record: 44-38
How to Bet Heat Spreads
Betting on spreads is a way to diversify your sports betting portfolio after starting with moneyline wagers. When betting spreads, you are betting on the result of a given game to finish within a specific range of outcomes.
For example, the Heat were 8.5-point underdogs in their 94-89 Game 5 finals loss to the Nuggets, meaning they covered the spread. The spread of a matchup can vary based on the matchup, injuries, recent trends, etc.
The Heat did a great job of recovering last year and salvaging their season before it was too late. However, the slow start and inability to remain focused throughout the course of the regular season made it tough to bet on their spreads.
- 2022-23 Heat Against the Spread Record: 30-49-3
How to Bet Heat Over/Unders
Over/Unders can be a bettor’s best friend when they don’t want to try and pick the winner of a game. To win an Over/Under bet, all you need to do is correctly predict whether a game will exceed a certain amount of total points between two teams on a given night.
For reference, the implied total for Game 5 of last year’s NBA Finals was 210. The final score was 94-89, meaning the combined total was 183, well short of reaching the Over.
When you have a good defense and/or bad offense (or happen to be going up against a team that has either), it can influence the implied total of a game. For example, the Heat were a top-10 defense last season in terms of defensive rating, making the Over/Unders in their games lower than most.
The Heat’s below-average offense combined with their hard-nosed defense made them a difficult team to rely on for Over bettors last season.
- 2022-23 Heat Over/Under Record: 41-41
