Dec 23, 2016 Basketball Betting Odds Details Explained Updated： Basketball online match betting has many markets available that are similar to American Football, soccer and ice-hockey gambling. Because basketball has 4 quarters there are many markets available both for the final result of the match and for individual period and half-time results. The VegasInsider.com College Basketball Las Vegas Odds is one of the most popular betting resources for bettors that wager on NCAA Men's basketball action throughout the season, which begins in early November and concludes in the first week of April.
If you need the NBA betting odds explained to you so that you know that you are making the right bets, this is the page for you. The staff at ExplainBettingOdds.com loves to bet on the NBA and we are happy to help others understand how the betting lines work. The NBA plays 82 games during the regular season, plus a rather lengthy postseason. These all present a number of opportunities to bet on the NBA. Oddsmakers and online sportsbooks form a ton of NBA betting lines throughout the course of the season. And there are even odds up when the season is not in play. With the accessibility of betting odds for sports at bettor's fingertips, thanks to online sportsbooks and the wide use of the Internet, sports betting has really taken off. The NBA is one of the most popular sports in the world, with basketball being played all over. So it only makes sense that the NBA would be one of the leaders when it comes to oddsmakers forming lines. Here on this page, it is our goal to inform you about the basic betting lines you will see for NBA games, and throughout the course of the NBA Season. This way, you can go into an online sportsbook equipped with the knowledge about what they are offering, and whether you think it is a good line to take advantage of with a wager.
NBA Point Spreads Explained
For every game on the NBA schedule, oddsmakers will install what is known as a point spread. A point spread establishes a favorite in the game, which is the team predicted to win, and an underdog in the game, which is the team predicted to lose. But not every point spread is the same. Oddsmakers might think that one favorite is bigger than another. They will install a spread according to how much the favorite should win by, where the favorite will have to give points away. And while the favorite gives points away, the underdog receives the points. This essentially evens the hypothetical playing field, as in real life the teams obviously do not give or take points from each other. This is only done for betting the spread purposes. Once the spread is set, a wager can be made on either team covering that line. For the favorite, it's a bet to win by more than the spread. For the underdog, it's to lose by less than the number, or win the game outright.
NBA Quarter Betting Odds Explained
There are also what are known as quarter betting lines for the NBA. These operate just like point spreads for the whole game, only broken up into the 12 minute quarters. These Lines are obviously much closer than the overall game line, but wagers are made on teams covering the spreads.
Explanation Of How To Read 1st Half NBA Odds
A first half wager is made on the betting line which is installed for the first half of play only. This line will most likely be cut in half from the overall game line, or right around there. The bet is made on which team will cover by the time the first half is over. Once it gets to half time, this betting line is over and the rest of the game has no effect on this outcome.
NBA Moneylines Explained
Betting the moneyline is another form of a straight wager. Though instead of a point spread, the moneyline bet is placed on the team to win the game straight up, with no spread involved. If you think the Magic will beat the Hawks, bet on Orlando without a point spread. Sounds pretty easy right? Well it definitely is an easy wager to make. However, because of the fact that it is technically easier to win a bet on the moneyline, the payouts are a lot different. You will have to risk a lot more on a favorite to win versus an underdog, and the profit is not very high. However, a bet on the underdog on the moneyline could be very profitable, because their chances of winning the game straight up are less.
NBA Over / Unders + Game Totals Explained
The third part of the basic game lines installed for every matchup is betting on the Over / Under odds. Here, oddsmakers set down a total for the combined score that the two teams will put up in the game. The bet is then made on the actual total for the game going over or under that mark. You simply add up the total of the two teams score, and then compare it to what you bet and see if you won. Payouts for this bet are right around even money.
NBA Team Props
NBA Team prop betting odds are formulated for the match ups throughout the course of the season, but can also be odds formed relating to the season. As for the games, NBA team props can cover a range of topics. An example of an NBA team prop might be, 'which team will score 20 points first?' This bet is then placed, and the team that reaches 20 points first will win. From there, the rest of the game doesn't relate to this wager. Think of NBA Team props are smaller wagers within the game, though as far as money placed on these props it can be just as much as a point spread wager on the game.
Best legal online casino. NBA Player Props
NBA Player props are bets formed on players based on their performances in a game or on the season as a whole. As for the game player props, they can be a number of different things, usually revolving around points scored, rebounds, steals, assists and other stats accumulated for a game. The bets will be on the over or under for a player's statistics. For example, the total number of points that LeBron James will score against the Celtics on any given night. The bet will be made on James scoring more or less than the installed line.
How Live Betting NBA Odds Work
Live betting is a lot of fun for the NBA. With a number of games each week, live betting during the NBA season can be quite active as well. Not every online sportsbook offers live betting, but the majority of them do. When it comes to the NBA, live betting can feature a bunch of different lines, including alternate game spreads, team props, and player props. Online sportsbooks will list which games are available to bet live, and which games are on the schedule coming up.
NBA Championship Futures Odds Explained
From the moment that the NBA championship from the previous year is won, NBA Championship futures odds for the upcoming season are formed. These odds are formed on the teams betting lines to win the championship. They stay up all season long, going into and through the regular season where we could see a lot of changes depending on the performances of teams.
Bovada Sportsbook - Best Sports Betting Site For NBA
There are no problems when signing up for an account with Bovada. There are plenty of games offered here and most of the time. When you have sports like the NBA on your site, it only makes more fans sign up for an account. There are so many different prop bets there for players to bet on that the features here are always filled with plenty of players. There are features like live betting and mobile betting which means there will be more players that will get involved in making a lot of money. This is for the most part the place to go and the reason is simply because of how much money you can win! Winning money is the goal and win players win big, this brings other players to join Bovada as well!
SportsBetting Sportsbook - NBA Bets On SportsBetting
People always try to figure out what is the best place to place their bets and capitalize big on games. SportsBetting is the best without question. There are so many sports for players to bet on and NBA sticks out as one of the better ones. This is why all of the players like to use SportsBetting because, with all the games that are played, players have many bets on SportsBetting that could change their life. The mobile betting feature and the live betting feature sticks out as one of the few options that players can get and make money on. Sportsbetting has all the games and player prop bets and combination bets for players so this only means big dollar bills for players with a SportsBetting account.
BetOnline Sportsbook - BetOnline Number One With NBA Bets
This is where all the players come in and see that NBA games are on BetOnline and they can place their best bets on site. Most of the time players know that when they want to play big, they choose the best banking method, which BetOnline has many of, and then look at the odds and prop bets that are here for players to check out. More money is the plan for bettors when placing wagers when they get the chance to win big on BetOnline, they take advantage of that and play big from time to time on these NBA games. There are also bonuses that are on BetOnline so most of the time soon as a player signs in to their account, all these see is promotions and bonuses that could change the amount they play or what bets they place. BetOnline has it all.
MyBookie Sportsbook - NBA Bets On MyBookie Top Tier
MyBookie is known for a lot of things and the main they are known for is players making money. The reason for this is because of all the sports that are here for players to make money off of. The variety of games and the sports on MyBookie is just one thing that players tell other players which is why they bring in other players to MyBookie. There is no reason for players to be bored on MyBookie because of all the sports on this site including the NBA which is one of the most important popular sports out there for fans. The games turn very fast so that is one reason why MyBookie has the live betting feature here as well for players to use as a betting option as well. With the mobile betting feature here as well, the number one thing that players won't have a problem with is placing their bets when they leave their house. NBA season is long so make sure to have a MyBookie account so money can flow every night!
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On the home page of this site you will have seen the NCAA basketball odds for upcoming games. These odds include the spread, the moneyline and the over/unders. These three types of bets are the most common NCAA basketball bets you will find online.
Spreads
Basketball Odds Explained Diagram
The spread is the amount of points the online sportsbook thinks the favourite would win by in a typical game. This can also be described as a handicap for the underdog. If you place a spread bet on the favourite, then the team must cover the spread in order for you to win your wager. Similarly, if you place a bet on the underdog, you will win the bet if the underdog wins the game or if the favourite team fails to cover the spread. For example:
Pittsburgh +6.5
Connecticut -6.5
For a bet on Pittsburgh to pay out the Pittsburgh Panthers must win or lose by 6 or less points. For a bet on Connecticut to pay out the Huskies must win the game by 7 or more points.
The odds for a spread are -110 for both teams unless otherwise stated.
Moneyline
A moneyline bet is a wager on the team that you think will win the game with no handicap or spreads. To win the wager your team simply has to win the game. The odds vary a lot for these types of bets with bets on the favourites paying out less and bets on the underdogs paying out more. For example, continuing with the Pittsburgh vs Connecticut example the moneyline would look like this:
Explanation Of How To Read 1st Half NBA Odds
A first half wager is made on the betting line which is installed for the first half of play only. This line will most likely be cut in half from the overall game line, or right around there. The bet is made on which team will cover by the time the first half is over. Once it gets to half time, this betting line is over and the rest of the game has no effect on this outcome.
NBA Moneylines Explained
Betting the moneyline is another form of a straight wager. Though instead of a point spread, the moneyline bet is placed on the team to win the game straight up, with no spread involved. If you think the Magic will beat the Hawks, bet on Orlando without a point spread. Sounds pretty easy right? Well it definitely is an easy wager to make. However, because of the fact that it is technically easier to win a bet on the moneyline, the payouts are a lot different. You will have to risk a lot more on a favorite to win versus an underdog, and the profit is not very high. However, a bet on the underdog on the moneyline could be very profitable, because their chances of winning the game straight up are less.
NBA Over / Unders + Game Totals Explained
The third part of the basic game lines installed for every matchup is betting on the Over / Under odds. Here, oddsmakers set down a total for the combined score that the two teams will put up in the game. The bet is then made on the actual total for the game going over or under that mark. You simply add up the total of the two teams score, and then compare it to what you bet and see if you won. Payouts for this bet are right around even money.
NBA Team Props
NBA Team prop betting odds are formulated for the match ups throughout the course of the season, but can also be odds formed relating to the season. As for the games, NBA team props can cover a range of topics. An example of an NBA team prop might be, 'which team will score 20 points first?' This bet is then placed, and the team that reaches 20 points first will win. From there, the rest of the game doesn't relate to this wager. Think of NBA Team props are smaller wagers within the game, though as far as money placed on these props it can be just as much as a point spread wager on the game.
Best legal online casino. NBA Player Props
NBA Player props are bets formed on players based on their performances in a game or on the season as a whole. As for the game player props, they can be a number of different things, usually revolving around points scored, rebounds, steals, assists and other stats accumulated for a game. The bets will be on the over or under for a player's statistics. For example, the total number of points that LeBron James will score against the Celtics on any given night. The bet will be made on James scoring more or less than the installed line.
How Live Betting NBA Odds Work
Live betting is a lot of fun for the NBA. With a number of games each week, live betting during the NBA season can be quite active as well. Not every online sportsbook offers live betting, but the majority of them do. When it comes to the NBA, live betting can feature a bunch of different lines, including alternate game spreads, team props, and player props. Online sportsbooks will list which games are available to bet live, and which games are on the schedule coming up.
NBA Championship Futures Odds Explained
From the moment that the NBA championship from the previous year is won, NBA Championship futures odds for the upcoming season are formed. These odds are formed on the teams betting lines to win the championship. They stay up all season long, going into and through the regular season where we could see a lot of changes depending on the performances of teams.
Bovada Sportsbook - Best Sports Betting Site For NBA
There are no problems when signing up for an account with Bovada. There are plenty of games offered here and most of the time. When you have sports like the NBA on your site, it only makes more fans sign up for an account. There are so many different prop bets there for players to bet on that the features here are always filled with plenty of players. There are features like live betting and mobile betting which means there will be more players that will get involved in making a lot of money. This is for the most part the place to go and the reason is simply because of how much money you can win! Winning money is the goal and win players win big, this brings other players to join Bovada as well!
SportsBetting Sportsbook - NBA Bets On SportsBetting
People always try to figure out what is the best place to place their bets and capitalize big on games. SportsBetting is the best without question. There are so many sports for players to bet on and NBA sticks out as one of the better ones. This is why all of the players like to use SportsBetting because, with all the games that are played, players have many bets on SportsBetting that could change their life. The mobile betting feature and the live betting feature sticks out as one of the few options that players can get and make money on. Sportsbetting has all the games and player prop bets and combination bets for players so this only means big dollar bills for players with a SportsBetting account.
BetOnline Sportsbook - BetOnline Number One With NBA Bets
This is where all the players come in and see that NBA games are on BetOnline and they can place their best bets on site. Most of the time players know that when they want to play big, they choose the best banking method, which BetOnline has many of, and then look at the odds and prop bets that are here for players to check out. More money is the plan for bettors when placing wagers when they get the chance to win big on BetOnline, they take advantage of that and play big from time to time on these NBA games. There are also bonuses that are on BetOnline so most of the time soon as a player signs in to their account, all these see is promotions and bonuses that could change the amount they play or what bets they place. BetOnline has it all.
MyBookie Sportsbook - NBA Bets On MyBookie Top Tier
MyBookie is known for a lot of things and the main they are known for is players making money. The reason for this is because of all the sports that are here for players to make money off of. The variety of games and the sports on MyBookie is just one thing that players tell other players which is why they bring in other players to MyBookie. There is no reason for players to be bored on MyBookie because of all the sports on this site including the NBA which is one of the most important popular sports out there for fans. The games turn very fast so that is one reason why MyBookie has the live betting feature here as well for players to use as a betting option as well. With the mobile betting feature here as well, the number one thing that players won't have a problem with is placing their bets when they leave their house. NBA season is long so make sure to have a MyBookie account so money can flow every night!
Deposit Bonuses | Visit Sportsbook | |
| $1,000 Max - 50% Bonus | All 50 States | Go To BetOnline |
| $250 Max - 50% Match | 46 States | Go To Bovada |
| $1,000 Max - 50% Bonus | All 50 States | Go To Sportsbetting |
| 100% to $500 | All 50 States | Go To BetDSI |
On the home page of this site you will have seen the NCAA basketball odds for upcoming games. These odds include the spread, the moneyline and the over/unders. These three types of bets are the most common NCAA basketball bets you will find online.
Spreads
Basketball Odds Explained Diagram
The spread is the amount of points the online sportsbook thinks the favourite would win by in a typical game. This can also be described as a handicap for the underdog. If you place a spread bet on the favourite, then the team must cover the spread in order for you to win your wager. Similarly, if you place a bet on the underdog, you will win the bet if the underdog wins the game or if the favourite team fails to cover the spread. For example:
Pittsburgh +6.5
Connecticut -6.5
For a bet on Pittsburgh to pay out the Pittsburgh Panthers must win or lose by 6 or less points. For a bet on Connecticut to pay out the Huskies must win the game by 7 or more points.
The odds for a spread are -110 for both teams unless otherwise stated.
Moneyline
A moneyline bet is a wager on the team that you think will win the game with no handicap or spreads. To win the wager your team simply has to win the game. The odds vary a lot for these types of bets with bets on the favourites paying out less and bets on the underdogs paying out more. For example, continuing with the Pittsburgh vs Connecticut example the moneyline would look like this:
Pittsburgh +250
Connecticut -300
This means that a $100 wager on Pittsburgh would payout $350 for a $250 profit, while a $100 wager on Connecticut would payout $133.33 for a $33.33 profit.
Basketball Odds Explained Game
Over/Under
The bookies will give a total number of points they think the game will have with both teams points included. You can then place an 'over' wager, which means you think more than this number of points will be scored or an 'under' wager, which means you think fewer than the over/under number of points will be scored. For example:
The Pittsburgh vs Connecticut over/under is 134.
Basketball Odds Explained Odds
If you think more than 134 points will be scored than you should place an 'over' wager and vice versa on the 'under'. The typical betting odds for over/under bets is -110 unless otherwise stated.
