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NBA Betting – A Concise Guide To Sports Betting On US Basketball

Like most sports, basketball has its own betting markets. Some of these bets will be the same as those found in other sports. And some will be very different. If you're tempted to start betting on NBA games, then it's essential that you understand what you're doing before placing bets with your own hard-earned cash. With this concise betting guide to the NBA, we try to cover all aspects of betting, including bet types and the research needed to ensure that you get the best value for your money

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Understanding Online NBA Betting

Today we thought we take a closer look at American basketball betting. We imagine that many online gamblers are interested in placing bets with sportsbooks on NBA games. To help you understand the range of available bets, as well as some top betting tips and pointers on how to win the jackpot, we decided to create this concise NBA betting guide.

NBA Best Bets And Betting Markets

The first thing to note is that the sheer range of bets, as well as the betting market options for the NBA, is absolutely huge. You’ll find some of the most popular NBA bets listed below:

Moneyline Betting
Point Spread Betting
Over/Under Bets
Parlay Betting
Futures Betting

NBA Moneyline Betting

Simply put, a money line bet is where you choose the team you think will win the game. The odds for money line bets are displayed with the favourites having a (-) symbol in front of their price. While the underdogs have a plus (+) sign. Let’s have a look at some examples:

Cleveland Cavaliers -250
San Antonio Spurs +300

The main point to keep in mind is that money line bet prices always relate in some manner to $100. So looking at the figures above, we can see that the Cleveland Cavaliers would need you to spend $250 on a bet in order to see $100 in profits. Looking at the San Antonio Spurs, we can see that if you bet $100, then you stand to make a $300 profit.

NBA Money Line Wagers

If you’re a beginner at betting on NBA games then we suggest that you stick to money line wagers. This is because they are by far the simplest bet to understand. Not only that, but you can be certain that all NBA sports betting bookmaker sites will carry them. As you can see from the figures, payouts for underdogs can reach massive proportions. It’s important to remember that you’re looking to find value. So don’t just bet on a team because they are your favourites. If you want to make money in sports betting then you need to bet on the underdog. But at the same time, you’ll need to find a valid reason to do so.

The NBA Prop Bet

Prop bets in NBA have nothing to do with the outcome of the game. This is a bet that can be split into two separate parts; the NBA team props and the NBA player props. You’ll find these bets are available on every game. By nature, they tend to focus more on the statistical performance of a player or of a team. The thing about NBA prop bets is that you need to have a more detailed knowledge of the game. But this extra effort on your part adds a lot more excitement to your betting. And as a result, the wins are that much more satisfying.

NBA Player Prop Bets

If you’re betting on player prop bets then you’ll find these focus much more on an individual player. Virtually all NBA prop bets will come in an over/under format. An example of this would be that Stephen Curry will score either over or under 28.5 points during the course of a game. Though the total number of points scored is one of the most popular player prop bets, there are plenty of others available. These include such things as the number of steals, total assists, total rebounds, and the number of 3-point field goals made in the course of a game.

NBA Team Prop Bets

For bets that are centred around the team’s performance, you have the team prop bets. One thing to note is that these don’t always make use of the over/under format. It’s quite possible that they may include some general bets around the team. Things such as which team will get to the first 10 points or which team will score first. If you’re backing your favourite team, then prop bets are a great option. And even more so if you are unsure as to who will win the game.

Top NBA Betting Tips

It doesn’t matter if you’re new to betting on the NBA or a veteran sports better, it’s still important that you try and refine your betting strategy. At the same time, it’s worth considering all the different variables that may affect the outcome of the game, or impact its progress. To give you a better understanding before you start placing any wagers at an NBA sportsbook or betting site, we’ve listed below our top jackpot winning tips and tricks to help you on your NBA betting journey.

Check The Team News

In truth, you won’t get very far in NBA betting if you don’t follow the roster updates and the injury reports. It’s all pointless if you discover that the best player isn’t on the court simply because you didn’t look into this beforehand. The result will be that without their best player the outcome will be hugely different than you might have imagined. So ensure that you do your homework and as much research as possible before placing any MBA wagers. It’s absolutely essential that you know your team is playing at full strength before parting with any money.

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Consider The Home Advantage

There are many reasons why sports bettors believe that there’s an advantage when a team is playing at home. For one thing, they are going to be more rested compared to the other team who have been on the road. Also having the home crowd behind you can lift a team to perform even better. So be sure to look at the schedules before you bet, as there may be a home team advantage to take into account. Nevertheless, it may also be a good idea to check your team’s record to see how well they play when they are either at home or away.

Research Statistics And Trends

Thanks to having the internet, there’s really no excuse for not researching all the data and stats of a team before you place any bets. Though it’s true that looking at head-to-head records will not guarantee you any wins, it can help you make informed decisions when coupled with other information. On the whole, we are wary of betting on favourites because the payouts tend to be very small even if you win. But having said that, taking into account the public consensus for predictions, can give you an insight into the choices that other bettors are making. By focusing on these you may be able to spot value in hidden opportunities that others might have missed. Doing your research before betting should be one of the most important jackpot winning strategies.

Listen To What The Experts Say

Due to the global reach of NBA betting, there’s no shortage of experts and commentators who will be giving their opinion and advice. It goes without saying that all of them will have their own picks and predictions on NBA games. But keep in mind, that just like many other ordinary betters, they won’t be right all the time. By listening to them, you may be able to find details and other factors that you may not have previously considered. Whatever you do, do not buy tips. Do your own research and don’t rely on other people to make the choices for you.

Popular NBA Events You Can Bet On

Keep in mind that there are many NBA events to bet on that go far beyond the regular televised season games. You’ll find that all the best NBA betting sites will offer plenty of basketball betting markets. We suggest that you have a look at the minor leagues and not just the most popular NBA events.

NBA Pre-Season Betting

Another good idea is to check out the teams in their pre-season games in October. This will give you a head start before the gameplay starts getting serious when the season begins. You’ll find there are NBA futures markets which allow you to get your bets in early. And though there will be a lower volume of bets placed pre-season when compared with the regular season, you’ll still find lots of available markets to bet on.

NBA All-Star Betting

The NBA-hosted All-Star Game takes place every February during the All-Star Weekend. You’ll find the fans and the members of the media, along with pro basketball players, all voting on who’s going to be included on the rosters. Many sports bettors simply bet on which All-Star squad will win. But there are a number of betting markets open during this period. These include such things as the All-Star Game MVP. There’s also a skills challenge, as well as players show off their passing, ball handling, and shooting skills.

NBA Play-Offs Betting

As you’re probably aware, the top 8 teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences compete with each other to reach the finals in the NBA post-season. This takes place in April and May. During this period, you’ll find at each conference will put on the best of seven series of games. Within this, there is the first round, then semi-finals, before the Conference Finals. At this point, the two conference winners and the outright winner will each playoff. So in this series, we’ll see a huge number of popular bets placed during the play-offs.

NBA Finals Betting

Now the winners of the Eastern and Western Conferences will go head-to-head in the NBA Finals game. These take place well after the playoff series have wrapped up in June. You’ll find there a number of betting markets open which will include the team that would be the outright winner. Another popular bet is on which player will be crowned the Finals MVP.

Rating Online NBA Betting Sites

If you’re looking for the best NBA sportsbook, then we’ve done the hard work for you. Below you’ll find the six key areas you should be looking out for. If you find a sportsbook that ticks all the boxes, then that’s the one you should go with.

Sportsbook Promotions

First off, you want to ensure that all their bonuses and incentives are available for NBA bettors. We tend to rate the sportsbooks that give generous offers to first-time players more highly. For example, Bodog Sportsbook gives all new sports bettors a great welcome bonus of 100% up to $400! By instantly increasing the size of your betting bankroll, you’re also going to increase your jackpot winning chances. Nevertheless, do check that there are no complicated terms attached in the small print. You’ll also find that the best NBA online betting sites will reward your loyalty with such things as free bets and regular promotions.

Online Security

It’s essential that you feel absolutely secure when you’re betting online. You need to be confident that the online sportsbook will protect your account and personal data from malicious third parties. All the top NBA sports betting sites should be fully licenced by a reputable licencing authority. A couple of the best are issued by the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority. Part and parcel of obtaining this licence are that the betting companies need to show their security is top-notch. In the same manner that you securely send money using your bank applications, then the online security at sports books should be of the same level. As a base, it should use SSL encryption technology.

NBA Betting Payment Options

For sheer convenience, you find that all the best NBA sportsbooks will offer a huge number of payment options. Ideally, you want to find betting sites that accept e-wallets, like Skrill and Neteller, in addition to the normal credit and debit card payments. Though bank transfers have their use, they are so slow as to make them almost unusable. Also, make sure you check how quickly the winnings can be paid out into your chosen account.

Markets and Types Of Bets

Look for sports books that offer you a huge number of betting markets and choices when it comes to placing NBA bets. Just finding standard fixed odds markets on the outcome of the game isn’t going to be enough. Ideally, you want to find yourself everything from prop bets to live-in-game betting across a range of different betting markets. As a given, these should include such things as the various prop bets, as well as futures bets.

NBA Betting Odds And Other Features

We all know, that if you’re going to be betting at NBA online sportsbooks, then you want to get the biggest bang for your buck. To that end, ensure that the odds offered are competitive within the industry. We also tend to rate more highly online bookmakers that offer special features, such as NBA stats and also live-game footage.

Mobile Betting

In today’s modern age of internet streaming, being able to place your NBA bets via your portable phone is essential. The convenience of being able to bet on NBA games from anywhere and at any time is hard to beat. Having the markets at your fingertips, whether you’re using an iOS or Android device, makes for a much more immersive betting experience. It doesn’t matter where you are, you always have the chance to win the jackpot online. We found that Bodog Sportsbook offers a great mobile experience, with an easy-to-use interface. You’ll find that some online NBA sportsbooks will offer a dedicated sporting app which can only add to the ease of use.

Enjoy Yourself

Finally, we should mention that you’re betting to add extra enjoyment to the games. So don’t let yourself fall into frustrated or emotional betting habits. As with all gambling activities, the fun factor should always come first. Set yourself a budget for your NBA betting and stick to it. In the beginning, start small. Only when you learn more about sports betting, along with studying form, terms and other NBA research, should you increase your wagering amounts.