Music mogul Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter found himself on the losing end of a high-stakes wager this week, as the Indiana Pacers handed the Oklahoma City Thunder a stinging 116-107 defeat in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The Pacers’ victory not only tilted the series in their favor—with Indiana now leading 2-1—but also ensured the series would stretch beyond five games, voiding the 55-year-old entrepreneur’s $1 million bet that the Thunder would win it all in five.
The bet, placed through Fanatics Sportsbook, where Jay-Z is a prominent investor, would have yielded a $2.3 million payout had the Thunder sealed the series quickly. Instead, his prediction unraveled under the bright lights of Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the Pacers—backed by a roaring home crowd and a swarming defense—outpaced the favored Thunder in a pivotal Game 3 showdown, according to a report by People Magazine.
Fanatics publicized Jay-Z’s wager on June 5, just hours after Indiana stunned Oklahoma City with a last-second Game 1 win, courtesy of All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton’s clutch shot. That opening victory sent a clear message: Indiana was not content to play the role of underdog.
Despite a commanding response from the Thunder in Game 2, the momentum shifted yet again on Wednesday night. Oklahoma City, led by newly crowned NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, came into Game 3 as 5.5-point favorites. But Indiana’s defensive intensity—particularly in the pick-and-roll—disrupted the Thunder’s rhythm and exposed vulnerabilities that their earlier dominance had masked. The Pacers won 116 to 107.
“It starts with me,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after the game, taking responsibility for the loss. “It starts with me, but we gotta apply that pressure back.”
On Friday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder came roaring back, winning game 4.
Neither the Pacers nor the Thunder have ever won an NBA championship.
Game 5 tips off on Monday, June 16, at 8:30 p.m. ET. This time in Oklahoma City. The winner will take a 3-2 lead and be one win away from basketball glory.
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