If you want to learn more about how to bet on basketball, we’re very glad you’re reading this guide. We know how hard it can be trying to understand all the jargon that is involved in basketball betting.
In our early days of basketball betting, we were overwhelmed by terms like moneyline, point spread, over/under, and props bets. We also didn’t know which markets to focus on or how to spot the value in odds. However, we got to understand everything about betting on the sport. Keep reading to the end to learn more about basketball betting.
There are hundreds of basketball betting options you can wager on, but the following are some of the popular ones:
1. Moneyline
The moneyline is the most straightforward basketball betting option and involves picking which team you think will win the game. For instance, in a basketball match between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls, if you place a
moneyline bet
on the Los Angeles Lakers, it means you’re predicting that the team will win the event. If the Lakers win the event, your bet will win, but if the Chicago Bulls win, you’ll lose your bet.
2. Point Spread
Point spread is one of the most common basketball markets and is designed to level the playing field between weak and strong teams. With this option, the sportsbook assigns a virtual disadvantage to favourites while attaching a virtual advantage to underdogs. For example, let’s say the Boston Celtics are -6.5 favourites against the New York Knicks, they must win by at least 7 points for your bet to return a win. On the other hand, if you back the Knicks at +6.5, they can either win the game outright or lose by 6 points or fewer, and your bet will still win.
3. Totals (over/under)
Totals betting involves predicting whether the total score of both teams will go over or under a certain number set by the sportsbook. You can also predict whether the total number of points collected by a team can go beyond or below a certain number set by the bookmaker. For instance, if you bet over 215.5 on a basketball event, you’ll need both teams to score at least 216 points for your bet to win.
A Summary of Popular Basketball Betting Options
For a quick summary, here’s a table with the top 5 basketball betting options and what they mean:
Betting options
What they mean
Moneyline
Betting on which team will outrightly win the game
Point spread
A bet on the margin of victory; favourites must win by a certain number of points
Totals (over/under)
A bet on whether the combined points will be over or under a certain number
Player props
A bet on an individual player’s performance, like points, rebounds, or assists
Team props
A bet on specific team stats like total points or rebounds
How Do You Bet on Basketball?
It doesn’t matter if you want to learn more about how to bet on basketball or
how to bet on American football; the processes are almost the same. Once you’ve understood the basic things you need to know about basketball and are ready to put your knowledge to the test, the first step is to create an account on a reputable betting site.
The good news is that there are so many of our recommended sites you can use. You’ll find their registration links on the banner of this page. If you’re ready to jump into action, the following steps will be very helpful:
Tap the sign-up link of any of the betting sites on the banner of this page.
Enter all the personal details required, including name, home address, phone number, and more.
Read and accept the terms of the site.
Complete your registration and verify your email address.
Verify your identity and make your initial deposit.
Once you’ve made the deposit, select “basketball” from the list of sports.
Choose your preferred league and make your selections.
Enter your stake amount.
Confirm and complete your bet and wait for the outcome of your selections.
Effective Tips for Basketball Betting
We remember how confused we were, trying to place our first basketball bet back in the day. We didn’t know what team match-ups meant or the effect of an injured key player on a team. Learning and adopting the following tips can be very helpful.
📊 Study the Team Form
Before placing any basketball bet, take time to check how both teams have been performing recently. You can check out the results of their last 5 games as well as their match stats and possession percentages. From there, you can clearly identify which of the teams you’ll back in your bet.
🧠 Don’t be Emotionally Biased
This was one of the mistakes we made during our early days in basketball betting. We were fond of betting in favour of the team we support, irrespective of their performance over time. The truth is, betting with your heart instead of your head can drain your betting budget fast. Always make your selections based on stats, team form, and value. In essence, leave loyalty for the fan zone and place logical bets.
🔍 Watch Out for Injuries and Lineup Changes
Injuries to key players can completely change how a team performs, especially in basketball, where star players usually have huge impacts. Before placing your bets, always check pre-game injury reports and confirm lineups. This is very important because there was a time we already bet in favour of a team and later realised that their top scorer was out due to an injury from the training ground.
💰 Shop for the Best Odds
The basketball betting scene is a very competitive one because different sportsbooks offer a range of odds on a particular event. So, it’s best to go for the best odds out of the lot. You can check 3 to 4 betting sites to select the one with the best odds before placing your bets. The good news is that all the betting sites we recommended in the banner of this page offer competitive odds on all basketball events and beyond.
Basketball Betting Strategies
While it is very easy to bet on basketball, applying some top strategies that have helped me place better bets can make a big difference in your long-term success. Here are some of these
NBA betting strategies:
Bet early:
This can also be helpful to those learning
how to bet on baseball. Betting early gives you the chance to lock in the best odds before sportsbooks adjust their lines based on public betting or injury updates.
Best against the public:
Sometimes, the majority of bettors tend to back popular teams, which can quickly affect the odds. However, going against the crowd, sometimes called a contrarian strategy, can offer better value, especially on underdogs.
Bet live:
Live betting gives you the opportunity to watch the first quarter of the event and respond by placing your bets accordingly. This is one of our go-to strategies when it comes to basketball betting.
Pros and Cons of Betting on Basketball
Pros and Cons
Plenty of games to bet on
Offer deep betting markets
Basketball-specific offers are available on most betting sites
It can be confusing to beginners
Our Final Word on Betting on Basketball
In conclusion, betting on basketball is quite easy but can be very confusing to newbies. This can be attributed to the fact that it comes with a lot of jargon that new bettors need to learn and understand, including moneyline, point spread, totals, and props. However, once you get the hang of these terms and begin applying some of the tips and strategies that we mentioned above, things can become clearer and better with your basketball betting journey.
Most importantly, one of the best emotional skills that we learned earlier is to treat betting as a form of entertainment rather than a guaranteed way of making money. In that light, there’s no strategy on how to bet on basketball and win because no outcome is 100% certain in any sports betting. Therefore, avoid chasing losses, set and maintain a betting budget, and bet logically and not emotionally. Finally, if you’re ready to place your first bet on basketball, you can create an account on any of the betting sites we recommend on the banner of this page.
Basketball Betting Faq
The moneyline is the easiest option for beginners. You simply pick which team you think will win the game, and that’s all. You don’t have to worry about point spreads or totals.
Yes, you can. Player props betting options allow you to bet on specific player stats like points scored, rebounds, assists, or even blocks in a game.
Point spread is a way sportsbooks use to level the playing field between a very strong team and a weaker one. With this, the favourite must win by a set number of points, while the underdog can win or lose by fewer points than the spread and still cover the bet.
