How to bet basketball and win

How To Bet On Basketball

Learn NBA moneylines, point spreads, totals, parlays, and more in this comprehensive NBA betting guide.

The NBA is one of the most fun leagues to bet on, with an up-and-down pace and unrivaled intensity on every shot. It's a sport where you can't look away from the TV and is enticing for bettors across the globe. 

There's no shortage of basketball betting options during the NBA schedule. 

Multiple matchups are on the board, allowing bettors to wager on their favorite teams as well as bet on the big games on TV each night.

Basketball betting lines explained

Like most major sports, there are endless ways to wager on basketball. The most popular forms of basketball betting are the moneyline, point spread, and Over/Under totals.

Moneyline

NBA moneyline odds ask bettors to pick the winner of the game. Based on the strength of the teams and other factors, oddsmakers calculate the implied probability of victory for both sides and set moneyline odds for each team.

Point spread

NBA point spreads level the competition between two teams, with oddsmakers setting a handicap in points. One team is the point spread favorite – and has to win by more than the spread – while the other will be pegged as the point spread underdog – having to win outright or lose by less than the spread.

Over/Under

NBA Over/Under totals are the estimated total number of points scored by both teams in a game. Bettors wager on whether the final score will go Over or Under that expected tally.

Moneylines: Pick the winner of an NBA game

Betting basketball moneylines is the most straightforward and basic betting market available, simply allowing you to bet on which team you think will win the game.

Sportsbooks generate moneyline odds for a game based on each team's implied probability of winning. Basketball teams are not always evenly matched, and the moneyline odds will reflect those chances of victory. You can use our odds converter and moneyline calculator to see a team's implied probability based on their odds.

Sportsbooks most often display moneyline odds in hundreds (American odds). American odds show one team set as the favorite (indicated by a negative value) and one team designated as the underdog (positive value).

For example, the Los Angeles Lakers are -130 moneyline favorites versus the Toronto Raptors, the +110 moneyline underdogs.

Because the Lakers are the stronger team (56.52 percent chance of winning), for every $10 you wish to win betting on Los Angeles, you must risk $13 ($130 bet will win $100). Since the Raptors are the weaker team (47.62 percent implied probability), you can win $11 for every $10 risked ($100 bet will win $110).

Point spread: Betting the spread with basketball

The point spread is the preferred odds market for many basketball bettors because it levels the difference in skill between the two teams. When calculating the perceived point spread between the two sides, oddsmakers analyze both teams and consider the venue, current form, and any critical injuries.

The negative value indicates a point spread favorite, and that team must win the game by more than that spread to win for bettors. The underdog has a positive value in front of its point spread. Underdogs can either win outright or lose by less than that spread to generate winning bets.

For example, the Los Angeles Lakers are -2.5 point spread favorites hosting the +2.5 underdog Toronto Raptors. For the Lakers to cover the spread, they must win the game by three points or more. For the Raptors to cover the spread, they must either win the game outright or lose by two points or less.

Point spreads always have a second set of odds with them, known as the vig or the juice. They are the cost of placing a bet. Most point spreads have a vig of -110; to win $100, you need to risk $110. However, vig can be adjusted depending on current betting action and can vary from book to book.

Over/Under: Betting on basketball point totals or season win totals

Another popular way to wager on basketball is via the Over/Under odds, also known as the total.

Oddsmakers measure the matchup between two teams, looking at both offensive and defensive production, and set an expected total number of points scored by both sides for the game. Once a sportsbook sets that total, bettors can wager if the final score will go Over or Under that number.

For example, the Over/Under total between the Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors is 222.5 points.

A bet on the Over requires the game's final score to total 223 points or more to win, while a bet on the Under needs 222 or fewer points.

Like point spreads, both sides of the total – Over and Under – have attached vig, often set at -110. This value can adjust to betting action and may vary from book to book.

Parlays: Combine NBA bets for bigger payouts

Parlays allow you to risk a smaller amount to win a bigger payout but carry a higher risk. NBA parlays require you to tie two or more bets together. 

The more bets added to the parlay, the bigger the potential payout and the bigger the risk, as all bets in the parlay must win for the entire parlay to pay out.

The majority of parlays will end up with a line at plus money. Each fixture within a parlay is considered a "leg." Most books will allow anywhere from 2-12 games in an NBA parlay. 

If you're solely betting the Milwaukee Bucks, you're getting them at -120. By parlaying the Bucks with the Warriors at +140, the bet turns into plus money. Now the parlay is listed at +340 odds.

Prop bets: Betting on player performance and more

Prop bets are a rapidly growing way to bet on basketball, allowing you to wager on different aspects of the game – not just the final score.  

NBA prop bets can focus on game events as well as a team's performance and individual player performances. Examples of game and NBA player props odds include betting on the first team to 15 points, a team's total three-pointers made, or a player's combined points, rebounds, and assists.

Listed below are Kevin Durant's and James Harden's over/under for total points scored in a single game. You must pick whether or not either player scores more than or less than the designated number set by the sportsbook. In this case, the Over/Under are both listed at -120, meaning the sportsbook favors neither scenario.

There's no way this bet can be a push because of the half-point. If the game goes into overtime, the prop still counts as well.  

Futures: Win totals, MVP, and NBA Championship Odds

Futures odds are long-running betting markets focused on overall results for a team or player, such as odds to win the NBA Finals and the player to be named NBA MVP. Another popular form of futures is season win totals, in which you can bet on whether a team will go Over or Under their set total of wins for the year.

These odds often open before a season begins and will take bets throughout the schedule, adjusting to results and injuries, until the market is decided.

Below are the odds of winning the NBA Finals. Odds will come out as early as the end of the season prior, and can usually be wagered on into the final round of the postseason. In this example, you can see that Brooklyn is favored to win the Finals at +250, with the Lakers having the second-best odds at +400. These types of lines will fluctuate and change throughout the NBA season depending on team performance, injuries, and roster transactions. 

Basketball betting tips and strategies

Keep these basketball betting strategies in mind when looking to handicap NBA odds.  

Shop for the best odds

When betting, it's always good to get the best bang for your buck. Line shopping is something all the experts do and takes very little time. If you want to bet the Lakers at -140 at one book, but they're -125 elsewhere, there is a ton of value on the latter. Missing out on the best lines long-term will affect your bankroll, especially if you're betting larger sums of money. 

You can use our odds comparison tool to find the best lines for each game and a huge variety of online sportsbooks.

Count on current form

Don't get caught up looking at the standings when betting on the NBA. Pay more attention to current form, weighing the past three games more attentively.

Even the best teams can go through slumps, and losing teams can suddenly find their form. Find out what's behind those recent results and if they'll carry over into the game you want to bet.

Mind the matchups

Every team has its strengths and weaknesses. When searching for the best NBA bets, look closely at how those attributes match up against that day's opponent using our NBA scores and matchups page. 

If a team struggles to rebound and takes on a foe with a bigger, more potent frontcourt that dominates the glass, make sure you account for that and bet accordingly.

Basketball is a game of runs, and these matchups and mismatches often fuel those deciding swings.

Injuries and off nights

The NBA schedule is a grind, and injuries will play a huge role in a team's success along the way. If you're looking to bet on a side, comb through the injury report and see which key contributors are out of action. Also, try and find out which players could be resting – a recent wrinkle to betting the NBA, particularly on back-to-backs.

Big-name stars' status will carry the most impact on the NBA odds. Still, there is an edge in finding undervalued injuries and how those could impact a team's performance. A missing backup point guard or a sidelined wing defender may not move the odds but will have a say in the final score.

Follow the line movement

As with all sports wagering, NBA betting is often not about betting the best team but rather the best number.

Point spreads, moneylines, and totals will constantly adjust to action and injury news. Make sure you monitor the opening NBA odds and where they're moving to pinpoint the best time to place your bet.

Dive into derivatives

NBA betting odds can be chopped up into halves and quarters, setting sides and totals for different segments of the game. These derivative odds can hold added value not found in the full-game lines as teams present tendencies and trends that fly under the radar of oddsmakers.

Some teams are slow starters and find their form in the second half, making them an excellent bet to fade with the first-half spreads. Others come out firing quickly on offense in the first quarter, adding value to the Over in the opening frame. Dive into the analytic splits to uncover the best derivative bets on the board.  

Scout the schedule

The calendar can sometimes dictate a team's performance on the court, depending on rest spots, travel, and motivation. Situational betting – also known as spot bets – is a valuable tool to find underlying value betting on or against a team.

Chunks of the schedule could have a team playing multiple games in a short window, leaving them running on empty for the final outings of that stretch. The schedule can also allot an extended break from the action, allowing players and coaches to adjust their game plan and get injured bodies back. And as always, be mindful of "letdown" and "lookahead" spots around important matchups and big wins.

Handicapping refs

An underutilized method of handicapping basketball odds is to dissect the guys blowing the whistle. Referees significantly impact games' outcomes, specifically the Over/Under totals. Covers is one of the rare sources of unique betting data for every NBA referee assignment.

You can use this data to measure a team's recent betting results when a particular ref is part of the officiating crew. Or, you can follow referees with one-sided tendencies to the Over and Under, as some refs will call more fouls than others. Those whistles result in foul shots, which means teams are scoring points with the clock stopped – a big boost for Over backers.

How to make an NBA bet 

1

Our NBA scores and matchup page lists the day's games and upcoming days, but you can also sort by spread, total size, and line movement. 

Each game gives a snapshot of the opening odds, current odds, team records straight up and against the spread, as well as the percentage of picks calculated by our Covers Consensus. 

From there, you can dive deep into our detailed matchup pages for each game. Track line history, view the most popular spread and total picks and analyze unique betting trends for every team.

2

Making intelligent bets on NBA basketball isn't always about betting the best team, but betting the best odds.  

Find current spreads, totals, and moneylines for every NBA game from the top legal sportsbooks in your area using our odds comparison tool. Compare across the industry and shop for the best odds for your NBA bets.

3

Signing up for a new sportsbook is simply a few clicks away. Once you find a legal book in your area, sign up for an account and quickly deposit using various banking methods, such as credit cards and e-transfers. Most sportsbooks also offer great bonuses and sign-up promotions to new users.

4

After researching your best NBA picks on Covers.com, you can place those bets at the sportsbook by selecting NBA basketball from their menu and searching for the game or market you want to bet. 

From there, select the wager to add it to your bet card and enter the amount of money you wish to risk. After that, click submit, and you'll get a receipt or e-ticket for that bet, showing you the odds you bet and the amount you can win.

Today's NBA odds

Here are the current NBA odds for today's biggest games:

Best basketball sportsbooks for beginners

Covers’ team of betting experts have thoroughly researched the internet’s vast collection of online sportsbooks so you don’t have to. Here are the best basketball betting sites so you can get your NBA betting underway.

These sportsbooks are licensed and trusted sites and offer great sign-up bonuses, plenty of convenient and quick banking options, and great odds for rookie bettors.

NBA betting forum

Want to learn more about NBA betting and meet a large, knowledgeable community? Check out Covers’ NBA betting forum to get picks, ask questions, and learn from experienced sports bettors.

Smart NBA betting strategies

10 Winning Tips for Betting NBA Basketball Odds

Strategies to Help You Handicap NBA Betting Odds

Basketball betting FAQs

There are a number of online sportsbooks where you can bet on the NBA. Check our betting sites reviews for the best legal online sportsbook options in your region.

One team will be set as the point spread favorite and must win the game by more than the designated number of points. The other is the point spread underdog and must win outright or lose by less than that number of points.

All sportsbooks in Las Vegas will offer markets for NBA, college basketball, and WNBA. So simply find a sportsbook near you, head to the counter, and make your bet.

Yes. Almost all sportsbooks offer WNBA odds.

A 3x2 bet in basketball means a three-bet parlay in which at least two of the picks must be correct for you to get a payout. If you get all three correct, the amount of the winnings would be larger.

In the NBA, +/- or Plus/Minus often refers to the point differential when a player or team is on the floor. Don't confuse Plus/Minus with American odds, which use positive and negative numbers to display betting odds. Positive numbers indicate underdogs (+110). The lower the number, the bigger the betting favorite, indicating a negative number (-110).

A draw in basketball betting is an option when wagering on the three-way line. You have three choices: Home, Draw, or Away. If you're betting a draw, you're betting on a tie at the end of regulation.

You can bet on the NBA at nearly any online sportsbook across the globe. It is among the most popular sports leagues for bettors.

How To Bet On NBA Games Online: 2022 Basketball Betting Tips

Betting on the National Basketball Association can be profitable and fun if you have a basic knowledge of the sport and online wagering. Here at Odds Shark, we don’t like to toot our own horn – unless someone cuts us off on the highway – but we’re experts in the field of basketball betting. In fact, we’re experts in betting on every sport out there, and we want to pass our knowledge on to you through this NBA betting guide so you can make smart hoops picks while learning how to bet on basketball and win.

Whether you’re heading to the betting market to place a wager on a regular-season game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies, or you want to know how to bet on the NBA Finals, we’ve got you covered with our online betting tutorial.

Our Favorite NBA Betting Sites

What Is The Best Way To Bet On Basketball?

Before we explain how to bet money on NBA games, you should familiarize yourself with how the NBA odds will be laid out at the sportsbook. FYI – sportsbook is the industry name for “betting site.”

How To Read Basketball Odds

Let’s start with the basics, and have basketball odds explained. Betting odds will always be expressed with a plus sign (+) to designate the underdog and a minus sign (-) to represent the favorite. For instance:

The numbers beside the plus and minus sign are the actual odds. This is based on bettors making wagers of $100. The $10 is the juice or vig – what the sportsbook collects from each bet.

You don’t have to bet $100. You can bet $50 or $1,500 or $27. It’s up to you how much you want to wager. Braces are expensive, so please bet within your means, otherwise your children will have crooked teeth.

Now that you’ve had basketball betting lines explained, let’s start with basketball betting explained.

Moneyline Bets: Picking A Team To Win SU

Also known as a straight-up bet (SU), the moneyline is a bet that involves picking a winner. For example, if the Toronto Raptors are the favorite in their matchup against the Boston Celtics, you can bet on them to win outright. The odds would look something like this:

If you were to place $40 on the Raptors and they won, you’d get a payout of $55. 38 – your original $40 comes back along with the $15.38 you won. Conversely, that same $40 on a winning Celtics bet would give you a payout of $128 – your original $40 is returned, coupled with your loot of $88. Our odds calculator will tell you how much you’d win based on the odds and how much you bet.

A bet on the underdog is considered a riskier wager since oddsmakers – the people who set the lines at betting sites – predict that this team isn’t going to win. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t bet on dogs and only take faves. As long as you handicap your bets accordingly, you could see big winnings on huge upsets. Don’t worry, we’ll cover handicapping strategies below.

Point Spreads: Which Squad Will Cover?

Like with NFL betting, when two NBA teams aren’t evenly matched, the point spread gives NBA bettors an alternative to picking one team to win over the other. The dog is given an advantage before the game starts, and the favorite is put at a disadvantage. Odds would look something like this:

Team	Point Spread
Golden State Warriors	-17. 5
Sacramento Kings	+17.5

In this scenario, the Kings would need to either win the game outright or lose by 17 points or less. As for the Warriors, they would need to win the game by 18 or more.

When you make a bet like this, you are choosing a team to cover the spread. You’ll often see ATS in association with this kind of bet. This means “against the spread.”

Spreads for an NBA game will typically be more than five (5) points since basketball is such a high-scoring sport. There will be times when the spread won’t have the decimal (.5) and you would see a whole number.

Using the same example as above for this NBA betting tip, if the point spread was 17 instead of 17.5 and the Warriors won the game by exactly 17 points, meaning the Kings lost by that same amount, it’s called a PUSH. In this case, you’d get your money back as if your bet never happened.

NBA Totals: Combined Score Betting

To make a totals bet, you would wager on whether the combined final score will go OVER or UNDER a set number of points. If the New Orleans Pelicans are facing off against the Houston Rockets, the odds would appear like so:

If you take the OVER, it means you need the total points to be more than 220 to win your bet. If you take the UNDER, you need the collective score to be 219 or less to win your wager. PUSHES can also happen in OVER/UNDER betting if the shared points hit the exact number set by the oddsmakers.

Live Odds: Betting While The Game Progresses

Betting sites will provide live odds while the game is going on. In-play betting lets you wager on each play, and things like the next team to score, or changing spreads. When you see live odds that you like, take them ASAP because they will disappear quickly. The faster you can make your picks on live lines, the better.

Prop Bets: Keeping It Light

During the NBA season, you’ll see prop bets. In sports betting, props (short for proposition) are wagers on the occurrence or non-occurrence of certain events or highlights that may not directly correlate to the outcome of the game. You’ll see NBA player and team props based on milestones like:

• • How many assists will Russell Westbrook have?
• • How many points will the Indiana Pacers put up in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers?
• • How many rebounds will Joel Embiid have against the New York Knicks?

Props are considered more entertaining than other basketball bets since you don’t have to worry about teams covering the spread or winning the game straight up.

Futures: Betting On The Long Term

NBA futures are bets made on events that will happen in time. Sure, all bets are made on happenings that have yet to occur, but futures are made weeks and months in advance of the event. At your online sportsbook of choice, you’ll see bets like:

• • Regular-season win totals per team
• • Will Team X make the playoffs?
• • Which team will win the championship?
• • Who will be named Rookie of the Year?
• • Who is the favorite to win MVP?

Futures bets can be made at any time before the event takes place. Oddsmakers will release odds before the season begins, so it’s best to jump on them as early as possible before the lines move.

Parlays: Many Bets On One Ticket

This type of bet allows you to bundle two or more wagers on one betting slip. Parlays let you take the moneyline from one game, the totals from another, and the spread from a different matchup. For instance, a parlay ticket could look like this:

Milwaukee Bucks Moneyline + Chicago Bulls vs LA Lakers Total + Dallas Mavericks to cover the spread

With this kind of bet, all wagers on your ticket must hit, otherwise it’s deemed a bust. If you have even one loss, you lose the entire bet. You can also make cross-sport parlays and include college football and NHL bets with your basketball picks. In fact, you can create tickets with any sports that are played concurrently with the NBA season.

We have a parlay calculator that will show you what you’d win based on the odds of each bet on your slip. Our tool lets you add up to 100 bets, though most sportsbooks only offer up to 10-team parlays.

Handicapping Your Basketball Bets

When oddsmakers set the lines, they take many factors into consideration. They look at past performances, coaching and injuries. With this in mind, it is imperative that you develop an NBA betting strategy. When you handicap your bets, look at which team is playing at home.

It’s important to consider home-court advantage, particularly when the opposing team is on the end of a losing road trip or has played multiple games in recent nights. Fatigue can make or break a team and can affect your bets.

Another betting strategy to consider is momentum. When a team gets hot, it can often string together huge winning streaks both straight up and against the spread. Similarly, bad teams can rack up blowout losses in bunches as well. Be on the lookout for these spikes in season momentum and grab the odds early.

Finally, we have pages that can help you make smart bets:

• Betting Trends – How a team performs historically ATS, SU
• Consensus – Which side the betting public is looking to back
• Free Picks – See what our Super Computer predicts
• Stats – How a team performs on Offense and Defense
• Referee Data – How those in stripes can shift the game with a single call
• Database – How a squad performs as a home team/on the road, as a dog/fave
• Standings – Where does a team sit compared to the rest of the league
• Team Reports – Injuries, field-goal percentage and everything else you need for betting
• Power Rankings – A week-to-week look at each squad

How To Sign Up At A Sportsbook To Bet On The NBA

Now that you know how to bet on NBA games, you’ll need to find somewhere to place your bets.

Step 1: Pick a Sportsbook

Select the one you like best. Sportsbooks are betting sites you visit to wager on the NBA. Each and every betting site we champion is trustworthy, safe, secure and meets our standards.

If they didn’t, we wouldn’t recommend them. There are many places to bet on the NBA. Head over to our best NBA betting sites to find the sportsbook that’s fit for you!

Step 2: Sign Up

Registration is easy and only takes a couple of minutes. Provide your name, email address, deposit information and birthday to verify that you are legally permitted to gamble. Enter all relevant information and wait for a confirmation email or link. Have your deposit info nearby because as soon as the sign-up process is finished, you can make your first NBA bet.

Step 3: Make a Deposit

How you choose to fund your account is entirely up to you. Gambling for real money at your preferred sportsbook entails deciding on a deposit option that makes sense for your needs.

Almost all betting sites let you make deposits with your credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX), e-wallets (PayPal, Neteller, Skrill), and debit. Some online sports betting sites will accept cryptocurrency as a deposit method. You’ll typically find gambling sites that take Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dash and Ethereum.

Step 4: Place Your Bet

Now that you’re all warmed up, pick a sportsbook from our list and bet like you’re Barkley!

strategy and system tips - how to win more often

Basketball (along with baseball and hockey) is one of the most popular sports in North America, and basketball betting takes a serious place in the total amount of sports betting. At the same time, the point here is not only (and even not so much) that it is in North America that the matches of the strongest basketball league in the world take place - the point is the number of equiprobable outcomes that the basketball line offers. Also on our site you will find bookmakers for betting on basketball.

1. Benefits of betting on basketball
2. Disadvantages of betting on basketball
3. Types of bets
   1. Main Outcomes
   2. Handicap
   3. Total
      1. Basketball total betting strategy
   4. Quarter Basketball Betting
      1. Quarterly Basketball Betting Strategy
4. Pre-match analytics
5. Where to bet on basketball?

The vast majority of professional players and cappers, of which there are many in America, play just such “half-way” outcomes in order to get the most even profit over a long distance. In any basketball game, there are at least two equally likely events that you can bet on - handicap and total. It is thanks to this property that basketball has become one of the most popular objects for large bets.

Basketball bookmakers

Benefits of betting on basketball

A large number of equally likely events . As mentioned above, basketball is one of the most suitable sports for those who like to bet on equally likely events.

High NBA betting limits. The vast majority of big cappers make bets on the NBA, including the lion's share of US players who traditionally make big bets. In pursuit of this traffic, the best bookmakers are trying to create the most comfortable conditions for basketball betters by offering generous betting limits on the main outcomes, as well as handicap and total. True, this feature is more characteristic of large Western bookmakers. Domestic gambling establishments most often offer limits for NBA matches no higher than those given for the same Euroleague and the Russian Championship.

Low NBA margins. All the same competition between bookmakers in the struggle for the biggest players has led to the fact that in almost all leading gambling establishments in the world the margin for NBA matches is less than for all other competitions and sports offered in the line.

Regularity of games. The fact that most basketball teams play between two and four games a week makes this sport the most attractive for statistics lovers in calculations - the sample of analyzed NBA matches is very solid and allows you to make fairly accurate predictions. In addition, the NBA is often the only competition that can be bet on any day, including holidays - even on December 31 and January 1, at least two or three matches are invariably played in this league.

Disadvantages of betting on basketball

Low limits and odds for European competitions. Unlike NBA matches, European Cups and European Championship matches usually offer very modest upper betting limits; the odds are also generally 3-5 points lower than the NBA odds. All this makes betting on the same Euroleague not the most profitable business.

Rating of bookmakers by odds

You can find out which Russian bookmakers offer the best basketball odds on Legalbet in the Odds Rating (“Basketball” tab). Our experts have calculated the margins of all bookmakers based on real events in their lines and based on these calculations sorted the companies into categories in order to identify the best offers for fans of basketball betting.

Weak painting. The vast majority of bookmakers offer a weak list of basketball matches. Many are completely limited to handicap, total and main outcomes. Despite the fact that such painting is enough for professionals, for many players who are used to betting on football, it may seem very meager.

Types of bets

Main outcomes

The number of main outcomes offered for a basketball match depends on which bookmaker you play at. Some gambling establishments open three main outcomes: W1, X and W2, adding a win including overtime to the list, while others offer only two outcomes - W1 and W2 (this means that in case of a draw, the winner will be determined in overtime).

Before you start betting on basketball, it is very important to clarify which positions in a given gambling establishment take into account OT and which do not, because it often happens that the handicap with the total is calculated according to one rules, and the main outcomes are calculated according to others.

Handicap

Handicap in basketball shows the final score difference in favor of one of the teams. You are required to guess if it will be more or less than the specified value. For example, if you bet on a team with a handicap of -5.5, you need it to win at least 6 points. If you bet on it with a handicap of +5.5, you would be rooting for this team to lose no more than 5 points. The handicap in basketball is not much different from the handicap in other sports, and most bookmakers allow you to buy more handicaps, while most often the coefficient drops by 8-10 points for each point bought. You can usually buy in addition from 4 to 12 points (each office determines the exact value for itself).

Total

Total is a type of bet in which you have to predict whether the final result of the game will be more or less than the proposed value. Almost always, the coefficients for "more" and "less" are the same. Totals, as well as odds, can be bought in addition, both up and down. The dynamics of odds changes in this case is most often similar to the dynamics of changes in quotes for a handicap.

Please note! Bookmakers accept bets on both the total in regular time of the match and the total with overtime in basketball, and it is important to understand that when calculating these bets, different time periods of the game will be taken into account. The calculation of the total in basketball in regular time is based on the results of 4 quarters.

Basketball total betting strategy

Basketball total betting strategy seems simple at first glance. It is enough to look at the previous results of the teams and analyze how many points they score per game. However, not everything is so simple: anything can happen in one particular match, and several factors can affect the team's game at once: from the psychological state of the players to their physical condition.

Quarter basketball betting

This type of bet is very popular among those who like to bet on basketball. A quarter in basketball is a mini-match. The head coach uses different tactics, simulated combinations, there can be constant replacements of athletes on the court. Player fatigue accumulated over the previous quarters also affects the result. Often in betting lines you can see a bet not only on the outcome, handicap and total of each quarter, but also on a comparison of the performance of the quarters: more points scored, more fouls committed, etc.

Basketball betting strategy by quarters

Basketball by quarters strategy also has its own peculiarities. Here you need to have an idea how the team plays in the first half of the game, and how in the second, what are the features and differences in the team's actions in different quarters. In the case of betting on quarters, you should keep a closer eye on what happened on the court in the previous quarter.

Other offers. In addition to the standard set of positions, the vast majority of bookmakers include an additional painting in their line. An additional list can offer a variety of betting options: on the handicap and total of each quarter, on the individual totals of the teams, on the individual totals of the leading basketball players, on the presence or absence of overtime, etc. There is also a bet under the conditional name "even-odd". Basketball is a game that scores a lot of points. And the score at the end of the meeting or quarter will definitely be even or odd. Bookmakers also offer to bet on this. This type of bet, by the way, is the purest “guessing game” and does not require any knowledge of the game from the player.

Pre-match analytics

Pre-match analytics of basketball matches is somewhat simpler than debriefing in football matches, since the lineups in basketball teams are 2-3 times smaller, and teams play twice as often, so there is always plenty of information about opponents. Some difficulty is represented only by a small number of broadcasts of basketball competitions in the post-Soviet expanses. However, the availability of high-speed Internet fully compensates for this small drawback. So, what does basketball match analytics include?

• Opponents current kit . The specificity of basketball lies in the fact that there are traditionally much fewer game recessions than, for example, in tennis and football, and therefore it becomes much easier to track the current form. It also helps that each team plays 2-3 matches a week, which means that it is possible to get the latest information about their current level and fitness.

Don't forget to check the results of the last 5-6 matches of each team. Separately, pay attention to the statistics of home and away matches: basketball is a sport in which the home court factor is extremely important, and sometimes even decisive, so when analyzing statistics, evaluate home and away matches separately.

• Head-to-head history . Let's not forget about the history of rivalry confrontation. It often happens that the indicators of the last three or four face-to-face meetings of teams can tell you much more than dozens of live matches watched with their participation. Again, do not forget that in basketball, the statistics of home and away matches differ significantly, and therefore it is worth evaluating it differently.
• Tournament position and motivation. And, of course, we could not forget about such a key factor as motivation - in such a hard and strong-willed sport as basketball, motivation is of particular importance. Be sure to evaluate who and what needs from the upcoming match and, based on this information, try to adjust your forecast so that you do not bet on a team that no longer needs anything against a highly motivated opponent.
• List of injured and disqualified. With basketball's busy schedule, it's no surprise that injuries and suspensions are common in the sport. In order to be able to say with confidence that your bet is considered, you should definitely monitor the press regularly to keep abreast of all personnel changes in the composition of each team.

During major basketball tournaments on the Legalbet website, you can get acquainted with the expectations of the forecasters of our website, find out which basketball bets they recommend choosing, as well as get acquainted with their arguments in favor of one or another option.

• Basketball predictions at Legalbet

Where to bet on basketball?

Modern bookmakers try to offer players the widest possible line of basketball. Bets on matches of the NBA, VTB United League, Euroleague, as well as the World and European Championships can be made at absolutely any legal bookmaker in Russia.

The bookmaker's office "1xBet" offers the most complete list. On the site of this bookmaker, in the left menu, you can click on the sport, and this will open all the championships available for betting. After selecting a specific match, the entire list for the match will appear in the center of the screen. Also, BC "1xBet" offers a wide variety of live basketball bets, in which the bettor, using various strategies, can try his luck. A good painting for basketball is also offered on the official websites of the online bookmakers Paribet and Winline.

• View basketball bets on the 1xBet website
• View Basketball Betting on Winline
• View basketball bets on Paribet website

Read also:

• NBA betting
• Basketball World Cup Betting
• Euroleague betting
• Bets on VTB United League

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Material prepared:

Alexander Noskov

Legalbet editor

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