Out of all the major four sports in America, basketball is one of the easiest to bet on. If you know how to bet on football, soccer or hockey, you will already have a grasp on how to bet on basketball. But for those who want the lowdown on basketball gambling, allow us to explain.
Spread
The most common method involves betting on the point spread – otherwise known as the handicap that the sportsbooks impose on one team to make both teams equal in strictly betting terms. In this scenario, the team that is expected to win will be titled as the favourite, while the team expected to lose will be called the underdog.
As an example, if the Lakers were playing the Kings, the Lakers would be expected to win, and people would rightly place bets on them as the betting favourite. In that case, the Lakers might be named as a 10-point favourite, which would mean that they would have to win by 11 or more points for its bettors to win their bet. On the flip side, those who wagered on the Kings would win their bets if they won the game or lost by less than 10 points.
Totals
Another very popular form of betting when it comes to Basketball is totals. This is when a punter wagers how many points will be scored by either one team or both teams. Total scores can vary wildly, so this can be a very unpredictable market.
But, by the same token, it also means that you can win big if you guess correctly. Track what teams average over time, understand their tendencies, and give yourself a great chance of winning big. To find the best sport betting sites, check out smartbettingguide.
Betting on Popular Teams
Just as people love an underdog, they also love the popular, glamourous franchises. Nowhere is this more obvious than in basketball, where the Lakers, Celtics, Warriors and Bulls will command huge amounts of wagers – regardless of who they are playing against.
The most popular team to bet on is the LA Lakers, for obvious reasons. However, this can sometimes mean that you can get good odds on whomever they are playing, as a lot of casual players will simply bet on them regardless of their form or quality. Yes, they have a good team, but they are likely to lose a lot more than punters think they ultimately will.
NBA Odds Explained
There are three main odds types, they are:
- Decimal odds
- Fractional odds
- Moneyline odds
Many of you reading this article will be familiar with Moneyline odds. However, many sport betting guides will display odds in the decimal format. Why? Because they are much easier to work with than American and Fractional odds.
As with any sports, understanding betting odds is crucial to profitable NBA betting. If you don’t understand how betting odds are formulated, you’re going to have a difficult time being a successful NBA bettor.
