The NBA has a long season and many upsets which can make betting on it quite challenging. A common way to bet on an NBA game is to bet on the winner of the match or the Money Line. Bettors can also bet on the total points in a game and against the spread. There are also more specific markets such as betting on player points, rebounds, or assists. Future bets on events are also popular.
NBA Moneyline betting
Moneyline betting is the simplest way to bet on an NBA team when doing some online sports betting. A Moneyline bet is a bet on a team to win the match. There is a fair amount of parity between NBA teams and college basketball so the odds tend to be closer. Bettors can get great odds if they select an underdog and the team wins against a more favored team.
Betting against the spread
Rather than betting on which team will win outright, betting against the spread is betting on which team will cover the spread. This is set by the sportsbooks. The favorites concede points and the underdogs gain points on the spread. This helps to even the playing field and makes betting on either side a viable option. It helps in the psychology of casino gaming and sports betting to have an even playing field.
Over/under betting
This is betting on how many total points both teams combined will score in the game. It’s a great alternative to the previous two betting options. The over/under is typically set somewhere between 180 and 240 points. The oddsmakers will assess team styles and matchups to predict how many points teams will score. Every possession and shot counts when winning or losing a bet.
Player prop betting
NBA prop bets aren’t on the outcome of the match but are usually based on player points, rebounds, and assists. Sometimes a line has an over/under total that includes all three. Experts will often spend hours researching players and player matchups to place the best prop bets.
Parlay betting
Parlays can allow bettors to reap big rewards if they hit. A parlay bet combines multiple individual picks into a single bet. All the selections have to win for a bet to win. A single loss is a total loss. An advantage is that the multiplying of odds of each selection when they are together creates the parlay odds. If they hit, the potential winnings are greater than when placing a straight bet.
Futures and live betting
Future odds for the NBA first appear in the offseason. These are long-term bets on the outcomes of playoffs or the full season. Bettors may bet on the winner of the NBA finals or division and conference winners. They can also place bets on the rookie of the year and other award winners.
The NBA’s popularity and its dynamic nature make live betting very exciting as the odds can flip in a matter of minutes. In live betting, the odds and betting lines update in real-time.