Cheering your favorite basketball team from the sidelines is one thing. But what if I told you I can teach you how to bet on Basketball so you have fun while placing better informed wagers?
As a basketball betting expert, allow me to walk you through the different bet types as you transition from basic to pro betting. I’ll give you insight on making knowledgeable picks to enjoy the most value. Not new to basketball betting? It’s still fine. Let me help you refine your betting skills, boost your betting strategy, and help you in your betting journey.
Keen to learn how to bet on Basketball? Betting on basketball provides players with an engaging way to back their favorite basketball teams. From speculating on a player’s performance to predicting the ultimate winner, you have numerous ways to put your basketball knowledge to the test.
Basketball is swarming with leagues you can wager on, and I discovered that college basketball betting is among the most popular. I’m guessing the sheer volume of NCAA games, which sees over 360 teams competing against each other, is probably the reason. Then, of course, there’s the NBA—the most iconic basketball league in the world. With 30 teams battling it out to bag the Championship title, you’ll find numerous NBA betting strategy guides online. The WNBA and March Madness are also popular. In 2023 alone, a record 68 million Americans bet on the March Madness.
| Country | Basketball Leagues |
|---|---|
| USA | NBA ABA ECBL NABL + many more |
| Germany | Germany's Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) |
| Australia | Australia's National Basketball League (NBL) |
It wouldn’t be nice of me to teach you how to bet on Basketball without giving you a full picture of what to expect. While there are many upsides to basketball betting, downsides exist too. I’ve listed both below.
The key to learning how to bet on basketball and win lies in exploring different bet types and playing the most profitable ones as they come. These bet types differ in complexity from simple to more tactical wagers favored by the pros. Here are the most common types.
Moneyline betting explained in the most basic way, is when you simply pick the winner of the match. It's the most straightforward bet type of the lot.
Spread is an ideal bet type for all punters that seeks to level the playing field. In any given match, the two teams differ in skill, with one perceived to be better than the other. As picks against the spread explained suggest, the bet works to create close to even odds for both teams even if one is an obvious favorite.
Here’s another simple bet type if you’re learning how to bet on Basketball. Also known as Totals, it’s as simple as betting on the total points to be scored in a match. You don’t necessarily need to predict the exact number of points, but whether the total points will be over or under what the bookie set.
As you get comfortable with figuring out how to bet on Basketball, you can choose to play the long game and bet on outcomes that’ll happen in the future. You usually have to wait for the season to end for this one. A good example is betting on the player to be named the MVP or the team to win the Championship.
Parlay betting is for the pro players willing to take big risks. You’re basically combining multiple bets into a single wager. The catch is all your predictions must hit for you to win. Even if you get only one selection wrong, the entire bet loses.
A quarter bet explained simply as predicting the team that will win each quarter. In the NBA, the wager requires the team to outscore its opponents in all four quarters.
Forget only waiting to bet on a basketball game before it starts. With in-play or live betting, you wager on a game while it progresses. Such a bet type is a tad tricky, considering the lines and odds are ever-changing as the match unfolds. It can be a very lucrative betting on basketball strategy if you watch live games closely, think on your feet, and make quick betting decisions.
To find value in basketball betting, you don't always need to rely on the bookmaker's odds. The odds of an outcome happening may be much greater than what the bookie is offering. In this case, you’d need to outsmart bookies by predicting changes before they happen. To do this, you come up with your own probabilities of certain outcomes occurring rather than only betting when bookie odds are higher.
This is possible with several strategies, including being well-prepared with the match stats and lineups. You'll also need to be able to identify teams gaining momentum and recognize scoring opportunities ahead of any odds changes.
As I near the end of my how to bet on Basketball guide, I want to highlight a few factors bettors must know to make more accurate predictions:
Register with bookies that provide the best odds. Also, get the best sportsbook overall using trusted criteria covering bonuses, usability, safety, security, and more.
My guides help you understand the inner workings of how to bet on Basketball. We provide you with different strategies for placing informed basketball wagers that increase your chances of success.
Avoid placing blind wagers by learning all there is to basketball betting from the different leagues, tournaments, and respective rules. Also, equip yourself with knowledge of the teams?strength, current form, and stats of the last three matches to place better wagers.
As I mentioned, don’t go for the first basketball betting odds you see. Shop around and compare different odds from various platforms to get the best bang for your buck.
A lot of injuries happen in basketball affecting player form and ultimately the team’s winning chances. Do yourself a favor and scan through the latest injury reports before making your predictions.
Any time teams have to play back-to-back games, fatigue kicks in which affects play. Comb through the team's schedules to ascertain travel time and rest periods—if any.
Just like that, you no longer have to wonder how do you bet on basketball. Betting on basketball is fun and dynamic, thanks to the fast-paced nature of the sport. It helps that there's no shortage of basketball betting options across prestigious leagues like the NBA.
With sound knowledge of the sport alongside my expert pointers, you should be able to place educated bets that are more likely to succeed than flop. Why not make SportsGambler your exclusive destination for all your basketball betting insights and make those winning NBA picks?
If you’re wondering, “is it easy to bet on basketball??the answer is yes and no. It depends on the type of wagers you place and how well you understand the sport. Even so, winning is never guaranteed.
Basketball matches take place all year round, so you can bet on the game anytime you want. For example, the NBA runs from October to April, while college basketball runs from November to March.
Bookies set their own basketball betting lines after researching past stats, team performance, and injuries, among other factors.
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