How to Bet On NBA
Are you interested in betting on NBA? This post provides a comprehensive guide on the betting options and how to bet on NBA using them. Let us get into the details.
What are NBA Betting Options?
NBA games, like the NFL, offer numerous betting options. With basketball matches producing high-scoring results, multiple bet options, teasers, and spread betting, are some of the most popular betting options. So, why bet on the NBA?
The primary benefit of betting on the NBA instead of the NFL is the duration of the season. Also, there are many matchups available to explore. Bettors looking for exhilarating action should consider betting on the NBA preseason, individual achievements, finals, and other components of the game.
How to Make Bets Against the Spread
The NBA spreads are similar to other sports spreads. When a team has a negative symbol (-) to its odds, it is the bookie’s favorite. A positive sign indicates the underdog. Bookies set spreads to level the odds between two opposing teams.
Example of NBA Betting Odds
| Date/Time | Team | Spread | Win | Total |
|
09-10-22/ 8:30 pm |
LA Clipper | +8 (-110) | -180 | O224 (110) |
| New York Nicks | +5 (-115) | +160 | U224 (-110) |
From the above, the LA Clippers team is given an -8 point favorite against the New York Nicks. The spread is -8, which means if you wager on the Clippers on this spread, they have to win by a minimum of 8 points for you to win the bet. Winning by fewer points means you lose the bet.
However, if you wager on the New York Nicks with +8 as the underdogs, you still win even if they lose by 7 points. However, you lose your bet if they lose by 8 points. Let us look at the numbers in the brackets beside the point spread. The bracket figure shows the amount you must wager to win ₹8000.
Like the example in the table above, where you have -110, you have to wager ₹9000 to win ₹8000 if your prediction is correct. You get a total return of ₹17000, a combination o your ₹9000 wager and the ₹8000 winnings. It is worth mentioning that you do not have to bet ₹9000.
You can bet as low as ₹400. The bookmakers only use ₹8000 to make it easy to understand the potential returns in betting. Also, the spreads in basketball do not change as frequently as you have in NFL football spread. The changing of odds refers to the line movement.
Basketball spreads have less line movement because they have limited time, and the NFL has more bets than the NBA. Sportsbooks often consider the home-court advantage for NB games when calculating odds.
Yet, bookmakers choose dominant teams as the clear favorite when they play away from home with less successful teams. When the best teams play at home, the NBA spreads are often significant.
Either way, understand that it is risky to bet on favorites because the top players in those teams play more casually in regular seasons to prevent injury.
Additionally, many teams keep their star players out of regular seasons to ensure they are refreshed for the rigor of the end of the season. We recommend that you learn how to bet on basketball and win before betting with real money.
What Other NBA Bet Types are Available?
Although spread betting is the most popular NBA bet type, there are other types you can explore. Let us look at these in detail.
Moneyline Bets
If you prefer betting on the winners, moneyline bets are the best choice for you. It is undoubtedly a simple bet, but the returns are lower than other bet types. Let us look at how moneyline bets work.
Example of NBA Betting Odds
| Date/Time | Team | Spread | Win | Total |
|
09-10-22/ 8:30 pm |
Houston Rockets | +7 (-105) | +170 | O224 (110) |
| Miami Heat | -7 (-115) | -200 | U224 (-110) |
In this example, the number with the negative sign in the spread and win column indicates that the Miami Heat is the favorite team with a high potential of winning. The positive sign shows that the Houston Rockets have the least chance of winning, making them the underdogs.
Also, the win column shows a positive number, which reflects how much a punter could make if they bet ₹8000 on the team with a high possibility of winning. That means if you wager 4100 on the Houston Rockets and your prediction is correct, you win ₹14000, making a payout of ₹22000.
Where you see the negative number in the win column, it shows the amount you need to wager to win ₹8000. With the example above, it means when you wager ₹16000 on the Heat to win, you win ₹8000 if your prediction is correct.
That gives you a payout of ₹24000, which is your initial wager and the winnings. As mentioned under point spread betting, you do not have to bet ₹8000 or ₹16000. Bookies only use the figure to make it easy to calculate the moneyline returns.
What is NBA Game Total Betting?
This is when a punter predicts whether the points total by both teams is over or under the line set by the sportsbook. While it is a simple bet, punters must understand that basketball games generate high scores. Therefore, attacking teams may run up to over 250 points while the defensive teams struggle to attain 150.
Remember, a negative sign with a number next to the over or under odds is the amount to wager to win ₹8000. Nevertheless, if it is a positive number, it shows the return in winnings you can get when you wager ₹8000. Each correct prediction always returns your initial wager and the winning.
What are NBA Parlay Bets?
These are multiple-prediction bets. Therefore, if you predict each wager correctly, you win. Returns on NBA parlay bets are usually generous, but you must get all predictions correctly to win. If one result is wrong, you lose your bet.
There are up to twelve selections for Parlays, and the more selections you have, the higher the potential payouts. However, you must understand that sportsbooks often set a limit to the maximum wins you can have with parlay bets.
Understandably, these limitations can be annoying but protect the bookmakers from going bankrupt. We recommend that you review the terms and conditions on the site before betting to avoid any unpleasant surprises when it is time to cash out.
What are NBA Teaser Bets?
These are also multiple-selection wagers where you bet on multiple teams. Unlike parlay bets, NBA teaser bets let you add selections against the game totals and spread. Additionally, you can alter the spread for each selected game.
Let us use an NBA two-team four-point teaser with even odds. Let us say a punter teased the Chicago Bulls from a -6.5 point favorite to -2.5 during their matchup and teased the LA Clippers from +4.5 points underdogs up to +8.5.
For this, you need the Chicago Bulls to win by three or more points, and the Clippers must win outright or lose by a maximum of nine for you to win. What do even odds mean? You will win ₹8000 from a ₹8000 wager on the teaser.
With this, you get a payout of ₹16000, which is an addition to your ₹8000 initial bet and the teaser winning of ₹8000. As mentioned, you can adjust spreads for NBA teasers by 4, 4.5, or 5 points. Overall, NBA basketball teasers offer better payouts compared to their NFL counterpart.
However, if you get a prediction wrong, you lose your total bet. It is also worth mentioning that there are other limitations worth considering when betting on teasers.
First, understand that bookmakers pre-determine the payouts based on the number of teams playing and the number of points you adjust the spreads. Also, betting sites do not let punters tease the spread in a single game both ways.
What are NBA Round Robins?
These are a combination bet of at least two parlays. It is a multi-option bet that lets you combine multiple smaller parlays to boost your returns. While the potential payouts are higher, the chances of winning are relatively low.
What are NBA Prop Bets?
These are also known as side or proposition bets. They are specific betting options that offer punters an opportunity to be creative with their betting. Sportsbooks offer numerous prop bets, and bettors can explore many options.
You can wager on blocks, assists, turnovers, rebounds, and points per game. Punters can also bet on stats, including shooting percentages. Online bookies also allow players to bet on the Draft Lottery. You can also wager on who will Slam Dunk Contests.
What is Futures Betting?
This is a bet placed on results close to the end of the season. You can bet on the team to win the championship, the player to win the Most Valuable Player Award (MVP), and others. Since only a few teams or players get to win these honors, it is difficult to predict NBA futures.
Expert Tips and Strategies for NBA Betting
When looking for how to bet on basketball and win, some of the things worth focusing on are the tips and strategies involved in betting. While there is no guaranteed way to win, these tips can give you a competitive edge when betting on NBA online.
Energy Levels
NBA teams are not unchanging machines. With the season lasting for months, it is natural for the teams’ energy levels to dip, and this can affect their performances and outcomes. Therefore, predicting the more tired team may give you leverage.
To know which team is likely to be more worn out, consider the distance each has traveled recently and whether some specific players are recovering from injuries. The intensity of the last games can also be a pointer in knowing the team that will be more worn out.
Regularly Evaluate the Lineup
Many teams heavily depend on a couple of exceptional players. If those players are missing, the chance of the team winning is reduced. Additionally, understand that well-distributed teams could also have a weak link. Therefore, check out who will play and check the previous results attained by the same lineup. This will help you make accurate predictions.
Live Betting and the NBA
In-game bets are made possible by the end-to-end gameplay of NBA matchups. As scores alter every few seconds, live betting becomes more exciting. Some popular live bets to make in an NBA game include spreads, outright winners, halftime winners, Score competitions between players, and odds or even game totals.
