In this article you will learn about How Do You Bet On NBA Odds, We all know that the NBA is one of the most entertaining leagues to bet on thanks to its fast and furious pace and unparalleled intensity. Fortunately, there is no shortage of basketball betting options during the NBA’s exciting 82-game schedule. More games are on the board, allowing bettors to bet on their favorite teams as well as bet on the big games on TV every night.
Lines Explained for Basketball Betting
In this part you will learn on How Do You Bet On NBA Odds, Aside from that there are endless ways to play basketball. The most popular types of basketball bets are money line, point spread, and overall Over/Under.
- Money Line – NBA money line bets ask gamblers to pick the winner of the game. Based on the strength of the teams and other factors, the bettors calculate the implied probability of victory for the two sides and set the money line cost for each team.
Money line: Pick the winner of an NBA game
Betting basketball money lines is the most simple and basic betting market available, which simply allows you to bet on which team you think will win the game. Sportsbooks generate money line odds for a game based on each team’s implied probability of winning. Basketball teams are not always evenly matched, and the money line odds will reflect those odds of victory. You can use our odds converter and money line calculator to see a team’s implied probability based on their odds.
Sportsbooks usually show money odds in the hundreds (Americans). US positives indicate which group is favored (indicated by a negative value) and which group is unfavored (positive value).
For example, the Los Angeles Lakers are -130 money line favorites against the Toronto Raptors, +110 money line underdogs.
| Team | Moneyline |
|---|---|
 Los Angeles Lakers | -130 |
 Toronto Raptors | +110 |
Since the Lakers are the stronger team (56.52 percent chance to win), for every $10 you want to win in Los Angeles betting, 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 you risk ($100 bet will win $110).
Over/Under: Betting on basketball point totals or season win
Another popular way to bet on basketball is through Over/Under odds, also known as odds.
The oddsmakers measure the competition between two teams, look at both the offensive and defensive production, and keep the number of points the two sides expect for the game. Once the sports book sets the total, the dealers can run if the final score goes over or under that number.
For example, the total over/under between the Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors is 222.5 points.
A bet on the over requires a final score of 223 points or more to win, while a bet on the under requires a score of 222 or less.
| Team | Total |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | Over 222.5 (-110) |
| Toronto Raptors | Under 222.5 (-110) |
As with point spreads, both sides of the total – Over and Under – have a vig attached, often set to -110. This value can adapt to the betting action and can vary from book to book.
How Do You Bet On NBA Odds? – NBA Totals: Combined Score Betting
To bet the total, you would bet on whether the final combined score would go ABOVE or UNDER a certain number of points. If the New Orleans Pelicans face the Houston Rockets, the odds look like this:
| Option | Points |
|---|---|
| OVER | 220 |
| UNDER | 220 |
If you take OVER, it means your total points must be more than 220 to win your bet. If you take the UNDER, your total score must be 219 or lower to win your wager. PUSHES can also happen in OVER/UNDER betting if the shared points hit the number specified by the oddsmakers.
Live Odds: Betting While The Game Progresses
Betting sites offer live odds when games are played. In-game betting allows you to bet on any game and change it like next team or spread. Because when you see the obstacles in your favorite life, they quickly disappear. The sooner you vote online, the better.
Prop Bets: Keeping It Light
During the NBA season, you will see proposition bets. In sports betting, props (short for proposition) are bets on the occurrence or non-occurrence of certain events or key points that may not be directly related to the outcome of the game. You’ll see highlights of NBA players and teams based on important moments like:
- How many assists will Russell Westbrook make?
- How many points will the Indiana Pacers score in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers?
- How many rebounds will Joel Embiid have with the New York Knicks?
Bets are considered more exciting than other basketball bets since you don’t have to worry about the teams being spread or winning the game outright.
How Do You Bet NBA Odds? – Futures: Betting On The Long Term
NBA futures are bets on events that will occur over time. Of course, all bets are made on events that may not happen yet, but futures are made weeks and months before the event. At your favorite online sportsbook, you’ll find bets like this:
- Total regular season wins by team.
- Will Team X make the playoffs?
- Which team will win the championship?
- Who will be named Rookie of the Year?
- Who is selected as the MVP winner?
Future bets can be made at any time before the event takes place. Oddsmakers release odds before the season starts, 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 combine two or more bets into one bet. Parlays allow you to take the money line from one game, the amounts from another, and the spread from another match. For example, an express ticket might look like this:
Milwaukee Bucks Money line + Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers Total + Dallas Mavericks to cover the spread
With this bet, all bets on your ticket must work, otherwise it is considered a loser.
If you have even one loss, you lose your entire bet. You can also place cross-sport bets including American football and NHL bets on your basketball picks. In fact, you can create tickets for any sport that is played concurrently with the NBA season.
We have a Parlay calculator that will show you what you would win based on the odds of each bet on the ticket. Our tool allows you to add up to 100 bets, although most sportsbooks only offer games for up to 10 teams.
