Bettors capitalize on Nets’ approach to Mikal Bridges resting،
The Nets' approach of resting Mikal Bridges while maintaining his winning streak turned into an advantage for savvy bettors on Wednesday and caused sportsbooks to abruptly stop betting on the Brooklyn star.
Sportsbooks removed betting options on Bridges' stats, including points, rebounds and assists, about 90 minutes after the Nets announced three starters would be rested Wednesday against the Bucks.
Bridges, who holds the NBA's longest consecutive game streak, and Cam Thomas were the only regular starters not listed in the injury report released at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Bridges' plus/minus points (21.5), rebounds (4.5) and assists (3.5) were in line with expectations that he would play a complete game. Oddsmakers, however, recalled a similar scenario during a Bucks-Nets game last March in which Brooklyn rested several starters and only played Bridges the first quarter, at least in part to keep its streak going. intact.
Bettors thought Bridges would be just as limited against the Bucks on Wednesday and rushed to sportsbooks to bet under on his stats — and they were right: Bridges only played the first quarter, finishing with six points, three points and an assist.
“I saw the Nets were resting everyone, and I knew Bridges had the Iron Man streak of consecutive starts, and we had seen that in the past with the Nets,” said 29-year-old punter Danny Komendera and happy. producer from Illinois, told ESPN. “I just thought it was an opportunity. I decided to tweet it, because I think it's a benefit, but I obviously didn't realize at the time how great it could have been important.”
Noah Zwit, a 24-year-old avid sports bettor from Illinois, said he learned of the potential advantage around 2:15 p.m. ET and had enough time to arrange multiple bets in the same game featuring Bridges' unders on points, assists, 3-pointers and rebounds with ESPN BET. He shared a screenshot of a $1,000 parlay that would have paid nearly $61,000 but lost to a bounce from Bridges.
Zwit said he won $22,000 in his other parlay involving Bridges.
“He was the only starter listed as active,” Zwit told ESPN. “We were hoping he would only play a minute or two. [I] I had no luck with this bounce. »
A PointsBet (Fanatics) spokesperson said Bridges's odds only increased briefly and the book took little action on them. At Draftkings, however, the odds were high enough to make Bridges the second-most bet on the NBA's six-game slate Wednesday, behind only Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris.
Bridges' points over/under at BetMGM opened at 21.5 and drew lopsided action on the under. A BetMGM spokesperson told ESPN that 83% of Bridges' points bets were undershot. FanDuel also reported that the majority of Bridges' point action took place underneath. At DraftKings, 91% of the money bet on Bridges' rebounds was under.
Nets coach Jacque Vaughn cited his team's recent schedule to explain the decision to rest players and also mentioned Bridges' streak, which has extended to 423 consecutive games.
“Let's be frank and honest; he's got a streak going and he doesn't want to end it,” Vaughn said. “So it’s understandable, but at the same time I treat each guy individually.”
When informed of Vaughn's comments about his postgame streak, Bridges told the New York Post: “I guess that's their reason. But I'm healthy, so I [don’t] see why I wouldn't play.
“I guess everyone can talk about that streak,” Bridges told the Post. “But I'm not going there just for the streak. I'm going there to play the game and because I want to go there and win. I'm not going there just to sub, get the streak and whatever. . I just want to play.”
