Basketball is one of the most popular sports
globally, so it only makes sense that it’s also a huge market for
sports betting. The games are fast-paced and thrilling, and it often
comes down to the wire in the last few seconds. And with a suspenseful
game like that, giving the action more spice with betting is a favorite
pastime by both bettors and basketball fans.
If you’re a long-time NBA fan or just a newcomer looking to get in on
the fun of NBA betting, this article will give you some things to start
with. We will discuss some things you need to know before you start
betting, the types of bets you can wager on in NBA betting, and a very
useful tip to make your bets more profitable.
How NBA Lines and Odds Work
If you’re a veteran bettor, you probably know how NBA live odds
and lines work, but if you don’t know yet or you need a refresher, we
got you. Odds reflect how much payout you’ll get when you win the bet.
Typically, they are represented by either negative or positive numbers.
If the number is positive, the team is expected to lose, and if the
number is negative, it’s the favored team to win. For example, if a bet
says that it’s +200, you will win $2 on a $1 bet, making your payout $3.
If the bet shows -200, you will win $.50 for a $1, which results in a
$1.50 payout. As you noticed, the more a team is expected to win, the
lesser your payout will be and vice versa. This is why as a bettor, you
should always look at the value instead of the chances of winning. This
is because no matter how many bets you win if they are valued less,
your payout will also be less.
Next are the lines, or as other people call them, spread. These numbers
represent how many points a team will win or lose at the end of the
game. Negative and positive numbers also represent them. When a team
has a spread of -4.5, they are expected to win by 4.5 points, and if
the number is negative, they are expected to lose within the same
points. The decimal ensures that the bet doesn’t go for a push.
For example, if a team is expected to lose by -7
points and they lost with that exact number, there will be a push, and
all bets will be taken back, which means neither the sportsbook nor the
bettor won or lost. Now that you know how the lines and odds work let’s
get on to the types of bets you can wager in.
Spread Betting
Spread bets are common bets not just in NBA betting
but also in sports betting. A spread bet is intended to level the
playing field, which means that both the underdog and favorite will get
an equal betting action. Let’s have an example:
Celtics: +4.5 (+130)
Mavericks: -4.5 (-140)
In this example, the explanation is that the Mavericks are expected to
win by four and a half points while the Celtics are expected to lose by
four and a half points. This enables the playing field to be level
because both bettings on the underdog and favorite are viable. If the
team you wagered on did more than their expectations, you would win
this bet.
In the above example, if you bet on the underdog, they should lose by
less than four and a half points or outright win the game for you to
profit. A winning bet on the Mavericks is when they win by more than
four and a half points.
Moneyline Bets
This one is straightforward as you’ll just bet which
team will win the game. If you look at the example above, you’ll see
that if you bet on the Celtics, you’ll win more, albeit them having a
lesser chance of winning, and if you bet on the Mavericks, you’ll most
likely win, but with lesser payouts.
Over/Under
A sportsbook will publish a total number of points
that they predict the game will have by the end. If you think the
points will be more than that, you should bet on the over and vice
versa.
Line Shopping
If you want your bets to have more value, one of the
things you can do is line shopping. Let’s say that you found a
high-value bet and want to capitalize on it. One thing you can do is to
shop for other lines with the same bet on the internet.
Sure, the difference of value in the bets you find on the internet
while line shopping might be just a few dollars, but a few dollars is a
few dollars, and as a bettor, you should not ignore that fact. For
example, on a particular website, the payout is $150, and on another
site, it’s $160. It might just be a few dollars, but it’s better than
nothing.
Final Words
If you want to take NBA betting seriously, you will
have to research more as this article is just a way for you to get
introduced to its ins and outs. The points talked about above are a
good way to start your research. So, if you want to know more about
strategies and betting systems, you can make your research-intensive
and learn through experience.
