When making your NBA betting picks, it is necessary to know how odds work and understand every detail of them. The NBA Odds uses the American Odds system, also known as moneyline odds, which is a betting system used in the United States and not regularly used outside the U.S.
NBA Betting Odds and Lines
Introduction to NBA Odds
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the top flight of American basketball and is considered the most prestigious league in the world; NBA odds are betting lines associated with games in this league’s preseason, 82-game regular-season schedule, or bracket-style postseason.
NBA odds can come in the form of traditional moneylines and spreads, as well as points totals, prop, live bets, and futures, such as which team is going to win the NBA Finals or which individual will win the Most Valuable Player award.
How to Read NBA odds
NBA odds are read just the same as all other major sports; favorites are denoted by a “-” in front of the associated numerical value unless both teams have a “-,” in which case the team with the greater absolute value— that is, the more negative number— is the favorite.
In contrast, the team with a “+” preceding its number value is always the underdog in two-option markets, which most bets are. Only in futures bets will NBA fans find wagers with more than two options, although bettors looking for more custom betting lines can search for “alternate lines” in spreads, point totals, and player props.
The usual bets, namely moneylines, spreads, and points totals, are typically displayed on the front of the NBA’s page, while other bets can be accessed through subheadings.
How to Bet on the NBA
Betting on the NBA is simple. All bettors have to do is find an outcome they are confident in, click on it, and it will automatically be added to a bet slip— think of this as a cart in an online retail location. From there, all that needs to happen is the player risks a certain amount of money from their wallet, which has to be filled via a deposit before the bet can go through.
