LeBron James is a free agent again, and as we've seen in previous instances, the 4-time NBA champ commands the news cycle — even at age 41.
Since deciding to leave the Los Angeles Lakers last week, James' name comes up on every sports talk show, social media app, and website with a bunch of "intel" from experts or former teammates who try to predict where he might end up playing year 24.
While nobody knows for sure what LeBron James is thinking, everyone has an opinion — and sports bettors are having a field day when it comes to dropping money on their predictions.
Where is LeBron James Going to Play Next Season?
LeBron James is rumored to be most interested in three teams: The Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Miami Heat, with longtime NBA reporter Brian Windhorst admitting there's "vibes pointing towards Cleveland," but that he doesn't know for sure what James is thinking.
In fact, Windhorst added on a recent appearance on ESPN Cleveland that he thinks James does know where he's signing, but that he's keeping the decision to himself — or, at least, to a limited amount of people.
So where do sports bettors think James is playing next season, and just how much are they spending on their predictions? New data from the predictive market Kalshi tells us.
LeBron James Free Agency: How Much Sports Bettors are Spending
According to info from Kalshi, sports bettors have executed more than a whopping $76 million in trades on LeBron James' next-team market, with sports fans hoping they hit in their gut instincts.
At press time, The Cavs have a 49 percent chance of landing James — a homecoming reunion that Cleveland fans have wanted (and maybe expected) for years — with that number rising from 32 percent on July 1.
Other than the Cavs, Kalshi users are predicting the Heat (17 percent), 76ers (16 percent), and Warriors (15 percent) as the most likely destinations. Is there a secret team out there as well? Only time will tell.
So how popular is it to make a LeBon James next-team bet? Per data, Kalshi only collected a combined $16.6 million on the same bets related to Jaylen Brown and Giannis Antetokounmpo — both of whom were traded to the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat, respectively.
There's an expectation that James won't announce a decision for a few weeks, per numerous reports, so bettors may only add to that $70 million number as more rumors and hints leak out in the media.
