Warriors vs. Celtics Game 3 Betting Guide: Everything Bettors Need to Know

Sometimes I wonder if the late great Tom Petty was a bettin' man.

Remember the song, "The Waiting?" The classic video is worth your time below, but if you forgot the chorus, the lyrics go as follows:

The waiting is the hardest part
Every day you see one more card
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part

Every day, another (betting) card? I mean, come on! His band was named "The Heartbreakers," he must have been a gambler!

I digress, but we've gone through the waiting long enough for Game 3 of the NBA Finals, as the Boston Celtics return home to host the Golden State Warriors. As of Thursday afternoon over at WynnBET Sportsbook, the Celtics are 3.5-point favorites at home to take a 2-1 series lead, and -115 series favorites to win the NBA Finals.

The Warriors are +135 moneyline underdogs on the road, while the Celtics are -165 to win straight up. The total for tonight is up to 213 after dropping down to 212 earlier on Wednesday.

The BetSided crew compiled all sorts of research, stories, and trends for bettors to use ahead of placing their wagers, so we've put it all together in a handy-dandy betting guide; all in one place!

How to Bet Warriors vs. Celtics (NBA Finals Game 3 Picks, Props and Predictions)

BetSided's Peter Dewey got on top of the matchup from the opening lines at WynnBET, citing a few key reasons why he expects the Celtics to bounce back at home as 3.5-point favorites.

He also is back with his "Primetime Parlay" for Game 3, keying in on prop betting options for Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Jordan Poole, and Stephen Curry that pay out at +235 odds. Giddy-up.

Speaking of props, Donnavan Smoot is fully prepared to fade one Klay Thompson prop in particular for Game 3, while also jumping on board with an OVER prop for Jordan Poole on the road.

Like historical betting trends? Dewey discovered an eye-opening one that backs the Celtics to not only win Game 3, but also cover the spread as well.

Need some support on the Warriors side? I stumbled across a very interesting note backing the Warriors' 3rd quarter dominance as a value pick as an underdog to come back and win the NBA Finals.

Lastly, if you just want picks for tonight's game from the entire BetSided team, and why wouldn't you? Our latest roundtable featuring all our Game 3 best bets is available here.

Warriors vs. Celtics Latest Odds (Who is Favored to Win the Series?)

Meanwhile, if you're curious as to how the series odds have evolved throughout the NBA Finals from the start of Game 1 to the tip-off of Game 3, Reed Wallach takes you through the evolution from the Warriors as big favorites, to the Celtics taking over the reigns.

NBA Finals MVP Odds (What are the Odds for Each Player to Win?)

The series is tied at a game apiece, but that hasn't stopped oddsmakers from making Steph Curry the slight favorite for NBA Finals MVP. Curry leads the way at -112 odds despite Golden State being a slight underdog to come back and win the series.

For even more analysis ahead of Game 3 tonight, be sure to tune in for today's episode of "Daily Betslip!"

Peter Dewey and I will be live at 5 p.m. ET (you can watch the replay below) as we cover all the different betting angles and share our best bets, as well as yours for the Game of the Night.

Follow all of Ben Heisler's betting plays in real-time at BetStamp HERE.