There are many things to consider when betting on basketball and all factors must be assessed when attempting to place a successful bet.
The roster is a good example and if a team has key players missing, it could make a significant difference to the outcome of the game. Motivation to win is another factor to consider when betting on basketball and one team could have a lot riding on the game whereas the other team have little for which to play.
Home court advantage is another aspect of basketball betting that deserves analysis and, on this page, we will look more closely at the impact of home court advantage in basketball betting.
What is Home Court Advantage in Basketball?
Before we look at things from a betting perspective, it is important to understand what home court advantage means in basketball.
When playing basketball, whether it be in the National Basketball Association or College Basketball, one team is always playing at home unless a game is being played at a neutral venue. Most NBA games have a home team and they will play a set number of games at home during the regular season.
The home team will have the backing of the fans and will hear their anthem as they step onto the court to play the game. When a team plays at home, they are familiar with the court, the layout of the arena, the changing rooms, and the hoop dimensions. Keeping these factors in mind, what can you do to leverage home court advantage when betting on basketball?
Maximizing Home Court Advantage When Betting on Basketball
It is tempting to focus only on the home team when considering home court advantage in basketball but you must also look at the away team to make the most out of betting. Fatigue and travel can have a huge role to play when betting on basketball and home court advantage can mean more than providing a benefit to the home team because of the factors highlighted above.
If the visiting team are coming to the end of playing games on the road, they could be tiring from travel, which can give them home team an additional advantage. Back to back games are often part of the NBA schedule and happen often when a team is on the road. The home court advantage can arise from the fact the away team is in the second half of a back to back and playing while short on rest.
However, fatigue from travel can work both ways and if a team is returning from a long away trip, they could be suffering and that can reduce the impact of home court advantage. In addition, some teams may have a strong overall home record but struggle when playing at home against a specific opponent. Check the head to head statistics because you might find a team has a poor home record against certain opponents, something which you can take advantage of when betting on basketball.
Home Court Advantage Statistics
If we travel back to the late 1980s, there was a genuine home court advantage in the NBA. The home court winning percentage in the regular season sat between 65% and 70%, which shows a significant advantage to the home team. However, this percentage has slowly reduced over the years and in the late 2010s it was below 60%. There are many reasons why the home court winning percentage has dropped over the years.
Teams are enjoying better conditions when on the road in the NBA, with many hotels offering oversized beds especially for travelling NBA teams. Teams and players have money and that means they can afford more luxurious modes of transport between games and choose to have individual rooms in hotels rather than sharing.
The NBA are also trying to cut down on the amount of unnecessary travel during the season with better planning, meaning players are more rested when they arrive at the arena for the game.
So, it is fair to say the advantage of playing at home has reduced over the past 20 years but home teams still win more games than they lose on average during the regular season. However, you might want to be a little more cautious when betting on the home team now than you would have been in the 1990s. There are many online sportsbooks that have lowered their minimum deposit threshold, like those listed on minimum deposit betting guide. If you are not feeling as confident on the impact of home court advantage when basketball betting at the beginning of the season, why not bet smaller amounts initially and build up a picture. As the season progresses, you can see if teams are enjoying a home court advantage and bet with more confidence.
