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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.
Belatra
Belatra unveils Lucila M. Barletta as new Head of Accounts LatAm

Belatra Games, the specialist online slots developer, has unveiled Lucila M. Barletta as its new Head of Accounts LatAm as the company accelerates its expansion across the region.
Lucila M. Barletta, Head of Accounts LatAm at Belatra, said: “Latin America is one of Belatra’s key growth engines for the long term. My goal is to help Latin America reach its full potential within the global gaming landscape. This region has incredible energy and growth opportunities, and I see my role as ensuring we’re not only present, but also adding real value and building long-term, meaningful partnerships.”
Latin America is a cornerstone of Belatra’s global growth strategy, with the company investing in regional talent, dedicated account management, and tailored game content designed specifically for local audiences.
Barletta brings valuable experience that combines her people-focused skills with business development, having worked on creating strategic alliances, integrating games into diverse markets, and gaining deep insight into the dynamics of a fast-moving industry.
Belatra will also be presenting its latest slot innovations at SBC Summit Lisbon (Stand B523) highlighting its mobile-first, immersive content built for global reach but with local flavour. Visitors will be treated to an unforgettable experience inspired by Blast the Bass, Belatra’s smash-hit slot that exploded onto the market with massive success. There will also be a themed bar built around the game’s legendary energy, giving guests a taste of the excitement through a special menu served by Belatra’s expert team.
The post Belatra unveils Lucila M. Barletta as new Head of Accounts LatAm appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Gambling in the USA
ETPL APPOINTS LONDON-BASED OAKVALE CAPITAL AS EXCLUSIVE INVESTMENT BANKER TO LEAD CAPITAL RAISE AND GROWTH STRATEGY

The European T20 Premier League (ETPL), an ICC-approved T20 league co-owned by Abhishek Bachchan and backed by Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland, and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association, has appointed Oakvale Capital as its exclusive investment banker.
“Oakvale’s deep expertise in sports finance will be a game-changer for ETPL’s long-term vision. We look forward to working closely with their expert team to help bring our event to fruition,” said Warren Deutrom, CEO, Cricket Ireland.
“Oakvale is one of the leading London-based investment banks in the sports and gaming ecosystem. Their sector depth, global network, and track record advising rights-holders, clubs, and technology platforms make them the right partner for ETPL as we scale,” said Saurav Banerjee, Co-owner and Director, ETPL.
“We’re excited to support ETPL’s bold and innovative approach to cricket. The vision to elevate the sport in Europe with a premium, differentiated offering aligns well with Oakvale’s strategic focus in global sports properties,” said Sandford Loudon, Partner, Oakvale Capital.
Blending world-class cricket with a distinctively European experience, ETPL aims to redefine the sport through elite talent, immersive fan experiences, and data-driven innovation. In addition, KPMG in India has been appointed as ETPL’s strategic advisor.
The post ETPL APPOINTS LONDON-BASED OAKVALE CAPITAL AS EXCLUSIVE INVESTMENT BANKER TO LEAD CAPITAL RAISE AND GROWTH STRATEGY appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Latest News
WinSpirit and Casino Guru Turn Responsible Gaming into a Trend

Talking about Responsible Gaming (RG) is nothing new in iGaming — but doing it in a way players actually enjoy is rare. For WinSpirit, it became a chance to do what the brand does best — think differently, engage, and prove that even the most serious topics can be turned into content players actually want to share.
Instead of burying RG in disclaimers or policy pages, WinSpirit brought together their creativity and expertise of Casino Guru to turn it into a SmartPlay Social Media campaign.
Data-Driven Creativity
Before launching the campaign, WinSpirit turned to its community with a simple question: what do you really know about Responsible Gaming? Nearly 800 players responded, and the results were telling.
- 63% knew the primary goal of RG.
- 46% felt enabling those tools was easy and knew where to find information.
- 56% highlighted WinSpirit’s own email disclaimers (launched this year) as the most effective reminders.
The findings confirmed that awareness was already strong, but also showed that some players still found RG “too complicated.”
“When we asked our community which reminders help them stay mindful, 56% highlighted the email disclaimers developed by WinSpirit Casino this year as the most effective”, – said WinSpirit analytics team manager.
This insight revealed a gap: while some forms work well for many, others may need a different touchpoint to simplify the message. Social media naturally became the next logical step to address the topic.
A Campaign Built for the Feed
The six-part series was crafted not just to inform, but to feel native to social media culture. Players swiped through “red flag or green light” checks, busted common myths with quick-hit facts, and even debated an “unpopular opinion”: games are built for entertainment, not profit. The final self-check felt less like a form and more like a challenge — engaging, fast, and easy to share.
What elevated the initiative further was the expertise behind it. WinSpirit teamed up with Šimon Vincze, Head of Sustainable & Safer Gambling at Casino Guru — a rare pairing of a progressive operator and an independent authority. In an industry where these voices often stay on opposite sides, this collaboration showed the power of combining creativity with credibility.
Here is what Šimon Vincze said about the initiative: “I am glad we could support WinSpirit on this journey and help bring a successful campaign to life by combining expert insights with natural and engaging communication. Their PR team did an excellent job, as demonstrated by the statistics. Player protection is an integral part of the gambling industry’s development. Sooner or later, most players will expect a certain level of well-being and care. Those who start on this journey earlier will benefit from a competitive edge and a loyal player base.”
Impact That Lasts
Social media reach for the campaign exceeded 10,000 people.
Social Media Engagement achieved 53% and boosted monthly metrics of Social Media pages by 80%. But the main result is still on the way – in the first month alone, WinSpirit saw a 12% rise in player support queries about Responsible Gaming tools.
More importantly, Responsible Gaming shifted from being background noise to a conversation players wanted to join. Awareness turned into curiosity — and curiosity sparked deeper understanding.
“This isn’t about ticking boxes,” says the WinSpirit team. “It’s about giving players the confidence and control that keep the game fun.”
For an industry where communication often feels routine, the campaign proved that creativity doesn’t weaken the message — it amplifies it. Even compliance can capture attention when delivered in the language of players.
The post WinSpirit and Casino Guru Turn Responsible Gaming into a Trend appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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