Brownlee tops ArenaPlus betting charts as Ginebra wins PBA title

Justin Brownlee emerged as the most-backed player among ArenaPlus users during the PBA Season 50 Commissioner's Cup Finals, as Barangay Ginebra San Miguel ended its three-year title drought by dethroning TNT Tropang 5G.

According to ArenaPlus, the PAGCOR-licensed online sportsbook, Brownlee accounted for 22.11 percent of all player bets placed during the championship series.

The veteran import also drew strong confidence from bettors, with 81.98 percent of wagers involving Brownlee predicting he would finish above his projected statistics in categories such as points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.

ArenaPlus allows users to predict whether players will finish above or below projected statistical totals.

Brownlee rewarded that confidence by averaging 36.57 points, 9.14 rebounds, 5.14 assists and 1.29 steals per game, helping the Gin Kings capture the Commissioner's Cup championship.

The 38-year-old naturalized Filipino delivered back-to-back scoring explosions of 54 and 52 points in Games 5 and 6 to keep Ginebra's title hopes alive before leading the team to the championship.

The victory also gave Brownlee his seventh PBA title, the most by any import in league history.

TNT import Chris McCullough ranked second with 12.80 percent of all player bets, followed by Commissioner's Cup Best Player of the Conference RJ Abarrientos with 11.77 percent.

RR Pogoy finished fourth at 10.28 percent, while Finals Most Valuable Player Scottie Thompson rounded out the top five with 9.39 percent.

Also included in the Top 10 most-backed players were Jordan Heading, Calvin Oftana, Troy Rosario, Rey Nambatac and Japeth Aguilar.

"Justin Brownlee has earned the trust of basketball fans through years of success in the PBA, and the Finals showed that confidence remains as strong as ever," said ArenaPlus Head Erick Su.

"The other players who drew the most support were also the ones carrying the biggest responsibilities on the court. Fans clearly knew who to watch in a series of this magnitude," he added.