The 2021-22 NBA season is just around the corner, which means bettors will soon have plenty to consider. Sports betting became legal in the state of Arizona on Sept. 9, so Phoenix Suns fans who want to put some money down on their team have a lot to look forward to.

Because betting apps like DraftKings Sportsbook are new to so many people, and because NBA fans everywhere crave this kind of information, it’s worth taking a look at some of the best futures bets to consider when it comes to the Suns.

Our goal here is to lay out some of the smartest Suns-related bets and explain them in layman’s terms so that anyone reading will understand and be able to identify some of the better gambles out there.

Suns team bets

Let’s start with something basic: The over/under for the Suns’ win total this season. The line is 51.5 wins. The under is currently set at -125, which means for every $125 you wager, you’ll net an extra $100 if your bet wins. The over is set at +105, which means for every $100 you wager, you’ll net an extra $105 if your bet wins. A minus indicates the more likely outcome according to Las Vegas, while a plus signals an underdog, which means you’ll net more of a return if you bet on the more “unlikely” outcome and win.

In other words, Vegas believes the Suns will win 51 games or less this season, since the under is listed at -115. Considering Phoenix won 51 games last year in a 72-game season, that the Suns have continuity on their side after keeping a Finals-caliber core intact in the offseason, and that the 2021-22 campaign will be 10 games longer than last year, the over feels like a no-brainer. The only thing preventing Phoenix from hitting the over would be Chris Paul or another prominent player getting hurt, and even then it’d still be in play.

Then there’s the championship odds. Phoenix is tied with the LA Clippers (+1700) for the sixth-best odds to win it all, trailing the Utah Jazz (+1500), Golden State Warriors (+1100), Milwaukee Bucks (+900), Los Angeles Lakers (+400) and Brooklyn Nets (+200). We’ve already covered why the Western Conference is still wide open for the Suns, and even a mere $10 bet on Phoenix to win it all would yield a $180 payout.

In that same vein, betting on the Suns to win the West is a savvy move as well. The Lakers have star power between LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, but health, age, athleticism and shooting are no longer on their side. As many as 5-6 teams could realistically win the West next season, but the reigning Western Conference champs sitting with the third-best odds behind the Warriors and Lakers (+650) feels like a worthwhile gamble. At the very least, it’s probably a better call than the +220 odds for the Suns to finish on top of the bloodbath Pacific Division, which includes the Lakers, Clippers and Warriors.

Finally, betting on the Suns to finish as the 1-seed (+300) or 2-seed (+350) in the West could be worth a look. This one’s a bit trickier though, since Phoenix may not prioritize regular-season wins after proving their legitimacy with a Finals run. Last year it was important to give that new group plenty of time to jell, but with Chris Paul getting older and the Suns’ core still mostly intact, Monty Williams may prefer to pace his team for another deep postseason run.

Suns Finals bets

If you’re convinced the Suns can win the West again in 2022, that means you’re convinced they’re going back to the Finals. And if you’re convinced they’re going back to the Finals, all that’s left to decide as a bettor is who will be waiting for them there.

That’s right, you can even place bets on the matchup you think will be there in the 2022 NBA Finals! These are the ones including the Suns to decide between:

• Phoenix Suns vs. Brooklyn Nets (+1400)
• Phoenix Suns vs. Milwaukee Bucks (+5000)
• Phoenix Suns vs. Philadelphia 76ers (+5500)
• Phoenix Suns vs. Miami Heat (+7500)
• Phoenix Suns vs. Atlanta Hawks (+12000)

The most likely of the bunch feels like Nets or Bucks, with Bucks being the sneaky-good pick at +5000, since a Finals rematch would net any bettor $510 on a simple $10 wager. That Hawks payout is tempting, but it’s hard to see them replicating the playoff run they had last year again. The Heat still feel a little too unproven at this point, and the Sixers are dealing with the whole Ben Simmons trade fiasco. The Nets feel inevitable if they stay healthy, but that is a big “if.”

Either way, if you’re looking to place a Finals-related bet on the Suns, putting some money down on either a Nets or Bucks matchup seems like the smart play.

Suns player futures

Betting on the Suns futures is nice, but don’t forget you can bet on individual player award futures too. For starters, Devin Booker being tied with Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook for the 11th-best odds to win MVP feels like something worth considering, even if it’s a small bet.

Guys like Luka Doncic (+380), Joel Embiid (+700), Kevin Durant (+700), Giannis Antetokounmpo (+800) and Stephen Curry (+800) are the favorites for a reason, but if the Suns keep that regular-season train rolling, if no one else rises above the pack in a wide-open year, and if Booker takes on a bigger load to ease Chris Paul’s burden, a bump on the stat sheet would get the league talking about him as an MVP candidate — especially coming off a Finals run. It’s a long shot, but those +2500 odds for Book would yield a $260 payout for only putting $10 down.

Paul’s +8000 MVP odds look enticing, but last year was probably his best shot at the award this late in his career, and most of his case was based on narrative. In his second year with the Suns, that storyline won’t be as powerful in earning him votes. Heading into his age-25 season, Booker is the best MVP play here. No offense, Deandre Ayton (+25000).

Where Suns fans might want to consider Ayton with a futures bet is for Defensive Player of the Year (+4000). A simple $10 bet would net $410, and although he was nowhere near the DPOY voting last year, the 2021 NBA Playoffs stamped his defensive value on the map. If he consistently brings that same focus to a top-five Suns defense and increases his block numbers a bit, he’s got a puncher’s chance. Shot-blocking stalwarts like Rudy Gobert (+340), Anthony Davis (+700), Myles Turner (+700) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (+1000) are probably “safer” plays, but Ayton shouldn’t be written off with those odds.

Ayton (+4500) may also be worth monitoring in the Most Improved Player category, as are Mikal Bridges (+4000), Cameron Johnson (+6000) and Cameron Payne (+13000). Over the last decade or so, it’s typically taken a sizable leap in scoring for a player to win MIP. That might rule out DA, who has averaged 16.3, 18.2 and 14.4 points per game in his first three seasons.

Bridges, on the other hand, could be poised for a breakout year in the wake of an imminent contract extension. His 13.5 points per game last season leave plenty of room for growth on the stat sheet, especially if Paul takes a step backward and the youngsters get a little more leeway to operate on offense. The 25-year-old wing improved as a 3-point shooter and midrange scorer off the dribble against poor closeouts, so if Bridges’ game takes another step forward this year, it wouldn’t be impossible for him to become the Suns’ second-leading scorer.

The two Cams offer the highest reward, but also the lowest odds of actually winning. Both are relegated to bench roles for now, and it’d take an injury or a gargantuan leap to upset the current pecking order of Phoenix’s roster, especially for the kind of scoring jump it takes to win MIP.

Sixth Man of the Year might be a different story, though the rewards aren’t quite as astronomical: +2500 for Cam Payne, +3500 for Cam Johnson. Johnson feels like the better play of the two based on what he showed in the Finals and throughout Phoenix’s playoff run. We also have to shout out Thaddeus Young for Sixth Man (+5500), juuuuust in case that long-awaited trade to the Suns finally comes to fruition.

Finally, there’s Monty Williams for Coach of the Year. To be honest, he was robbed last year. So even though Steve Nash (+850), Erik Spoelstra (+950) and Billy Donovan (+1000) all have better odds, and even though Monty is tied with Steve Kerr and Quin Snyder (+1100), that might make this an even better gamble.

Voters should have realized their mistake from last year’s voting after the Suns stormed their way to the Finals, and if this well-oiled machine that’s build for regular-season success finishes near the top of the West again, those guilty consciences might translate to an overdue COY award for Williams.

NBA leaders

These are fun, with potentially high-paying rewards, but because the likelihood for each one feels so low, these bets might be good ones to avoid:

• Devin Booker for scoring leader (+3500)
• Deandre Ayton for rebounds leader (+2500)
• Chris Paul for assists leader (+1200)
• Devin Booker for made 3-pointers leader (+13000)

Just save your money on that made 3-pointers one in particular. No offense, Book.