With a reported net worth of $2.5bn, it’s hard to know whether or not superstar rapper and business mogul Jay-Z is nervous about the $1m bet he placed on the Oklahoma City Thunder winning the NBA Finals in five games:
He stands to win $3.3m if they manage this feat against the Indiana Pacers. The only issue is that the Thunder lost Game 1 on their home court on Thursday night following a Tyrese Haliburton winner in the final second of the action:
That was the only time during the game that the Pacers were ahead on the scoreboard, having been down 15 points at one stage in the fourth quarter. It continued a remarkable run of comeback victories during the playoff run, marking its fifth such comeback from a 15+ point deficit.
Thunder will need to win each of the next four games to make the Jay-Z wager successful
The Thunder will need to win each of the next four games to make the Jay-Z wager successful. He already has a keen interest in gambling, hosting an annual charity blackjack night in Atlantic City with a $100,000 buy-in and is part of a bid to secure a license to open a casino in New York City’s Times Square. The 55-year-old is also a major equity holder in Fanatics, having invested about $350m into the company in 2021.
