Betting for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award has been flipped on its head following Thursday’s news that Oklahoma City Thunder star Chet Holmgren is out for the season with a Lisfranc injury in his right foot.
It’s devastating news for the 20-year-old, and also for his bettors. Holmgren had been among the top two favorites to win the award since being selected second overall in the July draft. His +380 odds at Tipico Sportsbook on Wednesday were second-shortest behind Orlando top pick Paolo Banchero’s +300.
However, once reports of potential ligament damage in his foot came out, those odds plummeted to +650 by Thursday morning.
Thunder injury update. Statement from GM Sam Presti.
🔗 | https://t.co/Jiq9l6EY3W pic.twitter.com/SsGCFueT2q
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) August 25, 2022
Bets on Holmgren to win the award at Tipico will void, as his rookie eligibility will roll over to next season.
Now, Banchero at +240 has a firm hold on the top odds by a lot. Early bettors of his got those odds a lot longer. The next shortest odds belong to Sacramento’s Keegan Murray +500, followed by Detroit’s Jaden Ivey +600 and Houston’s Jabari Smith at +650.