The game of basketball is synonymous with the National Basketball Association (NBA) – the world’s premier basketball league for teams in North America and Canada. Read our dedicated page for a complete guide to the NBA, and feel free to browse our NBA picks section for the best basketball betting tips. This guide will give you a more global overview of the sport, which continues to grow in popularity across Europe, Asia, and the rest of the world. We’ve also picked out the best bookmakers for betting on basketball below.
There are various types of bets and markets available to fans of basketball, and games across the world tend to follow the same 2-way betting format as the North American game. Any overtime is included in the bet (unless otherwise stated), and the most common betting markets are the spread, totals, and the moneyline:
Spread: The spread is similar to an Asian Handicap, in that one team will be given a points ‘headstart’ and the other a points ‘deficit’. This allows bookmakers to level the playing field between the two teams and offer roughly even odds.
Let’s look at an example from the EuroLeague where Real Madrid are playing CSKA Moscow. The spread and the odds are displayed as follows:
CSKA Moscow -3.5
-110
Real Madrid +3.5
-110
In this instance, CSKA Moscow must win by four points or more to cover the -3.5 spread. By contrast, as far as the betting market is concerned, Real Madrid have an additional +3.5 points added to their score at the end of the game. Therefore, if Real Madrid only loses by 2 points, the bet is a winner.
Total: The totals market is a simple bet on how many points will be scored in the match between the two teams combined. Your sportsbook will set a points line, and you can bet that the total will be over or under that line. European punters will be well-versed in this kind of over/under bet.
The total line and odds for the same match are expressed as follows:
Over 168.5
-110
Under 168.5
-110
Moneyline: The moneyline is another 2-way market, which asks you to predict the winner of the match. This is a simple home or away selection.
The moneyline odds for CSKA Moscow versus Real Madrid are:
CSKA Moscow
-170
Real Madrid
+150
As you can see, CSKA are the favorites to win the match, while the odds on Real Madrid are higher as that team is the underdog. If you fancy an upset it can pay handsomely to bet on the moneyline, but if you think the favorite will win it is often best to bet on the spread and hope they win comfortably, in order to increase the odds.
Beyond the typical markets, many bookmakers offer a variety of different betting opportunities, including the above three markets for the first and second halves, and for each of the four quarters. Other exotic and prop bets include:
After those extra markets, bookies also offer other exotic bets such as the alternative points spread, the race to 20 points, the team with the highest-scoring quarter, and odd or even points totals. In addition, most sportsbooks offer futures, or long-term, markets whereby you can back a team to win the league, or championship outright.
The NBA attracts most basketball betting attention. It is by far the most famous league in the world and its stars are some of the best-paid athletes out there. However, there is also a big following of the sports in almost every corner of the globe, and most countries have their own leagues – of various standing. In Europe, the EuroLeague is the premier club competition, while the Americas League is considered the most important basketball club championship in South America. Asia has a long history of basketball, and the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is widely considered the next best league in the world after the NBA. Below are some of the best tournaments and competitions worldwide for basketball betting, although this is by no means an exhaustive list:
Such is the popularity of basketball, there are matches being played on a daily basis throughout the world. Betting on basketball is thus big business and that puts us punters in a good position as sportsbooks compete for our bets. Most bookmakers offer sign-up bonuses or welcome promotions for new customers and these are always worth taking advantage of to bag yourself a free bet. Other things to look out for when betting on basketball are the bookies with the best odds and the biggest range of markets. Take a look through our strategy section to find tips and advice on maximizing your profits and minimizing your losses.
If you’ve started betting on basketball it is almost certainly because you enjoy watching the game. You can use this to your advantage to beat the bookies. If you are up to speed on the teams and players that are in form or any other factors that might affect a result, you should have an edge over the sportsbook and can find generous odds if the layers aren’t paying attention. Finally, be sure to stick to a disciplined betting bank and enjoy betting on basketball!
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