Vegas sportsbook sets bar high for Sixers in 2018-19

There's plenty of optimism heading into the 2018-19 Sixers season, and not just from fans who endured the dark years.

Vegas is on board, too.

Westgate, the largest sportsbook in Sin City, has opened the Sixers' win total for the 2018-19 season at 54.5. This is tied with Toronto for second-most in the Eastern Conference behind Boston's 57.5.  Out West, Golden State opened at 62.5 with Houston at 54.5.

The Sixers opened at 42.5 last summer. Brett Brown's crew went 52-30, which paid off for bettors who had the over. Westgate's odds are -$110 each way. Bettors must bet in increments of $110 to win $100 regardless if they play over or under. Minimum bet is $2, and teams must play 82 games for there to be action.

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The sportsbooks in Atlantic City should be posting their win total props soon. NBA title and conference odds have been out since June.

Caesars Entertainment, which runs the sportsbooks at Harrah's and Bally's in Atlantic City, last week had the Sixers at 13-5 to win the Eastern Conference and 12-1 to win the NBA title. Boston (2-3) and Toronto (3-1) had lower odds to win the East and Golden State (1-2) was a heavy favorite to again win the title.

The Borgata had the Sixers at 8-1 to win the title while William Hill-US, which operates the 'book at Ocean Resort, had Philadelphia at 18-1 to win it all.

The last time the Sixers won 50 games before last season was in 2000-01 when they were 56-26 and made it to the NBA Finals. In the three seasons from 2013-16, the Sixers won a total of 47 games — including a 10-72 nightmare in 2015-16.

via Westgate SuperBook/Las Vegas