Basketball is an American sport that was invented in the late 1800s. Since the inception of the National Basketball Association, (the NBA), the sport has garnered much attention throughout the world. Currently, basketball hoops can be found in almost any nation, with the sport being played anywhere from alleys to arenas. Basketball betting has been a popular fan event since the sport became well-known. These days, many people do their basketball betting online at sportsbook websites.
How To Bet On Basketball Games Online
The most commonly found form of basketball betting online is for professional NBA games. These wagers can be placed on any game throughout the season. However, basketball betting online is very popular during the NBA playoffs and championship games. These championship bets can be placed not only on individual games but also over entire tournament brackets.
Another popular form of basketball betting online takes place on NCAA college basketball games. Every March, basketball betting online is usually centered on the March Madness championship circuit. Many people throughout the world place bets and make entire March Madness brackets. March Madness is then preceded by the Final Four championship games, which are another busy time for basketball betting online.
Depending on the website, basketball betting online can also incorporate leagues and teams from other countries. Basketball is also an event in the Summer Olympics. Every four years, basketball betting online is focused on the international teams competing for the gold.
Betting on basketball is easy. The categories on which wagers may be placed will vary depending on the place where you are betting, but most sportsbooks will take wagers on the home team, the visiting team, or the event of a tie. Additional bets may also be taken in categories such as the player with the most points, the first team to score, and other factors. These special bets are not offered everywhere, so check with the sportsbook first before participating in any basketball betting online.
Most places where people engage in basketball betting online will use a decimal point system for listing the odds. The odds are a numerical value that is given to the likelihood of a team winning. If the team you bet on is the winner, you are paid the amount you wagered times the amount of the odds. The odds are different per sportsbook, so check with the one that is awarding the most before placing any basketball bets online.
Types Of Basketball Bets And Wagers
Basketball bets can be based on picking the winner of the game or trying to predict certain occurrences during a typical game. Betting sites have come up with a few different types of basketball bets that fans can use to make any game more exciting. If you’re new to basketball betting, this page will serve as a useful introduction to the most popular types of basketball bets.
Basketball Moneyline Betting
This is a simple type of basketball bet in which the goal is to predict the winner of an upcoming game. Moneyline basketball bets allow betting sites to adjust the payout odds for different basketball teams. This is useful because it accounts for differences in skill and advantage between teams.
In moneyline basketball bets, each team is listed with a moneyline number. This number tells you how much money you have to risk per dollar in potential winnings. Here’s what a basic basketball bet looks like in the moneyline format:
- Denver Nuggets -120
- Chicago Bulls +120
The -120 next to the Nuggets means that you are going to have to wager $1.20 for every $1.00 in potential winnings. The Nuggets are the favorites in this matchup, so their payout odds aren’t that great. The +120 next to the Bulls means that you will win $1.20 for every $1.00 you risk. The Bulls are the underdogs in this matchup, so their payout odds are more attractive.
Basketball Point Spread Bets
Point spread basketball bets are also used as a way to wager on the winner of an upcoming game. The difference is that betting sites do not change the payout odds for each team. Instead, the betting site adds a stipulation that the favored team must win by a certain number of points for bets on that team to be considered wins.
Here’s an example of a basketball point spread:
- Denver Nuggets -8.5
- Chicago Bulls +8.5
The Nuggets in this example are still the favorites, so they are giving 8.5 points to the Bulls. This means that if you place a bet on the Nuggets, you will only win the bet if the Nuggets win by 9 points or more. If you place a bet on the Bulls, you win the bet if the Bulls win outright or they lose by 8 points or less.
Basketball Futures Betting
Basketball futures are bets that take longer than a single day to resolve. These bets often have to do with who will win various championships and titles. For example, a common basketball futures bet is predicting which team will win the NBA Championship.
Betting sites alter the payout odds to reflect the likelihood of each team winning the Championship. The more of a long shot a team is, the higher the payouts for bets on that team. Betting sites offer lower payouts for strong teams because bets on those teams are much easier to win.
Basketball Totals Betting
Basketball totals are bets on the total combined score of both teams during a single game. In these basketball bets, the betting site picks a number and then you guess whether the total score will be greater than or less than that number. If you get it right, you’ll receive an even money payout.
For example, let’s say that your basketball betting site sets the total for a Nuggets / Bulls game at 189 points. You could place this bet by wagering money on the “over” or the “under.” If you take the “over” and the final score is 100-104, you will win the bet.
Basketball Prop Bets
Basketball props are bets that deal with things other than who will win the game. These bets can take many forms, but common ones deal with topics such as who will score the first point, which player will win an MVP award, and so on. The possibilities with prop bets are endless, and some can get quite bizarre.
A recent basketball prop bet asked players to pick the winner of this year’s slam dunk contest. The betting site then listed four players along with the odds being offered for each player. The only thing the bettors had to do was pick a player and choose an amount to wager.
Learn about Basketball betting lines on our guide to finding the best odds.
