NBA Betting Guide

The NBA is a lucrative site for bettors seeking to profit from the second most popular sport in the world, except for sports like table tennis, e-sports, etc. There are several ways to bet in the NBA public betting markets. With tons of bets, new teams adding and trading players, and massive inflows of money circulating every day on the NBA market, you can surely make outstanding profits by betting on this space.

How Does NBA Betting Work?

It’s important to learn the fundamentals of NBA betting to make profits in this market. First, it’s necessary to understand the main markets in the NBA:

Money Line Bet:

one popular way to profit from an NBA game is using Money Line Bet if spreads are not attractive for you. In Money Line Bets, the home team is always listed as the favorite for being the home team. The odds for this market can depend on the team, but it usually ranges from +100 to -/+1000.

Spread Betting:

the advantage by which a team will win or lose by several points is called Handicap or Spread. This market —the most popular too— is also known as “Sides”. The nomenclature could vary from one bookmaker or another. The spreads are defined in a number proposed by the houses, which they believe that the game will end.

Spreads allow bettors to play with the margin of victory in any given game. To understand this line proposed by the bookmakers, all you have to do is add or subtract the proposed handicap from the final result. If your team still wins, the bet will be yours.

For instance, if you bet on a spread of -10.5 for Miami Heats, you are betting that the Heats will win the match by 11 points or more. On the contrary, if your decision is +10.5 to Philadelphia, the result for you to win must be that the Sixers do not lose more than 10 points.

Thus, spreads allow bettors to play with that margin of victory in any game. If you chose an underdog team, say +5, then there are two scenarios: the team loses by less than five points or wins the game to cover the spread. A minus sign next to a team indicates favorite, a minus sign means that team is the underdog.

NBA totals:

This refers to the final score that, not just one, but both teams made in any regular-season or playoff. Odds for totals frequently range from 200 to 240 and you can find them on betting sites as OVER - UNDER. You can bet on whether the number of points of both teams will be over or under the listed amount.

For instance, take Miami Heat and The Spurs. The list is laid out the following way:

OVER 218 (-110)

UNDER 218 (-110)

Say Miami Heats is averaging 114 points per game and The Spurs 110. If both teams hit that same average in a matchup, then it would make 224 points total, this is called betting OVER. The same applies to under. If the Heats score less than 114 points that game, while The Spurs take the lead, say, a final score of 212, you’ll lose your bet. Naturally, push situations also apply in NBA betting, when a match ends up in a tie.

NBA Props and Features:

also called Proposition markets. This type of bet requires in-depth knowledge of a team, its players, and the game in general. Props allow you to bet on which player will be the MPV or who will become rookie of the year, for instance.

NBA futures:

with this type of bet, you can decide the outcome of a given game in a near future. It could range from weeks to months, and the odds will change as they keep track of the season progresses. Popular futures are odds to win the Title and Eastern and Western Conference Championships.

Although these markets are the most popular ones, not all betting sites will have the same layout. Some will offer more or fewer markets, depending on the site.

NBA Betting Tips

There are several strategies and tips you can try by yourself to make the maximum profit out of the game. Here are some to consider:

Season start:
odds are less efficient compared to the final quarter of the year, the reason why larger line movements are more frequent at that period. Bookmakers tend to have less activity as well because lines are not as clear in the first two months of the year, compared to later stages. You should keep this in mind when considering betting at the beginning of the season.

Possession:
the possession per game relies on the tempo and pace that both teams play. Usually, you’ll find defensive-focused, slow pace teams on the lower end of possessions. Offensive teams that play the typical run-and-gun style will be on the top due to their fast pace. Compared to spreads, NBA totals have fewer limitations due to oddsmakers are more vulnerable to analyzing totals compared to handicapping sides.

You can analyze and determine better the outcome of a game by checking in on perspective and pace, rather than picking the winning team on spreads or Moneyline.

Using third games to your advantage:

For many bettors that take on the NBA Playoffs, the third game is considered the best time to bet on teams that are down by two games. Bettors consider players have higher morals because it’s the first game of the series at home.

NBA Betting Lines

Lines and odds look dense and compact at first, scaring away potential bettors. But they are easier than you think. To understand lines you must understand the odds: they reflect the payoff to a certain bet. You will see a table, followed by the name of a team, and numbers with a positive or negative sign before them. Positive signs mean underdog, so that team is expected to lose. If it’s a positive sign, the team is expected to win. The actual value defines the payment you’ll receive for winning.

For example: If a bet is paying +200, you would win $2 on a $1 bet, for a total of $3 payoff. If a bet is paying -200, you will win $0.50 on a $1.00 bet, resulting in a total payout of $1.50. As you would expect, the more a team is favored to win by, the less you win betting on them. Likewise, if you bet on a team that’s an underdog, which is expected to lose, the more you win. As simple as that.

Betting News, Trends, and Forums

Keeping yourself updated with all the necessary information is vital if you want to strive with NBA bettings. There are several forums, news sites, and social networks where you can get all the essentials to plan your next move.