Photo Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya
Betting on the NBA.
The NBA is a widespread choice for sports betting. In fact, many beginners to the sports betting world will choose to bet on basketball. This is probably because of its many games, and wide availability as a sport. However, it could also be thanks to the wide variety of ways you can bet on this sport that give new betters different opportunities.
While many sports come with plenty of betting options, there is nothing quite like the NBA, but if you want to know more, visit fanduel.com.
So, what are 5 ways that you can bet on the NBA?
What is the best way to bet on basketball?
Which way is the best way is totally up to you. Bettors will choose types of bets depending on what works best for them and which they feel more comfortable with. If you are not sure yet, try out each one first before making a decision.
You may also be drawn to a certain type of betting. Simply pick your favorite and run with it.
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Choosing Money Line Bets.
Money line betting is also known as choosing a straight-up bet. This is probably the simplest option as it just involves you picking a winner. For example, if the Raptor are the favorite against the Celtics, you could bet on them to win outright. In the odds, you would see that the raptors have a minus (-) sign next to their name and the Celtic as the dogs would have a plus (+) next to theirs. A minus indicates that they are the favorites to win.
If you place a $40 bet on the Raptors, and they won, you would get a $128 pay out if the odds were -260 and +220. This is probably the easiest type of bet to make, it’s straight forward, and you can get a decent payout this way too.
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Choosing Point Spread Bets.
Much like with the NFL, when two teams are not evenly matched, the point spread will get bettors and alternative to picking one team over the other. The dog will be given the advantage over the favorite. This is again shown by a plus or minus. If the favorite has a spread that was -17.5 and the dog has a spread that was +17.5 then the dog would need to win the game or lose by 17 points or fewer. For the favorite, they would need to win by 18 points or more. To bet like this, you are choosing a team to cover the spread. ATS is a phrase used in this type of bet, meaning ‘betting against the spread’.
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Choosing to bet Totals.
If you wish to bet totals, you wager on whether the combined score of the game will go over or under a set number of points. The numbers next to the names this time mean that the score needs to be over or under this amount. Pushes can happen in this type of bet, where the shared points hit the exact number set by the oddsmakers.
For example, if the points needed are 220, and you bet ‘over’ then the combined score needs to be over 220 points. However, if you bet ‘under’, then the combined score needs to be 219 points or fewer. In the event of a ‘push’, then the combined score would be exactly 220.
This is also a fairly easy bet to make, and the odds are fairly good for this type of bet. It is a good option for beginners.
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Choosing the best Live Odds.
You could also bet live odds while the game is in play. In-play betting lets you wager on each play, things such as the next team to score, or changing spreads. When you see live odds that you like, you should take them as soon as possible because they can disappear fast. The faster you make your picks on live lines, the better your chances are.
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Why not choose Prop Bets?
As well as these, during the NBA season, you will also see prop bets. In sports betting, props are wagers on the occurrence or non-occurrence of particular events or highlights that may not directly correlate to the outcome of the game. You can find team and player props that are things such as;
- How many assists will … player have?
- How many points with… team put up in the first quarter.
- How many rebounds will… player have?
Prop bets are considered to be more entertaining than other bets in basketball, since you do not need to worry about teams covering the spread of winning outright.
