AJ Dybantsa is heavily favored to be the No. 1 overall selection in a deep, talented 2026 NBA draft class, showing -550, according to DraftKings odds. Who bettors and bookmakers foresee going after that, though, is a bit more up in the air.
BetMGM and DraftKings both report the BYU star as their top attractor of bets and handle in the market, though given his very short odds, he’s not likely to pose a serious liability for the books. Instead, BetMGM says Darius Acuff Jr. — coming in at a very long 180-1 or 250-1, depending on the book — is its largest caution, with Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer also taking some wagers.
Speaking of, Peterson and Boozer are the favorites to be the No. 2 overall pick at -225 and +270, respectively, per DraftKings lines. Both BetMGM and DraftKings report the largest amount of handle backing Peterson to go at the pick, but there’s a large contingent of betting slips backing Boozer there, making him something of a liability. Boozer has also attracted significant action to be the No. 3 overall pick, where he’s the favorite at -250.
DraftKings sportsbook director Johnny Avello told ESPN that one of the most popular plays among bettors has been the exact order of the top three picks, with the most popular in early betting being the long-shot combination of Dybantsa, Boozer and Caleb Wilson. Wilson is the odds-on favorite to go with the No. 4 pick at -750.
The odds really start to open up at the No. 5 pick, where Keaton Wagler is now the favorite at +145 followed by Mikel Brown Jr. (+240), followed by Acuff at +450. Brown is the favorite to be the No. 6 overall selection with +175 odds, with Acuff +240 and Wagler +350 next.
While BetMGM reports most of its customers backing Brown for the fifth pick, making him the largest liability, DraftKings says its most money is behind Wagler and its most tickets are backing Acuff.
Avello feels that while the odds may say otherwise to some extent, he believes the draft really starts at the No. 2 pick, with a bevy of good options for the Utah Jazz at that slot. He also says that while the NBA draft will do a fair amount of handle, it should not “be confused with the NFL draft” by either betting interest or overall spectacle.
“This will be nothing like an NFL draft, not even close,” said Avello “None of the drafts are. It doesn’t matter what they are.”
