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The Portland Trail Blazers may not be favored to win the 2018 NBA Championship, but their odds are significantly better now than just a month ago, according to Bovada, an online sports wagering site. The oddsmakers routinely send the lines to sports media; most incidences are unremarkable. But this round of odds reflects a dramatic turn of fortune for the Blazers, as shown in the table below:
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On March 1st, one month ago, the Blazers were listed at 350/1 to win the title. They’re now at 40/1. Granted, credible participants have narrowed and odds depend on public perception of betting lines, but that still represents a jump from the 17th position among 20 potential teams to the 7th, plus the greatest increase in actual odds on the chart.
The Blazers also jumped from near the bottom in odds to win the Western Conference to the fourth favorite, behind the Warriors, Rockets, and Thunder:
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There’s a huge difference between the teams at the top of the standings and Portland’s position, but the leap in just one calendar month has been impressive.