Of the four major American sports, the NBA is still regarded as the easiest to predict on a nightly basis. This perceived predictability is a double-edged sword; on one side, it’s nice to be able to handicap a matchup on your own and be fairly accurate more often than not. On the other side, the bookmakers are close to or spot on with their opening lines with more regularity than we’d desire.

To win money by betting on basketball, you will need to have a solid strategy. The best way to do so is to analyses the statistics, histories, and performances of the teams as well as the players. Doing so will help you make better predictions. You should always take calculated risks instead of sudden decisions. One of the better parlay strategies for basketball is to use a couple of money line favorites parlayed together to reduce their overall price, and it's a popular method that oddsmakers will see daily when they assess the action they've booked. The Best Betting Strategies For College Basketball A betting strategy is a structured approach to betting with the objective of increasing profitability. The following are key strategies you can apply when placing bets on college basketball. Betting Tip #1 Consider Wagering Limits.

Still, betting on NBA basketball offers great profit potential to those who know how to navigate this unique betting landscape. One big key to staying profitable in NBA betting is to understand how the lines are made and what they mean. Staying sharp in this area will allow you to find spots where the lines are off and ready to be hammered, and also when to stay away, which is a big skill in keeping a good margin in NBA betting.

Our ultimate NBA betting strategy guide comes directly from experts who have put their money where their mouths are and have made their livelihood as advantage bettors for years. They’re happy to share their insights and expertise to give you helpful strategies to improve your NBA betting prospects. Whether you’re new to NBA betting or you’re a seasoned gambler looking for a way to sharpen your basketball betting acumen, we’re very confident that you’ll find our tips useful.

Our guide is broken down into sections to help give you an easier read and help make things easy to find if you ever need to come back and get a refresher on a particular topic. Good to go? Let’s get started.

I. The Basics

These basic skills and strategies lay the groundwork for solid and informed NBA betting. You always want to have a good foundation to start with, and these tips help lay that groundwork. You might find some of these tips to be obvious, but simple disciplines go a long way. In the long run, keeping your betting game on the rails is one of the biggest factors that will separate you from winning and losing significant units of money.

While some of the tips in this section can be applied to most other forms of sports betting, they are listed here because of their unique value to betting the NBA.

Make a Bankroll Management Plan

Most folks budget when it comes to basic stuff like food or housing, but for whatever reason, they completely abandon this concept when it comes to gambling. But the bottom line is this: if you want to be able to gamble consistently and win, you have to have some basic bankroll management.

How you keep tabs on your betting bankroll is up to you; we’re not trying to force financial advice upon you. But NBA betting can be very intensive, and there is a lot of action to be had each night. To keep from hemorrhaging cash in a short amount of time, you want to have a good plan for what your overall bankroll is and what your standard bet will be based on the balance.

No matter how basic your method may be, having a way to keep an eye on your bankroll will help keep you from going off the rails with huge bets that could cripple you if they miss. You’ll also be more likely to avoid the temptation of chasing losses. A good plan is the best way to stay in the pocket with your betting system and find out what works and what doesn’t over an extended period of time.

Stay Informed on Player Injury and Rest Updates

There is no worse feeling than playing a betting line you think is way off base, only to realize after your loss that the line was “juicy” because a star player on the team you bet was out for the night with an injury or was being rested. Not only do you feel like a square for losing, but you feel regret because you know you could have made a better decision simply by checking out the injury updates.

This kind of stuff happens all the time, and it’s just a black hole for your bankroll. Please make sure you’re staying up to the minute on personal news when betting. In addition to knowing who’s in or out of a game, make sure you have the latest on things like minute restrictions or if a guy is playing banged-up and won’t be as productive. Incorporate the information however you wish; just make sure that you have it in the first place. Don’t bet blind.

We’re not blowing smoke just to make a point; this is a huge priority for any serious NBA bettor. This is because injury news about players often doesn’t break until very close to game time – sometimes mere minutes before tip-off! You must stay apprised of injuries or other happenings all the way to game time, and our advice to you is to place your bet as close to tip-off as you can.

This might sound cumbersome, but not only is there amazing value in saving money on a play you would have otherwise made, but you also will find easy profit opportunities betting the other way thanks to breaking news. There’s a reason the big sharps have little closed-circuit TV monitors in their private booths – they relish the opportunity to race a ticket in before the book can change a line or take it off the board altogether.

When news breaks, it takes time for books to adjust the lines. The sharks take advantage of this. The fish miss out or get eaten alive because they didn’t know the facts. Don’t be a fish; BE A SHARK!

Pay Attention to Schedules and Schedule Tracking

The premise is simple; teams don’t perform as well when they’re fatigued as they do when they’re fresh. Much like the injury tracking above, it’s also good common sense to make sure your betting horse isn’t limping into the arena on tired legs. But what was long held by sharps as a hunch has now become a legit game changer in the age of data. We’re sure some big shot at the books played a role as well, but the bottom line is that schedule tracking is a big thing to watch out for now.

What is schedule tracking, you ask? Schedule tracking is looking at a team’s schedule and looking for rough patches in the schedule that would lead the team to be tired or fatigued. The hope is that on these particular games, the betting line fails to reflect this crucial factoid and a team is overvalued, giving great value to a bet against that team. This is especially valuable for teams that the betting public likes no matter the case, as books have to keep the lines high to keep their action balanced.

There are multiple angles to look for when using scheduling to influence your betting. The most well-known example of a schedule-based betting trend is the “back-to-back,” which is the popular way of saying that a team will play on consecutive nights. Back-to-backs are a part of most NBA daily betting analyses when it’s in play, especially when the particular team’s games are on the road or have a road/home combo.

However, simply finding a team on a back-to-back is not enough to guarantee profit on your play. Like we said earlier, this is a majorly tracked trend now. The bookmakers now know that this kind of money will come in big and they’ve adjusted accordingly. Staying that crucial step ahead will require a bit more keen strategy. Thankfully, we’ve got just that in the next section, which focuses on skills you will want to incorporate specifically for NBA betting.

II. NBA Betting: Get the Edge

Having basic betting principles down is a great way to ensure that you’re not simply throwing your money away. Beyond that, you’ll want to have some skills specifically tailored to the sport you’re betting. Below are some of the strategies and tactics our experts employ to find the best lines and stay up on the books. We’re happy to share, and we encourage you to use them and improve upon them at home!

Read the Bookmaker

One of the most important principles Sun Tzu teaches in The Art of War is to know your enemy, and that’s what this tip is all about. Learning to think about the bookmaker’s intentions when putting out a line is definitely one of those “separator” skills – by that we mean that it’s one of those defining betting skills that separate the consistently profitable pros from the losing recreational bettors.

This is a “game behind the game” tip, but it’s extremely important in NBA betting (just as much as in NFL betting, in our opinion). The principle is to ask a very simple question: why did the book open the line at that number? Expert sharps consider it second nature to ask this question, but most folks never even think to.

We could list examples for days, but let’s discuss one to show you what we mean:

A and B are two evenly matched teams playing in a highly anticipated game where a lot of betting volume is expected. Team A is at home. After all the factors like home court advantage and such are factored in, the game is a true pick’em. So, what do you think the opening line will be?
Team A – (-1)
That’s right; if you thought zero, you’re wrong.

In this example, we said the game is a true pick’em, and it is. So why did the book open the line at -1? Great question! Now you’re learning.

This is a common example of the public’s inclination to bet the home team in true coin-flip situations. Another common perception (even amongst experienced NBA bettors) that are leveraged by the books in this example is that if a team is going to win, they’ll likely win by more than one point, so it’s worth it to lay the point and pay less vig than you would on a moneyline bet.

Bookmakers capitalize on these common perceptions by putting pick’em games out at Home Team (-1) or (-1.5) to make the public pay a premium on their habit. They’ll also put out Home Team (-1) opening lines even if the home team should open as a 1-point underdog.

The reason? If public perception is that the game is a flip, the bookmakers know they’re going to receive more bets on the home team. Therefore, they want that side of the action to pay the vig so they make their profit on the percentages in the long run. And overall, they do just that. So long as the game outcomes fall on the 50/50 line, they make money on the point and all the times the supposed “dog” comes through. You profit in this scenario by avoiding the trap of hammering what you think is a betting favorite only laying a point at home.

We aren’t saying that every opening line out there is a trap by the books. What we are saying is that by asking yourself what the book is trying to accomplish with a particular betting line (or price) and why the lines are where they are, you’ll find great opportunities all over the board on a regular basis.

Find the Shaded Lines

“Line shading” is a term referring to when a bookmaker anticipates heavy betting action on one side of a matchup and moves an opening betting line toward that side. Line shades can be small (one point) or large (3+ points) and are a great profit-seeking area of betting if you know how to find them.

Let’s say the Boston Celtics go on a hot streak (both in wins and ATS) that gets a lot of media attention. In such a case, more public bettors will start to come in wanting to ride the wave. To keep their betting handle balanced, the books respond by inflating lines involving the Celtics by a couple of points. So if the Celtics were supposed to be a (-9) favorite in a game, the books will put them out at (-11) instead.

There is nothing wrong with what the bookmaker is doing here. If the Celtics stay hot, the books could lose a lot of money each game from lopsided betting on them. So shading the line is the correct move on their part so long as it evens out their action. They can discourage enough sharp bets on the Celtics who want to bet for value, and they make the public take a bigger risk of a dog cover.

In scenarios like these, the value play is often (but not always) to bet against the shaded line and take advantage of those underdog points. Both the books and the sophisticated bettors know that the line has been swung to disfavor a cover by the Celtics. It’s literally a gift to you. Take it! More often than not, the public will be disappointed, while the sharps enjoy a nice score and keep on trucking. The bookmaker is satisfied that they got enough action on both sides, and all is well in the betting world.

The only downside with this sort of play is that it is based on short-term perceptions, so you can’t really plan for it. The only real way to find these opportunities is to keep up with NBA news and events and build up a bit of a bettor’s intuition of when the masses have caused a line shade.

Another great scenario where books shade lines hard is on second-half lines where the action got super lopsided in the first half. This is covered a little bit later in the guide in the Middling Second-Half Bets section.

The overall principle here is to remember that line shading can happen for any reason. Much like the first section talking about reading the bookmaker’s intentions, a big part of finding a shaded line is to try to find out if the book is trying to encourage or discourage action on a certain side. The best way to do that is to stay informed.

Fade the Public

We’re sure you see this a lot; it’s part of almost any expert betting advice on any sport that’s out there. Well, it’s there for good reason! The books are there to make money, and they make money by forcing the public to pay a premium for their popular notions.

Even if a notion has merit, it will lose value in the betting market by way of having everyone doing it. It’s not that being with the public is always wrong; it’s just that in this business, it’s going to be very costly to do so over time. Awkward as it might be to tell your best buds that you bet against the hometown team this evening, it beats losing money to mere sentiment. Being a contrarian bettor is a skill you simply must embrace to keep your bankroll intact.

Betting against the public is a great intuition to have, and just by embracing it, you will find yourself sniffing out inflated lines and finding trends where the public is giving too much or too little credit to a team based on reputation or media coverage or whatever whim of the day.

Our tip to you is just to make sure you don’t overdo it. It’s nice to have the skill and the fortitude to go the other way when it’s the right play, but make sure it’s the right play. It’s not enough to find the public’s money and go the other way. That is a losing system. Instead, make sure you combine your plays against the grain with other supplemental factors that make your bet more of a high percentage prospect, e.g., an inflated line or a scheduling trend.

Know How to Middle the Second Half

Now we’re betting some NBA! This is a sweet play that you’ll want to learn; it’s an absolute moneymaker, and it’s a part of every professional bettor’s arsenal.

For those not familiar, the term “middle” or “middling” refers to instances where swings in the betting lines allow for opportunities where a player can bet both sides of a game and potentially win both bets.

Atlanta is playing Boston, and the line opens with Boston as a (-5) favorite. You bet on Boston.
An hour before tip-off, it is announced that Atlanta is resting two of its best players that evening and they will not play. Betting action comes in very heavy on Boston, and the book responds by swinging the line on all the way up to a (-10) favorite.

The middling opportunity here is if you bet Atlanta (+10). No matter what, you will win one of your bets. But if Boston wins by 6, 7, 8, or 9 points, both tickets get paid.

This may sound like free money, but there is risk involved: while one of your bets will come through, if both don’t, you will be a slight loser by paying the vig to the house. Make sure you’re aware of the probabilities versus the price before deciding to take a middle.

Now that we have middling down, let’s make some money.

The tip we’re suggesting you look out for is when you’ve already wagered on an NBA game, and then the first half results in a blowout for one side.

Chicago is playing Detroit, and you bet Detroit as a (+3) underdog.
Detroit blows out Chicago in the first half and leads by 15 at halftime.
The bookmaker puts the second half line at Chicago (-6).
BEGIN HAPPY DANCE.

In this scenario, you already have an 18-point cushion for your (+3) bet on Detroit. Excellent.
But if you bet Chicago to cover the (-6) in the second half, Chicago can win the half by anywhere between 7 and 18 points and both of your bets will get paid (excluding O.T.). You now have an 11-point range where both bets will win. Most Excellent.

That example is not an exaggeration. Middling opportunities like these are out there throughout the NBA season. Sportsbooks make a ton offering half lines. But their weakness with some of these lines is that they have to put the line out based on where they think the bets will fall, the action that’s occurred, and the action they’ve already taken on the game. They also have to be wary of what competitors’ books are doing. And they have to do it all in very short time (while the teams are in the locker room).

Look for opportunities like these and crush the books when they give you a big opportunity like this. It’s a winning play that’s yet to be corrected in the betting markets, and we highly encourage you to take advantage of it.

The best way to take advantage of this play is to have access to multiple accounts across betting sites. It allows you to line shop all over the world and increase your chances of finding these great plays. If you’re interested, you can find information on safe and reliable sports betting sites on our main pages.

Here are some other great tips and trends to help you become a great NBA handicapper:

Energy and Morale

The art of gauging a team’s energy level has many components. Part of it is being in tune with their schedule, and part of it is staying in tune with locker room tensions or stress (and how these tensions are affecting performance).

This is a difficult betting nuance to write about, especially for experienced bettors. So much of what you analyze in professional betting are hard numbers – spreads, stats, scores, rinse and repeat. Asking you to place actual value on something like locker room drama is a tough sell.

But the numbers we crunch are often just reflections of the trends we find by using our senses to observe the teams. How did player rest become a big trend in NBA betting? Because we observed it, bet on it when others weren’t, and won big. More than any other method, this how the pros find new trends before anyone else.

Following this tip is asking you to trust your gut, scary as that can be for some. This isn’t for everyone; if you just want to be a snipe-the-numbers bettor, that’s perfectly fine. You can make good and consistent money just going the math route. But in our opinion, the truly elite sports bettors – the ones who make trends and bend lines – trust their intuition on how to gauge a team’s energy level and determine when a team is ripe to over/underperform a line that’s out there.

If you decide to use this factor in your betting system, our #1 piece of advice to you is simply to take notes on why you’re betting a certain way so that you can track your results over time.

Don’t Be Afraid of Road Favorites

More than the other major sports, NBA lines are influenced by two big betting habits: home court advantage, and a team’s previous game(s). Most public bettors fear losing a bet because the other team got a charge from the home crowd or “got home calls from the refs.” It’s the reason they play so heavily on home teams.

As a result, there are often great value plays for good teams that hit the road. Books know they’re going to get big action on the home underdog even after they shade the opening line toward them. Worse case, the sharps hammer them early, they move the line toward the road favorite, and they’ll get the home team bets on the back end.

This is especially true of teams coming off a big loss in their last game. If a solid team is on a road trip and they get blown out in one game, take a look at them in the next game if they’re a favorite. Not only are they a good team looking to bounce back, but they’re probably playing a clearly inferior team if they’re still listed as a favorite on the road despite the bad loss. You’re might benefit from a more significant point swing in your favor, as well.

Sometimes it pays to be early in this spot, but all the same, the play is there. You’ll have to sweat out some home calls here and there, but this play performs quite well over time.

III. NBA Betting: Keep the Edge

Once you have some solid betting strategies to wield, it’s great to see good results come in. Staying ahead, however, means never being complacent and always looking for ways to improve your betting system. This section has just a couple of tips that we think you should consider to help tighten up your game.

Track Your Bets by Team; Consider Specializing

Every bettor has strengths and weaknesses in their game. Some of it is just natural. For instance, time zones alone can determine what teams a person sees more often than others.

This tip isn’t about overall strategy so much as it’s about tracking your bets and making sure your results are consistent across teams.

When you bet a game, you’re betting on the performance of both the winning and losing teams. If you find that you’re crushing your bets on one team and whiffing more often than you’d like on others, take a step back and ask yourself why. Hopefully, you’ll reach the desired effect and find out if and where you might be weak in your observation of certain teams. Then you’ll know exactly where you must either improve your analysis or just save some of those losing bets.

If you find that you’re consistently doing well with a certain group of teams, e.g., the division your favorite team is in, consider specializing your bets to games involving those teams and branching out from there. You’ll have a little less to chew on, and your laser-beam focus on just a few teams can keep your good results consistent.

Track Your Results by Bet Type

You certainly want to keep good records of your results no matter what sport you’re betting – it’s the mark of a good handicapper. But we think it’s particularly important to track your NBA bets by bet type. By bet type, we primarily mean tracking your bets by:

• Spreads vs. money lines
• Straight bets vs. parlays (and if parlays, how many legs)
• Full-game bets vs. 1st/2nd half bets or bets on quarters

These are just the most basic examples, but you can track your bets by any kind of pattern that you think is worth a second look. The most important thing is that you actually do it. The point of it is to make sure that each type of bet you put down is making you money. If a certain bet you’re making is a drain on your bankroll over time, save that bet or transfer it into a bet type that performs well for you.

Tracking your NBA bets will also help you ensure that you’re not throwing away your money on certain types of bets. If you’re performing well on full-game and second-half bets, but you’re bleeding cash on first-half bets, stop betting the first half! Likewise if you’re grinding out a nice profit on straight bets, only to give it right back by gambling on frivolous long-shot parlays.

Bottom line: tracking your results by bet type will make you money, save you money, and help you identify your strong and weak betting areas.

We hope you found our guide helpful and fun to read, and we’re rooting for you find those trends that work for you and pad your bankroll. No matter what happens, remember to have fun and enjoy the games!

As one of the four major professional sports in the US and a fan favorite around the globe, basketball continues to deliver excitement to spectators and sports bettors all year long. And if you’re looking to up the excitement or if you’re always picking winners and want to turn those picks into cash, stay tuned. In our basketball betting guide, we’re going to lay out all of the details and resources you need to start betting on basketball right now.

If you’re ready to get started betting on basketball for real money today, check out one of our top-rated basketball betting sites listed below!

Types of Basketball Bets You Can Place

When it comes to NBA betting online, betting on college basketball, or betting on any other leagues in the world, you have options. There’s nothing wrong with keeping it simple and just picking game-winners. However, that doesn’t always align perfectly with your picks and predictions. While you can certainly be a huge winner just choosing game-winners, it’s nice to be aware of what your options are just in case.

Moneyline Basketball Bets

When we talk about betting on the winner of a basketball game, we’re talking about moneyline bets. All you need to do to win a basketball moneyline bet is pick the winner of the game. If you’re right, you win.

While it really is that simple, there is one nuance you need to be aware of. Not every team that wins is going to pay the same amount. Basketball betting odds on moneyline wagers are based on the likelihood of the team winning. The bigger the favorite a basketball team is, the less you’ll get paid on a win. The bigger the underdog, the more you’ll get paid.

For example, let’s say the Miami Heat are playing the Boston Celtics. The NBA basketball odds for a moneyline bet might look like this.

In this example, the Celtics are favored to win. If you put $10 on the Celtics, a win would pay you a profit of $7.41. A $10 bet on the Heat, though, would pay you a profit of $11.50. These varying betting odds are based on the likelihood of each team winning and how the public is choosing to bet the game at NBA basketball betting sites.

If you want to learn more about these types of bets, check out our dedicated basketball moneyline betting guide.

Betting Basketball Point Spreads

Moneyline bets are great, but they do leave a bit of a void. What happens when you think a team is going to outperform what the analysts and fans think but not win the game? Or what happens if you agree that a team is going to win a game but by way more than other people think? Shouldn’t you be more rewarded for a more precise prediction?

This is where basketball point spreads come into play.

NBA betting sites determine which team they believe is going to win the game, just like with a moneyline bet. However, the book goes a step further and determines by how many points. From there, you can bet on whether or not a basketball team is going to outperform the prediction.

All a team needs to do for you to win your bet is outperform the point spread. Here’s an example.

In that same Celtics and Heat game, the sportsbook decides they believe the Celtics will win by 2 or 3 points. Here’s what the spread would look like on the board.

In this example, a bet on either team pays the exact same amount of money. Let’s look at the outcomes of a bet on the Heat at +2.5.

• If the Heat win the game by any number of points, you win your bet.
• If the Heat lose the game by fewer than 2.5 points, you win your bet. So, a loss of 1 or 2 points is still a win for you!
• If the Heat lose the game by more than 2.5 points, you lose your bet. So, a loss of 3 points or more is a loss.

For a bet on the Celtics, here’s what that looks like.

• If the Celtics win the game by more than 2.5 points, you win your bet. So, a win of 3 or more points is a win for you.
• If the Celtics win the game by fewer than 2.5 points, you lose your bet. So, a win of 1 or 2 points is a loss for you, even though the Celtics won the game.
• If the Celtics lose the game by any number of points, you lose your bet.

Point spreads attempt to “level the playing field” where you can bet on any team even if you expect them to lose. All the team has to do is outperform the point spread, and you win. Additionally, half points are often used to prevent ties. If you’d like to learn more about these bets, check out our basketball point spreads betting guide.

Basketball Totals

When you have a prediction on game tempo but you’re not sure who will win, a totals bet could be what you’re looking for. A totals bet is a basketball wager on the total number of points scored in the game by both teams. The sportsbook sets a line, and you choose over that line or under that line. If you’re right, you win.

For example, the total in the Celtics Heat example might be 208.5. Again, half points are often used to prevent ties. In this example, if the total number of points score by both teams is over 208.5 (209 or higher), a bet on the over wins. If the total when you add both team’s scores together is under 208.5 (208 or lower), the under wins. Generally, both of these bets pay out the same amount of money.

Check out our totals betting guide for more details on this type of wager.

Basketball Prop Betting

The last type of real money basketball betting bet to be aware of is proposition bets (prop bets for short). These are wagers on whether or not something will happen during a basketball game. While that might sound confusing, it’s much easier when you see examples.

Prop bets are a unique way to cash in on basketball betting predictions that don’t fit neatly into the more common types of bets. If you correctly pick if something will or will not happen, you’ll win the bet. Much like moneyline wagers, different sides of a basketball prop bet might pay our different amounts based on the likelihood and how the public is betting.

Read our basketball prop bets guide for more information on how to bet on basketball props.

Basketball Betting Resources

Now that you know where to bet on basketball online and the different types of basketball bets you can place, the next step is expanding your knowledge. An educated and well-informed sports bettor is one that sportsbooks fear. Here are some great resources to get you on that level.

Basketball Betting Blogs

The game of basketball changes fast with on-court and off-court news and happenings. Our basketball betting blogs not only inform you in real-time of the news, but our experts break down what it means for you as a bettor. Never get blindsided by news or rumors that could greatly impact your ability to make money betting on basketball.

Basketball Betting Picks

Getting the news is important, but there’s a more direct route to profitability you may be interested in—and it’s 100% free. We’ve built a high-caliber team of basketball betting experts willing to share their actual picks in real-time with you 100% free. If you want to see how the pros are betting (and have the chance to jump in right alongside them), check out our NBA betting picks section now.

Most Popular Basketball Leagues You Can Bet On

When it comes to betting on basketball, you’ve got a lot of different options. The two most popular options are the NBA and college basketball. Additionally, you can bet on international leagues all over the world and the WNBA, the women’s professional basketball league in the US.

NBA

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the premier men’s basketball league in the world and the most popular basketball betting option in the world as well. The best of the best from every corner of the globe strive to make it to the pinnacle of the sports—the NBA. The league is based in North America, with 29 of the teams located in the US and one team located in Canada. That’s why it’s the most popular option for basketball betting.

Here are some fast facts about the NBA.

• The regular season runs from October to April every year.
• Each team plays 82 games during the regular season.
• The NBA was founded in 1946.
• The head offices for the NBA are in Manhattan, NY.
• The top eight teams in each conference make the playoffs every year.
• Teams compete to make it to the NBA Finals, where they can win the championship and take home the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.

Current NBA Teams

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Most Recent NBA Champions

• 2020 – Los Angeles Lakers
• 2019 – Toronto Raptors
• 2018 – Golden State Warriors
• 2017 – Golden State Warriors
• 2016 – Cleveland Cavaliers

For more information on betting on the NBA, head on over to our dedicated guide on real money NBA betting now.

And if you’re looking for the safest online NBA betting experience, make sure to check out our list of the best NBA betting sites.

College Basketball

College basketball, sometimes referred to as NCAA basketball, is the US-based basketball competition between colleges and universities. Generally, college basketball is where future NBA stars prove their worth in some of the most exciting real money basketball betting action on the globe. The league is broken down into several divisions based on the size of a school and conferences based on the school’s location and affiliation. Division I men’s basketball is the most prominent.

Here are some fast facts about college basketball.

• The season-long champion is decided through a single-elimination tournament known as NCAA March Madness.
• Currently, the tournament starts with 68 teams, but that number has fluctuated over recent years.
• There are 350 Division I college basketball teams.

College Basketball vs. the NBA

There are some substantial differences between college basketball and the NBA when it comes to the league, gameplay, and betting. Here are some of the most important differences to be aware of:

• The NBA plays four 12-minute quarters, while college basketball plays two 20-minute halves.
• The NBA is a professional sports league, while college basketball is technically an amateur competition.
• Because of the last point, NBA players are paid, and college basketball players are not. However, some college basketball players may receive scholarships in return for playing.
• The shot clock in the NBA is 24 seconds. In NCAA basketball, the clock is 30 seconds.
• NBA players can play for as many years as they’d like. College basketball players have limited eligibility, which means they can only play a maximum of five years.

Most Recent NCAA Champions

• 2019 – Virginia
• 2018 – Villanova
• 2017 – North Carolina
• 2016 – Villanova
• 2015 – Duke

March Madness and Bracket Building

When it comes to betting on basketball, nothing is more exciting than March Madness. The tournament that decides the National Champion is crammed into about a month a half, which means games, games, and more games. The excitement level for a college basketball fan is unmatched by anything else on the planet.

The 68-team, single-elimination tournament starts in mid-March and runs through April every year. In addition to the ability to bet on every game, many people partake in what’s known as bracket building. Once all 68 teams are announced, fans try and predict the winner of every game all the way to the championship.

Fans then join bracket leagues where points are awarded for correct picks. Whoever gets the most points from the most correct picks, wins! Generally, the top 10% to 15% of winners are paid in a tournament-style payout (1st place getting the most, etc.).

If you’re looking to bet on individual games during the tournament, head on over to our complete March Madness betting guide.

And if you’re looking for the ultimate resource for filling out a winning bracket, you’ll definitely want to check out our March Madness bracket betting guide. It’s filled with tips, tricks, resources, and expert insight into building a winning bracket.

International Basketball Leagues

If you’re wondering where to bet on basketball, it doesn’t just stay in the US and North America. International basketball leagues have grown in popularity over the years, especially as fringe NBA players have moved overseas to work on their games in hopes of making it back to the NBA. Some of the most popular international basketball leagues are in parts of Europe, mainly Italy, Spain, and Germany.

Some of the more prominent leagues include:

• EuroLeague
• EuroCup
• Liga ACB (Spain)
• Basketball Super League (Turkey)
• VTB United League (Russia)
• Lega Basket Serie A (Italy)

How to Bet on Basketball

You’ve got two main options when it comes to betting real money on basketball—betting at a land-based sportsbook or online basketball betting. Here are the step-by-step instructions for placing a basketball bet with each option.

Land-Based Sportsbooks

1. Find the closest sportsbook. In order to bet at a land-based sportsbook, you have to go there in person. Find the closest book that you want to wager at. Keep in mind that it may be at a casino and might not be a standalone operation.
2. Complete your research. You’re not going to have your computer with you at the sportsbook, which means you need to do most of your research at home. You will be able to use your phone, but that might not be optimal, depending on how in-depth your research process is.
3. Drive to the sportsbook. Once you’ve got your research and picks in mind, head to the sportsbook.
4. Check the betting odds. A major drawback to betting at land-based sportsbooks is that you don’t know the odds until you get there. When you get there, look at what the odds are on the board. For more specific bets, you may need to ask an agent for updated basketball betting odds.
5. Decide which bets you still want to make. As your bets are heavily dependent on the basketball odds offered (or at least they should be), you need to decide which bets you still want to make.
6. Hop in line. The next step is to get in line and wait for an available betting agent.
7. Check the odds again. Depending on how long the line is or who bets in front of you, the odds may change while you’re waiting. Double-check them again and decide the bets you want to make.
8. Make your basketball bets. The last step is to make your bets! Do make sure to check your tickets before leaving the counter to make sure the agent didn’t make any mistakes. Sportsbooks are loud, and agents work long hours, which can make for the possibility of mistakes

Betting on Basketball Online

1. Create an online sports betting account. The first step for how to bet money on basketball online is to create an online sports betting account. This should take about 10 minutes max and only needs to be done the first time you bet.
2. Complete your research. Take the time to do your research and start to look into which basketball bets you want to make.
3. Shop your basketball betting odds. One of the huge perks of real money betting on basketball online is the ability to shop your bets around. What this means is you can check the odds at multiple different sportsbooks to get the best lines and odds available. This isn’t an option at land-based sportsbooks unless you want to drive to another sportsbook.
4. Place your bets. Once you’ve decided on your bets, there’s no hopping in line and hoping the odds don’t change. Select your bets, choose the amounts, and hit submit.

Basketball Betting Strategy Tips

While our guides linked above give you free access to online basketball betting strategy and thousands of basketball betting tips, there are a few quick tips we want to share now. If you’re in a hurry to get a bet in, make sure to check these tips out first and bookmark the more in-depth basketball betting guides for later.

Always Check Your Betting Slips for Accuracy

No matter if you’re betting on basketball online or betting on basketball in person, you’ve got to check your betting slips immediately after you make your wager. What you’re looking for is that the bets are correct, the amounts are right, and there’s nothing that seems out of the ordinary.

Sportsbooks are loud, and sometimes we may misclick and make mistakes. There’s no worse feeling when betting on basketball at a sportsbook or online NBA betting than thinking you won a bet only to find out that your bet slip has a mistake on it. Take 30 seconds and check every time you make a wager.

Betting Money Line Nfl

Defense Is Just as Important as Offense

There’s a tendency among new basketball bettors to focus only on the offense. Sure, it’s the most fun part of the game, but it’s a tunnel-vision approach that can get you in trouble. When you’re making your basketball betting picks, make sure to pay equal attention to the defense. How are the different offenses and individual players going to match up defensively? Just because a player or a team has been hot on offense doesn’t mean that will continue against a defensive powerhouse.

Monitor Injury Reports Closely

We can’t tell you how many stories we’ve heard from bettors who thought they were cashing in on an incredible line, only to find out later that the reason the line was so juicy was because a star player was injured or sitting out. Make sure you stay on top of injury reports and rumors as much as possible. You won’t be able to catch all of them, especially if you bet early, but you can do your best.

Understand Basketball Betting Odds

We’ve covered this extensively in our guide on how to bet on NBA basketball, but it’s worth repeating until the cows come home. Not all basketball bets pay the same amount of money. While you probably get this, make sure you know that this goes even further. There are times when you should avoid making a bet you expect to win because the payout odds aren’t good enough. Additionally, there are times you should make a bet you think is going to lose because the betting odds are too good to pass up.

The secret to winning online NBA betting or betting on anything else is making wagers that have value. Value is a fancy word for the potential to get a better payout on something than you really should.

Let’s say there’s an upcoming basketball game between the Florida Gators and the Georgia Bulldogs. Let’s say that you think the Bulldogs are going to lose, but you think it’s going to be a really close game. Well, what happens when the sportsbook thinks the Gators are going to win but that it’s going to be a blowout? Chances are that the payout odds on the Bulldogs to win are going to be really juicy.

This is an instance where you might make that bet to take advantage of the value. Sure, you still think the Gators are going to win. However, you think it’s going to be a very close game, which means one or two buckets the other way, and you win your bet. Because the sportsbook is paying out way too much for something that’s more likely than they think, this is a great value spot for real money basketball betting.

Know the Implications of the Game

It shouldn’t be surprising that some teams outperform expectations when a game is important. Additionally, teams that don’t have anything to play for might be more likely to “mail it in” and not give 100% effort. These teams with nothing to play for also might work to protect star players, as the risk isn’t worth the nonexistent reward.

As a basketball sports bettor, this is one of the most important basketball betting tips to know. Make sure you don’t put too many eggs behind a team that doesn’t care about winning.

Basketball Betting FAQ

Is Basketball Betting Online Legal?

In most areas of the world, betting on basketball is 100% legal. With that being said, the definitive answer to this question depends on where you live and if your local jurisdiction has any special laws surrounding the act of betting on basketball. For most areas, you should be completely good to go. But it is always smart to check on your local laws before proceeding.

How Does Basketball Betting Work?

Basketball sports betting is the practice of making a wager on what you think is going to happen in an upcoming game. If your prediction is correct, you get paid a certain amount of money for being right. Different sportsbooks offer different options for betting on games and different payouts based on the likelihood of the wager winning. All you have to do to get into the action is make a prediction, put your money down on that prediction and wait to see the outcome of the game. If you’re right, you win!

Can I Bet on Basketball Online for Real Money?

Absolutely! Thanks to the exponential growth of the online betting industry, you can bet on many different types of basketball online for real money. The best NBA basketball betting sites deliver the exact same experience you get at the sportsbook except with more options, more convenience, and a lot more flexibility.

What Are the Best Sites for Real Money Basketball Betting Online?

When it comes to betting on basketball online, you probably already noticed that you have hundreds of different options. The best betting sites with basketball odds are the ones that offer a safe and secure environment with the most flexibility and options for wagers. Additionally, when we’re racking and stacking our favorites, we look at things like mobile-friendliness, the user interface, bonuses, VIP rewards, reputation, and the overall track record of the company.

How To Make Money Betting On Basketball Team

Should I Join Multiple Online Basketball Betting Sites?

If you’re serious about winning and turning a profit betting on basketball online, then you absolutely should join more than one NBA betting site. Each different basketball betting site may offer different lines and betting odds on the exact same wager. By joining multiple books, you can shop around to find the best odds and lines for the wagers you want to make.

Can I Bet on Basketball Games That Already Started?

Betting The Money Line Football

Yes! Live basketball betting is the practice of wagering on a game after opening tip-off. Many of the top online basketball betting sites offer this fast-paced and exciting betting option. Generally, you’ll be able to bet on things like the point spread, totals, and sometimes what the next basket is going to be (free throws, three-pointers, etc.) Depending on which NBA betting sites you use, you may have these options between quarters, only at half time, or after every single play for truly live betting.