Basketball gamblers can make different wagers from moneyline, over/under, points spread, and many more! Due to the variety of wagers on offer, basketball is one of the best sports to place some money on. To help you make the perfect gamble, we will explore all of the types of basketball wagers.
Point Spread Wagers
Point spread wagers are basketball’s version of handicap gambling. How it works is the sportsbook will identify which side is likely to win and then determine by how much they think they will win by. The predicted margin of victory will then be used as a handicap to match even, and both teams will receive the same odds of victory.
For example, the Lakers are taking on the Hornets, and the sportsbook believes the Lakers will win by 10. They will then place a -10 point handicap on the Lakers, meaning that if you bet the Lakers to win, they have to win by 11 points or more, while if you gamble on the Hornets, they only have to lose by nine or less for you to win.
Point Totals
In basketball, you can predict the final combined score of the game. This bet is presented as an over/under bet. For example, the Bucks are playing the Heat, and the sportsbook may set the combined total score at 185. If you take the over, you win if the score is 186 and over while you bet the under, you win if the score is 184 or less. When placing a point totals wager, you need to research and look at some statistics. You should look at recent matches between the two teams and note the score total, you should also check out the average score of each team throughout the season and make a note of any 3 point shooters.
Parlays
Parlays involve you combining several single wagers into one bet. For example, you may bet on Detroit, Philadelphia, and Washington to win their games. To win this bet, all of your chosen teams have to emerge victorious. You aren’t limited to result gambling and can combine whatever gamble. Parlays are risky as your chance of correctly winning multiple wagers is low. However, sportsbooks reward you by offering super high odds. This betting style allows you to win big off modest stakes, and you can easily create parlays paying out 50 to 1 or 100 to 1. When making parlays, we recommend betting on 2 to 4 heavy favorites.
Money Line
The money line is the most popular form of wagering. This involves a sportsbook selecting a favorite and then offering odds on each team winning. Teams that are likely to win have much lower payouts than sides considered to have no chance of securing victory. With moneyline wagering, your job is to predict the winner of the game correctly. This style of wagering is incredibly simple and is perfect for new gamblers. At sportsbooks, you will find money lines for all NBA games and leagues from around the world.
We recommend betting on underdogs with home-court advantage who are returning home after a long road trip as these teams have a trend of causing the upset. You should stay away from gambling on big time favorites as the odds are so low you can’t win any real money.
Prop Bets
Basketball prop bets allow to make wagers on all sorts of occurrences throughout a game. You can wager on a player to be fouled out, score the first points, record a triple-double, or for the game to go to overtime. If something has the possibility of occurring during a game, you can wager on it via a prop bet.
Now you know about all the variety of basketball gambles available, all you need to do now is select which wager type you enjoy the most, create an account at a sportsbook (takes less than 5 minutes), and place your money! We recommend you try out a few different wager styles until you find the one you have the most success with.
Time to Gamble!
Now that you know all the peculiarities of the industry, it is time to start wagering on basketball and win big. Diversify the risks and control your winnings, and you will succeed!