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NBA Bets

NBA Bets

Eric Kithinji
Eric Kithinji
icon time
5 Min
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Basic
NBA Point Spread Betting
NBA Moneyline Betting
NBA Futures Betting

Being a long season and a popular sport, the NBA gathers plenty of betting action. It has lots of teams, lots of players, and lots of games.

For this reason, the betting markets are wide, and you can bet until the end of time.

Plus, with online sportsbooks having more and more popularity, it’s even better. You don’t have to move to a local retail bookie, you can do it from anywhere, anytime.

Don’t miss a beat when it comes to NBA bets.

NBA Bet Types

Since the NBA is so popular, betting on it comes along quite often. Each game offers you a wide variety of different bets available. Not only can you choose the bet type you want to play but also when or who to wager on.

From point spreads, moneylines, and totals, to proposition bets, the NBA menu has it all. You can also play props on individual players. Your wager can be a future one to collect money at a later date. It is a vast world.

So, you have the tactics for handicapping, but this won’t always be the best bet to use. There are tons of different markets to exploit in the NBA betting world.

When the spread isn’t what gives you confidence, or you may want to seek more profit, other types of wagering suit you better. Don’t you worry, we will explain them to you right now:

NBA Point Spreads

This is the most popular type of betting. Basically, each side has a point spread set at -110 odds as a standard. It can vary, but this is pretty much the norm. Look at the following example:

  • Milwaukee Bucks +3.5 (-110) at Los Angeles Lakers -3.5 (-110)

The road team, Milwaukee, are 3.5 point underdogs to the home team Lakers.

For the Bucks to cover and win the bet, they must win the game or lose by three points or fewer. Meanwhile, the Lakers have to win the game by more than four points to win the spread bet.

NBA betting sites follow the same rules, but pushes are possible sometimes. In our example, since there is a “hook,” a push can’t happen.

In the case the spread was -3, it would be a possibility. If a push happens, bets are reimbursed.

NBA Moneylines

Moneylines take away the point spread factor. The bettors only have to worry about their team winning the game straight up.

Needless to say, a heavy favorite bet can be steep, but when betting underdogs, you can get higher payouts than a spread.

  • Milwaukee Bucks +150 at Los Angeles Lakers -120

The moneylines aren’t as popular as spreads, but they offer some added value in the underdogs’ department.

NBA Totals

Totals and team totals are the most popular markets, besides spread betting, of course. The total bet is the combined amount of points scored in a specific game. Just as a note, the overtime counts for the bet. You can play the “Over” or the “Under” on the line set by the oddsmakers.

  • Milwaukee Bucks at Los Angeles Lakers Over 189.5 (-110) / Under 189.5 (-110)

The NBA totals can shift a lot from game to game. Lower projected overall totals will be found at 190 or less. The games that expect to be a defensive show can go as low as the mid 170s.

Overall, most totals fall in the range between 185 to 220 points.

Those games where both offenses seem unstoppable and could be high-scoring affairs will get a total of 230 or higher.

NBA Parlays

Parlays are multi-bets smashed into one large bet. They must have a minimum of two teams, and go as high as 12 in most cases.

Each leg of the parlay must win individually for the parlay to win as a whole. One loss and it all goes down the drain.

NBA Teasers

The teasers are very similar to parlays, but with a lesser payout. The reason is teasers handicap in your favor, making it a more achievable bet.

Basketball teasers are usually between 4 to 5 points, but each bookmaker has its limits. Some sites allow the teasers to go up to 16 points!

A -3 favorite and a +3 underdog then go to +2 and +8, respectively, in a 5-point teaser.

As with parlays, all legs must win for the teaser to cash.

NBA Futures

The NBA is a competition, hence there always will be a winner. NBA futures allow you to wager for an outcome determined at a later date.

Days, months, or weeks before the event happens. The odds will get updated as the season progresses.

Among the most popular NBA futures bets, you can find odds to win the NBA title, Eastern and Western Conference Champions, or regular-season MVP.

NBA Prop Bets

Growing as fast as minute rice, the NBA props are hot. These markets allow you to bet on outcomes that are not attached to the outcome of the game.

You can focus on how many points Steph Curry will have at the end of the game, or if Russell Westbrook will record a triple-double.

You can also bet on teams. How many rebounds will the Suns get, or how many points will the Celtics score?

NBA props are very creative. Some bets may be for entertainment value, but you can find value in them.

With an ever-increasing number of propositions per game, the NBA is a place to set your prop bets on.

NBA Live Betting

Live betting in the NBA is over the moon compared to sports like NHL or MLB. It falls short in contrast with the NFL—but they’re a big deal for sports fans.

Most sportsbooks offer live betting every night on the NBA action, but only for the highly relevant games. Come playoff time, live betting options are broader.

You will look mainly at spreads, moneylines, and totals when betting live.

Thirsty For More Betting Knowledge? Check Our Sports Betting Guides Hub.

About the author

Placed his first sports wager shortly after high school, and has been involved in this whirlwind of the industry since then. Fan of most of the major ...

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