The NBA is one of the most popular categories in sports betting. Every time the new season starts, the sportsbooks start offering different odds and markets to the public, allowing people from across the nation to bet on the sport. Considering that gambling has started to be legalized in many states, it’s no surprise that many people are looking forward to learning how to bet in the NBA.
Hence, if you’re a beginner and would like to bet in the NBA, here’s what you need to know. We’ll explain what the most accessible way to be in the NBA is and other tips that may be helpful to you during your journey.
How to bet On the NBA
NBA Moneyline
Moneyline betting is perhaps the easiest NBA wager you can make. It is as simple as choosing the team that you think will be victorious by the end of the match.
There will be two teams in every NBA event, the favorite and the underdog. You can identify the favorite thanks to the negative odds besides their name, while you’ll know who the underdogs are as they have positive odds assigned.
Let’s say that there is a sport event between Team A (-200) and Team B (+500). In this case, you’ll have to bet $200 to get $100 back if the favorite wins. On the other hand, if you choose to bet for the underdog, you’ll receive $500 for a $100 bet.
NBA Point spread
A point spread bet consists in betting on the overall score of the game. It can be represented by a positive or a negative number. For instance, the spread in a certain sport even might be 4. That means that there will be a “-4” and a “+4” available in the game.
The favorite must win by four or more points for the bettor to be able to take the big prize home. On the other hand, the team with the positive number could lose by one, two, or even three points to “cover” the spread or win the game. If they end up losing by more than four points, the bettor loses the bet.
Point spreads represent the victory margin between both teams. It is another “easy” way of betting in the NBA, although other factors are important to consider if you want to make the most of your game.
NBA Over/Under
Over/Under betting or “totals” consist of betting for the overall number of points of the match. So, let’s say that a sportsbook has established the total as “20.” That means that you can bet either whether the game will finish with over 20 points or under 20 points.
This is another simple way of betting in the NBA, although it also implies odds. Typically, the over/under odds are -110.
Tips For betting On the NBA
NBA betting is becoming more and more popular with each season. Although we’ve said that the money line and the point spread are some of the easiest ways of betting in this league, please note that every bettor should consider certain aspects before betting, regardless if they’re an expert or a beginner.
NBA Betting Research
If you want to become a serious NBA bettor, you must learn how to do research. It’s highly recommendable to learn as much as you can from the teams involved in the scene. You should also be familiar with the game’s rules, among other information you consider vital, so you can use it to your advantage while deciding where your money should go.
You can do this by reading NBA blogs, keeping up with the latest news on Twitter and other social media sites, and anything else that may come to your mind. We also recommend keeping up with basketball metrics and vital information regarding the players. Doing so can help you increase your chances of winning in the long run.
Know When To Bet on NBA
If you think you have enough information about the game, the teams involved, and everything else you may be vital to the wager, the next step is to learn when the right time to bet is. It’s common for bettors to place their bets before the tip-off because the injury reports are already public by then. This way, you can have an overall idea of who’ll play at the game.
Summary
NBA betting doesn’t have to be complicated. The bet types explained here are some of the best ways a beginner can choose to get started with in the world of sports betting.
Of course, each of these bet types has its own level of complexity, and researching about the game, the teams, and the players can help you increase your chances of winning. However, if you’re only looking forward to having fun for a while, these bets can be an excellent way of doing so.
If you’re looking for a full season bet, and perhaps a player to follow then the NBA MVP can be a very interesting market to bet on.
