If you were a young sports fan in the early 2000s, you are likely familiar with the wild and wacky pseudo-sport known as SlamBall. SlamBall returns to the United States following a 15-year hiatus. Top online sportsbooks are looking to get into the action by offering SlamBall odds for the 2023 season.
Since the league’s inception, SlamBall has had a tough time staying active. In 2002, the first season of SlamBall aired in the US, but it would only last another year before getting pulled. A disagreement between the league’s founder, Mason Gordon, and Telepictures Productions resulted in the league folding1.
However, SlamBall was picked up in other countries following the collapse in the US. Most recently, SlamBall had the MSAA SlamBall China Championship Series 5 in 2016. This month, Gordon is bringing back his creation stateside for an eight-team season in Las Vegas.
All games will be played at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas. You likely won’t be able to bet on SlamBall odds at Las Vegas sportsbooks, but NBA betting sites have lines on the board. The SlamBall Summer Series 6 can be watched beginning July 21 to August 17 on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN+2.
SlamBall Rules and Format
The SlamBall court consists of four large trampolines on each end of the court to launch players through the air to the hoop. Making full contact and collisions with opponents is a legal part of the game. Players are encouraged to play defense aggressively to stop dunks, which are worth three points.
We’re back. pic.twitter.com/4jstxLxqT5
— SlamBall (@SlamBall) June 30, 2023
In addition to dunks being worth three points, there is a three-point line for long-distance shots from on the floor. If a shot is made within the three-point arc and isn’t a dunk, then teams are awarded two points for a successful bucket.
Teams are made up of three position players: handler, gunner, and stopper. The handler acts as a point guard for the team. The gunner is intended to be the primary scorer of the roster. Lastly, the stopper is the primary defender on the court.
Four players are allowed on the court for each side. On-the-fly substitutions, similar to hockey, are permitted in SlamBall. While NBA games are 48 minutes, SlamBall matchups last just 20 minutes3.
2023 SlamBall Championship Odds
The following SlamBall betting odds are courtesy of BetUS:
| TEAM | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Mob | +300 |
| Rumble | +400 |
| Buzzsaw | +500 |
| Slashers | +500 |
| Gryphons | +500 |
| Lava | +700 |
| Ozone | +700 |
| Wrath | +800 |
The Mob has been the most successful team in SlamBall history. They have won two SlamBall titles. However, remember that the latest SlamBall season was in 2016 in China. The Mob won the SlamBall title in 2012 and 2016.
Oddsmakers have inserted the Mob as the betting favorites at +300 odds. Without an abundance of data available for the 2023 SlamBall season, oddsmakers can’t release the most accurate SlamBall odds to win the championship this year.
Does the Mob warrant a bet to win the SlamBall Championship at +300? We will get into our 2023 SlamBall predictions and picks below. Let’s open our SlamBall betting strategy with a look at the best prop bets at BetUS.
SlamBall Prop Bets
Currently, you can find a number of SlamBall prop bets for the 2023 season. The prop betting odds at BetUS are primarily scoring props, but there is one interesting prop involving Logan Paul.
What Will Be The Highest Total Game Score In The 2023 Season?
| TOTAL POINTS | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Over 100.5 | -130 |
| Under 100.5 | -110 |
Preface to say, there aren’t any recent SlamBall games to handicap. The last season in the United States that anyone is familiar with was in 2008. There are few statistics available, but there are some snapshots remaining from that season in Los Angeles.
The final scores from this season leave some clues about what we should expect in 2023. The concept of SlamBall is the same as it was back 15 years ago. We should expect to see similar scores from back then.
There were 36 games completed from June 7, 2008, to June 13, 2008. Multiple matchups eclipsed the 100-point mark. In fact, there were 12 games with more than 100 points recorded. The highest-scoring game nearly breached 140 points4.
What is going on here? It is one of two things. Either oddsmakers at BetUS are incredibly misinformed regarding their SlamBall odds, or this is expected to be a sluggish return to play.
SlamBall is going to be foreign to many of the players participating in the SlamBall Summer Series 6. There is a training camp, but playing games on the SlamBall court should be difficult to get a feel for, at least initially.
Expect a few triple-digit games in SlamBall in 2023. This prop bet only needs one game to go Over the total. Consider siding with the Over 100.5.
What Will Be The Lowest Total Game Score In The 2023 Season?
| TOTAL POINTS | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Over 74.5 | -130 |
| Under 74.5 | -110 |
The odds for this prop bet are more accurate. If we were creating the line, it’d be closer to this number than the previous prop.
In the 36-sample size from 2008, the lowest-scoring game was between the Hombres and Bouncers on June 11. The Hombres won a low-scoring defensive battle by a score of 41-35 for a total of 76 points5.
Even a low-scoring SlamBall game finished with more than 74 points. That said, the vast majority of players have never played the sport before besides in practice.
There should be some growing pains early on in the SlamBall season. If you like physical, hard-hitting basketball, you are likely going to like what the first week of SlamBall will be like in Las Vegas.
Expect the scoring to open up, and then it should slow down again as teams tighten up their defense toward the end of the short season. There aren’t going to be many games this low-scoring, but one or two should be defensive struggles.
What Will Be The Highest Score By One Team In The 2023 Season?
| TOTAL POINTS | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Over 63.5 | -110 |
| Under 63.5 | -110 |
In 2008, there were seven teams to score a minimum of 64 points. There should certainly be at least one team that finishes with at least 65 points in a game.
On June 11, 2008, the Mob and Hombres had a thrilling matchup in Los Angeles. In one of the most exciting games of the season, the Hombres edged out the Mob by a score of 69-686.
Greater than 63 points scored in a game shouldn’t be too much to ask in the 2023 edition of SlamBall. With nearly a month of matchups, there has to be a minimum of one squad that rings up the scoreboard for at least 64 points.
We may even see a team go the extra mile and put up 70+ points. If it does happen, it will likely come after the first week, though. Some patience might be required.
As we noted, defensive pressure and big hits will probably be the storyline to open the 2023 campaign. Following a stagnant start to the season, the points should begin to flow at the Cox Pavilion.
What Will Be The Lowest Score By One Team In The 2023 Season?
| TOTAL POINTS | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Over 33.5 | -135 |
| Under 33.5 | -105 |
Despite the odds favoring Over 33.5 points, the Under 33.5 looks like the better wager. Similar to the other SlamBall prop bets, there should be an outlier or two during the 2023 season. It only takes one game for a winning wager.
A handful of teams that scored below 33 points in the 2008 season. The lowest-scoring squad was an abysmal 26 points from the Maulers on June 11, 2008. The Maulers were blown out by the Rumble, 50-267.
This was one of two times that the Maulers didn’t score 30 points or more. They were the only team to fail to notch 30 points, but getting over 35 points was a struggle for a couple of other squads.
There should be one team that is anemic offensively as the Maulers were 15 years ago. You have to be really bad not to score a minimum of 30 points in SlamBall, but there will be a terrible team this season.
Will Prime Hydration Sports Drink Be An Official Sponsor For The 2024 Season?
| PROP | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Yes | +200 |
| No | -300 |
The SlamBall contract with ESPN is a two-year deal. We will have at least one more year of SlamBall. Even before the 2023 season tips off, you can already wager on prop bets for next year.
In particular, there is a sponsorship prop bet featuring Prime Hydration. Founded in January 2022, PRIME By Logan Paul x KSI is a hydration drink with no sugar, 10% coconut, antioxidants, and BCAA for muscle recovery8.
The Gatorade competitor, spearheaded by the popular social media personalities, reportedly earned $250 million in its first year of retail sales. Prime Hydration inked a deal with UFC, and recently, FC Barcelona as their official sports drink9.
Out with the old, in with the new. Goodbye Gatorade, Prime is now the new hydration sponsor of FC Barcelona 🙌🏿 pic.twitter.com/SSeaAw4Bdy
— ksi (@KSI) July 1, 2023
Additionally, Prime Hydration had an advertising spot at Wrestlemania this past April. With Prime Hydration signing lucrative marketing contracts, could SlamBall be next in 2024?
SlamBall will have to shatter expectations if that is going to occur. It is very much a novelty sport, and we don’t know if the TV ratings are going to be high enough for Prime Hydration.
Laying -300 isn’t the best value, but it’s unlikely that Prime Hydration will be affiliated with the 2024 SlamBall season.
2023 SlamBall Championship Prediction
With many unknowns going into the season, handicapping a champion will be difficult. However, we suggest staying away from the +300 favorite. There isn’t any value in backing the Mob at +300.
For success in SlamBall, it is important to have an aggressive dunker and a stopper that isn’t afraid to make contact. The Slashers have both prerequisites on their roster.
Joining the Slashers in 2023 is former Grand Canyon University track star, Tony Crosby II. He may only be 5’6”, but Crosby II can jump out of the gym.
Competing in the World Dunk Association, the native of Inglewood, California is an International Slam Dunk Champion. He does not need a trampoline for a highlight-worthy dunk.
The key to a championship may be stopper Amir Smith, though. With college basketball experience at Rice, FAU, and Hampton, Smith went overseas to play pro basketball in Sweden. The 6’7” defender is expected to be an imposing figure at the rim10.
Slashers’ head coach, Kevin Stapleton, has been here before. He coached the Slashers to a SlamBall Championship in 2008.
Stapleton and the Slashers have the best value on the board to win the 2023 SlamBall title at +500.
Sources
SlamBall is coming back: About the sport set to return in 2023 after long hiatus | CBS Sports. Retrieved From “https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/slamball-is-coming-back-about-the-sport-set-to-return-in-2023-after-long-hiatus/”
SlamBall Summer: Series 6 Event in Las Vegas | Slamball. Retrieved From “https://slamballleague.com/event/slamball-summer-series-6/”
Rules of Slamball – How is it Played? | Sports Regulations. Retrieved From “https://sportsregulations.com/rules-of-slamball/”
Games | Slamball Nation. Retrieved From “https://slamballnation.com/games/”
Hombres vs Bouncers | Slamball Nation. Retrieved From “https://slamballnation.com/match/71/”
Mob vs Hombres | Slamball Nation. Retrieved From “https://slamballnation.com/match/178/”
Maulers vs Mob | Slamball Nation. Retrieved From “https://slamballnation.com/match/269/”
Hydration – PRIME. Retrieved From “https://drinkprime.com/collections/hydration”
WWE’s Logan Paul Says Prime Hydration Made $250M in 1st Year of Retail Sales | Bleacher Report. Retrieved From “https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10072167-wwes-logan-paul-says-prime-hydration-made-250m-in-1st-year-of-retail-sales”
