The San Antonio Spurs did more than finish with the NBA’s strongest record. They also gave anyone who consistently backed them a better financial result than every other team, according to a new Sports Illustrated study examining regular-season betting returns.
The study found that a bettor placing $100 on San Antonio to win each game would have ended the season with $2,352.84 in profit. That equaled a 28.69% return on investment, easily the highest mark among the 30 NBA teams included in the research.
Spurs Turned 62 Wins Into the NBA’s Best Betting Return
San Antonio compiled a 62-20 record, pairing league-leading success on the court with the best result for bettors. Its final profit exceeded the second-place Denver Nuggets by $875, while its ROI stood more than 10 percentage points above Denver’s.
That combination separates the Spurs from the type of unexpected team that produces value by repeatedly beating modest expectations. San Antonio won at an elite rate, yet its available odds still allowed a flat bettor to finish comfortably ahead after following the team across the entire schedule.
The Nuggets ranked second despite finishing eight games behind San Antonio at 54-28. Backing Denver throughout the regular season produced $1,477.84 in profit and an 18.02% ROI under the same wagering model.
Detroit followed in third place. The Pistons went 60-22, two victories shy of the Spurs, but their betting return reached $1,273.05 with a 15.53% ROI. Those results show why wins alone did not establish the order. The prices attached to each game ultimately determined how much money each team generated.
Detroit’s placement also highlighted the difference between win totals and betting returns. Its 60 victories surpassed Denver and Boston, yet its lower profit pushed it behind the Nuggets. The study measured the value created by repeated wagering rather than simply reproducing the NBA standings.
Celtics and Lakers Joined the Spurs Among the Top Five
Boston and Los Angeles completed a top five filled with successful, highly visible teams. The Celtics’ 56-26 campaign would have produced $1,110.58 in profit, translating to a 13.54% ROI.
The Lakers ranked fifth after going 53-29. A bettor using the $100 approach for every Los Angeles game would have earned $978.56, representing an 11.93% return.
The full top 10 also demonstrated how quickly betting value declined beyond the leading group. San Antonio cleared $2,300, while every team outside the top five remained below $900, creating a substantial divide between the Spurs and other profitable teams.
Charlotte delivered the sixth-best performance for bettors, earning $884.70 in profit from a 44-38 record. Phoenix finished seventh at $540.99, followed by Atlanta at $306.04 and Toronto at $182.44. Philadelphia claimed the final position in the top 10 with $140.81 in profit and a 1.72% ROI.
Sports Illustrated based the rankings on historical odds and applied an identical $100 stake to every regular-season game. The study then totaled each team’s returns and calculated ROI, allowing teams with different records and betting prices to be compared through one consistent system.
The final rankings offer a clear answer about which NBA team rewarded season-long backing most effectively. Denver, Detroit, Boston, and Los Angeles all generated meaningful profits, but none approached San Antonio. The Spurs’ 62 victories powered the league’s strongest season and, under the study’s model, its biggest payday.
Spurs Emerge as NBA’s Biggest Moneymaker in New Study