How to Bet on Basketball
Are you new to basketball betting? Don’t worry; you can easily get in on the action. Simply follow these steps:
- Choose the right betting site
First things first, sign up with a sportsbook that covers basketball well. You can go for any of the sites I’ve reviewed in this guide since they’re licensed, trustworthy, and offer good odds across the NBA, Euroleague, and local UK games. Make sure they accept your preferred payment option.
- Head to the sports section
Once you’re logged in, click on the Sports tab or icon. From there, scroll down or search for basketball. Most sites will list it alongside football, tennis, and other sports.
- Choose your preferred league or competition
This is where you have to select the competition you wish to bet on. You can choose from the NBA, Euroleague, NCAA, or the British Basketball League. Each of them offers tons of betting markets.
Once you’ve picked a game and selected your bet type, enter how much you want to wager. Your potential payout will pop out automatically.
Click on Place Bet. That’s it. Your bet will be listed on your account, and you can monitor it.
Popular Basketball Betting Markets
When I’m betting on basketball, there are some markets I use the most. They’re easy to access on any sportsbook and give you different ways to enjoy the game beyond just picking a winner. I’ll explain some of the popular options below:
Moneyline (match winner): This is the most basic market where you bet on which team will win the game. It’s simple and perfect for quick picks.
Point spread (handicap): In this case, you wager on a team to either win by a specific number of points or lose by less than the set spread.
Totals (over/under): You can wager on how many points will be scored overall in the game. The bookmaker will set a specific number, and you’ll bet on whether the total points scored will exceed or fall short of the threshold set by the bookmaker.
Player props: Here, you bet on individual performances, like how many points, rebounds, or assists a specific player will get in a game.
Futures: This is where you bet on long-term outcomes, like who will win the NBA or the MVP of the season.
Live/in-play betting: Most sportsbooks provide an in-play section where you can bet on games that are already happening. You’ll find multiple markets here like the next point scorer or the final winner of the game.