NBA Odds
One of the fastest-growing categories of sports betting is NBA basketball. It has become available recently to many more players, as more and more states legalize online gambling, and more providers offer NBA betting odds.
For those not familiar with betting on the NBA, or with sports betting in general, this guide is an excellent resource for beginners and experienced bettors.
NBA Future Betting Odds & Lines
Understanding NBA Point Spreads
How Do NBA Odds Work?
NBA odds on any online sportsbook are represented as a number that is positive (+) or negative (-). The minus sign in front of the odds belongs to the team that is the favorite to win the game. The plus sign represents the team that is the underdog, in other words the team more likely to lose the matchup.
The odds also indicate how much a winning bet pays. A minus before the odds show how much needs to be wagered in order to win $100, while a plus sign tells you the bet is on the underdog, with the number indicating the amount won for every $100 wagered.
Types of Betting
A moneyline wager is a bet on the team that you think will win the game outright, without any lines involved. The odds are shown as a three-digit number with a plus or minus to indicate the favorite and underdog for the matchup.
A bet on the spread is the most popular wager in NBA basketball. It encourages action on both teams, no matter how much better one is than the other. The team next to the negative number is the favorite, with the number indicating how many points they are favored to win by.
Betting on the total, or over/under, is a wager on how many total points will be scored between both teams in the game. Players can bet whether the total will go over or under the number indicated.
A parlay is a wager that includes more than one bet. It can consist of a combination of a moneyline, spread, or total wager from one or more games.
A teaser is a parlay where all bets are against the spread or the total. The bettor will be given more favorable spreads on their picks, with the potential payout being less than a standard parlay.
These are wagers that can be made before the start of the regular season and predict the season outcome in categories such as who will win the NBA Championship or which player will win MVP at the season’s end. The odds on these types of bets will change as the season progresses.
Betting Examples
The most popular bet in NBA wagering is the spread. In this type of wager, the team with the negative number is the favorite. For example, if New York is -10 against the Rockets, who are +10, betting on the Knicks means they must win the game by 11 points or more so you win the bet. A bet on the Rockets means they would have to either win the game outright or lose by less than 10 points for you to win.
To understand the bet on the total, or over/under, let’s say the Knicks and Rockets’ total is 205. If one takes the Over, the total points scored by both teams must be at least 206 points or over. For the Under bet, the total points scored must be less than 205 for you to win.
NBA Odds FAQs
