NBA Betting

NBA Betting Sites

With active legends of the game like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant, a steady influx of international stars like two-time NBA MVP winners Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic, as well as an emphasis on growing the game globally, the NBA is one of the most popular professional sports leagues in the world.

Every year, millions upon millions of basketball enthusiasts in the United States and beyond tune in, and a portion of those viewers also love to engage in NBA betting at varying levels of frequency.

Some bettors like to make daily NBA betting picks. Others focus only on special options like NBA Rookie of the Year odds or NBA scoring leader odds or certain times of the season, like the NBA Finals.

Many reputable online sportsbooks offer a wide range of NBA odds and betting markets to choose from. What should you look for in an NBA betting site?

Features of A Good NBA Betting Site

Not all betting sites are built the same, and this is especially true of sites that accept bets on the NBA. Let’s review some of the criteria our reviewers use when compiling site reviews.

What Types of Bets Are Offered?

This is the most basic of items we look at when reviewing sports betting sites.

When it comes to NBA bets, we like sites that offer far more than the basic spread and totals markets. There are many markets that reputable sportsbooks offer on each game, including NBA player props, which are one of the most popular ways to bet on the NBA.

We also look for sites that will allow you to parlay two markets in the same game (same-game parlay) to enhance your odds.

Live Betting

Unlike some other sports like tennis or soccer, the pace of an NBA game is frenetic, with leads appearing and disappearing very quickly during the flow of a game.

With smartphones offering the ability to bet from anywhere at any time without having to be in front of a computer, live betting has become very popular with players who are looking for added value opportunities once a game has tipped off.

With that in mind, all reputable sportsbooks will offer in-game betting, so make sure to look for this feature when you are shopping around.

Futures Betting

The NBA regular season is 82 games long, followed by a play-in tournament and four playoff rounds.

Over the course of that campaign, there may be golden opportunities to place futures bets.

What are futures bets? They are bets that you make well in advance of a particular outcome, like betting on NBA championship odds or NBA Draft odds.

Bonuses and Offers

The best sites out there today offer players more than just betting. They help players stretch their betting dollars by way of bonuses, promotions, and rewards programs.

Many sportsbooks offer special bonuses prior to the start of the season, for the playoffs, or when the NBA Finals are on the horizon. But those specific bonus offers aren’t the only perks that make a betting site more appealing.

For example, a site that has an excellent loyalty program may not cater specifically to NBA players but still provides a higher return on each deposit.

Basic NBA Betting Strategy

Whether you are a novice or a longtime bettor, learning and knowing the basics of the NBA is a good place to start.

You don’t have to know every team, player, and coach like the back of your hand.

But you need to know the basics about NBA games, how the league works, and basics about teams and notable players. Knowing those basics can help you with being able to pick value spots well.

Bet Smart and With Limits

This may sound like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many people either bet too big on a game or play too many games in a week.

We always recommend that you start with a bankroll that you are comfortable losing 100% of without it affecting the rest of your life. Remember, gambling is supposed to be entertaining and spending more than you can afford can have adverse effects.

Once you have your bankroll, try not to spread it around too many games at once. Do your research and pick only what you are confident in. That doesn’t guarantee success because sports are unpredictable, but it will enhance your chances of turning a long-term profit.

Study the Schedule to Find Value

The NBA season is a long one, and in there, teams have to extend themselves at times.

Look for the teams that might be suffering from some fatigue and if they are up against opponents that could take advantage. If so, you should be taking advantage as well.

Also, teams have extended road trips or homestands at various points throughout the season. Pay attention to which teams thrive or struggle on the road or at home.

As soon as the schedule comes out, you should highlight some games, then keep notes as the season progresses.

Watch out for Load Management Spots

This season, the league will be trying to minimize how frequently star players or key starters are rested. It will be interesting to see the effect of their new policies, but it is reasonable to assume that we will still see load management spots come into play here and there.

Keep an eye on back-to-backs, matchups against inferior opposition, or late-season contests where the game is more important for one team than the other. Also, pay attention to how teams do when they are without their best player(s). Some teams suffer from a bigger drop-off than others.

Bet on the First-Half Line

Many gamblers swear by first half lines of games. As a game goes into the later stages, there are often many fouls made to try to stop the clock, which can lead to loads of extra points being scored, affecting both spread and over/under betting.

While this can skew the line for an entire game, it is far less likely to happen during the first half. As these lines and totals are purer, they can often be easier to bet.

Try Some Prop Bets

An NBA game has a lot of moving parts, and as a result, there are tons of things to bet on before and during a game that don’t involve who will win the game.

This can be anything from points scored to made three-pointers to combinations that could involve points, rebounds, and/or assists.

Prop bets, especially player prop bets, not only offer a way to bet on the action other than spread, over/under, and moneyline bets, but you can easily find value night in, night out if you know the spots to target.

NBA Teams

Knowing the NBA team that you plan to bet on or against will definitely help you come out on top when betting. Check out breakdowns of each NBA team below:

• Atlanta Hawks
• Boston Celtics
• Brooklyn Nets
• Charlotte Hornets
• Chicago Bulls
• Cleveland Cavaliers
• Dallas Mavericks
• Denver Nuggets
• Detroit Pistons
• Golden State Warriors
• Houston Rockets
• Indiana Pacers
• LA Clippers
• LA Lakers
• Memphis Grizzlies
• Miami Heat
• Milwaukee Bucks
• Minnesota Timberwolves
• New Orleans Pelicans
• New York Knicks
• Oklahoma City Thunder
• Orlando Magic
• Philedelphia 76ers
• Phoenix Suns
• Portland Trail Blazers
• Sacramento Kings
• San Antonio Spurs
• Toronto Raptors
• Utah Jazz
• Washington Wizards

The Best NBA Betting Sites

When we perform a full review of a betting site, we try to look at it from the perspective of every type of sports bettor.

Here, we have compiled this list of recommended NBA betting sites. These companies have all received top ratings from our team, and all have a great selection of NBA bets for you to choose from.

Also, these sites provide the best customer service and payment options so you can get your money to and from the site with no hassles or concerns.

We always recommend that you shop around for lines, which is why we give you many sites to choose from on this list. We encourage you to look at each one, see if any differences matter to you personally, and then look for the best odds on the games you want to bet on.

Top NBA Players of All-Time

Listed in no particular order, here are 25 of the top NBA players of all time, which includes a couple of players who are still active:

1.  Charles Barkley “Sir Charles”
2.  Julius Erving “Doctor J”
3.  Earvin “Magic” Johnson
4.  Michael Jordan “His Airness”
5.  Jerry West “Mr.Clutch”
6. Tim Duncan “The Big Fundamental”
7. Elgin Baylor “Rabbit”
8.  David Robinson “The Admiral”
9.  Shaquille O’Neal “Superman”
10.  Karl Malone “The Mailman”
11.  Kevin Durant “KD”
12.  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar “Lew”
13.  Kobe Bryant “The Black Mamba”
14.  Oscar Robertson “The Big O”
15.  Isiah Thomas “Mr.Wonderful”
16.  Lebron James “King James”
17.  Hakeem Olajuwon “The Dream”
18.  Bob Pettit “Big Blue”
19.  Kevin Garnett “The Big Ticket”
20.  Larry Bird “Kodak”
21.  John Havlicek “Hando”
22.  Scottie Pippen “Robin”
23.  Wilt Chamberlain “The Big Dipper”
24.  Kevin McHale “The Black Hole” 
25.  Bill Russell “Secretary of Defense”