Online Basketball Betting Guide
Introduction to Basketball Betting - Basketball is one of the major sports in America, but the game has international appeal. Many countries have domestic leagues and there are also international games – most notably at the Olympic Games or the FIBA World Championship. The National Basketball Association (NBA) run the league in the United States and the NBA league is one of the most watched sports leagues in the world.
The simplicity of betting on basketball online has made the sport a firm favourite at sports betting sites. The game has always been a popular sport for betting on and as online betting has become more commonplace, so has betting on basketball at online sportsbooks and bookmakers.
Where To Bet On Basketball Online
Basketball is well suited for betting on, and all the big basketball betting sites will offer a variety of bets and wagers on nearly all basketball games both college and professional.
Betting on Basketball Games
The most common form of basketball is the American league – the NBA. This league is watched by millions all over the world and features the best players. The NBA consists of 30 professional teams which compete each year to make the playoffs. The teams that qualify for the playoffs then play in a knockout competition to determine the two teams who will contest the NBA finals.
College basketball betting is also phenomenally popular throughout the United States, attracting large audiences, and Women’s basketball has experienced an increase in profile too. Internationally, teams from countries around the world get the chance to compete at the Olympic Games and other international tournaments.
Types of Basketball Bets and Wagers
Due to the popularity of online basketball betting most, if not all, basketball betting websites will regularly offer a wide variety of bets on basketball. We’ve listed a few of the different types of bets and wagers you can place on basketball games online.
- Match Betting (Point Spread) - A common basketball bet, particularly in America, is a match bet using the point spread. The point spread is set by the online bookmaker to effectively even out the chances for both teams by way of a handicap. One team is installed as a favourite, while the other is the underdog. For the purposes of the bet, the underdog is “given” extra points when calculating the result. In the following examples, we’ll assume the underdog has been given 10 points in the spread. If you back the underdog and they win the match, or lose by less than 10 points, then your bet will win. If they lose by more than 10 points, your bet will lose.
- Match Betting (Fixed Odds) - Match betting basketball games at fixed odds is similar to the bet above, but there is no handicap involved. You simply pick the team you believe will win and place your wager on them. If you are correct, you win. Fixed odds tend to be expressed as either fractional odds (such as 2/1) or decimal odds (such as 3.5).
- Moneyline Bet - The moneyline basketball bet also involves selecting which team you think will win a match. For moneyline bets, an online bookmaker will set the line for the two teams. As an example, Team A could be at -300 and Team B at +100. In this case, a $3.00 wager on Team A would return winnings of $1.00, while a $1.00 bet on Team B could return $1.00 of winnings.
- Over/Under Bets - The over/under basketball bet is a hugely popular bet in basketball. For this type of wager, the online bookmaker will have set a roughly estimated points total for a match. You would then simply bet on whether you believe the total amount of points would be higher than that figure (in which case you would bet the over) or lower than that figure (you would bet the under). This is a very simple bet and offered by major online bookmakers on most basketball matches.
Online Basketball Betting Tips and Strategy
The best strategy for online basketball betting revolves around getting to know the players, the teams and, most importantly, the statistics. You don’t necessarily need to fully understand the game itself – although it is a great help if you do – but you do need to have a handle on which players and teams are performing.
Finding a value bet for basketball at online betting websites can be as simple as looking out for a generous point spread where you think the underdog will perform well. Or it could mean backing the over between two teams that are in fine scoring form. The variety of different wagers available making finding and placing a good bet on basketball much easier.
As is true for any sports, when you are wagering at basketball betting websites you should be using a good online betting site. The best online basketball betting sites will be easy to use, reputable and provide good prices for your bets. Because there are a lot of available wagers on basketball, it is a good idea to be sensible and use good management of your betting roll.
Major Basketball Betting Markets
Below is a list of major events and leagues for fans of basketball wagering: