The Toronto Raptors have been trending in the wrong direction for the last few seasons. Sportsbooks offering early Raptors odds to win the NBA Finals have them listed at +10000 (100-1). The team’s season win total is set at 37.5, slightly below the 41 wins they accrued last year when they lost to Chicago in the Play-In Tournament.
This season could prove pivotal for Toronto’s near future. General Manager Masai Ujiri will need to decide if there is still a core worth building around, or if it’s time to overhaul the roster for young talent and draft picks. Only Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Chris Boucher remain from the team’s championship run in 2019. If Ujiri does decide to push restart, expect those three players on the trading block before next February’s trade deadline.
Toronto Raptors Odds
View Toronto Raptors odds below. Click on the odds to bet.
Raptors NBA Title Odds
Toronto has very low NBA Finals odds. They entered the year as a dark horse whom many expected to win 50 games and have an outside shot at contention.
Instead, the play-in looks like their ceiling. Currently, they sit four games back of the sixth-seeded Nets. With most teams only having around 20 games left and two other teams (Miami and Atlanta) blocking their way, getting seeded straight into the playoffs is now impossible.
With regular season games remaining, the Raptors, Nets, Heat, Hawks and Bulls were still finalizing playoff seeds. likely battling those two and the Wizards for two spots. Either Brooklyn or Miami will lock up the six seed while the others will make the play-in round. Miami would almost assuredly be favored over Toronto, but other than that, these teams look quite beatable. The Hawks did just make a strong coaching hire with Quin Snyder, though, so how that shakes out may determine whether Toronto can claw back to the playoffs.
Raptors Roster
Additions: Gradey Dick (draft), Jalen McDaniels (signed), Dennis Schröder (signed)
Subtractions: Fred VanVleet (free agent), Will Barton (free agent)
Who Are The Best Players On The Raptors?
Pascal Siakam has emerged as the clear alpha on offense after it looked like Scottie Barnes might quickly ascend to that role after winning Rookie of the Year honors. Siakam has operated at a borderline All-NBA level this season, filling up the box score while seeing his efficiency understandably dip as he shoulders too much of the offense. Still a solid two-way player, Siakam would make for a very intriguing co-star on Toronto or elsewhere if the team opts to deal him for a bounty.
OG Anunoby and Fred VanVleet weren’t seen as too far behind Siakam, but both have had somewhat disappointing 2022-23 campaigns, much like Barnes. Each of those players has seen efficiency dip or flatline even as league-wide scoring takes off.
Long-term, Barnes still shows tremendous promise. What exactly he is as a player (undersized center? Lead ball-handler? Both?) remains an open question.
Raptors Props
Player props are an increasingly popular way to bet on sports. However, unlike major markets (game lines, totals), prop markets can change significantly from one sportsbook to another. Luckily for bettors, TheLines has a built-in prop tool that enables you to find the best prices on any players you’re looking to bet.
Just type a player’s name into the search bar, and the player prop lines will populate from all over the market.
Also, keep an eye on TheLines’ YouTube channel, where the Coast 2 Coast crew breaks down NBA player props multiple times per week.
Raptors’ Current Season
No doubt about it, Toronto’s 2022-23 campaign rates as a huge disappointment. Pegged for a bit shy of 50 wins on the heels of a surprising 48 the prior year, the Raptors fell on their faces on offense. Never a strong suit with this group, the half-court offense has been among the worst in the NBA. Pascal Siakam just isn’t a strong enough lead ball-handler to make it work despite his great season.
However, after sitting seven games below .500 at multiple points early in the season amid calls for a sell-off, the Raptors recovered in February. They potentially saved their season with a 7-2 stretch of basketball, although only one of those wins came against a certain playoff team (Memphis).
Now in the thick of the play-in race, the Raptors would make for an intriguing playoff spoiler in certain matchups given their unique style of play. A mid-season trade for Jakob Poeltl seems to be paying huge dividends in shoring up a long-time problem spot at center.
Raptors Transactions
Here’s a look at the major moves the Raptors have made this season and prior to the season.
- February: Traded Khem Birch, a first-round pick (2024) and two second-round picks (2023 and 2025) for Jakob Poeltl.
How To Bet On Toronto Raptors Odds
There are many ways to bet Toronto Raptors odds during the NBA season.
The most common are the three major markets: spread bets, moneyline bets and over/under bets. Let’s take a look at some examples from an upcoming game hosting the Chicago Bulls.
- Raptors -4: This is the point spread. Since the Raptors are favorites (denoted by the minus sign), they are giving 4 to the Bulls. That is, they must win the game by at least five to cover the spread, which would cash your Raptors ticket (a four-point win returns your money).
- Raptors -180: This is the moneyline. Again, the Raptors are favorites (minus sign), so the bettor must “lay” a price. That is, they must put up $180 for every $100 they wish to win on the Raptors.
- Over/Under 220.5: This is the betting total. Bettors taking the over must see at least 221 points scored in order to win their bets. Those on the under must see 220 or fewer.
Any of these bets can usually be combined with other bets in parlays. A same game parlay with multiple wagers from one Raptors game also gives the option of combining multiple bets in hopes of a bigger payout.
Smaller Markets, Other Raptors Betting Options
Getting past the basics, player props are probably the next most popular way to bet the NBA. Since few if any team sports are more individual player-driven than the NBA, player props for the association are a very popular option. Rather than simply betting the Raptors to beat the Bulls, one can bet that Pascal Siakam will score more than, say, 25.5 points. Or, they can bet that he will snag more than 6.5 rebounds. People love to bet props on their favorite players and in nationally televised games.
We’ve already discussed futures bets above. These allow a bettor to make a wager that the Raptors can accomplish some feat at a later date: win the Atlantic Division, the Eastern Conference, the NBA Finals, surpass a certain number of wins, etc.
NBA bettors can also try teasers. Usually, NBA teasers involve buying four points from the sportsbook – for example, turning Raptors -4 into Raptors pick (no handicap) against the Bulls – but in exchange, the bettor must parlay that adjusted price with at least one more adjusted price. Generally speaking, it isn’t advised to bet NBA teasers. “Key numbers” don’t exist they way they do for NFL games. Therefore, buying points is usually a losing proposition.
Finally, there’s live betting. Live betting has gained more and more steam in recent years, particularly in the NBA. Live betting the NBA is a great way to take advantage of things like lineup changes and random scoring runs. Teams very frequently make up large deficits in the modern, 3-point-centric NBA. That makes live betting teams that fall behind early an attractive option.
Pay attention to plus-minus data as well to help find an edge. For example, of the high-minutes Raptors players, Jakob Poeltl has the best net rating on the team by a huge margin (+19.2). He’s making a huge impact. If the team sends him to the bench for his regular rest, that may be a great time to bet the Bulls live. They’re liable to make up some ground in that situation.
Toronto Raptors Franchise History
The history of the Raptors is not a very lengthy one. They entered the NBA with the Grizzlies as expansion franchises in the 1995-96 season. Only the New Orleans Pelicans are younger.
Few NBA teams lost more than the Raptors over their first four seasons. Things turned in 1999-2000 as recent draft picks Vince Carter and (his cousin) Tracy McGrady emerged as budding stars. Especially Carter, who gained fame as one of the great dunkers in NBA history. Toronto made the playoffs, but McGrady then left at the earliest opportunity. Carter led the team to two more playoff appearances but no real success.
The team entered another down cycle, trading Carter in short order and making the playoffs just twice in the next 11 seasons (both first-round losses). It drafted star forward Chris Bosh, but without any measure of support, he too eventually left in free agency.
Dwane Casey signed on as coach in 2011 following an abysmal 60-loss season. Under Casey, the team slowly improved. By his fourth season (2013-14), the team won 48 games and returned to the playoffs. Scoring wing DeMar DeRozan (drafted ninth overall a few seasons prior) and trade acquisition PG Kyle Lowry formed the foundation of a team that won 52.6 games on average for the next five seasons.
However, playoff success proved elusive. The team did make the conference finals in 2015-16, but that began a three-season run of being dismissed easily by LeBron James and the Cavaliers. Toronto won just two games in that stretch, including getting swept back-to-back seasons. GM Masai Ujiri gave Casey his walking papers and brought in Nick Nurse to coach the team.
He also acquired disgruntled and injured Spurs star wing Kawhi Leonard, trading away DeRozan. The move proved to be a masterstroke. With the East opened up following James’ departure to LA, the Raptors made the finals behind Leonard’s strong play. There, they upset the favored but injury-depleted Golden State Warriors to win the title.
Leonard left after one season and the Raptors have experience varying successes and failures since as they muddle through a middle ground, neither rebuilding nor truly contending.
FAQs About Toronto Raptors Odds
Who is favored to win the 2023 NBA title?
Currently, the Boston Celtics () are narrowly favored over the Phoenix Suns () and Milwaukee Bucks (). This looks like one of the more wide open NBA finals races in recent seasons, continuing a theme from 2021-22.
What are the odds that the Raptors will win the NBA championship this year?
Toronto’s market price for winning the NBA championship is . As of late February, that equates to a 0.5% chance, without considering the vig, or sportsbook juice.
How likely are the Raptors to make the playoffs?
Toronto’s market price for reaching the playoffs is . As of late February that equates to an 40.8% chance of getting in. They should reach the play-in, and once there, the Raptors will have a solid shot against anyone, although they may find themselves decent underdogs to Miami if that matchup happens.
Are the Raptors out of the playoffs?
Currently, the Raptors are in the thick of the play-in hunt, so if they make it through that, they’ll have a chance to reach the main bracket of eight East teams.
Has a Raptors player ever won MVP?
No. Since the advent of the NBA MVP award in 1956, no Raptors player has won it.
Where do the Toronto Raptors play?
Toronto plays at Scotiabank Arena, located just the shore of Lake Ontario in downtown Toronto. It seats about 20,000 fans.
Who owns the Toronto Raptors?
Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, a collective ownership group that also runs the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs.
Who coaches the Toronto Raptors?
Nick Nurse. The team promoted him from the fired Dwane Casey’s staff.