Going into the NBA Finals, it was not an uncommon thought from both fans and prominent sports media personalities that the Oklahoma City Thunder might have just too much firepower and depth for the Indiana Pacers to handle.
Calling for a sweep from the Thunder seemed somewhat ambitious, as the resilient Pacers had already proven time and again they will fight back regardless of the deficit they're facing and the time left on the clock.
But the NBA Finals going five games with the Thunder-a team that went 68-14 in the regular season and dominated the Western Conference Finals-making rather quick work of the Pacers almost became an assumption based on the number of voices picking them to win it all.
And that includes Jay-Z, who was confident enough in the Thunder, led by NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, to take care of the Pacers in five games.
So much so, in fact, that the legendary rapper went ahead and dropped $1 million on Oklahoma City to do just that.
JAY-Z bets $1 Million on OKC to win in 5 @RocNation@RocNationSports@Fanaticspic.twitter.com/27aysHGKSr
— Fanatics Sportsbook (@FanaticsBook) June 5, 2025
The million dollar bet was already put in great jeopardy when Indiana stole Game 1 after Tyrese Haliburton hit a stunning game-winning jumper with 0.3 seconds left on the clock.
And the chances of the Thunder ripping off four straight wins, while possible, was very unlikely considering they would have had to take both games on the road in Indiana in order to keep Jay-Z's bet from crashing directly into a brick wall.
Now it's officially official.
With Indiana up 2-1 in the series following Wednesday night's Game 3 victory, Jay-Z's million dollar bet on the Thunder is toast.
This is probably the proper time to say that Jay-Z is one of the richest musical artists in the entire world, with his net worth listed at an astounding $2.5 billion.
So while it would have been great fun to turn $1 million into $3.3 million, Jay-Z losing a million dollars is more or less akin to someone dropping loose change in-between the console and the seat of their car.
Related: Bill Simmons' Wild NBA Finals Stat Line Prediction Comes True in Game 3
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This story was originally published June 12, 2025 at 10:12 AM.