Our betting expert explains everything you need to know about how to bet on NBA games online from the most popular markets to the stats sites and strategies to use when researching your wagers.
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More on NBA Betting 2022
- Most common NBA Bets
- How to watch the NBA
- Researching NBA Bets
- Basketball Betting Tips & Tricks
- How to bet on the NBA FAQs
Most Common NBA Bets
NBA Moneyline
The simplest form of betting, betting the moneyline comes down to choosing which team you think will win the game. The odds will point you to which team is the favorite, and which is the underdog. A negative sign denotes the favorite, and a positive sign denotes the underdog.
The bigger the gap between the two numbers indicates an anticipated mismatch, with two teams close in odds show there is not much to separate the two teams. An example of a moneyline market may be shown like so:
| Team | Moneyline Odds |
| Brooklyn Nets | -150 |
| New York Knicks | +200 |
NBA Spread
Like with NFL betting, when two NBA teams aren’t evenly matched, the point spread gives NBA bettors an alternative to picking one team to win over the other. The dog is given an advantage before the game starts, and the favorite is put at a disadvantage. Odds would look something like this:
| Team | Spread | Odds |
| Brooklyn Nets | -6.5 | -110 |
| New York Knicks | +6.5 | -110 |
In this scenario, the Nets would need to win the game by seven points or more to win the game. As for the Knicks, they would need to either win the game outright or lose by six points or less.
When you make a bet like this, you are choosing a team to cover the spread. You’ll often see ATS in association with this kind of bet. This means “against the spread.”
Spreads for an NBA game will typically be more than five points since basketball is such a high-scoring sport. There will be times when the spread won’t have the decimal and you would see a whole number.
If you backed the Knicks to cover the spread at +6, and they lost by exactly 6 points, this would result in a push, meaning you receive your stake back.
NBA Totals
Also known as over/under betting, a totals bet involves a wager on whether the combined final score will go over or under a set number of points. Using our earlier example, if the Nets are taking on the Knicks, the odds would appear like so:
| Total Points: 220 | Odds |
| Over | -110 |
| Under | -110 |
If you take the over, it means you need the total points to be more than 220 to win your bet. If you take the under, you need the collective score to be 219 or less to win your wager. Like in spread betting, pushes can also happen in over/under betting if the shared points hit the exact number set by the oddsmakers.
In addition to betting on the number of total points scored, you are also able to wager on an individual team’s total points scored.
In this scenario, you would need the team you’re betting on to score over or under a certain amount of points, with this market looking like this:
| Team | Total Points: Over 105.5 |
| Brooklyn Nets | -125 |
| New York Knicks | +210 |
NBA Parlays
This type of bet allows you to bundle two or more wagers on one betting slip. Parlays let you take the moneyline from one game, the totals from another, and the spread from a different matchup. For instance, a parlay ticket could look like this:
- Brooklyn Nets Moneyline + Chicago Bulls vs LA Lakers OVER + Dallas Mavericks to cover the spread
With this kind of bet, all wagers on your parlay must hit, otherwise it’s deemed a loss. If you have even one loss, you lose the entire bet. You can also make cross-sport parlays and include college basketball and other sports bets with your NBA picks. In fact, you can create tickets with any sports that are played concurrently with the NBA season.
NBA Props
Prop bets are a rapidly growing way to bet on basketball, allowing you to wager on different aspects of the game, not just the final score or outcome.
Prop bets can focus on game events as well as a team’s performance and individual player performances. Examples of game and player props include betting on the first team to 15 points, a team’s total three-pointers made, or a player’s combined points, rebounds, and assists.
Listed below are Kevin Durant’s over/under for total points scored in a single game. All you have to do is pick whether or not either player scores more than or less than the designated number set by the sportsbook. In this case, the Over/Under are both listed at -110, meaning the sportsbook favors neither scenario.
| Player | Over 30.5 Points | Under 30.5 Points |
| Kevin Durant | -110 | -110 |
As well as the player points props, there are many more other markets out there to bet on, so make sure to shop around at the best NBA betting sites for which sportsbooks offer the more variety of prop markets.
NBA Futures
Futures odds for the NBA will appear first in the offseason and are for long-term bets, generally on outcomes of the full season or playoffs. An example of some of the futures markets out there are as follows:
- NBA Finals winner
- Division and conference winners
- Team regular season win totals
- Teams to qualify for or miss the playoffs
- MVP, rookie of the year and other award winners
- Season-long leaders and individual player accomplishments
When betting on futures, the goal is to make the right call while also finding the selections you want at the best possible prices. This is another area in which line shopping can be beneficial, as some sportsbooks will have better priced futures odds than others.
How to watch the NBA
The NBA is shown all over the world, and will be broadcast on different providers for each country. If you’re in the USA, the hoops action is available on multiple cable TV channels, including ESPN, ABC, TNT, and NBA TV.
If you don’t have cable TV, streaming services are your superstars. One of the most popular ways to watch the NBA games online is, of course, with a NBA League Pass.
How to research NBA Bets
As with any sports betting, it’s important to do some research before placing any bets. There are plenty of statistics and results websites where you can research NBA teams, depth charts and current form. We’ve picked out some of the best sites to help craft your NBA bets.
| Site | Content |
| Fivetimesfive-blog.com | An advanced NBA statistics blog for the true basketball fans |
| stats.nba.com | The official website of the NBA, a plethora of stats from current and previous seasons |
| ESPN.com/NBA | A whole section devoted to the NBA. Live scores, schedules, standings and more. |
| Basketball-Reference.com | More than just the NBA, they provide data for all the major basketball competitions across the world. |
Basketball Betting Tips & Tricks
Who wants to stake money on NBA teams they have no knowledge of? To maximize your profits, at least do a bit of research beforehand, it can go a long way.
Using some of the sites listed above, and all the other various sources of information, equip yourself with strategies that are backed with data before stepping out into the wild.
Study the past performance and records of the players and their implication on the NBA spreads and odds. Know the lineups, statistics, and matchups. Always align your bets with what you have learned.
No breaking ankles with broken ankles
You do not want to bet on a team that is not in their top condition during a game. It is a risk that is unnecessary and completely avoidable by studying injury reports before placing a wager.
Take the blowout Golden State Warriors suffered last season due to the absence of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson from hand and knee injuries. It ultimately resulted in the team’s elimination from the playoffs.
Star players sustaining injuries could drastically impact results, so it’s important to check out depth charts and injury reports.
On the Road again
While seemingly trivial, the location of games will affect the condition of the players before a game. Travel schedules can disrupt performance by sleep issues and travel fatigue.
The NBA schedule is a rigorous one, often with teams playing on back to back nights. Bear in mind this factor, as it’s something the sportsbooks may not have noticed.
In planning your bets, you must also consider home-court advantage. Between the 1990 and 2021 NBA seasons, the average NBA team has won at least 61% of their games in their home arenas. Psychologically, the players may be more comfortable and confident playing on their side of the area.
Patience is a Virtue
As mentioned before, the NBA season is long and very full. Remember to take periodic rests, and do not bet on every game. Not every game is worth wagering on, and you’ll no doubt have an opportunity later that week when the team plays next.
Head over Heart
Everyone knows sports fans are passionate, New Yorkers more than most. Don’t cloud your judgments on your bets by backing your favorite team or player all the time, it rarely works in the long run. The better play would be to wager with intellect and not get too emotional.
Stay level-headed and collected. Always go back to your strategies. Decide based on the odds, not on what you feel. Remember how much money and effort you are staking on a bet, and do not let your emotions be at the helm of your decision-making.
It’s a four quarter game
NBA betting odds can be chopped up into halves and quarters, setting spreads and totals for different segments of the game. These derivative odds can hold added value not found in the full-game lines as teams present tendencies and trends that fly under the radar of NBA betting sites.
Some teams are slow starters and find their form in the second half, making them an excellent bet to fade with the first-half spreads. Others come out firing quickly on offense in the first quarter, adding value to the Over in the opening frame. Dive into the analytic splits to uncover the best derivative bets on the board.
How to bet on Basketball FAQs
Where can I bet on the NBA online?
There are a number of online sportsbooks where you can bet on the NBA in New York. Check out the best sports betting sites in New York, and read our in depth review.
Is it legal to bet on the NBA?
Yes, it is completely legal to bet on NBA games at licensed online sportsbooks. Like other sports, there are no restrictions on placing real money bets on the NBA, as long as online sports betting is legal in your state.
What are the best NBA bets?
The best NBA bets are different for each bettor. Many would consider prop and futures bets as the best, as these can generate larger odds compared to traditional betting options. Moneyline and spread betting are still strong ways to bet, but the odds are generally shorter.
Are there NBA prop bets?
Yes, there are NBA prop bets. Unlike moneyline betting, prop bets include how many points/rebounds/assists a player will score, will the game go into overtime, or first player to score. Prop bets with the NBA can often produce longer odds, meaning larger potential payouts.
How much can you make betting on basketball?
The money you make from betting on basketball depends on many factors. To give a simple answer to this question, the quality of selections and betting strategy are arguably the two most important factors.
Can I bet on College Basketball?
The rules surrounding college basketball betting are different for each state. March Madness is one of the most exciting betting events of the sports calendar, so you’ll want to get in on the action.
In the state of New York, bettors are not permitted to wager on any college basketball team from New York, or on any game taking place in New York.
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