JAY-Z is confident the Oklahoma City Thunder will get the job done. The Brooklyn rapper placed a $1 million bet on the NBA team to win the 2025 championship against the Indiana Pacers, through Fanatics Sportsbook. The sports betting platform, launched by the Brooklyn rapper and Michael Rubin back in 2023, will pay out $3,300,000 to Hov if his prediction of OKC winning in 5 games comes true.
The “Run This Town” rapper made his wager ahead of the first matchup between the Thunder and the Pacers on Thursday night (June 5). Unfortunately for JAY-Z, the Thunder were defeated by one point on their home court.
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton scored the winning shot with 0.3 seconds left of gameplay.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket against Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers during the fourth quarter in Game One of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center on June 05, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
William Purnell/Getty Images
“I don’t know what you say about it, but I know that this group is a resilient group,” Haliburton detailed. “And we don’t give up until it’s 0.0 on the clock.”
Last year, JAY-Z celebrated Fanatics‘ first New Jersey sports betting location with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Ocean Casino Resort.
“Jay’s amazing. He’s the greatest business partner you could possibly ask for,” Rubin detailed. “Look, he’s really strategic, and both of us are big gamblers, so we came up with the idea together. But then he puts the work and the time in. He wanted to be here today for this opening. He’s over there playing blackjack, right now. He couldn’t wait to get to the table.”
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