Betting on sporting events is one of the more popular ways to wager money on something that isn’t a casino-style game of chance. Gambling on sports has long been active in the United States, but only in recent years has legislation moved to make it legal and more prevalent. Individual states are adopting their own regulations in response, but that fact is that the future of sports betting is wide open for business.
Basketball games are one of the top individual sports to bet on in America. The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the pinnacle of this time-honored athletic tradition. Basketball itself has roots dating back to the late 1800s, and the NBA started operating in 1946. Since then the league has expanded in popularity and there are now 30 teams that play a slate of 82 regular-season games. This provides ample opportunity to wager on several contests per day from the months of October through June.
There are multiple ways to wager money on any NBA game. This league splits games into four 12-minute quarters, which opens the door for even more options by placing bets on the end of quarter and end of half scores. While not an exhaustive list, below are some of the more popular ways to wager on one of these competitions:
- Point spread – A bet against the point spread set by the sportsbook.
- Moneyline – More or less picking a winner. The odds are set by the sportsbook and payouts are based on this.
- Over/Under – The sportsbook sets an estimated total number of points for the game, and you gamble on whether the actual score will be over or under that value.
- Parlay – Basically combining multiple bets into one, meaning that you need to win all of them. This increases the options and odds exponentially, but also increases the payout.
- Futures – Just like it implies, you place a bet on something further out in time, such as who the conference or national champion will be.
Now that you have the basics of understanding how to bet on an NBA game, how do you actually go about doing it? Fortunately there are now many options in the U.S. to give you the opportunity to do so.
1. Brick and Mortar Sportsbooks
As of this writing, over 20 states have enacted laws that make sports betting legal. However, in some states that doesn’t necessarily mean you can place bets just anywhere. Some have rules that require you wager only in a physical sportsbook location. Las Vegas and Atlantic City are the first of these that come to mind, but states such as Arkansas, Delaware and New York also offer such locations. The sports betting world is rapidly changing, so areas are also moving to provide gamblers with more convenient options.
2. Domestic Online Sites
Several states have risen to the top of the line when it comes to allowing online and bets to be placed on sporting events. Right now roughly a half dozen allow this practice with little or no restriction. This essentially means the sportsbook is online and a multitude of options are available to choose from as you sit at your home computer. It is simple, convenient, and doesn’t require a special trip to the casino each time you want to wager on an NBA game.
3. Mobile
Many sportsbooks have developed apps specifically tailored to sports betting. This enhances the convenience with the ability to place bets on your mobile phone almost anywhere at any time – with some caveats. Similar to online gambling websites, not all states have legalized the practice of betting through a mobile device. And while some others have eased the regulations and allow it, they may come with restrictions. For example, you may only be able to place the mobile bet while you are standing in a sportsbook itself, or you may need to register in person before being able to legally use the app.
4. Offshore Sites
If you live in one of the current 30 states that do not allow legal domestic sports betting, you are not totally out of luck. The laws on the books regarding online gambling typically involve websites operating domestically. When the sites are operated by an international or offshore company, then that opens another window to wager on NBA competitions. Gambling through this avenue may require a bit more research to ensure you find a reputable site where your transaction is safe and secure, but it does provide an option when there isn’t another.
5. Local Bookies
As more and more municipalities legalize sports betting, it is uncertain how the local bookies will fare or adjust their business. Even in states where gambling on events has been liberated, placing a bet on an NBA game with the local bookie may still be the most convenient or comfortable option, even though there can be pitfalls with this largely unregulated practice.
