How To Bet On Basketball

If you're interested in making some extra money, basketball betting may be the way to go. It can be a bit confusing for beginners, so in this guide we will explain everything that you need to know about basketball betting.

We'll start by explaining what basketball betting is and how it works. Then we'll list the most popular basketball events to bet on, as well as different basketball betting types and how they work.

Finally, we'll share some top tips to help you to place winning bets!

What is basketball betting and how does it work?

Basketball betting is simply the act of placing a bet on the outcome of a basketball game. You can bet on who you think will win the match, or on other variables such as how many points will be scored.

How does it work?

If you're interested in basketball betting, the first step is to find a basketball betting site that offers the markets that you're interested in.

Once you've found a site you like, the next step is to create an account and claim the welcome bonus for new customers.

Here is an example of the welcome bonus offered by BetVictor sportsbook:

After that, all you need to do is choose your payment method, make a deposit and you'll be ready to start betting on basketball.

Of course, it's always important to do your research before placing any bets. Basketball betting can be a great way to add some excitement to your favourite sport.

The best basketball events to bet on to make a profit

There are plenty of basketball events to bet on, but here are some popular ones. Below is a list of the most popular basketball betting markets:

• Olympics
• World Championship
• European Championship
• National Basketball Association (NBA)
• Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
• National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
• Euroleague
• Adriatic League

Let’s examine the different basketball leagues that you can bet on through the 10bet betting site:

Different types of basketball bets and how they work

Once you've chosen the basketball event that you wish to bet on, it's time to choose your bet type.

Here are some of the most popular basketball bets:

• Moneyline bets;
• Point spread bets;
• Totals bets; and
• Proposition bets.

Moneyline bets

A moneyline bet is possibly the simplest basketball bet where you bet on which team will win the match.

Let's look at the Euroleague basketball game between the FC Barcelona and Real Madrid teams offered at 888sport sportsbook. The moneyline odds for this basketball game are:

• FC Barcelona to win - 1.53
• Real Madrid to win - 2.37

FC Barcelona is the favourite at 1.53 with better odds of winning, according to the sportsbook.

If you place a £20 wager and FC Barcelona wins the game, the wager will bring you £30.66 (1.53 multiplier x £20 wager) with the profit of almost £19.

Point spread bets

A point spread bet is a type of basketball bet where you are betting on the margin of victory.

With this type of bet, the basketball game doesn't necessarily have to be won in order for you to win your bet.

For example, let's look at the NBA game between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat with point spread odds from the 10bet sportsbook:

• Boston Celtics +3.5
• Miami Heat -3.5

The Miami Heat are the favourites in this basketball game and are giving up 3.5 points to the Boston Celtics. This means that for you to win your bet, the Miami Heat must win by 4 points or more.

The odds for this spread are set at 1.91. If you bet £20 and you win (Miami Heat to win by 4 points or more), your profit would be £38.34 (1.91 multiplier x £20 wager). That’s almost £19 profit earned on your initial wager.

Similarly, if you were to bet on the Boston Celtics with the spread +3.5, this means that the Celtics can lose by up to 3 points (or win the game) and you will still win your bet.

NOTE: Because no team can win or lose by half a point, sportsbooks usually utilise decimals for point spread bets to ensure that there will be no ties (pushes).

Totals bets

A totals (over/under) bet is a type of basketball bet where you are betting on the total number of points scored in the basketball game.

For example, let's look at the NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks with total points odds from the Unibet betting site:

The bookie set the total points at 214, with odds for over to be 1.90 and under 1.91.

If you think that the total number of points scored will be more than 214, you will bet on the "over" market. Remember that in this case, the total number of points needs to be 215 or more for your bet to win.

But, if you think that there will be less than 214 points scored, then you would bet on the "under" market.

Proposition bets

Proposition (props) bets are basketball bets that are not related to the final outcome of the basketball game.

Betting on basketball bets with prop odds can be a lot of fun because you can bet on almost anything having to do with basketball games.

For example, in this NBA basketball game between the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors offered at bet365 sportsbook, you can bet on which quarter will be the highest-scoring quarter:

If you are good with player stats, there are so many player props to choose from as shown in this example from bet365 for the same game between the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors:

You can even bet on how many points a specific player will make. In this example, you can bet on Luka Doncic to score more than 31.5 points with odds of 1.83:

There are so many possible basketball props bets, but here are some popular ones for you to consider:

• How many points a specific player will score?
• Who will win a specific quarter?
• Which team will score first?
• Which team will reach 20 points first?
• Will the game total score be odd or even?
• Will the team's total score be odd or even?
• Team total points in the first quarter.
• Team total points in the first half.
• Which half will be the highest-scoring?
• Guess the winning margin.
• Specific player's total assists, or rebounds.
• Specific player's total steals, blocks, or turnovers.
• How many threes a specific player will make?
• How many triple-doubles a specific player will make?

Top basketball betting tips to help you to make a profit

Now that we have covered the types of basketball bets, it's time to give you some tips on how to make a profit from basketball betting.

Here are some basketball betting tips to help you to make a profit:

• Do your research - it is important that you research the teams and players before you place a bet. You should know their strengths and weaknesses, recent form, and any injury concerns.
• Set your budget - it is important that you set a budget for your basketball betting and that you stick to it. Remember, you can only afford to lose what you can afford to lose.
• Shop around - it is important that you shop around for the best basketball betting odds. You can do this by opening accounts with a few different basketball betting sites.
• Start small - remember to start small and gradually increase your basketball bets as you become more confident. This will help you to manage your bankroll better.
• Be disciplined - lastly, it is important to be disciplined and patient with your basketball betting. You should only place bets when you are confident that you will make a profit.

Conclusion

We hope that this beginner's guide to basketball betting has been helpful and that you are now ready to start placing basketball bets. Remember to always gamble responsibly and only bet what you can afford to lose. Good luck!