2025-26 NBA All-Star Weekend Betting Guide – Odds & Predictions for Dunk Contest and More

The 2025-26 NBA All-Star Weekend is almost here. The action gets started in Los Angeles at the Intuit Dome on February 13th, with the biggest events going down on Saturday and Sunday.

Even better than the events themselves? You can bet on NBA All-Star Weekend markets. That includes the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, the 3-Point Contest, and the NBA All-Star Game itself.

This is a fun but volatile event, so it’s understandable if you’re not entirely sure where to invest your cash. DraftKings has odds up for all of the main NBA All-Star markets, so let’s touch on each one and come away with some winning NBA All-Star Weekend predictions.

How to Bet on NBA All-Star Weekend

This is not normal NBA betting. However, there is still a huge edge, as the top basketball betting apps are never entirely sure how to price this stuff. To be frank, it’s kind of wild that they even offer all of these events when you realize how tough it is to set odds for them.

That said, you should consider the following before betting on NBA All-Star Weekend events:

• Player motivation
• Format changes
• Market misprices
• Player experience

Every year, something can change when it comes to the NBA All-Star events, while you always want to keep in mind just how motivated players are. For example, it’s been circling social media that the players do not take the actual NBA All-Star Game very seriously.

That could be interpreted as some players not giving a full effort (bet their Unders?), with Euro stars like Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic visibly goofing around in past years.

Players tend to be more motivated when it’s an individual contest, and all eyes are on them, though. The 3-Point Contest and the Dunk Contest specifically highlight specific player talent, and there is a certain amount of pride involved with winning both events.

With all of this in mind, your biggest edge is identifying where the top NBA sportsbooks missed the mark in terms of setting odds for this event. I’ll get into those as I break down each event.

NBA 3-Point Contest Betting Guide

This year’s 3-Point Contest should be fun, as it features sharpshooting rookie Kon Knueppel as the tentative favorite, plus a hobbled Damian Lillard as the top challenger.

Lillard is an interesting addition, as he’s yet to play a single regular-season minute due to rehabbing a torn Achilles. Is he a logical bet as the guy with the second-best odds? That’s a key decision bettors will have to make.

Before you bet on who will win the NBA 3-Point Contest, check out the latest odds.

NBA 3-Point Contest Odds for 2025-26

This is very interesting pricing, as a rookie has never won the NBA 3-Point Contest. Knueppel is as good of a shooter as you’ll find in the NBA right now, however, as he’s connecting on 43.1% of his deep shots so far and is in the running for NBA Rookie of the Year as well.

Still, the field is pretty competitive. Lillard may not be at full strength, but it doesn’t take much to shoot a basketball with little mobility being needed. Lillard’s speed from rack to rack may not be as good as everyone else’s, but being one of the best spot-up shooters in the game probably negates any downside.

Lillard knows how this contest plays out, too. He’s won twice before, winning consecutive 3-Point Contest titles in 2023 and 2024.

When betting on the NBA 3-Point Contest winner, consider shooting percentage, event history, and release. Players with a better set shot (as opposed to historically shooting more off the dribble) will have an edge, while a better shooting percentage in games should equate to a steadier shot without a defender on them.

All things considered, each player offers pretty appealing pricing. But who offers the most value, and who will win?

Best Value for 3-Point Contest: Bobby Portis (+1100)

You’re getting nice bang for your buck no matter who you back. But nobody offers more value or upside than Bobby Portis.

The Milwaukee Bucks sharpshooter is connecting at an absurd 45% clip from deep this year, and this is the exact type of player who can thrive in this contest. Why? Because most of the threes Portis attempts are spot up shots just like he’ll be taking in this contest.

Portis may have poor odds to actually win, but if I am betting on the 3-Point Contest, I’m definitely placing two bets; one on who I think will win and another on Portis due to his shooting style, conversion rate, and this sick price.

3-Point Contest Prediction

Damian Lillard is a fun wild card, but I don’t want to bet on an aging veteran coming off a shredded Achilles.

There is a case for the likes of Jamal Murray, Donovan Michell, Tyrese Maxey, and even Devin Booker. They’re all elite volume scorers, and they can hit from outside as well as anyone.

But nobody is more compelling than the rook. The history narrative is a fun one, and despite Kon being perhaps the most reliable outside shooter in this bunch, he’s still coming in at a palatable +350. I think we will get our first rookie winner this weekend.

Pick: Kon Knueppel (+350)

NBA Dunk Contest Betting Guide

The NBA Slam Dunk Contest isn’t what it once was. Michael Jordan and Vince Carter aren’t coming to rescue us, and even Mac McClung won’t save us from boredom.

That’s right, the three-time Dunk Contest champion has hung up his dunking shoes and won’t be on hand to defend his title. Instead, a new Dunk Contest winner will be crowned, and it’s up to bettors to predict who it will be.

This year’s Dunk Contest participants is admittedly not an exciting group on paper, but here’s the pricing for who will come away with the win.

2025-26 Dunk Contest Odds

This has to be the worst NBA Slam Dunk Contest field of all time. Carter Bryant is an exciting prospect with elite dunking ability, but he may be the only legit threat in this group.

Bryant definitely has the athleticism to deliver some show-stopping dunks, and his +180 price tag indicates the best NBA sportsbooks agree he’s the likely winner. Or that’s just how people have been betting, anyways. Perhaps both.

The problem is that his competition is remarkably weak. Jaxson Hayes is a 7-footer who will find it difficult to impress the judges and crowd due to his size and length. He definitely can dunk well, but historically, big men don’t often fare well in these competitions.

If Hayes is going to stage the upset, he may need to be extra creative and show us something we’ve never seen before. The odds are against that happening.

If you’re betting against Carter Bryant, my advice is to stretch your neck for more value. Keshad Johnson is an undrafted second-year player that has torn up the G-League with 21.8 points per game. He’s also dropped the hammer with some thunderous dunks more than a few times.

The other option is rookie first-round draft pick Jase Richardson, who has been riding the bench for the Orlando Magic. He doesn’t have a clear path to making an impact in the NBA, but his high-flying dunking ability is a known fact.

Richardson and everyone else in this competition will be looking to make a name for themselves by winning this year’s Slam Dunk Contest. But who is the right pick?

Best NBA Dunk Contest Value Bet: Jase Richardson (+350)

The son of legendary dunker and NBA star Jason Richardson, Jase has had success in dunk contests in the past.

Richardson isn’t close to leaving his mark in NBA games just yet, but he has the size, athleticism, explosiveness, and creativity to steal the show this week.

Dunk Contest Prediction

Despite the 2025-26 NBA Dunk Contest looking pretty underwhelming on paper, I think people will be pleasantly surprised by the actual athletic talent and dunking ability we’re about to see.

It’s admittedly more fun to see household names doing a dunk-off, but all of these guys can deliver some wild dunks. Hayes feels like the least likely winner, but this could seriously be a three-man race that is tough to parse.

The case is solid for any of the other three, but my favorite value bet is also my pick to win. Richardson has pedigree, ideal size, past success in dunk contests, and he also has everything to gain by winning this.

The guy with the most alluring Dunk Contest odds just might be the one who wins it.

Pick: Jase Richardson (+350)

2025-26 NBA All-Star Game Betting Guide

You can bet on some other small NBA All-Star Weekend markets, but I’ll focus on the Big 3, with the All-Star Game wrapping things up this Sunday.

This year’s game will have a tough time matching past renditions, as massive names like Giannis, Luka, and others are unlikely to suit up due to injury. Giannis and Doncic are both listed as starters, so they’ll be replaced in the starting five if they’re both unable to give it a go.

The format has changed this year, too.

Instead of a traditional NBA All-Star Game, there will be a three-team round robin. Two of the teams will consist of US-born players, while a third team (Team World) will consist of players outside of the United States.

The two teams who are the most successful will face off in the official NBA All-Star Game.

Right now, we don’t know what that final matchup will be, but there are NBA All-Star Game odds up at DraftKings for the initial three matchups.

NBA All-Star Game Odds for 2025-26

• USA Stars (+124) vs. Team World (-148)
• USA Stripes (+100) vs. Team World (-120)
• USA Stripes (-120) vs. USA Stars (+100)

As you can tell based on the pricing, Team World is viewed as the tentative favorite. That is a testament to the European star power collected in The Association. Even with the likes of Giannis and possibly Luka Doncic not available, powerhouse athletes like Wemby, Nikola Jokic, and SGA give this team the clear edge.

USA Stripes may have been the favorite if they had a healthy Steph Curry on hand. However, the aging veteran is battling an injury and won’t play in any of the All-Star games this year.

That squad is still backed by big names like Jalen Brunson, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant. Based on those names alone, this team could offer substantial value in any game they’re involved in.

USA Stars features massive stars such as Anthony Edwards, Cade Cunningham, and Tyrese Maxey, but is arguably the weakest overall team among the three.

NBA All-Star Game Predictions

• Team World (-148)
• Team World (-120)
• USA Stripes (-120)

We don’t know what the pricing will be in the “fourth quarter”, which will operate as the final 12-minute game. My prediction is that it will end up being a showdown between Team World and USA Stripes, and based on the rosters, Team World is a solid bet to come away with the win.

The issue, as noted before, could be how seriously players take this thing. If you don’t believe Jokic and others will try their hardest, Team World suddenly becomes a bit of a trap.

However, due to the format change, there’s a chance everyone in these games will actually try to win. If they do, the talent on Team World trumps the other two teams. I’d take USA Stripes over USA Stars, however.

Who Will Win the NBA All-Star Game MVP?

On top of the game(s), you can also bet on the NBA All-Star Game MVP. My guess is the winner would really be decided in the final quarter of this competition, and early odds indicate someone from Team World would make the most sense.

Take a look at the odds for this betting market:

NBA All-Star Game MVP Odds

Some of this will depend on who actually suits up for these games, but Wemby comes in as a +600 favorite, and he makes too much sense.

The knock on Wemby is that he gets hurt a lot and isn’t always available. But he’s going to play, and all eyes will be on him. With Team World being my pick to win this year, Wemby is the logical MVP pick and by all accounts, is also an insane value bet.

Pick: Victor Wembanyama (+600)

Betting on the 2025-26 NBA All-Star Weekend

The NBA All-Star Weekend is a chance for the players to break away from the grind and have some fun. You get a break from the torture that is trying to bet on a dying NBA product.

Don’t get me wrong, NBA betting is still something you can profit from. But with tanking, load management, random blowouts, and fatigue due to scheduling, it can be a betting space filled with landmines. You need to pick your spots and do so wisely.

That really doesn’t change when it comes to betting on the NBA All-Star Game, the 3-Point Contest, or the Dunk Contest. There are clear favorites, there are compelling values, and there are viable longshot bets. But the best bets still are largely staring us in the face.

I think I’d be comfortable making two bets per market. Knueppel and Portis stand out for the 3-Point Contest, while a nostalgic bet in favor of Lillard also is on the table.

For the Dunk Contest, the small field keeps my interest to just one bet, and everything points to Jase Richardson being the top pick.

The new game format messes things up a bit, so I’d just focus on the game that offers the most value and perceived safety. That’s Team World at -148) against the USA Stars. Once the odds drop for the final game, you can calibrate, but if you must bet again, I’d once again roll with Team World, regardless of what the pricing ends up being.

That does it for my 2025-26 NBA All-Star Weekend betting guide. Good luck!