LowPlays NBA Betting Guide
Ask any basketball fan around the world, and chances are they will watch (and probably bet on) at least a few NBA games every season. The NBA truly is the pinnacle of the sport, and it’s full of fast-paced games with exhilarating finales and superstars on both sides.
However, betting on basketball (and the NBA in particular) doesn’t just revolve around knowing the skill of each team. As a new bettor or someone with a low bankroll, you need to understand the intricacies of NBA betting so as not to make mistakes in your slips and to help ensure your bankroll grows.
That’s why our LowPlays experts created this NBA betting guide to show you the different bet types as well as a few tips to keep in mind for your own bets.
Recommended NBA Betting Sites
There are several different highly-respected sportsbooks that provide odds for all NBA games. Our team singles out the following, with each one excelling in one or a few aspects.
BetMGM Sportsbook – Very few (if any) platforms can beat the intuitive and user-friendly interface BetMGM offers. The NBA sportsbook makes browsing and betting a breeze, offers very competitive odds, and provides one of the best welcome bonuses for low rollers that only require a $5 minimum deposit.
DraftKings Sportsbook – DraftKings is the king of prop bets and same-game parlays, and you can find several of these options both for pre-game and live bets. The sportsbook features a generous new-player offer that also costs just $5 to obtain, making it ideal for low bankroll bettors.
Betway Sportsbook – Betway stands out for its variety of betting markets, particularly in NBA totals and spreads. You can find a bunch of alternative lines for these markets, and the sportsbook is one of the easiest to operate, thanks to its simplified UI.
FanDuel Sportsbook – FanDuel is a top platform for NBA live bets since you can view the games through the live streaming feature, which gives you a better idea of how things are going. Low deposit players will also appreciate the small minimum deposit requirement to receive the FanDuel welcome bonus.
Betting in the NBA Regular Season
Most of the NBA betting happens during the regular season, which is 82 games long and lasts from October to April. That’s when teams play against each other at least twice, with teams from the same Division or Conference playing more games against one another. This is key to remember in your NBA bets – each team knows its Division or Conference rivals much better than teams from the other Conference.
Another important aspect of the NBA regular season is rest and injury management. Coaches don’t want to lose their best players for important matches in the Playoffs, and players don’t want to overwork themselves. NBA teams will often rest their best players.
That’s why superstars rarely play for extended minutes or at 100% during the regular season. There’s little to no incentive, and everyone wants to be in top shape for the Playoffs.
That’s also why you might see a powerhouse team playing a back-to-back game against a mediocre group and actually lose. Players are tired from the previous night, and they may even need to make a trip across the country to play on the following day.
And let’s not forget about tanking. Several teams may “purposefully” lose a bunch of games to guarantee a better chance at the lottery for top draft picks, especially if there are a lot of great prospects in this year’s class.
With all these things in mind, you should probably moderate your bets during the regular season, watch each team perform, and save your bankroll for the Playoffs.
Betting in the NBA Playoffs
The Playoffs are when it starts to matter for most teams and most players. That’s where you’ll see superstar players playing for 40+ minutes and taking it upon themselves to guide their team to victory. It’s also where coaches make key adjustments to player matchups, which may lead to some role players seeing more minutes on the floor.
Home advantage is key here, unlike the regular season. That’s because the stakes are higher, and the crowd is much more involved in chanting and boosting the home team. Also, role players usually perform much better at home, so you can target the “over” bets on their props more consistently.
But don’t forget that rest and injury management are important in this stage as well. No coach wants to have their best players on the floor getting tired if the game is over. Blowouts are usually accepted by the losing team very quickly, and they just rest their best players in the hopes they can come back stronger in the next game.
And, of course, we can never forget about player and team matchups. In one game, you see someone defending the other team’s superstar effectively. The coach sees this as well, so the player in question may start the next game or see more game time, which gives good opportunities for “over” bets as well.
Types of Bets
Now it’s time to check out the different NBA bet types more in-depth to see which one is best for each occasion.
Point Spread Betting
The points spread (or handicap) is often the best option to bet on NBA games, especially when you’re dealing with strong favorites. You’re basically wagering if the favorite will win by a specific amount of points or more. For example, if you bet on the Celtics -6.5 spread, you want them to win by 7 or more points.
You can also bet on the +6.5 of the underdog, and your bet will win if the dog wins or loses by up to 6 points. There are also whole number spreads, like the ±7, which gives you back your wager if the points difference is exactly 7.
NBA Betting Lines
The betting lines (aka money lines) are markets for the winner of an NBA game. Some sportsbooks only offer two-way moneyline bets that include any potential overtime. Others may also provide 3-way money lines with the draw as a separate result.
Betting on the moneyline is a good idea if you don’t want to deal with a point difference and only care about the eventual winner of the game. For instance, in playoff games where teams are in a must-win situation, going for a moneyline bet is often the best option.
Totals Betting
You’ll probably find totals bets as over/under bets in most sportsbooks, and you’ll essentially be betting on whether the total score of an NBA game will be above or below a certain number. Totals are a great bet option if you’re not sure which team might win the game, but you have a good idea about how efficient their offenses or defenses are.
Teams with high offensive capabilities or bad defensive ones will most likely go “over” in their matches. On the other hand, teams with strong defenders are more likely to have an “under” game. This is also true for very important games, like game 7 of the playoffs.
Prop Wagers
NBA prop wagers are usually related to players, but there are also team prop bets, including the infamous “winner of the first jump ball” at the start of the game. However, player props are by far more popular, as they allow you to bet using data and statistics.
Naturally, there are a ton of things you need to keep in mind before you place a prop bet. Always check whether the player will actually play or if they have any minute restrictions.
Different player matchups may also provide unique opportunities for prop bets. And as we already mentioned, role players and shooters tend to perform better in front of the home crowd, so it’s a good idea to target their “overs”.
Live Betting
NBA live betting has its own intricacies, just like any sport. The rhythm of an NBA game is frantic, and it’s best to wait for pauses in the game, like timeouts, to place your live bets. You should avoid hedging too much, as you may end up losing a lot more than you expect.
Some good live bet opportunities include matches where momentum changes drastically for one team. That’s why it’s a good idea to actually be watching the game to see if a team’s shooters start popping threes from everywhere.
Futures Betting
The NBA doesn’t really have many interesting markets for future bets, but players will still look for wagers on the winner of the NBA championship, the MVP, and the Rookie of the Year. Other interesting awards you can bet on include the Defensive Player of the Year and the Most Improved Player.
Before you place a future bet, always do your research and consider all aspects that may affect it. For example, don’t just bet on who will win the championship based on last year’s results, as things can change drastically for one team, even mid-way through a season.
That’s why our experts prefer to place their NBA winner bets right before the playoffs start, where they have a good idea of how each team will perform.
Complete History of the NBA
Compared to other major leagues, the NBA has only been around for about seven decades more or less. The early days of the game around the 1950s were a much different time with different rules that made the game slower. During these days, it was Mikan and the then Minneapolis Lakers that dominated the game.
During the 1960s, the game picked up its pace, and the first big names started to pop up. Players like Chamberlain, Russel, and Robertson were at their prime, and it was definitely a big-man game back then.
The next important NBA era was around the 1980s when the game was arguably at its best. There was a huge rivalry between Bird’s Celtics and Magic Johnson’s Lakers while the league was becoming even bigger, and the game’s pace was getting much faster.
Then there was the dominance of Jordan’s Chicago Bulls during the 1990s, followed by the Lakers of the late Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. After them came Popovich’s Spurs, who won multiple championships with star players like Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili.
After the 2010s, the game moved to a much more athletic and three-point shooting competition. There’s no better example of the latter than the Warriors dynasty during the mid-2010s, which saw players like Curry and Thompson break record after record in shooting and scoring.
NBA Teams
The NBA is divided into two conferences: the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference, each containing three divisions.
Eastern Conference
The Eastern Conference in the NBA seems much smaller in size, but that’s because the East Coast naturally has more cities with high populations closer together.
Atlantic Division
The Atlantic Division gets its name from being near the Atlantic Ocean and includes the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Toronto Raptors. Of those, the Celtics are by far the most successful franchise with 17 rings.
Central Division
The Central Division includes the likes of the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, and Milwaukee Bucks. The Bulls definitely stand out in terms of history with 6 NBA championships and the legendary Michael Jordan as their most iconic player.
Southeast Division
In the Southeast Division, you’ll find the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets (former Bobcats), Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, and the Washington Wizards. The Southeast isn’t really known as a powerhouse division, with its most successful team being the Heat, which have won 3 rings.
Western Conference
The Western Conference covers a much larger part of the US, which is important since it means teams need to travel longer for away games.
Northwest Division
The Northwest Division stands out for having teams from many different parts of the US. In the Division, you’ll find the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, and the Utah Jazz. There’s no real standout franchise in the Northwest, with the Thunder, Nuggets, and Trail Blazers each having 1 championship.
Pacific Division
The Pacific Division includes teams closer to the Pacific Ocean, such as the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, and the Sacramento Kings. The Lakers reign supreme among the Division with 18 championships (17 in the NBA era), while the Warriors hold 7.
Southwest Division
The rest of the Western Conference are teams from the Southwest Division, including the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, and the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs are by far the most successful team in the Division with 5 championships, all under the coaching of the great Gregg Popovich.
NBA Betting News
NBA Betting FAQs
When does the NBA betting season start?
You can start betting on the NBA as soon as the regular season starts in October. When the regular season ends in April, the Playoffs follow, which finish after the Finals in June. You can also bet on preseason matches, but most experienced bettors usually avoid them.
When is the NBA Draft?
The NBA Draft happens right after the NBA Finals towards the end of June. This gives teams enough time to integrate their new prospects to the group until the regular season kicks off in October.
How many NBA teams are there?
There are currently 30 NBA franchises split into two different Conferences. Each Conference is further split into 3 Divisions, with each one having five teams.
How many teams make the NBA Playoffs?
A total of 16 teams compete in the NBA Playoffs, with eight qualifying from each Conference. Of these eight, six qualify automatically, while the last two come from a Play-In tournament between teams placed 7th-10th.
What is the single biggest NBA betting event of the year?
By far the most betting action happens during the NBA Finals. However, you’ll find a lot of action throughout the entire Playoffs, as well as during the All-Star Weekend.