The Chicago Bulls have been stuck in mediocrity for the past three seasons. As they bring back an almost identical roster to last season, the Bulls odds to win the NBA Finals are listed at 125-1. Projections have Billy Donovan’s squad finishing the season with a losing record and a win total set at 36.5.
If Chicago plans to go over that number, it’ll have to rely on a ton of improvement from young players like Colby White and Patrick Williams. The Bulls selected White with the seventh pick in 2019 and Williams with the fourth the following year. Both have underperformed relative to their high draft selections, leading to an overall lack of success for the team.
Don’t be surprised to see Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan a part of trade rumors this season. Especially if the Bulls find themselves below .500 around Christmas.
Bulls Odds
View Chicago Bulls odds below. Click to bet now.
Bulls NBA Title Odds
As previously mentioned, Chicago’s NBA finals odds () are on the much higher end of the board. That’s certainly a product of its odds to reach the playoffs. But in order to make some noise down the stretch, it starts at the offensive enough — surprisingly enough.
Billy Donovan’s bunch showcases a below-average offense, and its 3-point shooting inefficiency is an instrumental reason as to why. DeMar DeRozan has taken a step back in that regard despite his gaudy scoring production. More on that later.
If bettors hone in on teams near the Bulls in the standings, like the Wizards, Raptors, and even the Hawks, they all boast a more proficient offense across the board. With a super star, such as Trae Young, it shouldn’t be that much of a surprise. Of course, the East Conference’s upper-echelon teams, i.e. the Celtics and 76ers, fit the mold as well.
Surprisingly, the Bucks aren’t a part of that mix. But their elite defense, led by two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, makes up for it. Even at enticing odds, Chicago fending off one of a handful of these teams is difficult to fathom.
Bulls Roster
- Additions: Jevon Carter (signed), Torrey Craig (signed), Adama Sanogo (undrafted Rookie)
- Subtractions: Patrick Beverley (free agent), Derrick Jones Jr. (free agent), Javonte Green (free agent)
Who Are The Bulls’ Best Players?
Chicago boasts a pair of top-20 scorers in the aforementioned DeRozan and LaVine. The former is a six-time NBA All-Star, including stints with the Raptors and Spurs before joining the Bulls. In July 2018, DeRozan was dealt from Toronto to San Antonio, and Kawhi Leonard was apart of the package sent back. Nick Nurse’s team went on to win the championship that next season, in which Leonard was named Finals MVP for the second time in his career.
LaVine, a two-time All-Star selection, was traded to Chicago in the Jimmy Butler deal with Minnesota. Lauri Markannen and Kris Dunn were also included in the package, but neither of them are on the Bulls’ current roster, per the list above. Despite his scoring prowess, LaVine has dealt with knee injuries throughout his nine-career.
Bulls Props
If you’re interested in more Chicago Bulls odds, or any NBA odds for that matter, TheLines has the perfect betting tool for you. It allows you to easily nab the most valuable player props across the best online sportsbooks. If you’re aware of this betting market, it allows you to bet on the “over” or “under” on statistical categories for an individual player — or an entire team (i.e. total points scored).
For instance, let’s say LaVine has an unfavorable matchup against the Bucks, and he’s also dealing with sore knee. You then read that Donovan mentioned his minutes could limited as well. Although the latter nugget may be baked into his scoring props, you may still see value in taking the under in this betting market.
For reference, LaVine’s point prop is usually set around O/U 25.5, but an injury would obviously impact that number.
Below, you can search any player’s name, and the best available odds for his prop markets will subsequently appear.
Bulls Current Season
As many NBA bettors already know, the Bulls have endured a rocky season after finding their way into the postseason in 2021-22. They began the campaign at 3-2, including victories over the Celtics, Heat, and Pacers. They were underdogs against Boston (+5.5) and Miami (+7.5), too.
Nevertheless, Chicago went 3-8 against the spread immediately after, and it’s struggled to find its footing ever since. The Cavaliers’ improvement, especially with the addition of Donovan Mitchell, hasn’t aided their chances, either. It also doesn’t help that Lonzo Ball (knee) has yet to suited up for the team in over a year.
Ball was initially thought to have an innocuous bone bruise in his left knee in January 2022. But it turned out he had a torn meniscus, in which he was expected to miss six-to-eight weeks. That timeline clearly didn’t come to fruition, though.
Before suffering his injury, Ball was shooting 42.3% from distance. He’s also a skilled defender, which gives the Bulls two upper-echelon pieces at that end of the court (in theory) with Ball and Alex Caruso.
Moreover, Chicago native Ayo Dosunmu has taken over for Ball in his absence. He’s provided a steady hand in his second season at the professional level, yet his 3-point shooting efficiency has regressed.
Bulls Transactions
In addition to signing LaVine to his aforementioned extension in July (five years for $215 million), Chicago inked veteran big man Andre Drummond to a two-year deal as well. He’s logging roughly 13 minutes per game behind Nikola Vucevic, and he’s more of a presence on the glass at this point in his 14-year career.
The Bulls took Arizona product Dalen Terry with the No. 14 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Terry hasn’t contributed much at the next level just yet, playing in the G League throughout this season. Still, his 6-foot-7, 195-pound frame, as potential 3-and-D specialist down the road, is intriguing.
Carlik Jones has been up and down with the active roster as well, averaging roughly one minute per game with the Bulls.
How To Bet On The Bulls
Moneyline Betting
Wagering the moneyline in sports centers around picking a team to win a game outright. Bettors also wager on the moneyline when they bet on an individual athlete, like a golfer to win a major tournament.
This term differs from spread betting, which uses a handicap to theoretically “level out” the Chicago Bulls odds for both teams. All the bettor’s selection must do is win, and the moneyline bet pays out.
Although a moneyline bet remains the most straight-forward wager, you may still pay more “vig” or “juice” in the process. For example, if the Bulls are 7.5-point favorites against the Pistons, they’re going to be very heavy favorites to win the game outright. If they’re -305 if this market, you’d need to bet $305 to win $100.
Spread Betting
Betting the point spread is arguably the biggest element of sports betting. It’s when when you hone in on on how many points a team will win or lose by. Point spread betting is especially prevalent for football and basketball games.
Let’s say the Chicago Bulls odds display that they are six-point home underdogs to the Warriors. They’d need to lose by five or less points — or win the game straight up — in order for you to win your wager. You can approach this market via live betting, too. If the Bulls were to face a double-digit deficit early on, you could get a better ATS number — assuming you believe that they’d hang around in the game.
Total Betting
Betting totals, also known as over unders, are one of the more popular wagering options at online sportsbooks. The over/under in sports is simple, as you wager on how many combined points you think will be scored in a game. A betting total is exactly what it sounds like — the sum of something in a sporting event — most often points scored.
Prop Betting
We’ve already hit on this market. Just to rehash, when information comes out about a particular player’s usage or injury status, bettors may have the upper hand over the ‘books. However, be on the lookout for how quickly oddsmakers adjust props.
Prop betting seeks to proposition the bettor with a question — one that may or may not have direct bearing on the final score. For example:
- Will Nikola Vucevic go over/under rebounds?
- Will Ayo Dosunmu go over/under assists?
Bulls’ Franchise History
Chicago is well-known for the Michael Jordan era, as the best player in NBA history (sorry, LeBron James stans) led the Bulls to six championships in the 1990s. Ever since Derrick Rose tore his ACL in the 2012 postseason, though, Chicago’s title window has been bleak.
FAQ About Bulls Odds
Which team is favored to win the 2023 NBA Championship?
The Boston Celtics, which currently place the top spot in the Eastern Conference, are the favorite at . Led by NBA MVP contender Jayson Tatum () and Jaylon Brown, the Celtics have taken another step under first-year coach Joe Mazzulla.
What are the odds that the Bulls are going to win the NBA championship this year?
Chicago’s title hopes are very slim at . That’s good for a 0.20% implied probability.
How likely are the Bulls to make the playoffs?
The Chicago Bulls odds to make the postseason , which correlates to a 29.4% probability of reaching the playoffs.
Are the Bulls out of the playoffs?
The Chicago Bulls odds for the playoffs prove that there’s still work to do to find their way in, sitting behind the Wizards, Raptors, Hawks, and Heat for seeds No. 7-10.
The postseason setup showcases four teams that match up to take the final two spots in the traditional playoffs. Once the teams have wrapped up the play-in tournament, the usual postseason format tips off. The higher-seeded teams in each round will receive home-court advantage on the road to the NBA finals.