NBA Three-Point Contest Odds & Analysis

The number of competitors, points awarded and format of the event have changed over the years, but the 3-Point Contest is one of the marquee events of NBA All-Star Weekend rewarding the top long distance marksmen in the league.

The format remains unchanged from last year when Miami’s Tyler Herro emerged from the first round with the fewest of the 3 shooters that advanced to the championship round. Herro went on to beat Buddy Heild and Darius Garland for his first 3-Point Contest victory.

Damian Lillard has yet to play this season as he recovers from Achilles surgery, but he pushed his return to compete for his record tying third 3-point title. Along with Norman Powell, Lillard is one of two players who competed in last year’s contest and he’s also one of two former 3-Point Contest winners (Devin Booker) in the field.

NBA 3-Point Contest Preview

Part of NBA All-Star Saturday, the 3-Point Contest will be one of 3 events taking place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA on February 14, 2026. Festivities begin at 5 p.m. ET with the contest the first event scheduled. Watch the action on NBC and Peacock.

With Herro not participating there will be a new champion. The NBA betting line favorite is Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel, who can become the first rookie to win the competition. Knueppel has made an impact on the Hornets, who are currently in a play-in spot in the Eastern Conference. He averages 8 3-point attempts per game making 42.8 percent of his tries.

There is value backing Bobby Portis for the win. The Milwaukee Bucks forward leads all contestants making 45.6 percent of his 3-point attempts this season. He’s a low-volume shooter from distance and could wilt under the time demands. But with the longest odds on the board he’s certainly worth a look.

Lillard will be the sentimental favorite as he returns after missing out on the final round last year by a single point. He was also denied the chance at a three-peat that would have put him in rare company. Larry Bird and Craig Hodges are the only players to win 3 straight 3-Point Contests. Lillard still has a chance to match those two legends for the most overall wins.

I’m not sure betting the house on Lillard is a wise move, though. He hasn’t played all season and returning for this event is unusual. However, I wouldn’t put it past him to show up and shoot the lights out since he’s a career 43.9 percent from deep, I’m just not ready to wager on it.

Lillard and Phoenix’s Devin Booker are the former winners in the field. Booker is an electric scorer averaging 25.2 points, but he’s struggled from distance making only 31.1 percent of his triples this season.

Shooting a basketball is like riding a bike so first-timers Knueppel, Portis, Tyrese Maxey and Jamal Murray shouldn’t be affected. Philadelphia’s Maxey and Denver’s Murray are prolific scorers who use the 3-pointer to increase their numbers. Murray shoots 43.8 percent from distance while Maxey is at 38 percent.

NBA 3-Point Contest Predictions

There is more to the competition than just being accurate. Managing time and maintaining form in a timed event is also critical. High-volume shot takers typically have an advantage judging from past winners putting guys like Knueppel, Booker, Maxey, Murray and Donovan Mitchell on the radar.

My sleeper pick is Miami’s Norman Powell. He has experience in the contest and is a career 40 percent shooter from deep. He’s also motivated to perform better than last year when he scored the fewest points in the field.

NBA 3-Point Contest Betting Tips

There is a big betting market for the contest with odds offered on which players will advance to the final round. Knueppel is the negative odds favorite in that category. There are also over/under numbers on points each player scores.

And of course, there are NBA betting odds for the outright winner of the 2026 3-Point Contest winner.