NBA Betting Strategies For Beginners

Suddenly intrigued by the idea of betting on the National Basketball Association? While Lebron James will have you at the edge of your seat watching him shoot a 3-pointer, it is entertaining. When you’ve got a bet riding on those shots, it’s absolutely electrifying. While some may think betting is largely based on intuition and luck, those are only tiny aspects of it.

You need to be strategic when wagering, and in this article, we’re going to provide you with some of the best strategies beginners can implement to help you get in the game on the right foot.

Types of Bets in the NBA

First, let’s help you get a grip on the different types of bets you place in the NBA.

• Moneyline - the most popular and straightforward betting method. A moneyline bet means you’re wagering on which team you think is going to win. However, you’re not betting on the team that wins based on the scores in the match but the team that wins overall
• Spread - the spread will indicate the margin of victory and defeat for teams in the match, and essentially, it creates odds that are close to even for both teams. The Sportsbooks place a certain amount of points for the favourite team to cover for the bet to cash out
• Point Totals - points or over/under, as it’s also known, are when you bet on a team or game. In essence, you’d bet on the total score combined by both teams or on how many points one team will score
• Parlays - this involves spreading bets across multiple markets, which gives you better chances of winning but also increases the risk. To be paid out, all the selections you’ve made need to be right
• Props - these are bets made on individual players
• Game Props - this type of bet involves several bets, including a race to a specific score the margins, or even whether the game will go to overtime
• Stat Leaders - this bet involves wagering on individuals for different actions they do during the game
• First Basket - put simply, with this bet, you’ll wager on which player will get the first basket

How Do Betting Odds Work?

Your bookie is not just in this line of business for the fun of it; they’re here to make a profit more than any bettor. Ever

Strategies For Beginner NBA Punters

When there are so many factors to weigh in when placing a bet on the NBA, it can be tricky to know exactly what you’re doing. Here are a few tips to help you as a beginner strategise your bets in basketball.

1.    Create a bankroll management plan

The key to having fun while betting is to do it responsibly, and having a bankroll management plan will help keep you in check. A good bankroll management plan will include planning and sticking to a budget and leveraging bonuses to make your bankroll last. In the early days of betting on basketball games, this may also include staying away from those high-risk bets. You can increase your bankroll as you continue to learn more.

2.    Pay attention to the players on and off the court

Of course, if a star player is injured and out of the game, it’s going to impact the overall game and the betting odds. So, pay attention to the players’ conditions and whether they’ll be playing home or away games, as everything can impact their performance on the court. Always confirm the playing status of key players before you make your wager.

3.    Always go through a reputable betting site

There are a lot of brilliant betting sites, but there are equally as many scams on the internet, so always check that the site is a trusted NBA site. Not only will your money be safe on trusted sites, but most will also give you accurate betting odds updates and will allow you to check out the latest tips on the NBA.

Don’t just go for the first site that appears; you want one that will give you the best chance of winning. Select online sportsbooks that have:

• Competitive NBA lines and odds
• Fair banking and wagering amounts
• A variety of betting options
• Beneficial promotions and bonuses

4.    Understand the NBA betting system

An NBA betting system is a strategy you, as the bettor, can use to identify and take advantage of the patterns. Bookies do everything on purpose, so you need to:

• Figure out what the bookie’s intentions are - if you see trends where bookies are tilting a line, start betting for the other team
• Find the shaded lines - the shaded lines are where bookies prepare for a heavy wave of bets in favour of one side, and they intentionally overprice the line to try and entice people to bet for the underdog. When you spot lines that are clearly shaded (due to recent performance or news), you can typically find more value in betting for the other side
• Try to fade the betting public - this means you will bet the opposite of what the majority bets are

Final Thoughts

Betting on basketball doesn’t have to be reserved for your favourite team; it’s a game by itself. In order to have fun when betting, you need to ensure you’re strategising, and a big part of that is being as responsible as possible. So pay attention to every little detail involving the games, the players, the conditions and the bookies before you place your bet.