BetMGM Bettors Like Auburn's Jabari Smith as Top Pick in 2022 NBA Draft

With the NBA Finals in the rear view and the Stanley Cup Finals looking like an Avalanche landslide, the dog days of summer are certainly upon us this solstice day.

There is plenty still to bet on at Dimers in the sports world, starting with the 2022 2022 NBA Draft on Thursday, June 23.

According to BetMGM, Jabari Smith Jr., the 6-foot-10 forward from Auburn is the favorite to be top pick, now at -165 after opening at -110. Also moving up the ranks is super-lean 7-foot center Chet Holmgren from Gonzaga, now at +115 after opening at +145.

Jabari Smith's Synergy jump shooting profile:
C&S no dribble: 49.3 FG%
"unguarded" C&S: 65.2 FG% (!!)
Jumpers off the dribble: 40 FG% on heavy volume

Those numbers are insane, esp. for a 6'10 Fr... Generational shooting + size prospect

— Draft Dummies (@DraftDummies) June 14, 2022

The biggest fall has been that of Duke forward Paolo Banchero, who opened at +350 and is now +1500.

Smith is getting the highest ticket percentage at 27.1% to Holmgren’s 24.5% and expanding his lead over Holmgren on the handle with 53.3% to 35.3%.

“It doesn’t make sense to me, either. Why I’m 7 feet tall and I have this coordination that people haven’t really seen before.”@GregBishopSI on @ChetHolmgren, the NBA draft's most polarizing prospect: https://t.co/ODFW1x7Muf pic.twitter.com/D4CYzjqpjF

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 20, 2022

According to the latest mock NBA Draft released by Sports Illustrated, Smith is the favorite to go No. 1 overall to the Orlando Magic, but Holmgren only fourth to Sacramento. Banchero is SI’s pick for No. 2 to the Thunder and Purdue guard Jayden Ivey going to Houston at No. 3.

Wimbledon Tennis Futures

Solstice also means the Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon are right around the corner, and getting the majority of money on the men’s side is Novak Djokovic with 27% of the ticket and an astounding 63% of the handle as a -125 favorite after opening at +100.

Fresh off his French Open title, Rafael Nadal is up to +650 after opening at +1000, while the biggest movement according to BetMGM is fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who has jumped from+3300 to +800.

So excited! Can't wait! 🙆🏻‍♂️ On Monday we're heading to London to keep prepping for @Wimbledon! ✅👀 pic.twitter.com/4L2xkQ2XEv

— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) June 18, 2022

On the women’s side, French Open champion Iga Swiatek comes in a +150 favorite after opening at +1000. Ons Jabeur of Tunisia has had the biggest movement, going from +2800 to +1000 and French Open runner-up, Cori Gauff of the U.S. is also at +1000 after opening at +1400.

Swiatek is getting 35% of the ticket and 54% of the handle.

The Open Championship Golf Futures

After last weekend’s thrilling U.S. Open, all eyes in the golf world turn toward the British Open, and Scotland’s St. Andrew’s Golf Course July 14-17 for the 150th installment of The Open Championship.

According to BetMGM, Rory McIlroy is the favorite at +900, up from +1400 with the biggest movement coming from Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler, whose odds each went down by 2800. Zalatoris, who narrowly lost in the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open, is now at +2200 after opening at +5000 and Scheffler, the runaway winner at The Masters, is at +1200 after opening at +4000.

Tiger Woods however is getting the highest percentage of tickets at 9.7 at +4100 but just 8.1% of the handle. Scheffler is getting the highest handle at 20.9% with 7.9% of the ticket.