Our recommended basketball betting sites have got everything you could possibly wish for, including the best bonuses, fastest withdrawal times and in-play betting. Looking for some pointers to get you started with basketball betting? You’ve come to the right place- read on for everything you need to know before you hit the bookies.
Basketball Betting Basics
America’s National Basketball Association (NBA) is by far the world’s biggest basketball league. The NBA is home to some of the most talented athletes on the planet, from championship winning players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry, to rising stars such as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic.
The NBA features 30 teams split into two conferences- the Eastern and Western. Each team plays 82 games throughout the regular season, and then the top eight teams from both conferences go into the playoffs to determine the conference champions. The season concludes with the NBA Finals, where the Eastern and Western winners battle it out to be named league champion. With such a huge number of games taking place throughout the season, it’s safe to say you definitely won’t be short of NBA betting opportunities.
Online basketball betting isn’t limited to American leagues, though- most sports betting sites offer markets on a wide range of other leagues as well. The EuroLeague is the number one competition outside of the US, and features the best teams from across Europe, while you can also bet on top domestic leagues like Spain’s Liga ACB. There’s also NCAA college basketball, which is very popular in the States and can be wagered on at the best online bookies.
Even through the off-season, you’ll never struggle to fill out your betslip. International competitions, such as EuroBasket, the FIBA World Cup and the Olympics, are sure to provide you with plenty of markets and excellent odds.
Here are the top competitions you can expect to find at basketball betting sites:
- NBA
- NCAA
- EuroLeague
- EuroCup
- Spanish Liga ACB
- German Bundesliga
- French Pro A
- Italian Lega A
- Greek A1
- Turkish Super League
- VTB United League
- Adriatic League
- Australian NBL
Basketball Betting Options
With so many teams to choose from, picking a winning bet on basketball isn’t always easy. Checking out the betting odds and backing the favourite may seem like a good place to start, but you can never rule out an upset. For example, when the Milwaukee Bucks met the Phoenix Suns in November 2018, bookies were pricing the Suns as high as 7/1. However, despite Milwaukee being second in the East conference and Phoenix sitting last in the West, the underdogs caused an upset, winning 114-116, which just goes to show just how competitive the league can be from top to bottom.
That being said, there are a few steps you can take to give yourself a better chance of landing some returns from your basketball bets. Statistics play a huge part in basketball, so taking a statistical approach when setting your stakes makes a lot of sense. A quick look through stats, such points per game, points allowed per game and point differential can help you place better-informed bets. Other factors like recent form, injuries, home advantage and head to head history can also be useful when making your predictions.
Of course, much like when you bet on football, boxing or any other sport, simply keeping up to date and watching games will always help you build up your knowledge. Who knows- a little research could result in a big payoff!
Basketball Betting Markets
There is a whole range of exciting markets to wager on at basketball and NBA betting sites, with some great value to be found. Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular.
Money line – A money line bet is simply where you wager on the result of a particular match. There are no draws in basketball, so you simply pick which of the two teams you think will win.
Outright bets – Here you’re betting on the winner of a league or tournament, such as the NBA Finals.
Handicaps – Handicaps, or points spread, involve wagering on a team to win while maintaining a points advantage or overcoming a disadvantage. So if you bet on a team with -3 handicap, they’ll need to win by four points.
Over/under – Also referred to as total points, this is where you bet on the total points scored in a match to be more than or less than a certain number.
Quarter/half bets – As well as wagering on markets based on the entire duration of a game, you bet on just a quarter or half of a match, such as 1st quarter total points or 1st half result.
Player props – There’s a huge range of proposition bets available at the best basketball betting sites. These include points scored, rebounds scored, assists, steals and so on.
MVP – Got a feeling a certain player is going to dominate the league? Wager on them being given the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
Rookie of the year – This award goes to the best rookie, which is worth a punt if you fancy a particular newcomer to light up the league.
Live basketball betting – Due to the speed basketball is played at, live in-play betting is truly thrilling. Just bear in mind that matches can swing in the blink of an eye, so make sure you’re paying attention!
Basketball Betting Bonuses
Fancy a free punt on the NBA or the EuroLeague? There’s plenty of exciting bonuses on offer at the best basketball betting sites. Matched deposits are particularly popular with punters- these give you a bonus worth a certain percentage of your deposit, such as ‘50% match up to £100’.
Free bets are also offered by lots of online bookies as welcome bonuses. As the name suggests, these are simply bonus bets which you’re awarded when you make a qualifying deposit or bet. Existing players don’t miss out, either- reload bonuses, cash back offers and enhanced odds are just a few of the regular promotions you can expect to find at the top bookmakers.
Mobile Basketball Betting
Want to bet on basketball while on the go? Good news- all the best online sports betting sites are mobile-friendly, so you can set your stakes anywhere, anytime. You can also deposit, withdraw and claim bonuses through your mobile web browser, so there’s no missing out when it comes to mobile basketball betting.
The top basketball sites also have native mobile betting apps, which can provide an enhanced sports betting experience. As well as push notifications to alert you to the latest bonuses, mobile apps make wagering faster, easier and more convenient, so they’re definitely worth checking out.
Ready to Bet on Basketball?
Now you know all about the ins and outs of online basketball betting, you’re probably raring to have a go at it yourself. Our carefully crafted list features the very best basketball betting sites on the web, complete with the top bonuses on offer. If you want to find out more, check out our expert reviews for the lowdown on everything from odds to banking options. Sign up and bet on the hoops today!