Basketball Betting
Say bye-bye to March sadness, and hello to basketball’s return! Pro basketball is set to make a return on Friday, July 31 with 22 teams in playoff contention in eight regular-season games for 2019-20.
BetMGM is camped in the paint, offering exciting odds and betting specials on every game of the rejigged regular season and pro basketball playoffs!
Basketball was officially paused on March 11, but before the league grinded to a halt, the Milwaukee Bucks were on track to finish as the number one overall seed, with the Los Angeles Lakers hot on their heels after going 9-1 in their last 10 games. Now, though, basketball betting is back and the games will come thick and fast as the league has announced a new, exciting format to get the season completed.
BetMGM offers the best basketball betting opportunities, and you can catch live streams as the action plays out if you are registered with our sportsbook casino. Our outright markets also allow you to place future bets on the title winner, conference winner, division winner, MVPs, and more.
So why not join the fun and bet across a spread of matches in basketball games every day of the week?
Basketball Betting FAQs
1. How to bet on basketball
The basketball season offers punters many opportunities to bet. There are a variety of ways in which you can bet on basketball including moneyline bets, parlays, half-time betting, and futures.
- Moneyline – this is the most common and simple basketball bet. On the moneyline you simply bet on a certain team to win the game.
- Over/under (totals) – essentially betting on the combined score for each team. The bookie will determine if the score will be over or under certain points.
- Halftime lines – a savvy bettor knows that halftime does not mean it is time to change the channel. Instead, it is time to take advantage of halftime lines which are available during halftime only. Here you bet on an entirely new spread taking into account what happened in the first half of the game.
- Parlays – also known as teasers. This betting market allows you to combine all your bets to increase your payout. However, in order to win, all your selections need to be correct.
- Futures and outrights – another popular market where you bet on the championship winner, conference winners, division winners, and MVPs.
Our sports betting guide explains in further detail.
2. What is spread betting in basketball?
The spread or handicap is a betting market that bookies use to level the playing field. The handicap is often displayed as either (-) or (+) and is used to determine the outcome of the game for the purpose of the bet. For instance, the Lakers are the underdog at +7.5 points, and the Bulls at -7.5 as the favorite. Therefore, if you bet on the favorite, you will need to subtract 7.5 points from their final score to win your bet. However, if you bet on the underdog, you will need to add 7.5 points to their final score to win.
3. What is a moneyline bet in basketball?
Basketball moneyline betting is wagering on the winner of the game without the point spread. This is also considered straight betting as it is very straightforward. If the moneyline is looking something like:
- Toronto Raptors -200
- Utah Jazz +140
This means that if you bet on the Raptors to win you need to bet $200 to get $100. If your money is on Jazz, then you need to wager $100 to profit $140. Moneyline wagers are made using odds to reflect the strength of the teams. So, if you wager on a team expected to win you are required to risk more than you stand to lose.
4. How do odds work in basketball?
Odds in most sports betting come in three formats: American odds, fractional odds, and decimal odds. American odds are used mostly in the US and some parts of Canada and are presented as whole numbers. These are mostly popular in American football. While fractional odds come in fractions like 10/1, 5/7, etc, and decimal odds in decimals such as 2.0, 1.85, etc.
- American odds – the (-) sign is used to represent the favorite, while the (+) represents the underdog. If the odds are Celtics -110 and Mavericks +110, then it means you need to bet $110 to get $100 on Celtics or bet $100 to get $110 on the Mavericks.
- Fractional odds – the favorite is represented by the top number being smaller than the bottom number on either side of the fraction, and vice versa for the underdog.
- Decimal odds – these work in a different manner compared to the other odds. Decimals show the total money your bet returns and not just the profit. The underdog usually has odds greater
than 2.0, and the favorite less. The odds for the draw are usually higher than 2.0.
5. How to bet over/under in basketball
Over/under basketball bets are another simple betting market. Here punters simply bet on whether the total score of the game will be over or under certain points set by the bookmaker. For instance, let’s say the Los Angeles Clippers are playing the Brooklyn Nets and the bookie sets a total of 190.5. If the total score is 191 points or more, then the over wins, but if it is lower than 190.5 then the under wins. Sometimes a sportsbook casino might present the odds with the (-) and (+) signs to present the probability of the teams, how much you need to wager, and how much to expect in return.
6. How to read basketball betting lines
Reading basketball betting lines is simpler than it looks. In definition, a betting line is a betting market where teams are handicapped by setting a margin to make the contest 50/50. There are many betting lines that you will find in basketball including the ones we have already discussed—spread betting, moneylines, and totals. All you need to do is read through them and find the ones that you are most comfortable with using. Knowing the different types of bets available will help you know when a bet is good and has value in the market when you bet on basketball games. As you can see, there is more to it than simply betting on who you think will win the game.
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