NBA Eastern Conference Winner Predictions & Odds: The East Is Wide Open

• The Cleveland Cavaliers are the favorite to win the Eastern Conference!

• The New York Knicks are the top contenders entering the 2025-26 NBA season.

• Last year’s Eastern Conference Winner was the Indiana Pacers.

Going into the 2025-26 NBA season, the Eastern Conference looks as open as ever, with injuries and improvements making the competition look unpredictable! Despite falling short in the NBA Finals, the Indiana Pacers took home the Eastern Conference crown, though at the expense of star man Tyrese Haliburton. Last year’s disappointments will try to step up next season, like the Cavaliers, Knicks, and Magic, while heavyweights like the Celtics, Sixers, and Bucks look like their time in the spotlight has passed.

As the race unfolds, the team at WSN will keep you covered with the latest NBA sportsbook promos and welcome offers to elevate your betting experience!

2026 NBA Eastern Conference Odds

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NBA Eastern Conference Winner Predictions

The Eastern Conference is home to some of the NBA’s most intriguing upcoming talents, and their development has generated some of the most competitive teams in the league. While there’s been a significant quality difference between the top and bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff table, every side boasts the talent and experience to compete for the Eastern Conference title. When the regular season comes to a close, the NBA Playoffs

The Eastern Conference is up for grabs in the 2025-26 NBA season. While the offseason is young, injuries, not acquisitions, highlight the East. Stars like Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and Tyrese Haliburton will miss significant time next season, opening up opportunities for their rivals in the East. The favorites to win the conference are the Cleveland Cavaliers, who led the East in the regular season behind their torrid offense. The New York Knicks will also make another run at the conference crown, with a new head coach leading them. On the outside looking in are the Orlando Magic, a young squad led by Paolo Banchero that looks prepared to take the next step next season. The East looks like it’ll be more exciting than ever for the 2025-26 NBA season!

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NBA Eastern Conference Winner My Pick

Cleveland Cavaliers (+270) at FanDuel

The team that will win the Eastern Conference is likely the one that can stay healthy through the regular season and playoffs. We’re taking the Cleveland Cavaliers to take the East in 2026, building off their 64-18 run in 2024-25. They dominated the East last year, posting a 41-11 record until their elimination in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

With one of the league’s most unstoppable groups in Mitchell, Garland, and Mobley, the Cavaliers are the team to beat in the Eastern Conference next season. Kenny Atkinson was brilliant in his first season with the Cavaliers, winning Coach of the Year, and with his offensive tactics, they’ll be one of the league’s top-scoring teams again.

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How to Bet on the NBA Eastern Conference Winner

To bet on the NBA Eastern Conference Winner, select the team you believe will stand out in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Consider both the favorites and the dark horses, and take into account their postseason potential, regular-season form, and the likelihood of helping their team reach—and possibly win—the Eastern Conference Finals. It's also smart to factor in which Eastern Conference team has the best shot at an NBA title and who their leading performers might be.

Sharp bettors track team performance closely throughout the regular season and playoffs, paying attention to early-round stats and how teams have historically matched up against upcoming opponents. Since odds for Eastern Conference Winner shifts after every game, staying on top of player momentum, team form and betting value is key. The winner of the Eastern Conference crown is sensibly one of the top contenders for the NBA Championship through the regular season–so keep an eye out as the regular season and playoffs develop to make the most of your betting opportunities!

How to Read NBA Eastern Winner Odds

The market for NBA Eastern Conference Winner is simple to read. Sports bettors need to consider the presented odds, their value, and a team’s chance of reaching the East Finals and winning the award.

Positive odds denote the amount you’d win with a $100 wager. For example, if The Toronto Raptors are a +550 to win the NBA Eastern Conference, you’d win $550 with a $100 bet. The team is less likely to win with higher positive odds, but the payout is much more profitable.

Negative odds tend to indicate the favorite to win a certain bet and act as the inverse of positive odds in the case of a $100 wager. Should the New York Knicks be a -105 to win the NBA Eastern Conference, you’d need to wager $105 to win $100. The lower the negative odds, the heavier the team is the favorite to win the award. Favorites are not always apparent when a betting market opens, so watch how it develops throughout the competition.

Through the NBA Playoffs, the odds for the NBA Eastern Conference winner can shift with a single performance, so stay locked in with each game!

Where to Bet on the NBA Eastern Conference Winner

Many sportsbooks offer the opportunity to bet on the NBA Eastern Conference winner; you just need to choose the perfect one for you!

Caesars Sportsbook remains a top option for sports bettors on the go, featuring an easy-to-use mobile app for your NBA Eastern Conference winner betting needs. Caesars boasts an excellent live betting platform that allows you to make wagers as a game develops! When signing up at Caesars for the first time, use promo code WSNDYW to claim their welcome offer - Bet $1, Get 10 100% Profit Boost Tokens.

FanDuel Sportsbook is still the best all-around sportsbook and an excellent place for sports bettors to place their wager on the NBA Eastern Conference winner. Boasting some of the industry’s best and most frequent ongoing promos, there’s always a way for you to get the most out of your betting experience. Right now FanDuel offers the following deal: Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins.

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NBA Eastern Conference Champion History

The NBA Eastern Conference Champion title is held by some of the league’s most historic teams. Adopted in 1970-71, the title of Eastern Conference Champion has been given to a more diverse range of teams than in the West. The Eastern Conference has its group of dynasties, headlined by the Boston Celtics, led by the likes of Larry Bird, John Havlicek, and Bill Russell, through various decades of success. However, others have claimed the East for multiple seasons, including the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2010s.

The East is characterized by gritty, city-style basketball, and its play has endeared itself to fans due to its hard-working nature. The Boston Celtics lead the East in conference titles won, but the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Detroit Pistons have all had their time in the spotlight. The league began introducing a conference trophy in 2000-1, which was later named the Bob Cousy Trophy, after the Boston Celtics Hall of Famer, in 2021-22.