How to Bet on Basketball
There are many options when it comes to betting on Basketball at your online sportsbook. Just like many other sports basketball betting begins even before the season starts. Some of the betting options for Basketball include money lines, point spreads, totals and futures.
Basketball Point Spread
Basketball betting is very similar to other sports when it comes to picking the winner against the point spread. The point spread is a predicted margin of victory that is intended to balance the betting action on an event. It is a number that the odds makers carefully determine in order to attract bettors to both sides of the game.
When betting on the point spread, if you place your bet on the team with the negative number you are betting on the favorite. The favorite will need to win by the number of points assigned in order for you to win your bet. On the other hand, if you place your bet on the team with the positive number of points assigned, or the underdog, the underdog cannot lose by more than the number of points assigned in order for you to win your bet. If favorite wins by the exact number of points assigned or the underdog loses by the exact number of points assigned your bet will be considered a “push” will be refunded. In order to avoid pushes most odds makers will add a half point to the point spread.
Basketball Total or Over/Under
When you bet on the total or over/under in basketball, you are betting on the total number of points there are once the scores from both teams are combined. You can select whether the total number of points will or will not exceed the number assigned by the odds makers.
When betting on the total you will often see a half point assigned to the total number. The half point is assigned by the odds makers in order to avoid a “push” which would result in a refund to the bettor.
Basketball Money Line
In basketball betting, the money line lets you select the team you want to win regardless of the margin of victory. Basketball money lines will usually involve a favorite and an underdog. In most cases the favorite will be identified by a negative number whereas the underdog will have a positive one.
When betting on the favorite, the amount that is assigned to the team is the amount that you would have to wager in order to win $100. When betting the underdog, the dollar amount assigned to the team is the amount you will win for every $100 placed on that line.
Basketball Quarters and Halves
When betting on Basketball quarters or halves you have the same options available as the full game. The point spread, the total and the money line will reflex odds that fit the timeframe of the quarter or half of the game that you are betting.
If your wager is on the first quarter of the game, the odds makers will only recognize points scored in the first quarter in order to determine the result of your wager and this method is applied to each quarter or half accordingly.
Basketball Futures
Basketball futures are a popular way to bet on your favorite team before the season actually starts. The options can include odds to win the division, conference and even the championship. The outcome of the wager you place will be determined once the season has ended and the final numbers have been calculated. Once the season is underway the odds will be adjusted as teams win or lose and their positions change on the leaderboard.
Basketball Props
Basketball props or propositions are usually available for the games before they tip off. Prop bets are mostly focused on individual players or player matchup’s but can also include options surrounding a certain act taking place in the game such as “the first team to reach a given number of points” etc…
Basketball Live Betting
These days live betting is one of the more popular ways to bet on basketball and many other sports. When live betting on basketball the odds makers, while viewing a live broadcast of the game, will adjust the betting lines according to the action on the court. The odds are constantly changing giving the bettor many options over the course of a full game.
