NBA Playoffs

The NBA season is back to its traditional calendar, which starts in late October and runs up to early-to-mid June, with the NBA Finals. You can find NBA Playoffs odds available from the sportsbook as early as a few weeks after the previous season ends. 

There are odds available on all 30 NBA teams throughout the season, from their regular-season win totals to their odds to make the playoffs. Play-in tournament odds are also available when they begin.

Getting Into the NBA Playoffs Odds

The NBA Playoffs happen when basketball takes over the sports world and NBA Playoffs odds are widely bet on within the sportsbook. But you can bet on the NBA Playoffs even before they start using the “Futures” or “outright” betting odds.

Bet on which team you think will win the NBA Championship, or whether a team will qualify for the NBA Playoffs or not. During the playoffs, you can bet on a teams’ point spreads, moneylines, and totals (over/under), as well as on props.

How to Read NBA Playoffs Odds 

Odds for the NBA Playoffs display as either “American,” “Decimal,” or “Fractional.” American -which is the default layout for many North American books- displays as either a minus number, like -200, or plus number, like +160. They indicate the favorite and the underdog, respectively.

The minus number shows how much you need to stake to win $100. In this case, -200 means your bet should be $200. In the case of the plus number, it represents what you win when you wager $100, so for a number like +160, a $160 payout is awarded for a $100 bet.

On the other hand, decimals show your total payout (wager + payout). In this example, -200 becomes 1.50, so a $100 bet returns $150 in total (your $100 wager plus a $50 payout). The fractional odds will show as 1/2, a $100 return for a $200 wager. 

Western Conference Odds vs Eastern Conference Odds

NBA futures betting regarding conferences allows players to bet on which teams will win their respective conferences. These are odds that predict which teams from the Western Conference and Eastern Conference will make the NBA Finals. There are 15 teams for each conference, each divided into three divisions.

Betting Example

Betting on the NBA Playoffs can be challenging, but it gives you more reason to pay attention. When betting on the outright market, keep in mind that this is a long-term bet. You can bet on which team will win the NBA title at almost any time of the year. The odds change as the season progresses.

The Los Angeles Lakers opened at +400 to win the NBA title during the preseason. But thanks to a myriad of injuries, bad play, and reports of feuds between the star players, the team’s odds have lengthened to +1500. 

It can be worth it betting on a team more than once if you think there is still value available. Alternatively, you can also bet on more than one team. 

NBA Playoffs – FAQs