MANILA, Philippines, July 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A die-hard basketball fan since the days of the Chicago Bulls dynasty during the 1990s, the 39-year-old basketball enthusiast emerged as one of the winners in ArenaPlus' NBA Playoffs MVP: Battle for the Most Valuable Predictor campaign and took home a life-changing ₱5,000,000 prize from the ₱50 Million Shared Prize Pool.

The free-to-play prediction contest, introduced by ArenaPlus in March, challenged fans to put their basketball knowledge and instincts to the test by predicting the outcomes of the NBA Playoffs. Each participant received two entries, giving them two chances to map out the 2026 NBA Playoffs and the projected series winners from the first round through the NBA Finals.

At the core of the challenge was a format familiar to seasoned basketball fans: the bracket. Participants had to predict the winning team across all 15 NBA Playoffs matchups, with only fully KYC-verified entries considered valid.

One participant emerged with the highest number of correct predictions to claim the guaranteed ₱100 Million MVP Bracket prize, with ties determined by the earliest valid submission.

Participants with the next highest number of correct picks split the ₱50 Million Shared Prize Pool, awarded to the highest-performing group below the grand prize winner. One of them was the Banawe-based salesman, who took home ₱5,000,000 after years of following the NBA.

He was formally recognized on All in sa Arena, ArenaPlus' original show on Facebook and YouTube, following the New York Knicks' 94-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals on Sunday, June 14. More winners are expected to be announced after careful validation and in-person verification.

For this salesman, the win was decades in the making.

His love for the league started during the Bulls era in the 90s before eventually shifting to the Boston Celtics when Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce formed Boston's famed Big Three. This season, however, he found himself rooting for the Knicks.

Drawing from years of watching the game, he carefully studied Playoffs matchups before making his selections. One of his entries projected a Finals showdown between the Spurs and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“Yung una kasi binase ko talaga sa chances nila manalo. Kasi diba, ang lakas ng Cleveland Cavaliers. Sila lang tanging nakapanalo sa Detroit Pistons. Sila naglalaban sa 1st at 2nd seeding sa regular season standings at one point,” he said.

“Tiningnan ko yung Playoff experience tsaka match up nila dahil may James Harden at Donovan Mitchell na may experience na sa Playoffs. Tapos kumpleto pa, walang injury yung lineup.”

His second entry ultimately proved more valuable where he predicted the Knicks would defeat the Spurs in the NBA Finals.

“Sa Knicks kasi, binase ko kay Jalen Brunson. Iba yung nilaro ni Brunson,” he said. “Kaya sabi ko, baka lumusot 'tong Knicks dahil iba nilalaro ni Brunson. Nadagdag lang naman sa kanila si Jordan Clarkson na may Playoff experience din. Kumpleto sila, tapos walang injury. Sabi ko pag naglaban sila ng Cleveland, baka makalusot.”

Among the other winners was 38-year-old Matt Rivera, who received ₱10,000 worth of ArenaPlus betting credits. He predicted a Spurs-Knicks Finals matchup, but picked the Spurs to win.

Erick Su, Head of ArenaPlus, congratulated all the winners, noting that their success reflected the Filipinos' passion and knowledge of the game.

“This contest proved something we’ve known for a long time - Filipinos don't just love basketball, they understand the game at a very high level,” said Su.

“The winners were able to make the right calls because they followed the season closely, studied the matchups, and trusted their instincts. That's what the NBA Playoffs MVP: Battle for the Most Valuable Predictor campaign was all about.”

About ArenaPlus

ArenaPlus is the #1 PAGCOR licensed online sportsbook in the Philippines, providing a secure and engaging sports betting and streaming experience. Launched in 2023, ArenaPlus features a wide range of local and international sports.

Press Contact Information: Fraulein Olavario Communications Manager, ArenaPlus [email protected]