How To Bet On NBA Basketball Games
There are 82 games during the regular season in the NBA, and 30 teams in the league. That's a lot of betting opportunities to be made during the year. Online sportsbooks offer a number of different of types of NBA betting lines as well. Here on this page, we want to explain to you what NBA betting options are available, how you can bet on the NBA online, and where to bet on the NBA at the most trusted online sportsbooks. Afterall, there are a variety of different online sportsbooks around, and there is certainly a difference between the top ones, and the ones that aren't so good.
So, the purpose of this page is really two-fold. First, it's about giving you all the information available for betting on the NBA. Second, making you aware of the different sportsbooks out there the bet on sports online safe and efficiently.
Get the rundown on the different games lines, props, and futures odds that will be formed on these legal online sports betting sites throughout the year and NBA Season.
We have provided you with some key factors to take into account when it comes to betting on the NBA. Be sure to take a look at them, and learn from our experiences, as we have been around the game for a long time, and know what to look for.
Put stock in "home court advantage."
Sports bettors should be familiar with the old cliche of a team having home court advantage--it's common for a bettor to handicap a game in the home team's favor by a few points, no matter the outcome. Home court in the NBA is a big deal; take a look at the most recent two seasons, when the combined home record of all the league's playoff team was 952-460. The road record for those same teams 534-618. The league's best teams win at home far more than they lose. Give home court advantage a lot of weight when betting on NBA games.
More parity than ever in the league means you should expect the occasional big upset
A team can have a fifteen game winning streak, beating all their best opponents for weeks, then lose to the worst team in their division on home court in a nationally-televised game. The NBA of the 90s was anything but a level playing field, with a few teams dominating every other market. These days, you should expect a few big head-scratching upsets, even for the professional basketball league's elite squads. It is difficult to incorporate upsets into a gambling strategy, but if you don't mind risking the occasional wager on a long shot, you may find yourself getting lucky betting against what everyone else thinks is an must-win point spread, especially if an elite team is playing an opponent they may be "thinking past," concerning themselves more with next week's headliner game.
Understand how some team's home performance and away performances differ
It's important to take the performance of teams both on the road and away into account when placing NBA wagers. It is rare for an NBA team to have anywhere near an identical home and road record, so when handicapping games, you need to know a team's trend. Are they far better at home than on the road, like the 2010 LA Clippers? Another team that year, the Dallas Mavericks, were known for poor performance against the spread at home, going just 10-31 ATS in the 2010 NBA season. You have to dig deep into these kinds of stats to place smart NBA bets.
Watch out for overvalued teams; put your money on undervalued teams
Every NBA season has a few overrated squads and a few teams that perform like diamonds in the rough. Looking at a team's total bet value is the final step in betting on professional basketball wisely. Bettors should look for teams flying under the oddsmaker's radar, and avoid teams that the book is giving too much love to. A team's W-L column isn't always the best indicator of their low value in NBA bets; look at how the league's supposedly elite teams perform against the spread. Then find those teams that are consistently beating the spread or pulling upsets. Finding underdogs and overrated NBA teams will help you lay down smart money.
MORE: Can You Go To Jail For Betting On Sports?
There are a couple of different ways to bet on the NBA game during the course of the season. It really just depends on what type of wager you are looking to make.
- Straight Bet - A straight wager on the NBA is the most common form. This is your basic bet on the point spread for a game, the money line, as well as the over/under game total. Team and Player props are also a form of straight wagers, as are futures
- Parlay - A parlay wager made on an NBA game links multiple bets together, with all aforementioned bets needing to win for the wager to be a success
There are several different types of betting odds for wagering on the NBA. These center around straight bets that can be placed, from game lines, prop betting odds, and futures wagers. Check these betting types out below.
- Point Spread - A point spread is installed for ach NBA game, installing a favorite and an underdog on the betting line. The bet is placed on the team to cover the installed spread from oddsmakers.
- Moneyline - The money line is a wager made on an NBA game without the point spread. Essentially, it's a bet placed on the straight up outcome. With no spread, the payouts can range significantly however.
- Game Total - A combined point total for each game is set down for every NBA match up from oddsmakers, with a wager made on the actualy total going over or under the installed total.
- Team Props - NBA Team props are formed for both the season and invidiaul games. These team props cover a wide range of outcomes within the games.
- Player Props - NBA player prop odds are performance-based for both the season and the individual games.
When it comes to betting on the NBA, there are a number of top sportsbooks which field all kinds of wagers for it. Whether it's game lines, prop odds, futures and more, these online sportsbooks that we have reviewed below have it covered full circle. Check out the sign up bonuses, deposit and withdrawal options in addition the betting odds, as these are all important facets of the best online sportsbooks to bet on the NBA.
Bovada is right at the top of the list when it comes to betting on the NBA during the basketball season. Their complete list of NBA betting lines, from game odds, props, and futures, provide their players with a ton of betting options. Bovada implores a 50 percent bonus up to $250 on first deposit. Plus, to make deposits, Bovada has made that really easy too... No matter what time of year it is, NBA betting lines are available at this top online sportsbook.
Bovada Deposit Bonus: 50% Up To $250 On First Deposit - Claim It!!!
Betting on the NBA is made fun and exciting at WagerWeb Sportsbook. Operating out of Costa Rica, WagerWeb is one of the most trusted online sportsbooks in the industry. WagerWeb offer a number of different betting options when it comes to betting on the NBA, from game lines, to player props, and team props. Not to mention NBA Futures available almost all year. Check out their 100%/200% bonus up to $1,000 for all first time depositors.
WagerWeb Deposit Bonus: 100% or 200% up to $1,000 - Claim It!!!
| Legal Sports Betting Sites | Sportsbook | Bonuses Available During Basketball Season | Visit Online Sportsbook |
|---|---|---|---|
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Bovada | 50% Match Bonus Good To $250 Free | Visit Bovada Sportsbook |
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SportsBetting | 50% Sign Up Bonus, Up To $1,000 | Visit SportsBetting.ag |
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BetOnline | 50% Bonus up to $1,000! | Visit BetOnline Sportsbook |
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BetDSI | 100% up to $500 | Visit BetDSI Sportsbook |
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5Dimes | 50% Sign Up Bonus, Up To $520 | Visit 5Dimes Sportsbook |
As we know, the NBA has an 82-game regular season with 30 teams. That 2,460 games during the regular season. Not to mention the season-long playoffs! So there are plenty of NBA matchups that will be available to place a bet on. Below on this page, we have all of the NBA betting odds for each of the games every day on the schedule. These game odds will be updated each day, with matchup previews and analysis for each.
