The Boston Celtics are favorites to win the Eastern Conference championship during the 2025-26 NBA season.
Get the current NBA odds for the Eastern Conference championship in 2026:
Odds to Win 2026 Eastern Conference Championship
Who Will Win the East in 2026?
According to the updated NBA betting lines, the Boston Celtics are the favorites to win the Eastern Conference finals in 2026. As of this writing, their +170 odds suggest an implied probability of 37.04%.
This East market continues to feature so much movement. Boston became the favorite following Jayson Tatum’s recent return from an Achilles injury.
Prior to that, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons traded time atop this board on multiple occasions after Cleveland acquired James Harden at the deadline. The Cavs passed the Pistons following the move, only for Detroit to jump ahead of Cleveland after the All-Star break.
Record-wise, Detroit has stood alone atop the Eastern Conference for much of the year. The Pistons, who were eliminated in the first round last postseason, are seeking their first series playoff win since 2008. Their last trip to the NBA Finals was in 2005.
There have been four different favorites since this market was released last summer. The Cavaliers opened with the best odds after being the No. 1 seed in the conference last year.
The New York Knicks passed Cleveland as the East front-runner in December, a stretch that culminated in an NBA Cup championship. The Celtics were also briefly trading as co-favorites with the Pistons in January.
All signs point toward a wide-open Eastern Conference this summer.
Past Eastern Conference Winners
| Year | Team | Preseason Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Pacers | +2500 |
| 2024 | Celtics | +175 |
| 2023 | Heat | +800 |
| 2022 | Celtics | +2000 |
| 2021 | Bucks | +220 |
| 2020 | Heat | +2200 |
| 2019 | Raptors | +375 |
| 2018 | Cavaliers | -165 |
| 2017 | Cavaliers | -208 |
| 2016 | Cavaliers | -230 |
| 2015 | Cavaliers | -115 |
| 2014 | Heat | -120 |
| 2013 | Heat | -137 |
| 2012 | Heat | -110 |
| 2011 | Heat | -143 |
| 2010 | Celtics | +200 |
| 2009 | Magic | +1000 |
NBA Playoffs Odds
When the stakes increase on the court, they can increase at the online sportsbook with NBA playoff odds. From the play-in tournament through the NBA Finals, BetMGM is the premier destination for NBA betting.
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