Music mogul Jay-Z may have gone from rags to riches and back to rags again.
The world-renowned artist placed one of the biggest bets of the year Thursday, wagering $1 million at the platform he is invested in, Fanatics Sportsbook, on the Thunder to defeat the Pacers in the NBA Finals in five games (4-1).
The $1 million wager would profit $2.3 million if it were to happen, although the likelihood of that occurring now is bleak after Oklahoma City blew a double-digit lead and lost Game 1, 111-110.
Jay-Z invested $350 million of his own money into Fanatics in 2021.
The Thunder now have to win four straight games to win the NBA Finals in five games, something that Fanatics is still giving rather generous +310 odds to happen.
Such an outcome — losing Game 1 then winning the next four — has happened only three times since 1990 and only twice when the home team dropped the first contest.
The 1991 Bulls accomplished the feat against the Magic Johnson-led Lakers, while Kobe Bryant and the Lakers did so against Allen Iverson and the 76ers in 2001.
Both champions lost Game 1 at home before rebounding.
The feat hasn’t happened since the 2012 Miami Heat defeated the Thunder, and has only happened six times in NBA history since 1953.
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This is all to say, Jay-Z has 99 problems and the Oklahoma City Thunder could certainly be one.
Oklahoma City is currently a massive Game 2 favorite, opening as a massive 11-point favorite.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Erich Richter is a brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt but he has a black belt in MMA betting. During the football season he’s showcased massive profits at The Post in the player prop market the last two seasons. While constantly betting long shots, his return on investment is 30.15 percent since 2022.
