NBA Bettor Mulls Cashout of Possible $1.7 Million Thunder Championship Parlay
Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images. Pictured: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
A bettor from Arizona has garnered significant interest over the last couple of weeks after it was revealed he had a ticket parlaying the World Series winner, Super Bowl winner and NBA Finals winner that could net $1.7 million.
Wayne Shelton, a single father who owns a real estate appraisal business in Phoenix, has a three-way parlay that just needs the Thunder to win the NBA championship in order to cash $1.7 million on a single $100 wager.
The bet was placed roughly a year ago: a parlay involving the Rangers to win the World Series at 22-1, the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl at 6-1 and the Thunder to win the NBA championship at 70-1. In total, the bet has odds of +1143000, but are boosted by 50%, increasing his total payout by more than $570,000.
Shelton has been sitting on pins and needles watching each Thunder game during the playoffs. Although, the Western Conference semifinals has not been going so well for Shelton and the Thunder through three games. The Thunder have lost two straight games and find themselves down 2-1 in the series.
If you had this $1.7M Thunder ticket, would you cash out for $57K?
(via @Ascended85) pic.twitter.com/A2dYeAbmZ1
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) May 12, 2024
Shelton can cash out for over $57,000 right now and was considering taking the money after watching the Thunder lose two straight games.
So what should he do? Action Network contributor Joe Dellera doesn't think hedging the bet is a good idea.
Even with OKC down 2-1 in this series it is a bad time to hedge. When you hedge with multiple series left to go you’re significantly cutting into your potential profits.
OKC is the one seed and even down 2-1 they are against a Mavericks team who clearly has a less than 100% Luka Doncic. Given that injury, it’s not unreasonable to consider Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the best player in the series.
Additionally, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault has not really deployed his top lineup combinations as he still continues to play Josh Giddey. There is room for this rotation to tighten up in both the short and long term.
You have to trust that you got the best of a number at this point and maybe consider hedging next round against Denver or Minnesota.
"I have lots of thinking to do today," Shelton said in the video Sunday alluding to a possible cashout. "Why did we have to lost two games in a row?"
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