Basketball Betting Tips

Our basketball betting tips hub features all the information you could possibly require before placing a wager on the NBA, or leagues that are further afield, such as a glossary of key terms, the markets you can place a bet on, and an overview of the sport. Basketball is played the world over, and many nations across the globe have their own domestic league, although many fans will also have an interest in the major events. UK followers can get the latest basketball odds on the BBL (British Basketball League) for example, but we also know that the NBA has many enthusiasts in the UK, despite the fact that the annual European game is no longer held in London.

It’s not just all about domestic seasons though, as the prize at the end of them is entry into the prestigious and mythical playoffs, where the best teams of the season can cement their immortality, while underdogs can also upset the odds to establish their place in history. While basketball can be similar to our Premier League betting tips in that the best team get the win more often than not, the playoff series can add a degree of uncertainty and intrigue that is more akin to the potential for unexpected results that our Horse Racing betting tips often offer.

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Betting on Basketball

The basketball calendar is fully stacked on a yearly basis, allowing plenty of opportunities to place basketball wagers whenever you choose. The NBA even plays fixtures on Christmas Day, one of the only sports to do so, which adds further scope for a festive flutter if you so wish. Admittedly, not every game will feature household names like Kevin Durant and LeBron James, but the sport is universally competitive in nature, and played at a quick pace that offers an action-packed experience with plenty of chances to score. That said, when it does come to the NBA - unquestionably the most elite form of the game - the potential for unbelievable performances and high-scoring affairs is increased, which in turn generally leads to an increased range of online sports betting options.

Our extensive basketball betting odds can be explored via whichever device suits you best, with Mobile and LeoVegas App users able to use the search bar, and Desktop bettors able to filter the various leagues and games using the ‘Browse Sports’ tab. This ensures that we are able to remain both the King of Casino, and the Sovereign of Sports Betting.

Basketball Betting Markets

At LeoVegas, we offer a wide range of basketball betting odds that cater for novices that may only just be in the process of becoming accustomed to the format of the sport, as well as more experienced fans of the game. The basics start with simply predicting which side you think will win, either the home team or away team, which almost always includes overtime if required. These wagers are known by the term Moneyline bets. Standard bets also include predicting the number of points that will be scored in total, or by each individual team.

You then have slightly more advanced handicap bets, which apply either a decrease or an increase to the total points a team scores, depending on whether they’re the favourite or the underdog. This levels the playing field in a sense, turning what can appear to be quite a one-sided matchup on paper - Cleveland Cavaliers @ LA Lakers, for example - into a more even contest. These usually work in values that end in ‘.5’ so as to avoid any doubt as to whether your bet has been successful or not.

Proposition bets focus on specific occurrences during a match or a playoff series. These include things such as betting on which team will be the first to accumulate 100 points, which player will score the first basket of the game, and the total number of three-pointers that will be scored. You can go further in-depth with individual performances via player bets if you wish, such as predicting someone to score a certain number of points or make a precise total of blocks. When it comes down to the playoffs, you can even bet on which arena the series will be settled in.

Finally, long-term bets cover season outcomes. In the case of the NBA, this can be a prediction of which team will win the playoffs and ultimately lift the Championship, or on whether or not a team will make the playoffs at all. You can also bet on Division and Conference champions. Regarding players, there are various awards handed out at the end of the campaign, with Rookie of the Year and MVP being the two most prestigious.

NBA Betting at LeoVegas

LeoVegas has designated NBA betting tips, which cover some of the biggest games every week. So, if you require some advice on basketball betting in the UK, or just want to know our basketball bet of the day, we’ve got you covered. We also have some insight and statistics to help you make an informed wager. Did you know, for example, that since Shaquille O’Neal won the honour in the year 2000, only four MVPs have come from sides that won the NBA Championship that season. This means that it can sometimes pay to look further afield than the most dominant teams.

When it comes to how to bet money on NBA games, you can access our odds and tips through any device, be it a mobile or desktop. Sign up to LeoVegas if you’re not already part of the pride, then, follow the links or head straight to our sports betting section to place a tipped bet that takes your fancy, or to place one of your own choosing. Our NBA tips are as well researched as possible, with odds correct at the time of writing, meaning that you don’t have to go to the effort to dig out past results and form tables as we offer informed basketball tips ahead of the biggest NBA games tonight, with all of the latest NBA betting odds.

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Basketball Betting Terms

What Does “Moneyline” Mean in Basketball Betting?

Moneyline is a term that originates in American sports betting, but is almost always used in reference to basketball betting. Put simply, it is a wager on which team will win the game. There has to be a winner in basketball, with overtime used if needed, so there will only be two possible outcomes. Moneyline betting is arguably best employed when the two teams are similar in ability, as the odds will be closer to one another, therefore maximising returns. However, when there is a clear favourite, it may be worth considering spread betting.

What is the “Spread” in Basketball Betting?

The spread is a form of handicap betting that gives the favourite a points decrease (represented by a ‘-’) and the other team a points increase (represented by a ‘+’). It’s designed to make the teams more even, and offers better returns when backing the side that is expected to win. “Covering the spread” means that the favourite wins despite their handicap. If you wager on the underdog to win with their additional points, you are betting “against the spread”. In the event that spread betting results in a tied outcome, it is known as a “push”, which results in the bet being refunded in exactly the same way as you would see with a push in Live Blackjack.

How Does Total Points Betting Work?

Betting on the total points to be scored in a basketball game is one of the most popular wagers, as it adds an extra dynamic to a straightforward moneyline prediction. Also known as Under/Over betting, you are essentially predicting whether the total number of points scored by either or both teams will be above or below the listed value. Because of the high scoring nature of basketball, predicting the exact points scored is very difficult, so this method is preferred. The extra layer afforded by this basketball bet means that even if the favourite is comfortably running away with the game, it can still be a nerve-racking wait to see if the total points scored will exceed the forecasted target.

What is “Overtime” in Basketball?

A basketball game is made up of four quarters of equal length, but if the scores are still tied after these quarters have been played, extra periods will be played to determine a winner. The precise duration of these additional sessions can change between leagues, but in the NBA they will be five minutes in length. There’s no limit as to how many periods of overtime can be played, as there is no system in place for ‘sudden-death’.

What is a “Double-Double” in Basketball?

Player bets will sometimes cover an individual registering a double-double, which goes beyond a more straightforward wager on how many points they will score. If a player reaches double figures in any two of five main statistics (points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks), they will achieve a double-double. Doing so in three statistics will be a triple-double, four is a quadruple-double, and five is a quintuple-double. Wilt Chamberlain is the only man to have registered the latter in NBA history.