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Basketball is a fast-paced, high-scoring sport that lends itself well to betting. The most popular form of betting on basketball is spread betting, also known as line betting. This is a form of handicap betting where the bookmaker sets a point margin that a team must win by. For example, if the Lakers are predicted to beat the Celtics by 5.5 points, they would need to win by 6 points or more for a successful bet. If you bet on the Celtics, they could either win the game or lose by a maximum of 5 points for your bet to pay out. Other types of bets include moneyline wagers, over/under bets, parlay bets, and prop bets. To bet successfully, it's important to have a thorough knowledge of basketball and the NBA, understand the betting markets, and be able to read odds.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of bet | Point spread, Moneyline, Over/Under, Parlay, Future, Teaser, Props, Head-to-head |
| Factors to consider | Team's current form, streaks, strengths and weaknesses, injuries, individual players' performance, pace of the game |
| Resources | Dunks & Threes, teamrankings.com/nba, basketball-reference.com, forbes.com |
| Odds | Listed as the amount of profit returned per $100 wager |
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What You'll Learn
Spread betting
When betting the spread, you are choosing a team to win or lose by a certain margin of points. This margin is set by the bookmaker and is also referred to as the 'spread'. The favourite team must win by more than the specified number of points to cover the spread, while the underdog team can lose by that same number of points or win outright. For example, if the spread is +6 for the favourite team, they must win by 7 points or more for a successful bet. If the underdog has a spread of +6, they can lose by 5 points or fewer, or win the game, for the bet to be successful. If the favourite wins or the underdog loses by exactly the number of points in the spread, this is usually considered a 'push' and bets are refunded.
Oddsmakers will consider various factors when setting the point spread, including team strength, recent performance, and talent rosters. They will also take into account injuries and roster changes, home advantage, and public perception. It is important to research how a team has been performing recently and how they match up against their opponent before placing a spread bet.
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Moneyline wagers
NBA moneyline bets are also offered during the NBA Finals, which is the culmination of the regular season, featuring the best two teams competing for the championship trophy. The intensity of playoff games provides prime opportunities for NBA betting.
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Over/under bets
When determining how to bet on over/under odds for basketball, consider the style or pace of the game. Look for the lowest totals since, as these are the lowest, they are the farthest from the average totals of that day. Common sense in basketball is that the furthest they are from a daily average, the less likely they are to happen. While the winner of the game is of no consequence, you still need to consider many other factors, including the history of the teams involved. Look back at the last 3-5 games to get an idea of the short-term trends that an NBA team is experiencing. Are they playing good defence?
The payout on an over/under bet doesn’t just depend on predicting the score correctly. The odds will also tell you how much the sportsbook will take out of your winnings. Sometimes, the sports book will add extra “juice” to either side of the total. Adding the extra juice is one way a sports book can keep the total the same while still creating an advantage for the house. For example, if the total of 210 in a Warriors vs 76ers game receives a large majority of over bets, you may see -115 or -120 show up next to the over. Usually, both wagers offer you the same returns, so the answer depends on what your research tells you about the two teams playing and the trends when these teams meet.
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Parlay bets
The key feature of a parlay bet is that all the individual outcomes must occur for the bet to be successful. This means that if even one of your selected teams loses or one player fails to meet their prop bet, the entire parlay bet loses. While this makes parlay bets more difficult to win than single-game wagers, they offer higher payouts due to the increased odds.
When placing a parlay bet, it is important to consider the odds and potential payouts. Each additional leg in a parlay increases the overall odds, resulting in a higher potential payout. However, it is crucial to remember that the more outcomes you include in your parlay, the more difficult it becomes to win. Therefore, it is generally recommended to keep your parlays to a manageable number of legs, such as 3-team parlays, to increase your chances of success.
To place a parlay bet, you can use online sportsbooks or betting sites. These platforms will allow you to select the games or events you want to include in your parlay and calculate the odds and potential payout for you. Some sportsbooks may also offer promotions or insurance on parlay bets, such as returning your stake if only one leg of your parlay loses.
Overall, parlay bets offer an exciting way to wager on basketball, combining multiple outcomes to create higher odds and potential winnings. However, they also come with a higher risk of losing, so it is important to carefully consider your selections and manage your bankroll when placing parlay bets.
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Live betting
Another scenario for live betting is when the team you have backed goes on a run and establishes a big lead. This presents a potential 'middle' opportunity. For example, if you have backed the Dallas Mavericks and they are up by 10 after the first quarter, and you have a Dallas -3 ticket already, you could then also bet on the other team at +8 or +9 for the game. You would then hope that Dallas ultimately wins the game by 4-7 points so that you win both wagers.
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Frequently asked questions
A good strategy is to live bet on favourites that go down early, as they are likely to catch up as the game progresses. You can also use tools like Dunks & Threes to get stats on pace rating, offensive and defensive possession length, and how teams shoot and defend from certain areas of the floor.
Spread betting, also known as line betting, is the most popular form of betting on basketball. Moneyline wagers are another option and are as straightforward as choosing the victor of the game. You can also place future bets on long-term markets such as the winner of a tournament or the top scorer.
It's important to know that there is no foolproof way to bet on basketball. You should also be aware that there is a market bias in favour of lowly regarded underdogs.
You can bet on basketball at your preferred bookmaker.
