How to Bet on NBA Moneylines
How to Bet on NBA Point Spreads
How To Bet On NBA Totals
How to Bet on NBA Futures
How to Bet on NBA Props
How to Bet on NBA Parlays
How to Bet on NBA Teasers
How to Bet on NBA Quarters and Halves
How to Bet on NBA Live Betting
NBA odds
You could make the argument NBA basketball is second in popularity in the United States, only to the NFL. More and more people are also learning how to bet on NBA basketball.
From Bill Russell to Wilt Chamberlain, from Magic Johnson to Michael Jordan, from LeBron James to Kevin Durant, the NBA has never lacked in star quality. But betting on the games also makes it a little more interesting, and there are no shortage of NBA betting options.
How to Bet on NBA Moneylines
Most people will start off betting on moneylines, because it is the easiest way to wager. All you are doing is betting on the outcome of the game, no more, no less.
For example, you have Golden State at -260 in a matchup against Dallas at +170. Here, Golden State is the favorite, as shown by the minus sign. You would have to bet $260 to win $100 on the Warriors. On the other hand, the Mavericks are the underdogs, as denoted by the plus sign. You would win $170 on a $100 bet on the Mavericks, if you picked them to pull off the upset. You have to pay more to win money on the Warriors because they are the better team.
It is really that simple, and that is why new bettors should probably start here.
Keep in mind, you don’t have to bet these sums of money; this is just to show the ratio of bet to payout. They always stay the same, regardless of the bet you bet.
Also, in terms of the favorite and underdog, the signs (plus and minus) will also always remain the same.
How to Bet on NBA Point Spreads
Point spreads are another method of betting on the outcome of an NBA basketball game. Here, you aren’t necessarily wagering on the final outcome of a game, but by a margin of victory that is set by the sportsbook.
Let’s take the two teams from the above example, Golden State and Dallas. The Warriors might be favored at -8.5, while the Mavericks would be +8.5 on the other side. If you were to bet on the Warriors as the favored team, they would have to win this game by more than 8.5 points (so, nine points or more) in order to earn a payout for you.
The Mavericks would be able to lose by 8.5 points or less (so, eight points or less), or win the game outright, in order for you to cash a winning ticket. The Warriors get this point spread because they are, in theory, a much better team.
You will also a half-point on these point spreads much of the time, and the sportsbooks might do it on purpose. They are trying to avoid a push, which is a tie. If the spread is eight points and the Warriors win by eight points, it would be considered a push. That means you would get the money that you wagered back. With a half-point, there will be a winner: either you or the sportsbook.
How To Bet On NBA Totals
When you are wagering on NBA totals for a game, you are not betting on the outcome of the game. Instead, you are betting on how many points will be scored in a game, an amount that is set by the sportsbook.
For example, the game between Golden State and Dallas might have a total of 217.5 points. You are wagering on whether the actual final total of the game will come in Over or Under the total posted by the sportsbook. You will also hear this type of wager referred to as an Over/Under bet.
The totals bet might require a little more research than a moneyline or a point spread bet would need. Are the two teams in the matchup the type to get up and down the floor at a fast pace? Are they the type to go at more of a deliberate clip?
Again, you might see a half-point in an Over/Under bet for the same reason that you saw in a point spread bet. The sportsbook is trying to ensure that, one way or another, there will be a winner for the wager.
How to Bet on NBA Futures
A future is a long-term type of wager that players can make prior to, and during, the season. An example of this type of bet in NBA basketball is wagering on the winner of the NBA championship. The odds for this are usually out a day or two following the conclusion of the season. Then, it will be updated for any major moves that have been made in free agency, or via the NBA Draft.
You probably won’t see many teams that have a minus in front of their odds in future bets, although it can happen sometimes. You will see a list of teams with a positive sign, and the teams with the lowest numbers are considered the favorites. For example, the odds ahead of the 2018-19 season has Golden State as -195 favorites to win the title again. Next, you have Houston at +550, the Los Angeles Lakers at +800, and so on.
Another type of NBA futures bet is the win total. The sportsbooks will set a number for the amount of games they project a team is going to win. As the bettor, you have to bet it as you would with totals for a game. Will the actual win total be Over or Under the amount set by the sportsbook?
Other types of NBA futures bets that you can make are division and conference bets. The odds for those will be set a little closer to the beginning of the season. You can also wager on who will be the MVP of the season.
How to Bet on NBA Props
Props in NBA betting usually have to do with a player, and it usually has to do with a specific game. Like win totals and betting on totals for a game, you are betting on the Over/Under for a category.
For example, a prop bet in the NBA would be, “will LeBron James score more or less than 28.5 points against the Spurs”. You can bet on the Over, or the Under for the actual amount of points.
How to Bet on NBA Parlays
A parlay bet is a wager in which you can bet on multiple games, but all within one single bet. However, all of the games have to go in your favor in order to get paid out.
The most popular way to do this is with moneylines. So, you could have Golden State as an aforementioned -260 favorite over Dallas, then you have Houston as a -175 favorite over Oklahoma City, and then Boston as a -250 favorite over Toronto.
Separately for these favorites, you wouldn’t get much of a payout. But if you were to combine these three, you would get a larger payout because of the number of games.
The more games you bet, the more of a payout you could receive. However, there is a bigger risk because there are three games in which something doesn’t go your way. You have to hit on all three games to claim a winning ticket.
How to Bet on NBA Teasers
Teasers are similar to a parlay bet in that it is a multiple-game wager. With teasers, however, you can move the point spread or the total in order to benefit your wager. You can also alter both within the same game.
For the NBA, you can usually move the point spread or total either six, 6.5 or seven points, although you might want to confirm with the sportsbook you’re using. However, since you get to move either of those numbers, your payout will be reduced as a result.
You might have Golden State at -8.5 over Dallas, and then want to add Boston at +6.5 over Toronto. You could take the six-point teaser, and move Golden State at -2.5 if you feel like Dallas might be able to keep it close. You could then move the Boston line to +12.5 points to give yourself more of a cushion against Toronto. But again, you have to win both of those games, and you will get less of a payout.
How to Bet on NBA Quarters and Halves
Betting on quarters and halves for NBA basketball is a relatively new concept. But it is a simple premise. Instead of betting on the outcome of an entire game, you are betting on the outcome of a quarter or a half.
This can be used to hedge your bets a little. If Golden State is blowing out Dallas and you bet on the Mavericks to win the game, you might wager on the Mavericks to win the fourth quarter and get a little bit of your money back. Maybe Dallas played very well in the first half, but you expect Golden State to make a furious comeback. This is where quarters and halves betting could come into play.
How to Bet on NBA Live Betting
Live betting is another new concept in NBA betting, and has increased in popularity with the rise of smartphones. You can bet on whether a player will make or miss a free throw, or whether a team will make a 3-pointer on their next possession. NBA live betting moves really fast, so you have to pay attention and be on the ball when making these kinds of picks.
NBA odds
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