The Los Angeles Lakers had one of the more unique seasons in recent memory in 2022-23. After starting the season 2-10, the Lakers overcame their poor start and finished with a winning record.
However, the expectations and goals set for the Lakers entering last season went beyond just finishing with a winning record. Led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers were hoping to compete for a championship.
After undergoing a complete roster overhaul before the trade deadline, the Lakers finished the regular season strong en route to an appearance in the Western Conference Finals. Unfortunately for the Lakers, they were defeated by the Denver Nuggets.
The Lakers made some additional moves this summer via free agency and the NBA Draft to ensure they’re better equipped this time around. Here are some of the best Lakers prop bets you can place for the 2023-24 NBA season.
Lakers Odds 2023
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Lakers Prop Bets 2023
NBA lines are current as of Wednesday, Aug. 23, at 5 p.m. ET. To see updated Lakers odds and lines, use the widget above.
Conference Seeding: Lakers Over 4.5 (-155)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 2 Units
The Lakers replaced Mo Bamba, Malik Beasley, Dennis Schröder, and Troy Brown Jr. with Jaxson Hayes, Cam Reddish, Gabe Vincent, and Taurean Prince. There is no denying they have an extremely talented and deep roster.
However, the availability of their superstars is what makes them a tough team to count on throughout an 82-game regular season. James missed 27 games due to a right foot injury while Davis missed 26 due to an injury to his right foot.
Los Angeles was a below-.500 basketball club in games James sat last season, posting a 13-14 record.
Not to mention, the Western Conference is stacked. The Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Clippers are just some of the teams who have a chance to vie for a top-four seed in the West in 2023-24.
Neither James nor Davis have played more than 56 games in a season dating back to 2019-20, making the Lakers to finish no higher than the No. 5 seed in the West my NBA bet of the day.
Lakers: Longest Regular-Season Winning Streak Under 6.5 (+115)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
As previously mentioned, the Lakers’ superstar tandem has had issues staying available. That’s not to say this team isn’t capable of rattling off seven straight wins even when one or both of them has to sit, but it is certainly more of a longshot.
The Lakers went 17-9 in the 26 games following the trade deadline and carried that momentum into the postseason to make an unexpected run to the Western Conference Finals. But even after the deadline, this team never had a winning streak longer than five games in 2022-23.
There will be no easy nights for the Lakers in 2023-24, and it will be difficult to rest their stars in a league filled with so many talented teams to the point that nearly every game between Western Conference foes will have playoff implications, as suggested by the latest NBA Western Conference odds.
Getting this bet at plus-money feels like a worthwhile investment to make.
Lakers: Exactly 45-48 Regular-Season Wins (+320)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Units
As it stands, the Lakers’ expected win total for the 2023-24 season is set at 48.5, with the Under being favored. While I expect the Lakers to be in the mix for a top-six seed in the West, I do not expect them to go Over their win total.
For the Lakers to win 49 or more games, they will need both James and Davis for at least 60-65 games. The moves they made this offseason will help make the supporting cast more formidable, but none of that matters if they are asked to fill roles they are not normally accustomed to.
At full strength, the Lakers can beat any team on any given night. However, it remains to be seen how often they will be at full strength throughout the year and how seriously the Lakers take the regular season.
Lakers Betting in California
Online sports betting is currently unavailable in the state of California. But, be sure to check out our US sports betting guide to find the best sportsbooks, capitalize on sign-up bonuses, and learn more about the types of bets you can make once it eventually comes to California.
How to Bet on Lakers Games 2023
How to Bet Lakers Moneylines
Betting on moneylines is typically the easiest wager to make, which makes it a great method to bet on the Lakers. To win a moneyline bet, all you have to do is correctly choose which team is going to win on a given night. If you pick correctly, the bet hits and you win.
While it is easy to get caught up with betting on favorites because they usually win games more often than not, it can be more profitable to bet on underdogs (if you pick your spots correctly).
The Lakers scratched and clawed their way to a 43-39 record last season. Their up-and-down play throughout the regular season made them a tough team to place moneyline wagers on.
If there was ever a good time to bet on the Lakers last season it was when they were at home, where they had a 23-18 record.
2022-23 Lakers Moneyline Record: 43-39
How to Bet Lakers Spreads
Spread betting is a good substitute option for those who want to avoid betting on moneylines. When betting on the spread of a game, you are betting on the outcome to remain within a certain margin of victory.
For example, the Lakers were 3.5-point favorites in their Game 4 playoff loss to the Nuggets in the Conference Finals. This means that to cover the spread, they had to win by at least four points.
The Lakers’ unpredictability on a nightly basis made it difficult to know when there was an opportunity to place a spread bet on them. You never knew which Lakers team was showing up, so betting on them as favorites proved to be tricky.
Considering they currently have the fourth-shortest odds to win the Western Conference in 2023-24, they’re going to be favored in a large portion of their games.
- 2022-23 Lakers Against the Spread Record: 40-41-1
How to Bet Lakers Over/Unders
Over/Under betting is a fun way to invest in a game without picking a winner or loser. Instead, you focus on the cumulative number of points scored by both teams in a game.
Let’s say the Lakers and Nuggets had an Over/Under of 225.5 in their Game 4 playoff matchup. If you bet the Over, you are betting on both the Lakers and Nuggets to combine for at least 226 points.
However, If you happened to place a wager on the Under, you put money on the total score of the game failing to reach 226 points.
The Lakers had a top-10 offense on a points-per-game basis in 2022-23 combined with a middling defense, which allowed the Over to cash more often than not.
- 2022-23 Lakers Over/Under Record: 43-38-1
