There’s nothing quite like the thrill of a good basketball game. As one of the most popular and exciting sports on the planet, gamblers enjoy spending hours analyzing facts, stats, and making their NBA consensus picks.
When it comes to sports betting, the NBA is one of the most popular areas for bettors to place a wager. While it appears like the deck is stacked in favor of the bookies, you can make smart bets that’ll even the score with just a little insight and strategy.
Are you looking to get in the mix, and start making bets on the NBA? Here are some pointers from me to you on how to start!
Be Impartial
Bias and betting never lead to good results. In fact, as a general rule of thumb, avoiding putting money on your favorite team is a smart way to start your NBA betting. Removing emotion from your choices helps you to focus on the stats, the facts, and the spreads.
Don’t Lose Sight of the Fundamentals
When you lose bias in impartial betting, be sure that you don’t overlook the fundamentals of the sport! Turn on any sports network in the world, and you’ll find pundits waxing lyrical about the science behind basketball.
It’s easy to get wrapped up in this and to forget the simple facts – the more you understand about the fundamentals of a sport, the better you’ll be at placing wagers on games. That doesn’t mean you can ignore the science behind the game, it just means that you’re keeping the basics of the game in mind while you make those masterful bets!
The Odds in NBA Betting
When you strip it all down to the bare essentials of NBA betting, odds are there to give you an idea of how much you’ll win should you make a successful bet. A basketball bet will generally fall under one of these two categories – odds against, or odds on.
An odds on bet means that your betting amount is larger than your potential winnings, and an odds against bet means that the potential winning amount is larger than the amount of money you’ve actually bet.
If an NBA team is considered a clear-cut favorite in an upcoming game, betting sites and books will inevitably offer odds on to bettors. If your bet is looking likely to be a losing one in their eyes, you’ll generally be offered an odds against bet.
Long story short? If your NBA bet has high odds, you’re less likely to get that win. But these bets are extremely popular due to their huge rewards in the event of an upset against the odds.
The 3 Main Avenues of NBA Betting
The betting arena can seem overwhelming to a beginner, so focus on these 3 main areas of NBA betting until you find your feet.
- Point spread
- Moneylines
- Totals
This goes back to my tips on never losing sight of the fundamentals. With some good insights, a little planning, and a focus on these basics, you can start betting on the NBA and turning your hunches into hard cash!
And most importantly, let’s keep what makes sports betting so special and thrilling in the back of our heads. Don’t forget to bet within your financial means, plan your moves carefully, and have some fun!
