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How does spread betting work in basketball

What is Basketball Spread Betting – Learn to Bet with TopBet sportsbook

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LEARN TO BET Previous: Football Point Spread Betting Next: Baseball Point Spread Betting

Basketball spread betting is the most popular way to bet on both college and NBA basketball. In the simplest terms possible, basketball spread betting allows bettors to bet on teams that are not evenly matched, by handicapping the favorite and making it possible to pick either side without ever losing much value on your bet.

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Three Keys to Basketball Spread Betting

Understand What a Point Spread Is

A point spread is the amount of points, set by a sportsbook, that a team must win by, or stay within, for the bet on that team to pay out.

The team generally believed to be more likely to win in this game, the favorite, is assigned a number of points, written with a “-“ in front of it. If they win the game in question by more than that many points, they have covered the spread, and bets on that team’s point spread win.

The underdog—the team considered less likely to win—‘s point spread is expressed with a “+” in front of it. If the underdog can either win or lose by less than their point spread number, bets on that team’s point spread win.

For example, if the Knicks are struggling (as they tend to) and they play the Miami Heat, the point spread might look like this:

New York Knicks (+8) at Miami Heat (-8)

In this case, the Heat would have to win by at least 9 for bettors on the Miami Heat at -8 to be paid out. This situation is commonly referred to as covering the spread.

For the New York Knicks to cover the spread at +8, the team would have to either win the game outright, or lose by 7 or less.

A Push

If the teams were to play to a final score that separated them by the exact number of the spread, the bet would be graded as a push, and wagers on both sides of that point spread would be refunded. To avoid this situation, point spreads will often be set with half points, for example -8.5. In those cases, there can be no pushes, as either the favorite or underdog will always cover.

Other Bets

Point spreads are a useful starting point for other types of bets. With teaser bets, for example, bettors can bet on multiple games at the same time while accessing juicier lines. Point spreads can also be added to parlays to increase the payout while betting on multiple outcomes.

All told, basketball spread betting is a great way to open up a game that can be tough to wager on using just the moneyline, as some teams can be so unevenly matched. Try a spread bet or two today and get into the action!

NEXT > Baseball Point Spread Betting

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Basketball Point Spread Betting Lines Explained — NBA Spread Bets Guide

Learn to wager on basketball most popular betting line with these point spread tips and strategies.

Andrew Caley

Last Updated: Oct 14, 2022 11:58 AM ET Read Time: 4 min

Photo By - USA TODAY Sports

Basketball point spreads level the playing field to make even the most significant mismatches interesting for basketball bettors.

Find out what the spread means in the NBA, how to read basketball spreads, and some tips and strategies for tackling the NBA spreads.

How do point spreads work in basketball?

The point spread is the most popular way to wager when it comes to betting basketball odds. In its simplest form, the point spread levels the playing field in any game, no matter the mismatch.

Oddsmakers analyze both teams and consider the current form, the venue, and critical injuries when calculating how many points separate the two sides.

How to read basketball spreads

Every point spread has a favorite and an underdog.

The negative value (-) indicates the point spread favorite before the point spread, and that team must win the game by more than that number for bettors to win their wager. In this example, the New York Knicks are the favorite at -2. 5 against the spread (ATS), meaning they would need to win by at least three points to cover the spread.

Team	Spread
Boston Celtics	+2.5 (-110)
New York Knicks	-2.5 (-110)

The underdog has a positive value (+) in front of its point spread, and that team can either win outright or lose by less than that spread to win the bet. In this example, the Boston Celtics are the point spread underdog at +2.5, meaning they can lose by two points or less or win the game to cash the bet.

Vig or juice: The cost of placing a bet

Point spread odds include a second set of odds beside them. The odds are known as the vig or the juice and they are the cost of placing the bet. In the example above, the Celtics +2.5 has a vig of -110. This means in order to win $100, a bettor would have to wager $110.

When the vig is a positive number the bettor stands to profit more from the same wager. If the vig was +110, bettors win $110 on a $100 bet.

NBA ATS betting strategies

Now that you know how NBA spreads work, here are some point spread betting tips and strategies to follow.

Beat the closing number

NBA odds are usually posted around 24 hours before tipoff but can be as late as the morning off the game. And as the old saying goes, the early bird gets the worm. NBA point spread lines see the most movement shortly after sportsbooks post them.

There isn’t much that gets past NBA oddsmakers these days regarding injuries and current form. Still, the best way to find market inefficiencies is to bet early before the numbers settle in. That said, make sure to shop around and find the best number. Not all books are the same. Use our odds comparison tool to find the best price for your best.

Count on current form on the court

Basketball is a game of runs. It isn’t out of the norm to see 20-point swings in individual games, so hot and cold streaks are commonplace. Before placing a spread bet, check to see how a team has been shooting over a week or so.

Are they scorching the mesh or shooting bricks? You can sometimes find point spread value with a bad team on a hot shooting streak, or vice versa. Use our NBA teams page to research how a team has done lately.

Know your NBA matchups

Just like in any other sport, basketball teams have strengths and weaknesses. When trying to find the best NBA point spread bets, look closely at how those attributes match up against that day’s opponent by using our scores and matchups page.

If a team struggles to defend on the perimeter and faces an elite three-point shooting team, make sure you account for how that could change the narrative and bet accordingly.

Track Injuries and load management

An 82-game NBA season can be a grind. Like any other major sport, injuries can play a significant role in determining a team’s success when covering a point spread. NBA superstars will carry the most impact on basketball odds whether they’re playing or not. Still, there may be only one or two players (sometimes even none) on a team that will move a line depending on their availability.

Load management has become the trendy phrase around the NBA to help those superstars with the grind. Too many games in a week? Take the day off. Some players, mainly if they are just off an injury, won’t play on back-to-back nights. Make sure to keep a close eye on our injury page to see who might be in or out.

NBA betting tips and strategies

Make smarter NBA bets with Covers. These guides dive into other ways you can bet on NBA action:

NBA Moneyline Betting Tips and Strategies

NBA Over/Under Betting Tips and Strategies

NBA Parlay Betting Tips and Strategies

NBA point spread FAQs

The point spread in basketball means the number of points made by an oddsmaker that separates the two teams in a given matchup to handicap a game.

A push in NBA spread betting is when the final result falls on the exact number of the point spread.

You can place an NBA point spread bet at any regulated sportsbook in person or online. Check our betting sites reviews for the best legal online sportsbook options in your region.

The odds for the point spread show a favorite and an underdog. The point spread favorite is indicated by the negative value (-) in front of the number, while the underdog has a positive value (+).

Sure, you can. You can bet point spreads for individual quarters and halves. You can even live bet point spreads during the game.

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How To Win Bets on Basketball Point Spreads in 2022

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Spread betting | How it works?

Spread bets are essentially bets on a range of outcomes, usually below or above the offered spread.

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In sports betting This type of betting, also known as spread betting, has grown a lot in recent years. It is especially popular in the US and UK, where it is commonly used to bet on basketball, cricket and football matches, as well as horse racing.

Spread betting is a type of betting where you can bet on several possible outcomes. By comparison, fixed odds betting only gives you the option to bet on a win or lose outcome. Money line betting does not go beyond that line, which is why spread betting has become so popular. For example, with spread betting you can predict the total number of goals in a match or the number of points scored, giving players the unique opportunity to bet on the accuracy of a bet rather than the final result.

Excitement when you win a bet

Spread pips are especially popular these days. During the NBA season, players can predict if a match will go over a certain point limit, which is relatively easy to determine by looking at the statistics. Individual markets for players are also available and the odds are pretty attractive too. The distribution of points can be easily predicted, especially in the NBA league, where a large number of points are scored every night.

The purpose of spread betting

The purpose of spread betting is to give players more chances to win and to create an active market where the chances of one team are significantly higher against the opponent. For example, if one team has a historically flawless record against another, it will be the favorite, but at a fairly low odds. You definitely won't bet on a team with low odds. This is where spread betting comes in handy.

By announcing the spread for a match, bookmakers try to force players to bet on the favorite. The spread is not much different from the handicap in relation to the loser. In this case, the favorite still has a good chance of winning, but the question of whether they win is not worth it. Will the favorite win by more or less margin than the stated spread? This is the question that players are looking for an answer to, and sometimes it is easier to understand than to predict the winner.

The bookmaker accepts bets on both sides of the spread. So he acts like a market maker and takes a small commission (vigorous) which is also his profit. The bookmaker doesn't really care about the outcome of the match as the profit comes from winning it. The more players join, the greater the profit will be.

How can I bet on spreads?

The distribution of points allows the bookmaker to level the field between two teams that are not close in quality. Your goal is to predict if the final result will be higher or lower than the announced spread. The bookmaker will pay you the same amount for both sides as long as the loser is scoring.

Let's use the NBA example to see how spreads work. For example, suppose the Lakers play the Warriors tonight. The distribution of points will be displayed with a + and - sign (Lakers +7 Warriors - 7 is just an example). By betting on each option, you are betting on how many points the team will win or lose.

To cover the spread, the Lakers need to win the game by 8 points or lose by less than 7. At the same time, the Warriors must win by more than 8 points. Now things can get a little more complicated when the spread covers the decimal (+7.5 and -7.5). Spread pips often use decimals - they eliminate the need for a draw. Ties always go to the house unless otherwise noted.

Point payouts

Points spreads are quite popular in the US where they are offered at NBA and NFL games. As for the odds, they are usually -110. This means that you need to bet $100 to make $110 in profit, which depends on the vigor of the bookmaker. The wig is 10% and is inevitable - this is how the bookmaker makes money. Some bookmakers will go even further, so you should pay attention to the odds and pick the best one.

Point spreads always have equal chances for both sides. You may see different ratios from time to time, but this is not a standard. Sometimes you don't see any chances at all - this means that the standard payout is -110. Whenever you plan to bet on spreads, check the odds and payouts to avoid confusion.

Why choose spreads over money lines?

Once you master them, the scatter of points will become larger because their odds are constant. They are usually -110, so it will be easier for you to keep your bankroll under control. They give you the opportunity to bet on the favorite with good odds, which is not the case with moneyline bets. Instead of picking a winner, you bet on the favorite to win by a point margin at excellent odds, which is much better than betting on odds that will give you nothing in return.

While they may seem confusing at first, spot spreads are easy to understand. You just need to place your first bet and you will be in the know. Once you master the ability to cover the spread, you will probably never go back to betting on the money line. Pay close attention to the stats and you'll soon get even better at point spreads, which means you'll end up winning more than a few bets.

What is the line?

When betting on point spreads, you will almost certainly come across the term "line". It's just cool jargon that refers to the spread of dots. You may have heard someone ask what the line is for the aforementioned Lakers Warriors game, and they get the answer "Warriors minus seven."

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what does it mean, how to understand?

There are different types of spreads in bookmakers. Accordingly, you can test them and choose for yourself only the most profitable ones.

Totals

The total number of certain events in the match, such as goals, free kicks, corners, fouls, or anything else. The bookmaker makes his reasonable forecast, and players need to bet on more or less. For example, if the bookmaker put 7-8 on the corner spread, then capper bets are divided into 2 types: up to seven corners in a match; and more than eight. Also, the system for scoring points for gaming actions may vary depending on the bookmaker. For example, if we are talking about bets on warnings, then one number of points is awarded for a yellow card, and another for a red card, because these two decisions of the arbiter are different in their significance.

Get new forecasts: Vkontakte and Telegram .

Handicap

Set in matches where two teams of different levels play, that is, there is a clear favorite. For such events, the bookmaker may offer a handicap, for example, 2.5-3. The player needs to choose which solution he prefers. If you bet up, then the profit will be received from all results with a difference of 4 balls or more in favor of the favorite. Here you also need to look at the statistics before the match, take into account the game form of the teams, reflect on some questions that can ultimately help you make the right forecast.

The above applies more to football, but spreads can also be given for other sports: tennis (number of games), snooker (number of frames), basketball (total points). This is not all, but only the main types of spreads. Sometimes bookmakers add something radically new. You also need to consider that not all types of spreads are equally good and profitable for all situations, so your experience in sports betting will come in handy.

In general, it is recommended only for experienced players to make forecasts of this kind. If the bookmaker offers a spread whose rules you do not understand, do not place such bets under any circumstances.

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