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NBA Trading Blows: this week’s betting market movers and shakers from Cloudbet
The theme-park surrounds of the NBA bubble are a most appropriate venue for what has certainly been a roller-coaster ride of a postseason. The conference semifinals have so far seen one of the title favourites – Milwaukee – bundled out unceremoniously, while the Los Angeles teams – the Clippers and the Lakers – are close to moving through.
Yes, there has been no shortage of drama in the NBA bubble, even without the crowd support and the home-court advantages conferred to higher-seeded teams. Arguably, the games have been more dramatic precisely for those reasons. The first round of the playoffs was highlighted by buzzer beaters, phenomenal individual scoring and a temporary halt to protest yet another police shooting in America.
Lebron James, the game’s best-known player, has rediscovered his imperious form, while the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo may have to console himself with the MVP award (for which he’s heavily favored to win), now that he’s been relegated to the sidelines.
With the Eastern and Western Conference finals beckoning, it’s appropriate for us at Cloudbet to take stock of the big market moves over the past week.
Miami heats up
Title odds: 4.88/+388 (from 8/+700 on 4 September)
The Heat are the hot team at the moment after sweeping Indiana in the first round and rolling over the Bucks in five games. Miami cornerstone Jimmy Butler is playing close to his All-Star best, backed by strong performances Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic, among others.
This is a line-up that outgunned Indiana and Milwaukee by an average margin of 8 points per match, and includes Duncan Robinson, who is fifth in the league for made 3-pointers this season. They’re now heading to their first Eastern Conference finals since 2014, but Butler is focused on bigger things:
Making the conference finals “means a lot, but that’s not my goal,” the All-Star swingman told reporters after closing out the Bucks series. “We want to win it. We want a championship and I think that’s what we’re focused on.”
Butler, who is currently in the deepest playoff run of his eight-year career, indicated that the Heat haven’t played their best basketball yet: “I don’t think we’ve played a full 48-minute game yet and that’s what’s promising. If we do lock in from start to finish and play the way that we’re capable and the way that we’re supposed to, the game will be a lot easier. But it’s yet to happen and we’ve got to have it happen in the next round.”
An ominous signal for their next opponent, the winner of the Toronto-Boston semifinal.
We the West
Los Angeles Clippers title odds: 2.76/+176 (from 3.14/214)
Los Angeles Lakers title odds:2.96/+196 (from 3.54/254)
While not a massive improvement in their lines, it’s worth just talking about the two LAs because of their star-studded line-ups, and because they’re inching closer to facing each other in the Western Conference finals. Both units are leading all current playoff teams in points per game and field-goal percentage.
The Clippers were efficient in dispatching Dallas in the first round, even through injury and Covid-related personnel issues, and now hold a commanding 3-1 series lead over Denver. Kawhi Leonard is the joint second-highest scorer of all players left in the playoffs (with the Lakers’ Anthony Davis), and the Clippers have averaged more points than any other unit in the postseason.
They’ve been boosted by the return of guard Patrick Beverley from a calf injury, and some solid scoring efforts from their other superstar Paul George. Markets favor the Clippers to end the Nuggets series in Game 5 (1.25/-405).
Meanwhile, after early bubble yips, the Lakers have rediscovered their offense in the playoffs, averaging 114 points per game. That’s a big improvement over the 106 they had in their eight regular season contests in the bubble.
GOAT contender Lebron James has lifted his game, as he has done frequently in his career: He’s currently the playoffs’ assists leader, with 9 dimes per game, and the league’s fourth-highest scorer this month. The Lakers have been boosted by Rajon Rondo, who has taken some of the playmaking burden off James’ shoulders.
The Lakers are 3-1 up against a Houston Rockets team that can also score by the truckload, but are coming off a seven-game series against Oklahoma City. Rocket guard Russell Westbrook has shown some flashes of brilliance, but has been struggling with form and a thigh injury.
The Lakers’ latest victory over the Rockets is James’ 163rd playoff win – the most by any player in NBA history.
“It doesn’t happen without the supporting cast,” James said of his playoff record, after winning Game 3 against Houston. The same is certainly true of winning a championship this year, and based on their recent form, the Lakers are looking good on that front.
We the… North?
Boston title odds: 8.03/+703 (from 7.09/+609)
Toronto title odds: 9.95/+895 (from 13/+1200)
The Celtics replace Milwaukee as favorites to take the Eastern Conference title after sweeping Philadelphia in the first round and winning the first two games over the Toronto Raptors. Since then, Boston’s line has drifted as they dropped three of the last four games to a Raptor unit that continues to defy expectations.
Jayson Tatum has been a stud for the Celtics in the playoffs, leading his team with 27 points per game, with support from Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown. The Raps, however, found a way to contain Walker in Game 6, a double-overtime thriller destined for the pantheon of classic NBA match-ups.
Defending champions Toronto, meanwhile, refuse to go quietly into the night, thanks to gutsy performances from guards Kyle Lowry and Fred Van Vleet. This is a team that had the second-most regular season wins in the league this year, even without Kawhi Leonard, who left for the Clippers after last year’s title run.
The Raps have now leveled the series with the much more talented and fancied Celtics – and are looking to go one step further.
“Winning is all that matters right now,” a determined Lowry said after scoring 33 points in Game 6. “Just go and win, it don’t matter how you get it done, don’t matter who gets to do it.”
Truer words rarely spoken.
Results and odds are current as of 8am UTC on Friday 11 September.
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Insurgence Gaming Company Introduces La Imperia, a Community-First All-Female VALORANT Tournament
La Imperia, a new all-female esports IP by The Insurgence Gaming Company, will make its competitive debut this month with an online VALORANT invitational tournament running from December 19 to 21, 2025. Designed as a visibility-first platform for women competitors, the event brings together four invited Indian teams for a three-day broadcast competition.
La Imperia marks the inaugural tournament by the Insurgence Gaming Company, a newly founded esports company led by Jasper Shabin, who previously served as a poject manager at Skyesports. Positioning itself as a community-first tournament operator, the Insurgence Gaming Company aims to refocus attention on grassroots competition and long-term ecosystem building at a time when entry-level and women-led esports pathways remain limited.
The tournament will be played in VALORANT and feature a round-robin group stage followed by single-elimination playoffs, culminating in a BO5 Grand Final. All matches across the three days will be broadcast live on YouTube, along with additional watch-parties.
The four invited teams competing at La Imperia include Huntrix, Sin Sisters, Plushie Gang and MyKil. All teams feature all-female rosters, aligning with La Imperia’s positioning as a dedicated women’s esports IP.
Broadcast production for the event will be handled by Momentum Gaming, serving as the official Broadcast Partner. The on-air talent lineup includes Star Tania, Nekroz, Odawg, and Hikari Jane, who will guide viewers through the tournament across all three days.
Beyond competition, La Imperia is also placing emphasis on player well-being. Sattva by Pallavi joins the tournament as the Mental Health Partner, integrating conversations around mental health and holistic wellness into the event’s broadcast and content output. The partnership reflects a growing recognition of sustainability and mental resilience within competitive gaming environments.
Speaking on the launch, Jasper Shabin, Founder of The Insurgence Gaming Company, said: “La Imperia is built to be a visibility platform first. There is no shortage of talent in the women’s VALORANT scene, but there are very few consistent stages where that talent can be seen, supported, and taken seriously. With the Insurgence Gaming Company, we want to return focus to grassroots competition and create formats that players can grow with, not just compete in once.”
The tournament carries an INR 15,000 prize pool, with the primary focus placed on competitive exposure, broadcast quality, and long-term ecosystem value rather than one-off incentives.
With its inaugural edition, La Imperia sets the foundation for a new women-led esports property in India—one that combines structured competition, professional broadcast standards, and a community-first philosophy.
The post Insurgence Gaming Company Introduces La Imperia, a Community-First All-Female VALORANT Tournament appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
FairPlay’s betting technology and AI-powered predictive content drive deeper fan engagement and deliver media opportunities and revenue
FOX Sports Digital and FairPlay Sports Media, the fan-focused and AI-powered global sports media network, have announced a strategic betting tech, affiliate and sports media agreement.
Under the multi-year agreement, FairPlay will serve as the exclusive sports betting affiliate technology provider of FOX Sports Digital, deploying its market-leading odds components, advanced AI-powered predictive data and analytics, and cutting-edge technology solutions on FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports mobile application.
The new relationship powers the newly released FOX Sports Betting Hub which integrates FairPlay’s innovative sports betting-related content enhanced with bespoke, value-added experiences derived from FairPlay’s deep relationships with global sportsbook operators.
“FOX Sports is one of the largest sports rights holders in the world, with incredible access to live games and global events,” said Stuart Simms, Group CEO of FairPlay Sports Media. “FairPlay is excited to work with the FOX Sports Digital team, and we’re honored to serve their millions of users with more engaging, insightful sports media experiences that have proven to drive loyalty, engagement and deliver on brand differentiation.”
FairPlay’s advanced AI technology and robust odds components are already delivering real-time, data-driven insights to help FOX Sports fans and bettors, while monetization frameworks being deployed create revenue opportunities for operators, sportsbooks and digital media buyers.
The agreement enhances and elevates fan engagement by bringing FairPlay’s betting information technology and AI-powered tools to FOX Sports’ digital platforms. FairPlay’s approach enables FOX Sports digital users and fans to access personalized, data-driven betting analytics that deepen their connection and engagement with sports content. As the sports media and betting landscapes continue to evolve, the FOX Sports and FairPlay agreement delivers pioneering, scalable digital experiences for fans and operators alike.
The post FairPlay Sports Media and FOX Sports Digital Launch New Betting Hub appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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Betfred Launches Checkd Dev’s Automated Betting System to Strengthen Football Betting Offering
Checkd Dev, part of the award-winning Checkd Group and a leading iGaming technology provider, has signed a multi-year agreement to supply its Automated Betting System (ABS) to UK bookmaker Betfred, introducing new levels of efficiency and engagement to pre-match football accumulator betting.
Through the partnership, Betfred has launched a suite of pre-configured, one-click accumulator bets, powered by Checkd Dev’s ABS technology and seamlessly integrated with Betfred’s proprietary pricing.
The solution enhances the customer betting journey while equipping Betfred’s trading team with a robust backend platform to streamline bet creation, management, and settlement. Customers benefit from football bets that are dynamically assigned probabilities based on historic form, providing greater insight and confidence in their selections.
The launch of ABS reinforces Betfred’s reputation as an industry innovator, offering customers smarter, faster, and more engaging betting experiences.
Checkd Dev has refined its ABS user interface through deployments with multiple tier-one operators. Betfred has further strengthened the proposition by integrating its competitive Acca Flex bonus offer, available from launch. Customers can access additional bonuses if their bet wins, while also benefiting from a money-back guarantee if a single leg loses.
Since its introduction two years ago, Checkd Dev’s ABS has evolved from a statistics-driven tool to increase operator conversion rates into a comprehensive system designed to meet the growing demand for automated, pre-configured betting products, powered by the company’s proprietary BRUNO platform.
This agreement extends Checkd Dev’s recent growth trajectory, following high-profile partnerships with William Hill on a fully automated, stats-powered Bet Builder, and a three-year deal with OpenBet to launch a new Trending BetBuilder to market.
Andrew Grimshaw, Commercial Director at Checkd Dev, commented: “We are delighted to be working with fellow Mancunians Betfred on our Trending Bets product. More and more major bookmakers are recognising the tangible value of our automated betting solutions, and it is especially gratifying to collaborate with a local partner on this launch.”
Mark Hartley, Head of Product at Betfred, added: “Since moving onto our propriety platform, we’ve been able to bring new ideas to market much faster. This partnership with Checkd Dev is a great example, helping us solve a simple problem for football fans: researching and building an accumulator can sometimes feel like hard work!
“With one-click, data-driven selections we’ve made the process quicker and easier, while still giving customers the choice and depth they want. Accas are already one of our most compelling propositions, thanks to our popular promotion Acca Flex, and this launch makes them even more engaging. We’re also looking forward to exploring further opportunities to work with Checkd Dev in the future.”
The post Betfred Launches Checkd Dev’s Automated Betting System to Strengthen Football Betting Offering appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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