Betting on basketball games is the perfect way to immerse yourself in the action while enjoying the NBA finals, playoffs, and other major tournaments. But how do you get started with basketball betting and lock in the best NBA odds?
Basketball games present a treasure trove of betting opportunities. From NBA parlays to the point spread, you can pick your winner, place your bet, and profit from the world’s most famous basketball league.
Join us as we explain how betting on basketball games works and how to access the best betting odds via EVO.io.
Understanding Betting Lines
You must understand the lines available to begin betting on a basketball game. EVO.io offers a broad selection of NBA betting markets and options from other leagues and tournaments for outstanding variety.
We also offer competitive basketball betting odds, live betting options, and myriad other features that make it easy to back your favored team. Below are the most popular lines to consider before betting on a basketball game:
Point Spreads
Point spread betting is extremely popular in basketball. It’s essentially a wager on how many points you think a team will win or lose by. Let’s look at an NBA point spread example and break down how it works in practice:
Team | Spread |
Cleveland Cavaliers | +2.5 (-120) |
Orlando Magic | -2.5 (-120) |
The first thing to recognize about a point spread in basketball is that every wager has a favorite and an underdog. The favorite is marked by the minus (-), and the underdog is marked by the plus (+).
So, in our example, the Magic are the favorites to defeat the Cavaliers. They must win the match by at least three points for your wager to be successful.
But a point spread bet on the Cavs means they can even lose the fixture by two points, and your spread bet would still win. This is the beauty of spread betting, and it’s one of the only basketball wagers you can place where it’s possible to win on the losing team!
Before placing a point spread bet, do your research. Consider how the NBA season is panning out, and check each team’s winning and losing margin in recent fixtures. It will help you significantly when working out whether or not to cover the spread.
Moneylines
As popular as the point spread is, it’s not the easiest way for newbies to bet on basketball. The moneyline, on the other hand, is a game outright wager that’s super easy to place.
To place a moneyline wager on NBA games, you only need to pick the winner of a specific game. You don’t need to worry about how many points will be scored, who scores them, or the winning margin. The only thing that matters is the outcome of the fixture.
So, for instance, you could back the Miami Heat to defeat the Indiana Pacers in a standard Eastern Conference match. If the Heat defeat the Pacers, you will win your bet. It’s as simple as that.
Betting Odds
Basketball betting odds can be presented in three ways: as decimals, as fractions, or in the American format. The latter tends to be the most popular for NBA odds, as basketball is primarily popular in the United States. Below is a brief explanation of how to read each type of NBA betting odds:
- Decimals: This is the easiest way to read odds, indicating how much you stand to win from a $1 bet. For example, if you back the Chicago Bulls to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks at 4.00, you would get back $4.00 from a $1.00 bet. Decimal odds are a handy starting point if you’re new to sports betting.
- Fractions: The most prominent odds in the UK are fractional odds. One side of the fraction indicates how much you can win from a bet that’s equal to the other side of the fraction. So, for instance, if you back the Sacramento Kings to beat the Denver Nuggets at 3/1, a $1.00 bet would return a profit of $3.00.
- American: American format NBA odds are slightly different. There are two numbers, accompanied by a plus and a minus. The plus indicates the underdog, while the minus indicates the favorite. For example:
- New Orleans Pelicans (+135) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (-110): The Thunder are the favored team here. If you agree with the sportsbook, you must bet $110 to win $100 (or the stake equivalent). If you fancy the upset, you could back the Pelicans with a $100 wager to win $135 in profit.
Totals (Over/Under) Bets
Given the high-scoring nature of NBA games, totals betting is a brilliant option for basketball fans. Rather than picking a team to win a fixture, a totals bet is merely concerned with how many points are scored in the match.
The sportsbook sets the totals line for the match, and your job is to decide whether over or under this number of points will be scored. So, let’s say that a game between the Toronto Raptors and the Charlotte Hornets has a totals line of 198.5.
If the match finished 91-87 in favor of the Hornets, 178 points would have been scored. Therefore, an under bet would win, while an over bet would lose.
Prop Bets and Futures
Prop bets – proposition bets, to give them their full name – are wagers you can place on specific occurrences during a basketball match that aren’t necessarily tied to the outcome of the fixture.
There are player and team props available, and if you conduct thorough research, props can be an extremely profitable NBA betting strategy.
Examples of props include the top rebound scorer, the number of three-pointers scored in a match, or the number of points a particular player will score in a quarter, half, or match.
Futures bets are also a viable option if you want to place bets that stay live for the entire NBA season. The obvious futures bet is the team you think will win the Larry O’Brien Championship trophy. You can also bet on the player you think will be the MVP and each conference winner.
Basketball Betting Tips and Strategies
Now that you’re familiar with your basketball betting options, it’s time to look at some strategies you can employ to maximize your winning chances:
Analyze Current Form
While the NBA standings are a decent place to begin your research, the league table doesn’t tell the whole story. A team could be sitting third in the Eastern Conference, only to be on a three-match losing streak due to an injury to their best player.
You must dig deeper to check which teams are in form before backing them in an NBA wager. Consider the reasons for dips or improvements in form, such as injuries, player performance, and fatigue. All these factors can influence the outcome of a basketball game.
Look for the Best NBA odds
Shopping around for the best basketball betting odds is paramount if you want to lock in outstanding value wagers. For instance, you might see the Atlanta Hawks priced at -150 at one sportsbook and at -130 at EVO.io. There’s so much value on the latter price, offering you much better returns if your wager is successful.
Therefore, before confirming your basketball bet, shop around, use an odds comparison tool, and ensure you’re backing your team at the best price.
Maximize NBA Prop Bets
Prop bets can be your best friend when betting on basketball. Why? Because they enable you to put your research to good use. For instance, if you know that one team is a slow starter, you could back them to lose the first quarter.
Equally, if you know that one player is on a hot streak, you could back them to be the top points scorer in a specific match.
The more detailed you are with your research, and the more specific you are with your prop bets, the better your chances are of profiting from NBA betting.
Consider Injuries and Off-Nights
Coaches often criticize the NBA schedule, but it’s fantastic for fans who get to watch wall-to-wall action throughout the NBA season.
That said, players regularly pick up knocks and strains and may need to sit out fixtures occasionally, resulting in their team fielding a weaker squad. This is hugely significant, as it can swing the match in the underdog’s favor.
Off-nights are also worth checking for. When a team goes back to back, fatigue and tiredness will likely show in the final phases, which could lead to mistakes and the option to factor this into your basketball betting strategy.
Track the Line Movement
The line will move in the days and hours before an NBA match based on injuries, form, and various other factors. This will affect the point spread, moneyline, and totals prices, so be sure to track the line in the days and hours before the match.
You can even hold out and get involved in NBA live betting rather than placing a pre-match wager if you’re not happy with the current prices offered before the action begins.
Leveraging EVO.io for Basketball Betting
If you’re looking for the top sportsbook for NBA betting, look no further than EVO.io. Our contemporary sports betting platform features a user-friendly interface, highly competitive odds, and a vast selection of NBA betting markets.
We cover basketball games throughout the season, from regular matches to the NBA finals. We also offer great value NBA parlays if you want to back numerous selections in the same betting slip to increase your potential payouts.
One of the reasons why so many basketball fans choose EVO.io is our commitment to safe and transparent gambling. You can access a suite of responsible and safe gambling tools to protect your interests when gambling online, and we also offer ongoing promotions to boost your bankroll.
If you want to start basketball betting online, create an account at EVO.io today, unlock a generous welcome bonus, and bet on NBA games throughout the season.
Bet on NBA Games Today at EVO.io
To bet on basketball like a pro, you must fully understand the range of NBA betting markets available, including props, lines, spreads, and futures bets. Then, consider form, injuries, and other crucial statistics before making your selections.
When you create an account at EVO.io, you can access the best NBA betting odds and place wagers on all matches throughout the NBA campaign.
We also offer basketball betting markets for European leagues and international competitions, covering all bases in basketball betting.