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How to bet the moneyline in basketball

Basketball Moneyline Bets Explained — Comprehensive 2022 NBA Guide

NBA moneylines are fun and simple and this guide makes it easy to learn with tips and strategies to make smart NBA bets.

Trevor Knapp

Last Updated: Oct 14, 2022 11:54 AM ET Read Time: 10 min

Photo By - USA TODAY Sports

Betting basketball point spreads can be daunting and quite tricky for first-time bettors. Luckily, NBA moneyline betting is way more straightforward.

What is a moneyline bet in basketball?

Betting the moneyline (ML) in the NBA means simply picking which team wins the game outright. Moneyline favorites have a negative value (-110), while moneyline underdogs have a positive value (+110). It's a two-way market, which means there are only two options to place a wager.

Team	Moneyline Odds
Atlanta Hawks	-130
Dallas Mavericks	+110

American odds are very straightforward. If a sportsbook has the Hawks listed as -130 favorites, you would have to bet $130 to win $100. If you wagered $100 on the opposing underdog Mavericks at +110, you would get a $210 return, including your original stake.

American odds are commonly used by first-time bettors, as they're the easiest to understand at first.

NBA moneylines as decimal odds

Another way to read odds is using the decimal format. Some sportsbooks won't offer the American format, so it's good to know how to use it. Using our earlier line, the Hawks and Mavericks would look like this using decimal odds.

ATL 1.77

DAL 2.10

To understand these odds further, all you have to do is multiply your stake by the decimal number.

A $20 wager on the Hawks (20 x 1.77) equals a payout of $35.40, including your original stake.

A $20 bet on the Mavs (20 x 2.10) would give you a bigger payout of $42 since the decimal, in this case, is higher.

A decimal number of 2.00 signals even money (+100), with anything lower considered a negative value on the moneyline (favorite) and anything higher listed as plus money (underdog).

You can use our odds calculator and converter to help further differentiate the two.

NBA moneylines as fractional odds

Bettors will find fractional odds commonly used as the default setting on British sportsbooks.

Here is how the Hawks-Mavericks line would look in the fractional setting:

ATL 77/100

DAL 11/10

For fractional odds, you would multiply your original stake by the numerator/denominator.

If you staked $10 on the Hawks at 77/100 (10 x 19/25), you would get a total payout of $17.69 ($7.69 profit + $10 stake).

Conversely, if you bet $10 on the Mavericks at 11/10 using the same formula (10 x 11/10), your payout would be $21.00, including your original stake. Our betting calculator also converts fractional odds to help you better understand them.

Benefits of basketball moneyline bets

One of the best things about simply picking a winner is not having to worry about the margin of victory or loss that NBA point spreads pose. Moneylines are the most straightforward bet out there and take the least amount of math and homework.

Moneyline bets provide a higher payout if you back the underdog and a better chance of winning the bet altogether if you take the favorite.

In many cases, moneylines are the best way to go for games when you like a favorite to win but aren't exactly comfortable laying the points. A lot of times in basketball, there is an opportunity for a "backdoor cover." A backdoor cover is when the underdog trails late in the 4th quarter and outscores the leading team in the final minutes to cover the spread.

For example, suppose oddsmakers favor the Raptors by 12.5 points, and Toronto is blowing out the Pistons at halftime. In that case, there is a good chance they won't have their starters playing in the fourth quarter. In this case, you'd wish you bet the Raptors moneyline instead of the spread, as there is an excellent chance for a backdoor cover.

NBA moneyline tips, strategies, and advice

Now that you know how to read basketball moneyline odds, here are some tips and strategies to apply to your NBA betting.

Avoid big favorites

One of the biggest things to avoid when betting NBA moneylines is wagering on big-time favorites. Taking the Lakers at -300 means wagering three times what you could potentially win, and in the long run, will lead to a loss in bankroll.

Look to back teams at better value who you feel are being overlooked by the books. More times than not, there is a team being offered at plus money every night on the NBA schedule should be the favorite instead.

Shop for the best lines

Different sportsbooks will offer different odds. If the Jazz are +150 at one book but are at +175 at another, you are missing out on plenty of value if you're not taking the latter. It may not seem like much on a small bet, but if you're placing bigger wagers, you'd be leaving aside plenty of return.

It also doesn't hurt to create more than one sports betting account so that you can take advantage of deposit bonuses and promotions on other sites. You can compare odds at different books to find the best line using our odds comparison tool.

Monitor injury news and starting lineups

Losing even a single player to injury in basketball can affect the line of a game. It's good to brush up on injury news the night before a match and know the starting lineups ahead of time, so you know if the team you're backing is operating at 100 percent or not.

More often than not, there will be last-minute lineup changes a couple of hours before tip-off that can dramatically shift the line. Brushing up on local beat writers on social media can also be a great way to get ahead of the news before the general public detects it.

Look out for game day trends

Our NBA scores and matchups page can give you a quick but comprehensive look at a slate of upcoming NBA games. It's good to know a team's record over their last ten games and if they're coming into a matchup on a hot or cold streak. Knowing team records when on the road or at home as an underdog or favorite is also vital. You can also track league-wide betting trends and view the public consensus picks each day to see who the general public believes will win each contest.

It's also vital to know if a team is coming off playing the night before or favorite/underdog records when certain referees call their game.

You can find an edge if a referee is matched up against a particular star player, and they don't see eye to eye. Suns point guard Chris Paul has lost twelve straight postseason games that Scott Foster has called.

NBA betting tips and strategies

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

NBA Over/Under Betting Tips and Strategies

NBA Point Spread Betting Tips and Strategies

NBA Parlay Betting Tips and Strategies

NBA moneyline FAQs

If both lines are equal, the match would be considered a "pick 'em," meaning that neither team is favored to win, and the point spread would be zero in this case. This usually points to signs that oddsmakers consider both teams to have the same chance of winning the game. The line for a pick 'em will usually be -110.

Moneylines change based on the amount of public money coming in on either side. As the time of the game draws closer, the line will also get "sharper" as the books adjust it to its most accurate line based on injury news, starting lineups, etc.

Yes, moneyline includes overtime in basketball. There are also three-way lines where a bet is settled after the fourth quarter.

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How to Win NBA Moneyline Bets in 2022

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An Essential Guide for Basketball Bettors

If you’re betting on the NBA, you’re going to encounter the ubiquitous basketball moneyline. While the moneyline can be confusing and intimidating at first glance, in reality it is quite simple.

We’ve compiled all the essential information on basketball moneylines below, along with more detailed information and advice a little further down. Using our helpful guide, you’ll be able to bet on NBA odds by understanding the moneyline with supreme confidence!

What Exactly Is a Basketball Moneyline Bet?

When you place a moneyline bet, you are merely betting on a team to win that matchup. There are only two potential outcomes, and you’re picking one or the other. It is as simple as that!

If the Detroit Pistons were playing the Golden State Warriors in a basketball game, the moneyline asks you wager on either the Pistons or the Warriors to win the game outright.

Most online sportsbooks including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesars Sportsbook have moneylines as one of their most common types of bets. A moneyline wager is simple to understand and doesn’t have as many of the complexities and nuances as parlays or point spread betting. It’s a perfect option for people just getting into online sports betting.

The Essential Facts of the NBA Moneyline

There are only two options on an NBA moneyline, because obviously only two teams can play each other at any given time.

Depending on your sports betting site of choice, the moneyline will likely use what are referred to as “American odds.”

When looking at the moneyline, each team will have either a positive number next to it (e.g. +150) or a negative number (e.g. -125). The underdog will generally have a positive number next to it. The favorite will generally have a negative number next to it.

The bigger the favorite, the smaller the payout. The bigger the underdog, the bigger the payout.

In games that are expected to be very close, both teams may have a negative number (e.g. -105 and -115). In such cases, the team that is closer to zero is the slight favorite.

To help you understand, let’s look at a sample betting line!

Examples of the Moneyline at Work

The image above displays a sample betting line like those you’ll find at online basketball betting sites. We’ve highlighted the relevant part of the sample in red. The negative number (-110) next to Golden State indicates that the Warriors are the favorite. It also denotes how much money you would have to wager in order to win $100.

In this case, you’ll need to bet $200 on Golden State to make a $100 profit. Your total payout from this bet would be $300 when you add the $100 profit to your $200 stake. Of course, you don’t have to wager $200. You can bet any amount of money you like, though the payout will be commensurate with the odds.

A positive number denotes the underdog and signifies how much money you stand to win if you wager $100. If you bet $100 on OKC (and they win), you ‘d earn a $180 profit. (Again, your total payout would be $280 when you add the $180 profit to your $100 bet.)

What If Both Moneylines Are Equal?

Occasionally, both moneylines will be negative, but they won’t be identical (e.g. -115 and -105). If this is the case, the one farther from zero is the slight favorite. The greater the difference between the two teams’ odds, the greater the difference between the underdog and the favorite.

Basketball Moneylines Expressed as Fractions or Decimals

While NBA moneylines are most commonly expressed in “American odds,” you may also encounter sportsbooks that use either decimal or fractional odds. Most sportsbooks allow you to switch how the odds are displayed, flipping between American, decimal, and fractional odds. Decimal and fractional odds are part of the broader language of betting and you want to be fluent!

How to Read Decimal Odds

Decimal odds, like “2.10” or “1.90,” represent a multiplier. To calculate how much you stand to win, you simply multiply the amount you want to bet by the decimal. If you bet $5 at 2.10 odds, your return would be $10.50, which includes your original bet. (So your profit is only $5.50). A 2.10 decimal is equal to a +110 moneyline, while 1.91 means a -110 moneyline.

With decimal odds, the smaller number signifies the favorite while the larger number indicates the underdog.

How to Read Fractional Odds

In brief, fractional odds indicate how often a certain outcome is expected in a specified number of trials. To calculate the number of trials, you simply add the numerator and denominator together. Then you look at the denominator to determine how often the desired outcome will result from those trials.

Fractional odds (e.g. “2/1” or “1/3”) are slightly harder to understand than decimals, which is why they are used infrequently in NBA betting lines. When the denominator is smaller than the numerator (e.g. 2/1), it indicates an underdog (or a team with less than 50/50 chance of winning).

Conversely, when the denominator is larger than the numerator (e.g. 1/3), this indicates that the team is the favorite (or has a greater than 50/50 chance of winning).

In this case, Golden State is the favorite because their denominator (3) is larger than their numerator (1). That 1/3 fraction means that they are expected to win three times out of every four times (1+3) that this game is played (1+3). Oklahoma City, on the other hand, is only expected to win twice out of every seven times (5+2) this game is played.

A 1/3 fraction is the same as a -300 moneyline. A 5/2 fraction is the same as a +250 moneyline.

If you want more detail on reading and converting odds, please visit our guide on how to read sports odds.

Best NBA Sports Betting Promos

If you are looking for the best promos for all your NBA betting, then look no further than the top five sports betting promo pages listed below. Caesars Sportsbook are our number one pick, they offer a lucrative sign-up promo for your first deposit.

Caesars Sportsbook promos
Barstool Sportsbook promos
BetMGM Sportsbook promos
FanDuel Sportsbook promos
DraftKings Sportsbook promos

Why Do NBA Odds Change?

Sportsbooks often adjust the moneyline odds in the lead-up to the game. This is wholly dependent on where bettors are placing their money.

Sports betting sites want money distributed equally on >sides, regardless of probability. If significantly more money is being wagered on one team, sportsbooks change NBA odds to encourage betting on the team to lower the chance of losing money.

If equal money is bet on both teams, then sportsbooks can simply pay the winners from money wagered by the losers, while keeping the “juice” for themselves.

If Odds Change, Does That Affect Me?

Once you make your bet, it’s locked in. If the odds shift, it has no effect on the bet you already made. But if you haven’t wagered yet, then of course it does!

As more money comes in, the moneyline can vary from hour to hour. Moneylines on particular sporting events will also change from sportsbook to sportsbook. Be sure to shop around to find the best basketball moneyline for you: It matters in the long run!

Ready to Take on the NBA Moneyline?

Now that you’ve mastered the ins and outs of betting on the basketball moneyline, you’re ready to begin betting with confidence this NBA season. If you’re looking to expand your horizons to other types of NBA betting, be sure to check out the rest of the basketball articles in our sport-specific betting advice section.

Those looking for more advanced strategic considerations will be well-served by the content in our sports betting strategy section, where you’ll find articles specific to NBA betting and more.

However you choose to wager this basketball season, remember to bet responsibly and enjoy the action!

Explain Basketball Betting Methods | Understanding Basketball Betting

Basketball is a fast paced and volatile game that provides bettors with an exciting way to make money. In order to help those new to the world of basketball betting, we've provided an explanation of a few of the main types of bets you need to be aware of when betting on basketball. Read on to find out more.

Basketball money line betting

Money line betting is the most common and easiest method a bettor can use to determine the value of a bet. In this case, the player simply bets on the winner of the basketball game. For example, consider the following moneyline odds for the Boston Celtic vs Utah Jazz match.

Boston Celtics: 3.440

Utah Jazz: 1.364

In the example above, the Utah Jazz (1.364) are favorites to beat the Celtics (3.440) at home. If you were to wager £10 on Jazz, the refund would be £13.64, which includes the £10 you wagered. The profit would be £3.64. However, if the Celtics had won, you would have won nothing and would have lost £10.

If the Celtics had won, you would have received £34.40 including your original bet of £10, making a profit of £24.40.

Basketball Handicap Betting

Once you understand how to bet on the money line in basketball, you will appreciate the importance of handicap betting when one team has a significant advantage over another. To eliminate bias and create the same conditions for opponents, bookmakers introduce a handicap for betting on basketball.

The handicap value (displayed with a "+" or "-" sign, eg +7.5 points) is applied to the final score to determine the result of the match and settle the bet. This means that the handicap result sometimes differs from the actual result. For example, consider the two handicap bets below.

Golden State Warriors: (+7.5) * 2.050

Indiana Pacers: (-7.5) * 1.862

If the Pacers had won the match (100:96), bets on their handicap would have been lost. This is due to the fact that within this bet they started the game with -7.5 points, therefore, 7.5 must be subtracted from their final result. Thus, the result of the match will be 92.5:96 in favor of the Warriors.

If the Pacers had won 104:96, the handicap result would have been 96.5:96, which would mean the Pacers had won after all. This is called "compensating for a handicap".

Basketball total betting

Total betting (also known as Over/Under) is a type of bet that the total number of points scored in a match will be over or under a set amount. For example, consider the odds below for betting on the total between Sacramento and Miami Heat.

Over 210.5: 1.962

Under 210.5: 2.110

If you bet £10 on over 210.5 and the game ends 116:98 (total 214 points), the refund will be £19.62 (of which profit is £9.62). A bet with odds of 2.110 on a total score of less than 210.5 will be a loser.

Although this article contains information about the main types of bets and provides basic knowledge that will help you understand how to bet on basketball, there are more advanced types of bets that a player can make after he understands the basic principles of playing basketball betting .

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Pinnacle's articles are written by a team of editors and writers, as well as a host of guest authors from a variety of backgrounds, from university professors and celebrity authors to former traders and respected sports experts. Together, the Pinnacle team and guest writers create educational content that can be found in the betting resources.

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Everything you need to know about basketball betting

Contents

Betting on the NBA
Which type of bet to choose and where to bet?

Basketball betting is still underdeveloped in France and most players prefer football. However, this sport is a very interesting way to earn a lot of money. If you're in love with an orange ball and don't know how to bet on basketball, consider rugby. The two sports have a lot in common, basketball betting and rugby betting have some things in common.

As in rugby, the rhythm of the game in basketball is intense and is maintained from the beginning to the end of each match. The gaps between competing teams are often significant, and the chance of a draw is very low. As a result, bets on the victory or defeat of one or another team have a very low rating. To hope for an attractive profit, you must bet on pip spreads at some point or another. The fact that the team is playing at home is also an important element to consider in the analysis. Playing in front of the public is indeed an additional motivating factor for the players.

Bet on the NBA

When it comes to easy-to-bet basketball events, the NBA games are clearly one step ahead of other leagues. We have, on the one hand, the regular season, which lasts at least 6 months, and on the other hand, the playoffs, in which the sixteen largest teams of the championship participate. Contrary to popular belief, regular season math bets are riskier. Teams tend to change their lineups depending on the opponent in front of them, and you should take this into account when analyzing. For the playoffs, the risk is lower and the bets are low ranked because the favorites tend to do well, so it would be ideal to bet directly on the winner from the start of the competition.