Who will win 2023 NBA All-Star game, Saturday contests?

While it’s not the betting spectacle that the Super Bowl was last weekend, NBA All-Star Weekend is still full of contests and the eventual Sunday showcase that are (mostly) worth betting.

Some of the featured contests on Saturday night aren’t listed by most books, but here’s our leans on what we’d bet if your local book is dealing odds for this weekend’s NBA All-Star festivities:

Rank Betting Site Bonus States Claim

1

INQUIRERFULLFirst bet on Caesars up to $1,250 + 1000 Tier Credits + 1000 Reward Credits®

• NY, NJ, WV, IA, CO, IN, MI, VA, TN, PA, AZ, LA, IL Only.
• New users only, 21 or older. Full T&Cs apply.

Get Bonus

2

INQUIRERMGM$1,000 Risk-Free Bet

• AZ, NJ, IN, CO, DC, IA, MI, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY only.
• New customers only. Must be 21+. Welcome offer not available in NY. Full T&C apply.

Get Bonus

3

$1,000No Sweat First Bet

• AZ, CT, IA, IL, LA, MI, NJ, NY, PA, TN, WV, WY Only.
• New users only, 21 or older. Full T&Cs apply.

Get Bonus

4

$5002nd chance bet with code SPORTS

• AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, MI, NY, PA, VA only.
• 21+. New customers only. T&C apply

Get Bonus

OK, I’ll be the first to admit: betting on a game without knowing who’s playing on either side feels a little misguided on the surface. It probably is. But there are a few reasons that Team LeBron is worth backing even before these rosters are drafted in the moments before Sunday’s tip-off.

For one, the Lakers superstar has already proven himself to be a prolific general manager on the All-Star stage. Team LeBron has won five straight contests since the All-Star Game dropped the East vs. West format in 2018, and he’ll almost certainly fill his roster with his Western Conference compadres.

That’s also a good sign: most of the scoring talent in the league is concentrated in the West, which had won three straight All-Star games by a combined 38 points before the 2018 format change. And, crucially, Team LeBron will (obviously) feature James himself, who has been a pivotal figure of All-Star Weekend for the better part of two decades.

Team Giannis, ironically, might be without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who injured his wrist in Thursday’s final game before the All-Star break. Add it all up, and it’s easy to see why Team LeBron is favored even before the rosters are set – and why that side might be worth a bet here, too.

Pick: Team LeBron -3

» READ MORE: These are the best NBA sports betting sites

Without knowing which side any of these players will be on – remember that the MVP almost always comes from the winning time – this market is a lot tougher to handicap. But if you can’t wait until the rosters are decided, there are a few early values worth noting.

Obviously, James should be high on your betting sheet knowing he’ll be the captain of the favored side, though oddsmakers have clearly priced that into him being the outright favorite (+550). I’ve also got my eyes on Damian Lillard (+750), who was a star at nearby Weber State and might benefit from the “homecoming” energy in Utah that fueled Stephen Curry to MVP honors in his return to native Ohio last year.

If we’re really leaning into the homecoming vibes, though? You’ve got to consider Donovan Mitchell (14/1) and Lauri Markkanen (29/1), both of whom will be All-Star starters on Sunday. My money is on Mitchell to put on a show in front of his former fan faithful, but I’ll also be sprinkling a few bucks on the only Jazz representative in his first All-Star appearance.

Pick: Donovan Mitchell (14/1)

» READ MORE: How the NBA futures market is looking after the trade deadline as the league heads to its All-Star break

I won’t spend too much time on this one, as this contest isn’t offered at most books and is pretty much a crapshoot, anyway. I would have loved to grab the Antetokounmpo brothers at long odds, but with Giannis’ status uncertain, I’m leaning toward Team Jazz to delight the local crowd with arguably the most skilled roster in the competition.

This contest is widely available at most books, but prices may vary depending on where you bet. Damian Lillard is the favorite at most shops with a +470 price at FanDuel; tempting as it may be, though, this is a contest fit for long shots, and Lillard has already failed twice on this stage.

I’ve got my eyes on Heat sharpshooter Tyler Herro (8/1), who is as short as +550 at some shops but is generally a value bet wherever you look. The fourth-year guard is making his All-Star weekend debut and seemed determined to win this contest in the days leading up to it, which is enough for me to plunk down a few bucks at a juicy price.

This contest was dealing earlier in the week but isn’t widely available entering the weekend, so you may be limited in your offerings. If you can bet it, though, I’d be targeting Pelicans forward Trey Murphy as the “long shot” of this four-man field.

While Mac McClung has drawn most bettors’ attention leading up to the event, Murphy is clearly the most established player of the four in action and has the size (6-8) and athleticism to put on a real show on Saturday night. And, really, this contest is virtually impossible to predict in its current form, with props and charades overshadowing the dunks themselves. Give me the long odds on a player built to win it.

» READ MORE: Full sports betting coverage from The Philadelphia Inquirer

The Inquirer is not an online gambling operator, or a gambling site. We provide this information about sports betting for entertainment purposes only.