LOS ANGELES – As the basketball world descends on the state-of-the-art Intuit Dome for the 75th NBA All-Star Weekend, sportsbooks are scrambling to adjust to a landscape that looks entirely different from years past. With the festivities officially tipping off tonight, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, the betting public is navigating a brand-new three-team round-robin tournament format that has turned traditional NBA All-Star 2026 betting odds on their head.

Gone is the traditional East vs. West or Captain's Draft. In its place, the NBA has introduced a high-stakes "USA vs. World" setup featuring three squads: Team World, Team USA Stars (younger talent), and Team USA Stripes (veterans). Early action suggests that sharp bettors are heavily favoring the international squad, driving a massive shift in the handle, while San Antonio Spurs phenomenon Victor Wembanyama has seen his All-Star Game MVP predictions skyrocket following a 40-point explosion earlier this week.

Understanding the New Round-Robin Format for Bettors

For handicap purists, the 2026 format presents a unique challenge—and opportunity. The Sunday main event will feature four 12-minute "mini-games." The three teams—Team World, Team USA Stars, and Team USA Stripes—will compete in a round-robin stage. The two teams with the best records will advance to a final Championship Game.

Crucially for NBA betting trends 2026, the tiebreaker rules have triggered a flood of volume on specific prop markets. If the round-robin stage ends in a three-way tie (everyone goes 1-1), point differential determines the finalists. This rule change means teams can't just cruise to a victory; they need to run up the score. Consequently, we are seeing "sharps" hammering the Over on individual mini-game totals and taking favorites to cover larger spreads than usual for an exhibition game.

The Roster Split: USA Stars vs. USA Stripes vs. Team World

The roster construction has created a clear hierarchy in the Team World vs Team USA betting markets. The decision to split the American talent pool has arguably diluted their strength, leaving Team World with a terrifying concentration of MVP power.

  • Team World: Headlined by Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Even with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ruled out (replaced by Alperen Şengün), this roster boasts size and playmaking that pundits believe will overwhelm the divided American squads.
  • Team USA Stripes (Veterans): Led by LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Kawhi Leonard. However, the loss of Stephen Curry to injury (replaced by Brandon Ingram) is a significant blow to their spacing.
  • Team USA Stars (Young Guns): Featuring Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Maxey, and Scottie Barnes. While athletic, they lack the experience of the Stripes and the sheer size of the World team.

Victor Wembanyama MVP Odds: The Public Favorite

The biggest story in the futures market is the surge in Victor Wembanyama MVP odds. The Spurs center is fresh off a dominant 40-point performance against the Lakers just days ago, and his skillset is perfectly tailored for this short-format tournament. In 12-minute sprints, Wembanyama's ability to rack up blocks, dunks, and threes in quick succession makes him a statistical nightmare.

Opening at +650, Wembanyama has been bet down to +350 at major books, overtaking heavyweights like Anthony Edwards and Luka Dončić. The narrative is strong: Wembanyama is making his first start, representing the "World" on a global stage, and playing in a format that rewards two-way dominance. If Team World advances to the final as expected, Wembanyama is the logical choice to take home the Kobe Bryant Trophy.

Rising Stars Challenge: Friday Night Value

Before the main event on Sunday, the NBA Rising Stars Challenge bets are taking center stage tonight. The format remains the four-team tournament that has been popular in recent years, pitting NBA rookies and sophomores against G League standouts.

Bettors are fading the G League squad heavily this year, focusing instead on the NBA rookie teams led by high-profile draft picks. With the "Elam Ending" target score still in play for Friday night, live betting on the final possession has become one of the most profitable strategies for savvy handicappers. Watch for lineups featuring multiple ball-handlers, as isolation scoring tends to dominate the final stretches of these games.

Sharp Money Targeting Team World Futures

The consensus among Las Vegas and offshore bookmakers is that the NBA All-Star round robin odds are mispriced regarding Team World. By splitting the U.S. into "Stars" and "Stripes," the NBA has inadvertently created a super-team in Team World that doesn't have to share the ball with a second unit of equal caliber.

Insiders report that 70% of the handle on the "Winning Team" market is on Team World. The logic is sound: A lineup of Dončić, Jokić, and Wembanyama offers unparalleled passing and size. In a 12-minute game where possession efficiency is key to avoiding the point-differential tiebreaker, the superior playmaking of the international squad is viewed as a massive edge. If you are looking for value, locking in Team World before the lines shift further might be the best play of the weekend.