The National Basketball Association is a great league to bet on for more than one reason. First, you will find some of the best odds and value on NBA games. The best time to bet on the NBA is during the months of January – April. The National Football League and College Football are wrapping up, which means the NBA is where it’s at. Secondly, the NBA is one of the few sports where individuals can make a huge difference in the outcome of a game. Be aware of the player trends and who’s hot and who’s not when making your NBA picks and bets. Let’s go over a few basic types of NBA bets that you’ll find in your day to day betting.
Types of NBA Bets
- NBA Spread Bets – When you are betting on spread bets in the NBA, you are betting on which team you think will “cover the spread”. One team is getting points to work with, while the other is giving points. If you are betting on the “favorite” you will see a “-“ next to that team. If you are betting on the “underdog”, you will see a “+” next to that team. Typically you will receive -110 or even money for NBA spread bets.
- NBA Moneyline Bets - When betting on Moneyline in the NBA, you are strictly betting on the team you think will win the game. No point spreads are used in moneyline betting. Your odds for winning will vary depending on whether the team is favorites or underdog.
- NBA Totals Bets – This type of bet in the NBA refers to the number of points the two teams will combine to score. A lot of times, you will hear avid bettors talk about the “over/under”. This is what a total bet is. The odds makers will place a certain number of points that they feel the two teams will combine to score. As a bettor, it is your job to determine if the two teams will score more or less, or “over or under”.
- NBA Halftime Betting – Take your shot at betting on the 1st half of any NBA game. You can also bet on a 2nd half of a game during halftime.
- NBA Quarter Betting – Sportsbooks have lines set for every single quarter of every NBA game. To take advantage of NBA Quarter Betting you need to find a sportsbook that allows this type of bet.
- NBA Parlay Betting
- NBA Teaser Betting
- NBA Player Prop Betting
- NBA Game Prop Betting
- NBA Futures Betting – Throughout the year you can make NBA Finals Future Bets on who you think is going to win the NBA Championship. Typically you can make NBA Conference Champs Future Bets during the season as well. The benefit of NBA Futures Bets are you can risk very little to make quite a bit.
Examples of NBA Bets
Some examples of NBA bets that you will see at Picks.org:
New York Knicks -5.5 @ Los Angeles Clippers
This is a NBA spread bet, where the New York Knicks are the favorite to win by 5.5 points. If you think the Knicks will win by more than that, you will bet on the Knicks. If you think Los Angeles will keep it closer than that, or “cover”, or win the game straight up – you would bet the Clippers.
Chicago Bulls (-155) @ Sacramento Kings (+135)
This is a NBA Moneyline Bet. There is no point spread for this bet. No matter what the score is, if you bet the Chicago Bulls, and they win – you win. The same works for the other way around. The difference is the Bulls would pay off $10 for every $15.50 you bet, while the Kings would pay off $13.50 for every $10 you wagered.
Los Angeles Lakers/San Antonio Spurs Total 205.5
This last type of bet is NBA Totals Bet. In this scenario, the “over/under” is listed at 205. Again, you have the choice, if you feel the Lakers and Spurs will score more than that, bet the “over”. If you think it will be less than that – bet the under. Most total bets are given -110 odds, which means every $11 you bet, you would win $10.
Top NBA Games You Must Pick
- NBA All Star Game Betting – this is a popular game to bet on. May not be easy, but many people like to bet on the All Star Game. This game also features a ton of prop bets, which give you tons of opportunities.
- NBA Finals Betting – Not only can you bet on the individual games during the NBA Finals, but you can look at future and prop bets for the Finals. Follow us here at Picks.org for our predictions on teams that could win the NBA Finals throughout the season.
- Christmas Day NBA Games – Some of the best games are typically scheduled for Christmas Day in the NBA. These games are fun to bet on, because what else do you have to do besides watch and ignore your family.
- NBA Draft Betting – You can place wagers on the NBA Draft in June. Make predictions on who will be drafted and in what order.
NBA Betting Tips and Strategy
Finally we’d like to talk about some strategies and tips for making wise NBA bets. While these things might seem fairly basic, they are all things to keep in mind when making your NBA picks.
- Home Court Advantage – Home court advantage is a fairly big thing for some NBA teams. Know which teams play drastically better at home and take that into account before making your pick.
- Injuries – Following the key injuries a team might have is one of the most important tips to NBA betting. Often times this gets overlooked. You will see an NBA line set at -3 and think “WOW, this line should be -10.” Little do you know the best player on the favorite team is not playing tonight due to injury. Follow the NBA injury report before making your bets.
- Who are the Refs – This might sound corny but if you want to take your NBA betting to another level; study the referees. Many referees have very distinct trends and ways of calling a game. You might be able to pick up on some of these trends and help them when picking which NBA game is worth betting on.
- Follow the NBA Odds and Lines – Following line movements and watching the odds for NBA games at many sportsbooks is always a good thing to do. There are many NBA games each night so some sportsbooks might have different odds and you might be able to get a better line for the game you want to bet.
When it’s all said and done, betting on the NBA can be very fun, exciting and profitable. Learn the types of bets and the many tips to NBA betting and feel confident placing that bet on the next National Basketball Association game!
