Oddsmakers at DraftKings Sportsbook have the Omaha Supernovas as favorites to win the Pro Volleyball Federation.
Omaha will face the Grand Rapids Rise on Saturday in the first championship match for the pro women’s volleyball league. The Novas defeated San Diego in a stunning reverse sweep on Wednesday in the semifinals. The Rise knocked off the top-seed Atlanta Vibe in five sets in the other semifinal.
The Rise lost three of the four matches they played against Omaha in the regular season. That fact, and the locale (the final match will be at CHI Health Center in Omaha) are the most likely reasons the Supernovas are favored.
DraftKings lists Omaha at -260 to win the PVF Championship. Which means bettors will need to wager $260 to win $100 on them to take the title. The Rise have +195 odds. That means a winning $100 wager on Grand Rapids would win $295, including the original stake.
At least six states permit betting on the PVF, including Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
The Supernovas looked overwhelmed in the first two sets against San Diego in the semifinals, before flipping a switch and rolling to three straight set wins, mostly in dominant fashion.
The Rise struggled against Omaha, putting up a 7-11 record in sets against the Supernovas. They lost two of their matches to Omaha by a 3-1 score, and the other in five sets. Last Sunday, the Rise defeated the Novas for the first time, in five sets in Grand Rapids. In that match, neither team had anything to play for.
In this first season of the PVF, the championship tournament is being played in the city that produced the best attendance in the regular season. Thanks to the success and popularity of Nebraska volleyball, Omaha attracts many fans of the sport.
The PFV Championship match will be seen on CBS Sports Network at 4:30 PM EDT on Saturday, May 18.
