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Opening Odds to Win NBA Slam Dunk Contest Released (Will Mac McClung 3-Peat?)

The opening odds for the 2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest have been released, and a familiar name is atop the list.

Peter Dewey

Magic guard Mac McClung (0) is the favorite to win a third straight Slam Dunk Contest.
Magic guard Mac McClung (0) is the favorite to win a third straight Slam Dunk Contest. / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
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The NBA’s All-Star Weekend is quickly approaching, and the field for the 2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest has been finalized. 

Orlando Magic guard Mac McClung will aim to win his third straight dunk contest, and he’ll have an intriguing group of young challengers looking to dethrone him.

Chicago Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis, San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle, and Milwaukee Bucks second-year wing Andre Jackson Jr. are the other three participants for this year’s contest.

There is a major UConn connection in this dunk contest, as both Castle and Jackson recently played for the Huskies – each capturing a national title. In fact, Castle helped replace Jackson for UConn in the 2023-24 season after the Bucks wing left for the NBA. 

BetMGM recently released odds for this year’s Slam Dunk Contest, and it’s no surprise that McClung is the favorite to complete the three-peat. 

2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest Odds

  • Mac McClung: -200
  • Matas Buzelis: +425
  • Andre Jackson Jr.: +475
  • Stephon Castle: +500

It’s never easy to handicap the dunk contest since we don’t know exactly how bold these dunkers will get, but each of these players can really fly. 

Jackson and Buzelis are the two bigger players in this contest, and Jackson may have the best jumping ability, as he showed in the dunk above.

However, McClung and Castle may get more of a “wow” factor if they’re able to pull off some dunks at their smaller size. We’ve seen McClung do so in each of the last two seasons. 

Stay tuned with the SI Betting team for more on NBA All-Star Weekend, including a full breakdown and pick for the Slam Dunk Contest!

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

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Peter Dewey
PETER DEWEY

Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.

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