Basketball Betting

1. Basketball Betting Tips. 1X2, Under/Over 2.5 goals, HT/FT tips, Both to score.Sportus thousands of betting tips added daily across 13 sports. Free mathematical Basketball/Basketball predictions and tips to help you to choose the best picks for you. Here are all of our Basketball betting tips for today and tonight. Match odds (1X2).
2. Points in the Paint vs. Paying attention to how a team makes most of their points can be.

Basketball is one of the biggest sports in the United States and is second only to football in terms of how much betting action the sport receives. Each year, billions of dollars are wagered on the NBA during the regular season, the NBA Playoffs, and the NBA Finals in addition to college basketball games and the NCAA Tournament during March Madness.

Want college basketball odds? We have NCAA basketball lines for 06 March, 2021. Compare the best NCAA basketball odds & college basketball lines. The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the premier men’s basketball league in the world and the most popular basketball betting option in the world as well. The best of the best from every corner of the globe strive to make it to the pinnacle of the sports—the NBA.

If you’re interested in betting real money on basketball, then we want to make sure you don’t get hit with a technical or have your bet get beaten at the buzzer. We want to provide you with our reviewed list of online sportsbooks and assist new bettors with our beginner’s guide to basketball betting. For the opening tip, let’s run down the lane of legal information.

Best USA Basketball Betting Site
Legally Licensed And Regulated

Betonline is one of only a few top shelf online sportsbooks still operating in the USA market today. They've been around for ages and have gained a fantastic reputation in the industry by offering players a very robust betting software platform, a great variety of wagering types and live and mobile betting options. They also offer some of the easiest and fastest ways to deposit and withdrawal around. As a matter of fact they recently added Bitcoin for both deposits and withdrawals which is a huge attraction to United States players.

Where Betonline really shines is with their bonus offerings. New players can enjoy a fantastic 50% bonus up to $1000 on their initial deposit. And if that doesn't get you excited, then their 25% reload bonuses for life should. That's right, Betonline is the only 5-star sportsbook that offers this big of a reload bonus. Trust me, it really helps fatten your bankroll if you go on a bad run.

Top Rated Online Sportsbooks For
Basketball In The US

Is It Legal To Bet On Basketball In The United States?

Yes. There is no federal law in the United States that prohibits the act of betting real money on basketball at licensed offshore betting sites. Additionally, after PASPA was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2018, states have begun the process of legalizing state-licensed sports betting in their respective jurisdictions. To see the current outlook for your state and all the laws surrounding sports betting in the U.S., check out our legal page for more information.

Are Online Sportsbooks Safe?

Each of the online sportsbooks featured on our site has been vetted by our staff to ensure that each site is 100% legal, safe, secure and payout all winning bets. We can’t guarantee that every site you find online will be safe, but we can guarantee a fair shake at the sites on our list, which is why we strongly advise only betting at the online sportsbooks we recommend.

Betting on the NBA

The National Basketball Association is the highest level of basketball in the world. For the latest information on which team has the best odds to win the 2019 NBA Finals, all important dates for the 2018-19 NBA season, and more, visit our NBA betting page for an in-depth rundown and betting advice on this season.

Bettin On NBA Christmas Games

'Tis the season to place bets on NBA Action with a handful of NBA Christmas games. This year the season will start on Christmas day with some of the most competitive matchups of the year.

Betting on College Basketball

The game of basketball was born at the collegiate level in 1891 when Dr. James Naismith invented the sport in Springfield, Massachusetts. If you’re more interested in NCAA Division I men’s basketball, then check out our NCAA basketball betting page where we cover how to bet on games during the season and detail how to improve the results of your March Madness bracket.

Betting On March Madness

In the world of sports, there is no other event with a bracket like the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Betting on March Madness is one of the most popular wagering events of the year, however, picking a perfect bracket is nearly impossible. Don't worry, there are many ways to bet on hoops and you can easily win really money betting on individual games, props, futures, and more.

Basketball Betting Guide for Beginners

Basketball season lasts from October to June for the NBA and November to April for the NCAA, so for roughly 9 months out of the year, there is a chance to make a profit — almost every night, too — from betting on the odds and lines on either the pro or college basketball.

With that being said, consistently making a profit on NBA or NCAA basketball wagers is not an easy task and will require a decent amount of work on your behalf. However, here are some beginner tips to get you started.

Tip #1: Love The Game

If you aren’t a fan of basketball, then you probably shouldn’t expect to turn a profit when betting on the sport. You need to enjoy watching and learning about NBA and college basketball and share a passion that rivals the players who take the court.

Tip #2: Don’t Be A Fan

Loving the game of basketball and loving a specific team is two entirely different things and the latter is something you need to leave out of betting entirely. No, the college you went to isn’t always the best and no, your favorite pro team is not #1. You must keep an objective view on all teams because the team you should be rooting for — above all else — is the team that can win a bet. If you still want to root for your favorite teams, then avoid betting on them since personal bias will skew your perception in the long run.

Tip #3: Be Knowledgeable

Basketball is a sport where the “meta” — aka the game within the game — is constantly changing and knowing how the sport got to where it is today and how to properly view stats from the past when compared to today’s stats is vital when looking at the history of the game. The future is impossible to predict, which is why basketball handicappers frequently analyze numbers and trends from the past to make an educated wager.

Tip #4: Make A Projection Model

Determining how good a team can be before, during, and after the season is a big part of predicting how well your wagers will perform over the course of a season and into either the NBA Playoffs or March Madness. Basketball teams tend to go on streaks and slides and predicting when one could happen can be profitable and help avoid losses as well. Models can help see trends like “How teams play during a 4-game road stretch in February” and although models aren’t required to be profitable, your bet will be all the better for it.

Tip #5: Manage Your Bankroll

Not a single basketball handicapper — or any sports bettor for that matter — has a 100% win rate. You’re going to win and you’re going to lose, so learning to properly manage your bankroll is arguably the most important aspect of betting. This means only depositing what your financials allow so it doesn’t negatively affect your daily life. Then, never bet more than a small percentage (1-5%) on any line and limit the amount you bet per week to only a portion (10-20% max) of your total bankroll. Doing this allows you to analyze any mistakes and minimize your losses, which in turn, will increase your chance to make a profit over time.

Tip #6: Use A Trusted Sportsbook

This goes without saying but using betting sites that you know are safe, secure, and will definitely payout is a no-brainer. This is why we strongly recommend using any of the licensed online sportsbooks found on our site since each one has been thoroughly vetted to verify that they are legal, legitimate, and pay out winning bets 100% of the time. We can’t guarantee what other betting sites will do with your deposit, but we can guarantee that these sites are well-established and always play fair.

Tip #7: Know Your Betting Options

There are several types of bets you can make on both NBA and college basketball, and we’ve defined each of the options you regularly see at an online sportsbook.

• Point Spread: A bet where the favorite is expected to win by a set number of points over the underdog. To win a bet on the favorite, the margin of victory must be more than the set number. To win a bet on the underdog, the margin of defeat must either be less than the set number or the underdog can win the game outright.
• Money Line: A bet on which team will win the game outright, and the odds determine the chance a team has to win. A bet on the favorite requires more investment to win less money, and a bet on the underdog requires less investment to win more.
• Total (Over/Under): A bet on whether the total number of points scored by both teams will go over or under a set number.
• Futures: A bet placed on odds either weeks or months in advance and typically involves which team will be the season champion.
• Prop Bets: A bet on whether something will occur that is not directly related to the outcome of the game itself, such as team or player stats.
• Parlay: Putting two or more bets together to increase the payout, but should any of the bets be lost, then all of the bets are graded as a loss.
• Teaser: Also known as “buying points” to bring a set number more toward your favor.
• Live Betting: A bet on any set of odds when the game is currently being played. Typically done from a smartphone or tablet.

Tip #8: Learn to Read Odds

Question: What does “Warriors (-450)” mean? Answer: It means the Warriors are favored and they have a roughly 80% chance to win the game, according to the oddsmakers. Before betting on any line, it’s important to understand how odds work since it will determine the investment and payout. We’ve also included formulas below so you can take any set of American odds at a sportsbook, determine the implied probability, remove the juice (aka vigorish), and see the true probability that a team is being given.

• Positive (+) Odds: Indicates that something is less likely to happen, usually given to an underdog. Formula: 100/(P Odds + 100)
• Negative (-) Odds: Indicates that something is more likely to happen, usually given to a favorite. Formula: (-(N Odds)/(-(N Odds)) + 100)
• True Probability: To remove the juice from the odds, use the implied probability from either the positive or negative odds and dividing by the combined improbability of both. Formula: P or N Implied Probability/(P + N Implied Probability)

Tip #9: Find Value

You should only bet on a line when you think the odds are in your favor, and this includes betting on teams you think will lose since finding value is the most important aspect to long-term profitability. The key is finding discrepancies between the odds at a sportsbook and your implied probability (from your model). Additionally, consider having an account at multiple betting sites so you can shop around to find the best value for your wager.

Tip #10: Check Roster/Injury Updates

And finally, this often overlooked by several new bettors, so it’s definitely worth mentioning. Back in the day, it was harder to find basketball information and was typically limited to the “insider” crowd, but with the internet, accessing all injuries and roster information prior to the game can be done in a matter of second. Additionally, following teams and athletes on social media is a great way to get an idea for how a particular player might be feeling prior to tip-off.

Conclusion

Now the ball is in your court. It’s crucial to be well-informed when real money is at stake. Yes, you can make a profit from wagering on basketball, but it requires patience and practice — and yes, we talkin’ about practice. Because in the end, practice may never allow you to make the perfect wager, but it will make you a better bettor in the long run. And just remember, the more knowledge on the past you can gather, the better prepared you will be to bet on something in the future.

Additional Resources

Here are some useful sites to assist with projection models and staying updated on the latest news. Basketball Reference is a statisticians’ paradise, and ESPN is great for checking the news on injuries and roster moves along with broadcasting a good number of games for free. Just avoid advice from the analysts and talking heads, since they don’t have any skin in the game like you on the other hand.

How to Bet On Sports > How to Bet on the NBA

“You can practice shooting eight hours a day, but if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way. Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise.” – Michael Jordan

Introduction

For over a decade Sports Insights has been a leader in the sports information industry and our “How To” articles are designed to help our members to grasp the fundamentals of sports investing. This article will focus on the ins and outs of wagering on the NBA. The seemingly eternal NBA season starts in late October and the Finals occur in early July. The long season provides many opportunities to build your bankroll, but before you can become a sports investor, you must learn how to bet on the NBA. This article discusses the different wager types the NBA has to offer, including: Spread, Moneyline, Parlay/Teaser, 1st Quarter/1st Half, Halftime, and Futures.

Spread

Any fan of the NBA will tell you that games can become high scoring affairs as teams are only given 24 seconds on every possession to score. Due to these high scores, bookmakers use a spread, or line, to equalize the chances of either team winning a wager. It is not uncommon to see 15+ point spreads, something that is rarity in the NFL. The example below from the SI Archive should help clear things up:

The example above demonstrates the opening line for a regular season match-up between the Celtics and Knicks. The -2 indicates that the Celtics are the favorite, despite the Knicks playing at home. The ‘-110’ next to the line is what’s known as the vig, or juice, which is simply a fee the sportsbooks charge to use their service. A bet of $110 on Boston would improve your bankroll $100 as the team covered easily by 8 points. A ‘+’ symbol always indicates an underdog, whereas a ‘-‘ always indicates a favorite. A two-year study on NBA point spreads concluded that games fall within .5 points of the spread 5.5% of the time, which is why shopping for the best line is crucial to the smart sports investor.

Moneyline

The Moneyline is a type of wager that provides different odds based simply on who will win. The Moneyline (ML) odds can be drastic when the powerhouses of the NBA face-off against the lower level teams who are struggling to stay above .500. The example below demonstrates a typical Moneyline wager in the NBA:

The example above shows drastic moneyline odds, indicating that the Spurs are the big favorites in this contest. In fact, one would have to lay $850 on the Spurs to collect a mere $100 in profit. On the other hand, a wager of $100 on the Warriors would earn the bettor $600 in winnings. The Moneyline and point spread are not necessarily released simultaneously.

The Spread and Moneyline are contributing factors for Sports Insights’ Steam Moves and Smart Money plays, both available in our Sportsbook Insider Pro plan.

Totals

A total wager is one placed on the COMBINED score of each team. This number is determined by the bookmakers and the bettor places a wager on the over or under (O/U). The NBA is the highest scoring sport of all the major U.S. sports, so it is not uncommon to see totals in the +220’s. The example below should help makes things clearer:

The final total for this contest was 194 points, falling just 3.5 points short of the bookmakers’ predicted total. Due to the increased juice, a wager of $115 on the under would earn $100 profit. Totals lines can fluctuate from their time of release, so make sure you consult SportsInsights.com’s Betting Trends Data before placing a wager.

Quarter/1st Half Lines

A 48-minute NBA game is broken down into four 12-minute quarters, and bettors are able to place bets on the 1st quarter and 1st half lines before these contests begin. These bets can be best thought of as the game within the game. The 1st quarter line (generally ¼ of the entire game’s spread) lets you dictate who you think will be covering the spread at the end of one quarter of play. The 1st half lines are essentially the same, only they extend through the 1st half of play. Like other sports, some teams are known to jump out of the gate quickly and build an early lead, while others are “4th quarter teams” who like to play from behind. These situations are some of the inspirations for 1st quarter and half lines. (you can keep or delete this above sentence, I couldn’t decide)

Halftime Lines

For most people, the dawning of halftime means it’s time to change the channel, but for the avid sports investor, halftimes can become a thing of profit. Halftime lines are available DURING halftime only. The halftime lines take into consideration what transpired in the 1st half to create an entirely new spread for the remainder of the game. Think of the 2nd half as a completely new game with a new spread to accompany the remainder of the contest. The example below should shed light on this concept:

If you were to think of the start of the 3rd quarter as 0 to 0, the final score would be 44 to 37, meaning the Bulls would have covered the halftime spread by 3 points. Halftime wagers are not nearly as popular as bets placed before the game, but a winning wager still creates the same profit.

Parlay/Teaser

Printable College Basketball Lines

Like any major American sport, you can parlay, essentially combine, your bets to increase the payout. For your parlay to hit, or win, ALL of the bets must cover. You can combine spread, totals, and moneyline bets to increase the payout of a parlay. A teaser bet is essentially the same as a parlay wager only the booksmaker gives you points to increase your odds of winning, but decrease your overall payout. For example, if you are wagering on a 4-point teaser and the Boston Celtics spread is -10, it would become -6. This 4-point advantage is included on each part of the teaser wager. The chart below shows payout structure for a typical spread parlay:

Futures

Basketball Betting Lines

Futures bets are proposition bets placed on which team will win what conference or the NBA championship. Futures are not only limited to teams. For example, you can place bets on who you think will the league’s MVP. There are even bets available at the beginning of the season as to the over/under win totals for a specific team. As the season progresses, the odds fluctuate, and once a team has officially been placed out of the running, they take down the odds for them to win in all. It is not uncommon to see teams fall from this list before the end of March. Despite the fact that only 8 different teams have won the NBA championship in the last 30 years, many bettors like to wager on a dark horse team due to the better odds these teams receive. A bettor may choose to place wagers on several teams to win the big game in order to increase the chance of a decent payout.