The Toronto Raptors playoff chances have evaporated for the 2024-25 season, but “The TO” is still a pretty rocking place to watch a game with a strong fan atmosphere.
Before the NBA playoffs, OntarioBets.com wanted to measure which NBA teams have the best, most exciting fan experience at their games. We factored in Yardbarker’s home crowd ranking on average, whether betting is legal in the state or province – points for retail-only, but more points for both mobile and retail options – and total 2024 game attendance (according to ESPN).
Rank | Team | Total Score |
T1 | Toronto Raptors | 101 |
T1 | Philadelphia 76ers | 101 |
T3 | Boston Celtics | 96 |
T3 | Chicago Bulls | 96 |
5 | New York Knicks | 95 |
6 | Denver Nuggets | 93 |
7 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 89 |
8 | Portland Trail Blazers | 88 |
9 | Indiana Pacers | 75 |
10 | Miami Heat | 70 |
The Raptors play in Canada’s most populous province and are Canada’s only NBA team, which boosts their fandom. And the dozens of Ontario sports betting options available would make a lot of U.S. fans jealous.
That ability to wager on the games you attend is just one reason that Toronto is tied for first on our list. Though the Raptors have been eliminated from the playoff race this season, the team is still among the top 10 in total home attendance.
The team has built a rabid following since entering the league in the 1995-96 season. The franchise’s peak came in 2019 when Toronto won its first NBA title, dethroning the Golden State Warriors. For the past three years, Canada’s largest city has had legal, regulated Ontario sportsbook apps, which have increased interest even as the Raptors have struggled lately.
According to our metrics, Toronto is tied with the Philadelphia 76ers – in an odd coincidence, the Sixers are also going to miss the playoffs this season.
In an 11-year span from the 2014 postseason to 2024, Toronto made the playoffs eight times. Only three teams made it more often in that span (the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Loa Angeles Clippers), perhaps helping the Raptors to build a bit of goodwill to last through the tough times that the team’s fans are enduring now.
The Raptors aren’t going to the postseason in 2025, but NBA betting activity will still be strong. At NorthStar Bets Ontario Sportsbook, the Oklahoma City Thunder are the title favorites at +150 odds as of April 4, followed by the defending champion Boston Celtics at +175.
USA Today photo by Nick Turchiaro
Author
Jim Tomlin is an editor and writer specializing in sports, gambling and the intersection of those industries. He has 30+ years of journalism experience and his work has appeared in the Tampa Bay Times, FanRag, Saturday Down South and Saturday Tradition.
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