NBA Betting Expert Picks
Published: | Updated:The National Basketball Association (NBA) is one of the most popular sports leagues in the entire world. Predominantly a league in the United States, the league also features a singular Canadian team. However, games are televised across the world. Superstar players like LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Luka Doncic are known everywhere.
Due to the immense popularity of the sport and league, gambling in NBA games has grown in popularity. Combined with PASPA in the United States, there’s increased availability to wager on NBA games in different US states. Each game features a wide variety of betting options, from traditional spreads and money line offerings to individual player props. This page will give you a quick rundown of what to expect when betting on NBA games.
And if you’re looking for the most accurate NBA Predictions…
I hope that we’ll have them for you here! I’ll be posting my picks for various games throughout the week – with everything from totals, spreads, and money lines to player props and futures for NBA Playoff games. We’ll also be tackling College Basketball picks for March Madness.
You can view the NBA Betting tip articles here:
- February 23, 2023: Celtics @ Pacers and Nuggets @ Cavaliers
- February 28, 2023: Bulls @ Raptors, Bucks @ Nets, Lakers @ Grizzlies, and Lakers @ Grizzlies
- March 22nd, 2023: Milwaukee Bucks @ San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks @ Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers @ the Toronto Raptors
- April 1st, 2023: Dallas Mavericks @ Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers @ New Orleans Pelicans
NBA Point Spread Bets:
The point spread is one of the more popular bets when it comes to the NBA. The market is typically about oddsmakers setting it so that each team has a 50% chance of winning. They do this by taking what they consider the correct number of points from the more favored team.
For example, if the Denver Nuggets played the Los Angeles Lakers, they’d be heavy favorites. You might find their point spread bets as such:
- Nuggets: -10.5 (-110)
- Lakers: +10.5 (-110)
This means the sportsbook considers the Nuggets 10.5 points better than the Lakers. Backing the Nuggets means they have to win by 11 or more points for you to win. On the flip side, the Lakers have to either win or lose by fewer than 10 points. In either case, the odds of -110 mean that a $110 bet will result in a $100 profit if you win.
NBA Totals:
When wagering on NBA totals, you’re effectively predicting the total number of points scored in the game (by the combined teams).
Using the example from above, you’re likely to see this bet offered as such:
- Over 210.5 (-110)
- Under 210.5 (-110)
The combined number of points in this scenario is expected to be 210. So you can bet over that number (211+) or under (209 or fewer). Similarly, a $110 wager would result in a $100 profit should you win.
NBA Moneyline:
Arguably the most popular bet when it comes to the NBA, money line bets is also remarkably straightforward. It’s a wager on which team you expect to win. Unlike point spread and totals, the odds here can vary greatly.
If the Lakers and Nuggets were to face off, you could see something like this:
- Nuggets: -350 (favorite)
- Lakers: +330 (underdog)
Wagering on the Nuggets would mean betting $350 with a potential profit of $100 (if the Nuggets won). Wagering on the Lakers would mean betting $100 with a potential profit of $330 (if the Lakers won).
While I use $100 as the base bet for these examples, you can really bet any amount within reason. Don’t overspend on your bets, and remember to be careful with your bankroll. Betting should be a safe experience – don’t overdo it if you’re losing in an attempt to win your money back.
Beyond traditional markets listed above, you can also bet on…
NBA Futures:
Futures are bets such as the potential winner of the NBA finals. You can bet on this before the season begins (at longer odds), throughout the season, and during the playoffs.
You can similarly place wagers on the winners of the divisions throughout the season or the winners of the Conference Finals.
NBA Player Props:
Player props are a more individually tailored betting option. You can bet on the O/U for player points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, or a combination of those offerings. Other offerings include turnover markets, total three-pointers made, free throws made, or fantasy points accrued.
