Are you looking to dip your toes into the water with NBA betting? Betting in the NBA is huge and can be super rewarding for those who know what they’re doing. But for beginners, it can feel overwhelming and if you don’t know what to look for, you’ll probably end up never doing it again. So, here are the basic types of bets you need to know about for betting in the NBA.
Understanding NBA betting
First things first. You need to grapple with the different kinds of NBA bets from which you can choose. Some people have their favourite, while others like to take the game of chance to the next level and take an ‘estimated’ guess. Without further due, NBA betting types:
Moneyline
This is the most common, straightforward betting method. Here, you’re just betting on which team you think is going to win. However, the mechanics of this betting system are slightly different. Here, you’re not betting on the team that wins based on the scores in the match. You’re using the moneyline odds to place a bet on the team that wins overall. When you check the odds, the most favoured team will have a minus, while the underdog will have a plus.
Spread
Spread betting is another type of betting that people often use. The spread indicates the margin of victory and defeat for the winning and losing team. This creates odds that are close to even for both teams. The Sportsbooks place a certain amount of points for the favourite team to cover for the bet to cash out.
Point Totals
Points or over/under, as it’s also known, are when you bet on a team or game. In essence, you’d bet on the total score combined by both teams or on how many points one team will score. Point totals usually have close to even odds as well. For example, if you bet on a game whose point total is 226.5, you’d need to bet that the end result is either over or under that number.
Parlays
Parlays involve spreading your bets out across multiple markets, giving one wager more potential. But for the parlay to be paid out, all the bets made with that wager need to be right. This makes parlay the ultimate win/lose scenario. The greater the risk, the greater the reward.
Props
These are bets made on individual players. They’re based on the player's performance stats. Wagers are placed on whether an individual player would perform above or below the stats. This type of betting is quite complicated as there are several statistics to base bets on, including assists, 3 PM, turnovers, rebounds, steals, blocks and more.
Game Props
Game props involve several bets, like wagering on the margins, a race to a certain score or even if the game will go to overtime or not. You might think that betting on margins, in this case, is similar to Moneylines, but it's way more speculative because you need to guess what the end score will be for the team you think will win. The odds for this kind of bet can be very lucrative, but it’s because the chance of success is so narrow.
Stat Leaders
Stat leaders involve supporters wagering on individuals for different actions they do during the game. For example, one could bet on a certain player making the most 3-pointer shots or ending with the most points. But there is some wiggle room with this bet. In the case that your player doesn’t make the score, you said they would, but no other player beat that score, you’d still win.
First Basket
This is another simple and straightforward bet. The answers are in the name. Here, you wager which player will get the first basket. These bets are pretty simple. You guess right, you win. But they can also be more specific. For instance, the wager could be on who gets the first 3-pointer. The odds for these bets are less favourable, but they are faster. For those of you trying to build a bankroll, these aren’t the best for you.
Final Thoughts
Checking the latest NBA tips and odds often to make sure you’re on the right track, and remember, choosing the right bet can be the difference between winning or losing, so make calculated bets. There are new stats coming out daily; watch them like a hawk, and who knows, you might hit the jackpot.
