BIG3 Basketball Betting: Best BIG3 Bets for Week 1

The ninth season of the BIG3 tips off Saturday at Intuit Dome, the home of an LA Riot squad headlined by eight-time NBA All-Star Dwight Howard.

Updated on June 20, 2026 2:23AM EST

BIG3 Basketball Betting: Best BIG3 Bets for Week 1

By:

Juan Carlos Blanco

Updated on June 20, 2026 2:23AM EST

BIG3 Basketball Betting: Best Bets for Week 1

The BIG3 returns for its ninth season in 2026, featuring its usual array of accomplished, recognizable names that still have plenty left to offer in the league's half-court, 3-on-3 format.

The 2025 season, which culminated with Miami 305 securing the league title in a thrilling victory, was the first in which teams were associated with specific cities.

Plenty of last year's notable names return, and new additions with plenty of NBA experience such as Derrick Favors and Leandro Barbosa enhance an already impressive talent pool that also includes the likes of Michael Beasley, Joe Johnson, Greg Monroe and Lance Stephenson among others.

This season, RotoWire will once again have quick-hit betting picks for all four clashes each week using DraftKings and FanDuel Sportsbook odds, beginning with Saturday's season-opening four-game slate at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

Final 2025 BIG3 Betting Record: 23-12

Detroit Amps vs. DMV Trilogy Best Bets (Saturday, June 20, 4:00 p.m. ET)

The Amps went just 4-4 in their inaugural 2025 season, and this year, Rick Mahorn's squad will be headlined by Nasir Core and Corey Brewer now that standout Joe Johnson, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 of last season, has announced he will continue to recover throughout the 2026 campaign.

However, Detroit also has a pair of seasoned veterans in Charles Garcia and Donte Greene to help cushion the blow of Iso Joe's absence, the latter a 2008 first-round pick of the Memphis Grizzlies and the BIG3's fifth all-time leading scorer. Dakarai Tucker, a veteran wing who has enjoyed successful stops in multiple international leagues, will take Johnson's place on the roster.

The Stephen Jackson-led Trilogy mustered just a 2-6 mark in 2025, but DMV had plenty of close calls as evidenced by a modest -11-point differential. They also scored the fourth-most points in the league, outpacing a pair of 4-4 squads in the Riot and the Ball Hogs.

This year's squad features no shortage of NBA experience, as James Johnson, Jaylen Johnson and Jordan McCrae should all play prominent roles. Willie Reed and Earl Clark, a two-time BIG3 champion and 2009 first-round pick of the Phoenix Suns, round out one of the league's deeper rosters.

The overall personal advantage is simply on Trilogy's side to open the season, given Johnson's absence. As such, I'm backing an outright victory for Jackson's crew.

BIG3 Picks for Amps vs. Trilogy

Trilogy moneyline (-144 on FanDuel Sportsbook)

Miami 305 at L.A. Riot (Saturday, June 20, 5:00 p.m. ET)

The defending champion 305 returns its full 2025 roster, making Michael Cooper's crew quite a force to contend with. Miami begins its title defense with the same opponent it faced in last year's opener and defeated by a 50-44 score.

Mario Chalmers, who hit the game-winning three-pointer against the Triplets in the title game, Michael Beasley and Lance Stephenson form quite the top trio. Then, Reggie Evans is back to provide the rebounding muscle up front, and defensive specialist Sean Williams is a formidable presence due to his point-suppression skills.

The Riot is once again spearheaded by Dwight Howard and Jordan Crawford, but they've added some significant size and experience in the form of seven-footer Kosta Koufos, although the veteran big man will miss the first two games due to a back strain. The 10-year NBA vet adds to the team's already impressive size that comes via Howard and Billy Preston, and Chris Allen rounds out the roster with an outside shooting component.

Last year's season-opening clash between these two squads was marked by a tussle between Howard and Stephenson that resulted in ejections. Assuming both teams maintain better composure this time around, we should be in for a treat of an opener in which the total should have a good chance of being exceeded after Miami and LA averaged 48.5 and 47.1 points per contest, respectively, in 2025.

BIG3 Picks for 305 at Riot

Over 93.5 points (-112 on FanDuel Sportsbook)

Houston Rig Hands vs. Chicago Triplets (Saturday, June 20, 6:00 p.m. ET)

The Rig Hands were the league's worst team record-wise in 2025 with a 1-7 mark and -68-point differential.

Houston could be primed for improvement this season after adding Derrick Favors, a 2009 McDonalds All-American and the 2010 third overall pick in the NBA Draft. Favors put together 12 successful seasons at the highest level and is joined by an experienced and versatile group that includes Jonathan Simmons, Kevin Murphy and past BIG3 champion Isaiah Austin.

As mentioned earlier, the Triplets narrowly missed out on a BIG3 title in their first year of existence in 2025, but Chicago is reloaded and ready to try and atone in the new season.

Montrezl Harrell, who was a hit in his first BIG3 season, is back as the heart and soul of the club, and the rest of the roster is also replete with ex-NBA talent in the form of Amir Johnson, Wesley Johnson and Leandro Barbosa. BIG3 vet Brandon Moss rounds out a well-balanced group that should have an excellent chance at competing.

The addition of Favors is sure to make Houston more competitive if he can remain healthy and acclimates quickly to the BIG3 style of play. However, for the purposes of this Week 1 battle, we'll go with what should be the more cohesive squad in the Triplets to pull off a pretty easy cover.

BIG3 Picks for Rig Hands vs. Triplets

Triplets -2.5 (-110 on FanDuel Sportsbook)

Dallas Power vs. Boston Ball Hogs Best Bets (Saturday, June 20, 7:00 p.m. ET)

Nancy Lieberman's Power put together fine 6-2 season in 2025 and returns most of its core for another run at the crown in 2026.

NBA vet Paul Millsap didn't return, but Greg Monroe, TJ Cline and Glenn Rice, Jr. offer plenty of talented continuity. Meanwhile, seasoned BIG3 vet Elijah Stewart, one of the more decorated players in league history, is also back, and team co-captain Cameron Smith, who made an immediate impact upon his debut last season and recorded 12 three-pointers overall, could be set for an even bigger season.

Gary Payton's Ball Hogs had an up and down first year that culminated in a 4-4 record, but Boston did finish just out of the running for a playoff spot and actually mustered a +6-point differential in the regular season.

The Glove will be working with a solid, experienced group consisting of veteran captain Jeremy Pargo, co-captain and past BIG3 champion Garlon Green, and vets DeShawn Stephens, Ray Nixon and Quincy Miller, the latter a past BIG3 champion in his own right and offering some much-needed size at 6-foot-11.

These two teams met in last year's opener and put on a thrilling display that saw Dallas mount a late comeback and escape with a 51-49 victory in which Rice and Monroe combined for 39 of Dallas' points. There could be some chemistry-related hiccups for Boston to overcome early thanks to roster turnover, but we'll stay away from heavy juice on Dallas' moneyline and instead back the Over on a very modest 92.5-point total.