LeBron James’ Impressive Streak
Hindsight is 20-20, especially in the world of sports betting. However, that has never stopped anyone from analyzing and fantasizing about how much a crazy long shot would payout. In fact, someone did the math on one scenario just like that: Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James’ 1,297 straight games of scoring at least 10 points.
The 40-year-old James extended his 18-season streak Monday night in a loss to the Phoenix Suns. So, how much would you have made if you had placed a $1 bet on James in the first game of his streak, a 19-point performance with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 6, 2007 against the New Jersey Nets. James had scored just eight points the game before against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Spoiler: it’s a lot. Twitter user @stackempicks says that if you started with “$1 at a 1.2x multiplier every time they would be the richest person ever”. In fact, you would have surpassed Elon Musk’s nearly half a trillion dollars long, long ago.
The person’s calculations totaled 4.9897 x 10^{102}, which for the non-math folks is a 103 digit number.
The Math Behind the Streak
The Tweet made it onto Reddit, where commenters questioned @stackempicks’s math. For one thing, this would require you to continue making bets far beyond a sports book would ever accept or could pay out. Also, it acknowledges the payout was not actually a 1.2x multiplier every game.
Reddit user @elyodreiK estimates, hypothetically of course, the payout would be closer to 10^27, a 28 digit number and well beyond any realistic amount of money.
A Look Back at LeBron James’ Streak
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James holds the NBA record for most consecutive games with at least 10 points. James has come close other times to missing the double-digit mark, but has always found a way to get to at least 10 points.
The streak has not been without some controversy and accusations of stat padding. As Heavy’s Sai Mohan pointed out, “James attempted three shots within the span of one minute — between the 7:19 and 6:20 mark in the fourth quarter” Monday against the Suns.
Mohan said James broke hall of famer and former Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards guard Michael Jordan, who was the previous the record holder. Jordan’s streak lasted from March 25, 1986 to December 26, 2001.
What’s Next for LeBron and the Los Angeles Lakers
The 15-5 Lakers are currently second in the NBA Western Conference standings behind only the defending NBA champions and first place 21-1 Oklahoma City Thunder.
James, in his 23rd NBA season, made his 2025-26 debut November 19 in a win against the Utah Jazz, playing 30 minutes and scoring 11 points. The Lakers are 4-1 since James returned to the team, their only loss coming against the Jazz. James is averaging 15.2 points per game this season, only scoring more than 17 points once. The 15 points per game is nearly 10 points lower than his previous career low of 24.4 last season.
Championship Odds
The Lakers currently have the fifth-best odds of winning this year’s NBA title, followed behind the Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and Cavaliers.
James has played at least 45 games every season, his lowest coming in the year following his last of four NBA titles: 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2020 (Covid).
Conclusion
LeBron James’ impressive streak of 1,297 straight games with at least 10 points is a testament to his dedication and skill as a player. While the math behind the streak is interesting, it’s also important to remember that it’s not just about the numbers – it’s about the hard work and perseverance that goes into achieving such a feat. As the Lakers continue to compete for a championship, James will undoubtedly remain a key player, and his streak will continue to be a topic of interest for fans and sports enthusiasts alike.
