Nowadays the main point of focus for all basketball fans is NBA. Being one of the most-watched games, it’s not a surprise that basketball is a pop culture worldwide.
While the games are still going on, the top-tier teams fight to secure the championship title. Basketball is terrific in terms of entertainment so annually the NBA betting scene is growing marking the best period for both basketball fans and sportsbooks.
The betting markets commonly offered on this sport are varied. Some bookies offer straightforward markets while others might be more creative and offer interesting prop bets. This guide will navigate you through a quick and simple process of betting on NBA.
NBA Betting Markets To Start With
The NBA is full of juggernaut teams and showcases a great competitive scene. The sport offers many opportunities for betting and the sportsbooks do their best to sate fans’ appetite.
Spread Betting
When it comes to basketball betting the most popular one is spread betting. Simply put, the bookies take into account everything and propose a theoretical point that separates the two teams. This means you get a favorite and an underdog and how many points separate them. The underdog has an advantage over the favored team with positive odds.
For example, if you decide to back the underdog with +2.5 odds, you’ll win if the team wins outright or loses the game with fewer points than the spread. Meanwhile, the favorite with odds of -2.5 has to win the game with at least 3 points to cover the spread.
Moneyline Betting
The Moneyline betting market is easy but some get confused about how to read the odds. First, you need to know that Moneyline is a bet on the winner. So you choose a team which according to your predictions will win and back it. Now, let’s see how you should read NBA Moneyline odds. As usual, the favorite gets negative odds and the underdog gets positive odds.
In a situation where team A has -130, you should bet $130 to win $100. On the other hand, you have team B with +130, this is the amount you win for every 100$ you bet. That’s to say, you must bet more money to get a better outcome for backing the favorite and you can get more winnings for betting on the underdog.
Prop Bets
With so many top-seeded players NBA games become even more interesting. Many bettors prefer prop bets which are bets on players’ performance, or different game situations. For example, you may predict who will have more points, or have more assists, etc. There are also team prop bets and even game prop bets. You need a good knowledge of the players and their statistics to be able to make such predictions but they are a lot of fun to follow.
Teaser Bets
In the NBA, bettors have the chance to change the point spread for a certain game. There is a set limit of points you can alter the spread, the more the change the less you will get paid in case of winning. So bookies give you the chance to change the spread and make it more favorable for you to win but in return, you get less payout.
Over/Under Betting
Totals or also widely known as over-under bets are a common market in any sport. In NBA this market is also popular as basketball is a high-score game. The idea of the market is to predict how many scores two teams can gain altogether. Now bettors can also predict the score of the first or second half of the game and bet on it.
These are some of the most popular NBA betting markets that you need to have at hand.
At this point, it’s time to look at some NBA predictions regarding the top three teams that might take home the trophy.
NBA Picks for 2023
Interest in the game is at an all-time high as the regular season continues and teams compete to reach the NBA playoffs.
With the results we have so far, we can predict the top picks to keep an eye on.
No. 1 Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are legends in NBA history with 17 overall championship titles. This season Celtics have been great so far, demonstrating worthwhile gameplay.
No doubt that Robert Williams III’s return to the regular season will step up the game for the Celtics, making things even better. Improving their offense and defense, the Boston Celtics dominate the Eastern Conference and rank as number one in the offense chart. Many predict that the rest of the regular season will be a cakewalk for the Celtics with Rob Williams III, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and the other players. So check out the latest NBA odds and updates if you decide to back Celtics.
No. 2 Denver Nuggets
Moving on, we have Denver Nuggets. Currently, one of the favorite to win the Western Conference is DEN Nuggets. Getting all the players back like MVP Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and Bruce Brown, the Nuggets squad is ready to take the court.
Many may be surprised to see this team on the leaderboard, but they have grown a lot and may outperform everyone else in the West Conference this season.
No. 3 Golden State Warriors
Of course, we couldn’t forget to include the reigning champion in this list as one of the top favorites to win the NBA league. The Dubs might snag another trophy this year adding up to their seven championship titles.
The team has climbed up the leaderboard with top-seeded players like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, and Kevon Looney. With this lineup, the Dubs have one of the best net ratings in all of basketball.
These are just rough predictions, everything may change as teams keep competing and players might get injuries. Keep checking back to get the latest NBA updates.
Basketball is a mainstream sport with millions of fans worldwide. Its popularity contributed to its betting market’s growth. With this information at hand, rest assured that you are ready to embark on your basketball betting journey.
