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Basketball games can go into overtime if the score is tied at the end of regulation play. In the NBA, overtime periods last five minutes, and the teams play another overtime period if the score is still tied at the end of the first overtime. There is no limit to the number of overtime periods that can be played, and the longest game in NBA history, which occurred in 1951, went into six overtimes. Other basketball leagues and variations, such as 3x3 basketball, have their own unique overtime rules and formats.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of overtime periods in the NBA | Six (the highest number of overtimes on record) |
| Length of each overtime period | Five minutes |
| Time between the fourth period and overtime | 2:30 |
| Number of team timeouts per overtime period | Two |
| Previous number of team timeouts per overtime period | Three |
| Timeouts in the fourth period | Four |
| Timeouts after the three-minute mark of the fourth period | Two |
| Timeouts before overtime | Two |
| Timeouts in the first, second, and third periods following a successful field goal attempt | Mandatory |
| Timeouts in the last two minutes of the fourth period or overtime | Cannot be used to change or repair equipment |
| Passing in the last two minutes of overtime | Anywhere on the court |
| Ball thrown into the frontcourt in the last two minutes of overtime | Offensive players may not be the first to touch the ball if they fail to control it and it goes into the backcourt |
| Foul counts in 3x3 basketball | Not kept individually; all fouls are recorded against the team and carried over to overtime |
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What You'll Learn
Longest NBA game
Only three games in NBA history have reached more than four overtimes. The longest NBA game ever played, which went into six overtimes, took place on January 6, 1951, between the Indianapolis Olympians and the Rochester Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) at Edgerton Park Arena in Rochester, New York. The game lasted 78 minutes, with the Olympians winning 75-73. Two of the six overtime periods saw neither team score a single point.
The Hawks have been involved in three of the longest NBA games, all of which took place in Atlanta. On January 29, 2017, the Hawks defeated the New York Knicks 142-139 in a game that went into four overtimes. The most recent of these three games took place on March 1, 2019, when the Bulls beat the Hawks 168-161 in another quadruple-overtime game. The Utah Jazz and the Atlanta Hawks also played a quadruple-overtime game on March 25, 2012.
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NBA overtime rules
The NBA overtime rules are quite complicated, and even diehard fans might be unsure of certain details. Here is everything you need to know about the NBA's overtime rules.
Firstly, if the score is tied at the end of the fourth period, play shall resume after a 2:30 break without a change of baskets for any of the overtime periods required. All overtime periods are considered extensions of the second half, and teams change baskets for the second half. Overtimes are started with a jump ball in the center circle.
Each overtime period is five minutes long. The timing devices are stopped during the last two minutes of overtime following a successful field goal attempt. During these last two minutes, the ball may be passed anywhere on the court (during inbound plays). However, if the ball is thrown into the frontcourt and an offensive player fails to control it and causes it to go into the backcourt, his team may not be the first to touch the ball.
Each team is allowed two team timeouts per overtime period. If the score is still tied at the end of the first overtime, another overtime period will begin. There is no sudden-death provision, and all personal fouls are carried over to overtime.
During the last two minutes of any overtime period, a team is no longer able to utilize a Coach's Challenge to trigger instant replay review of a called goaltending or basket interference violation. Review of these events is exclusively triggered by on-court game officials.
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Overtime in other sports
Overtime rules vary between sports and even different competitions. Some sports employ a "sudden death" mechanism, where the first player or team to score wins the game. In other cases, play continues until a specified time has elapsed, and only then is the winner declared. If the contest remains tied, the match may end as a draw, or additional periods may be played, or a tie-breaking procedure such as a penalty shootout may be used.
In baseball and softball, there is no game clock. If the regulation number of innings are complete (usually nine in baseball and seven in softball) and the score is tied, extra innings are played to determine a winner. The longest professional baseball game ever played was a 1981 minor league game between the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Rochester Red Wings, which required 33 innings and over eight hours to complete.
In American football, overtime procedures vary between different leagues and competitions. In the National Football League (NFL), overtime rules differ depending on whether the game is taking place during the regular season or playoffs. In the former American Football League, the championship game played on December 23, 1962, went to double overtime, with the Dallas Texans defeating the Houston Oilers 20-17. In the United States Football League, a triple-overtime playoff game was played on June 30, 1984, with the Los Angeles Express defeating the Michigan Panthers 27-21. In college football, six games have gone to seven overtimes, and one game went to nine overtimes, with Texas A&M beating LSU 74-72 on November 24, 2018.
In basketball, if the score is tied at the end of regulation, the teams play multiple five-minute overtime periods until a winner is determined. In 3x3 basketball, a formalized version of the half-court three-on-three game, ties after a 10-minute game are settled by continuing play with no game clock until one team scores two additional points.
In netball, two straight 7-minute periods of extra time are played, with teams changing ends in between. If the scores are still tied, the match continues uninterrupted, and the first team to lead by two goals wins. This is known as double overtime.
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The Elam Ending
In the traditional format, the trailing team often resorts to fouling in the final minutes as a strategy to prolong the game and catch up with their opponents. However, this strategy rarely succeeds and typically makes the game less exciting to watch. The Elam Ending aims to mitigate this issue by removing the game clock and introducing a target score.
Under the Elam Ending format, the game clock is turned off at the first dead ball with around four minutes remaining. The target score is then determined by taking the leading team's score and adding a predetermined number of points, typically between seven and nine points. The first team to reach or exceed this target score wins the game.
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Overtime and betting
In basketball, if the score is tied at the end of regulation play, the teams play multiple five-minute overtime periods until a winner is determined. The rules for overtime are slightly different from those of a regular game. For example, during the last two minutes of overtime, the ball may be passed anywhere on the court during inbound plays.
When it comes to betting on basketball games, it is important to understand how overtime affects the wagers. Basketball is one of the few sports that always plays until a winner is determined, so bettors should be aware of the different terms between markets that apply during regular time and those that include overtime. Most bookmakers indicate this by noting "(inc. overtime)" near the market title. For example, betting on the Moneyline market is different from the same 3-Way market used during the regular time of 40 or 48 minutes.
Overtime betting in basketball can be risky or rewarding, depending on the wager placed. A 2-Way or full-game bet includes extra time, and this option is generally preferable to a 3-Way bet because of the minimal odds deviation between the markets due to overtime's rarity in the sport. It is also wiser to wager on two possible outcomes rather than three.
The main types of basketball bets influenced by overtime are point spread bets, over/under (totals) bets, and second-half bets. In point spread bets, the bettor predicts the winning team and is given a point margin that the chosen team needs to meet. Overtime is usually a factor in these bets, so in the case of a tie, the final point total from the overtime period is added. In over/under (totals) bets, bettors wager on whether the combined points of both teams will be above or below a suggested number. Overtime scoring can determine these totals, but it is important to check the specific rules of the sportsbook, as not all bookmakers accept overtime bets.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, it is possible for a basketball game to go into the 4th overtime. In the NBA, if the score is tied at the end of the fourth period, a 2:30 break is taken and play resumes for a 5-minute overtime period. If the game remains tied after this period, another overtime period begins, and this can continue for as long as the game stays tied. The longest NBA game in history even went into six overtimes!
All overtime periods are considered extensions of the second half, and teams do not change baskets. Overtime periods last for five minutes, and all personal fouls are carried over. Each team is allowed two timeouts per overtime period. During the last two minutes of overtime, the timing devices are stopped following a successful field goal attempt.
Yes, in 3x3 basketball, ties after a 10-minute game are settled by continuing play with no game clock, only the shot clock, until one team scores two additional points. The team that did not get the first possession in the game gets the first possession in overtime.
Yes, in netball, two straight 7-minute periods of extra time are played, with teams changing ends in between. If the scores are still tied, the match continues uninterrupted until one team is up by two goals, which is known as double overtime.
