After no small uncertainty over whether or not the 2021 PBA Governors’ Cup would be concluded or scrapped in favor of preparing for the 2022 PBA season, the popular Philippine basketball conference – to the delight of Philippine online sports bettors everywhere – has been allowed to commence as previously planned.
No major changes have been made to the tournament structure, import players are still in-country, and the games themselves are going on as planned.
That said, one small change was inevitable:
From February 23 through February 27, all Governors’ Cup games are being contested at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, Rizal.
Upon the Governors’ Cup’s restart back on February 11, games were being contested at the Big Dome (aka Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City), but that venue is currently being used to host qualifiers for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Which, of course, you can bet on right now at the best online Philippine sportsbooks (see below).
As for the PBA, though, the Governors’ Cup elimination round is about two-thirds over, with most clubs having played eight or so games of their 11 scheduled contests.
Through Wednesday, February 23, the 2021 PBA Governors’ Cup standings are as follows:
- Magnolia Hotshots: 6-0
- Meralco Bolts: 5-1
- NLEX Road Warriors: 6-3
- Alaska Aces: 5-3
- San Miguel Beermen: 5-3
- Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters: 4-4
- TNT Tropang Giga: 4-4
- Barangay Ginebra San Miguel: 3-4
- Rain or Shine Elasto Painters: 3-5
- Terrafirma Dyip: 2-5
- NorthPort Batang Pier: 1-5
- Blackwater Bossing: 0-7
So far, only the Hotshots and Road Warriors have qualified for the 2021 Governors’ Cup quarterfinals, though their exact seeding remains to be determined.
No team is technically eliminated just yet, though it seems like the last two teams above – NorthPort Batang Pier and Blackwater Bossing – are unlikely to make significant enough gains on their competitors to get past the eighth-place cutoff limit.
Interestingly, BetOnline Sportsbook – which has long been out number-one choice for legal online sports betting in the Philippines – has only now started offering betting odds on the PBA, and they’ve got lines on both of tomorrow’s games:
2021 PBA Governors’ Cup Odds – Thursday, February 24, 2022
Mahindra Enforcers* vs. Meralco Bolts
- Spread: Meralco Bolts -9.5
- Straight: Mahindra Enforcers +442, Meralco Bolts -582
- Total:5 points
Magnolia Hotshots vs. Global Port Batang Pier*
- Spread: Magnolia Hotshots -10.5
- Straight: Magnolia Hotshots -600, Global Port Batang Pier +450
- Total:5 points
Interestingly, BetOnline has listed Terrafirma Dyip as the “Mahindra Enforcers,” which was the teams old name from 2015-2016. The same goes for NorthPort Batang Pier, which BetOnline has presented as “Global Port Batang Pier.” Global Port was the team’s name from 2012-2018.
As you can see, it’s been a while since BetOnline has offered PBA odds.
Naturally, the PBA isn’t the only local hoops betting opportunity hitting the boards this weekend.
As stated previously, the Big Dome in Quezon City is one of the host venues for the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers that get underway this Thursday.
Unfortunately, the FIBA game between South Korea and the Philippines – which was also to be played in Quezon City tomorrow – has been canceled as a result of Team Korea’s COVID-related withdrawal.
Of course, BetOnline has odds posted for all the FIBA games that remain on the docket:
2022 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers – Asia
India vs. New Zealand (Quezon City, Philippines)
- Spread: New Zealand -32.5
- Straight: N/A
- Total: 5 points
Kazakhstan vs. Iran (Tehran, Iran)
- Spread: Iran -10.5
- Straight: Kazakhstan +448, Iran -598
- Total: 5 points
Syria vs. Bahrain (Manama, Bahrain)
- Spread: Syria -2.0
- Straight: Syria -136, Bahrain +116
- Total: 5 points
Indonesia vs. Saudi Arabia (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
- Spread: Saudi Arabia -21.5
- Straight: N/A
- Total: 5 points
Lebanon vs. Jordan (Amman, Jordan)
- Spread: Lebanon -3.5
- Straight: Lebanon -169, Jordan +149
- Total: 5 points
Rounding out our Philippines basketball betting update is the news that the NBA’s second half is officially underway, so you can expect literally hundreds – or perhaps even thousands – of daily betting lines to hit the boards as the top teams in the league jockey down the homestretch to score homecourt advantage for the 2022 NBA Playoffs.
The only question we have is whether or not James Harden can help the Philadelphia 76ers finally get over that Finals hump…