2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest Predictions: Best Bets & Expert Picks for All-Star Saturday
In a battle between a bunch of guys you've probably never heard of, the NBA offers us another year of an event literally no one is asking for. So, since it'll probably stink again, we may as well make it slightly better by betting on it.
Our 2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest predictions and odds look at the four competitors and determine if anyone can beat back-to-back champion Mac McClung.
McClung is trading as the massive minus-money favorite for the dunk contest, which is set to go down some time after 8 p.m. ET (TNT) on Saturday from Chase Center in San Francisco.
How does the 2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest work?
The dunk contest is split into two rounds. In the first round, the judges will simply try to identify who the random player participating is. OK, fine, that's not how it works. Let's look at the actual rules.
📜 NBA Dunk Contest format & rules
Here's a look at the format and rules for how the NBA Dunk contest works:
- The first round features all four dunkers, and each will attempt two different dunks that will be scored from 40 to 50 by each of the four judges (the judges are Baron Davis, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, and Jason Richardson)
- There is a twist to the voting, however, as fans with NBA ID will act as the fifth judge and can vote live during the contest; the official score will be the average from those five scores
- Dunkers have 1:30 plus one additional try, or three attempts (whichever comes first) to complete the dunk
- The two dunkers with the highest scores from the first round advance to the final and attempt two more dunks
- The dunker with the highest score will then be crowned the champion
📊 NBA Dunk Contest trends & all-time records
Of course, with little to get excited about when it comes to the players involved, the storylines will have to provide the entertainment.
- The biggest storyline is that McClung is going for the three-peat
- McClung defeated Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown last year with a perfect 50 on his final dunk
- Fun fact: the last time the slam dunk contest was good was in 2016
2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest odds & favorites
Here are the latest NBA Slam Dunk Contest odds and betting favorites at BetMGM for Saturday's event, which will start sometime after 8 p.m. ET.
Don't miss the rest of our NBA picks heading into All-Star Weekend, including my NBA 3-point contest predictions.
🔢 Odds to win the NBA Dunk Contest
- Mac McClung, -210 ($10 to win $4.76)
- Matas Buzelis, +450 ($10 to win $45)
- Andre Jackson Jr., +550 ($10 to win $55)
- Stephon Castle, +900 ($10 to win $90)
Be sure to check out our NBA player prop odds tool for the latest NBA odds at the best legal sportsbooks in your region.
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2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest expert picks, predictions & best prop bets
There's no real point in betting on McClung to win at minus money, so let's turn our attention to a rookie looking to make a name for himself.
🏆 Pick to win the NBA Dunk Contest: Matas Buzelis (+750 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐
I have something to admit: I had no idea who this guy was up until about 10 minutes ago and I'm still not sure I can distinguish him from a really tall random 15-year-old. But we're obviously not betting on McClung at -190 and this profiled as the best pick of the other three.
The 6-foot-10 Buzelis should at least look cool while performing the dunks considering how tall he is, and I guess that's the entire point of this thing. Additionally, Buzelis is +450 at BetMGM, so let's take advantage of these long odds at bet365.
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🥈 Best bet to advance to NBA Dunk Contest final: Matas Buzelis (+175 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
If we're going to bet on Buzelis to win, we may as well also bet on him to make the final, especially since DraftKings has him listed as the biggest underdog to do so.
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🎯 Exact forecast & NBA Dunk Contest finalists: Mac McClung to beat Matas Buzelis (+325 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐
This is probably the only market that allows us to bet on McClung, and there still isn't a ton of value. However, if we combine this with our Buzelis pick, we're at least hedging somewhat.
📺 How to watch the 2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest
- Date: Saturday, Feb. 15
- Start time: 8 p.m. ET
- TV: TNT
- Stream: Sling, Fubo
- Location: Chase Center (San Francisco)
❓ NBA Slam Dunk Contest FAQs
Who is favored to win the NBA Dunk Contest?
Mac McClung is the favorite to win the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
What time does the NBA Dunk Contest start?
The event will start some time after 8 p.m. ET.
What channel is the NBA Dunk Contest on?
The dunk contest will air on TNT as part of Saturday's NBA All-Star festivities.
Who won the NBA Dunk Contest last year?
Mac McClung has won the last two NBA Slam Dunk Contests.
Who is in the NBA Dunk Contest?
This year's NBA Slam Dunk Contest is made up of Mac McClung, Andre Jackson Jr., Stephon Castle, and Matas Buzelis.
Who has won the most Dunk Contests in NBA history?
Nate Robinson has won the dunk contest the most times, with three wins.
How can I bet on the NBA Dunk Contest?
You can place a bet on the NBA Dunk Contest with our best NBA betting sites across various prop bets, as we broke down in our best bets above.
🏀 Best NBA betting sites for All-Star Weekend
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