How We Assess An NBA Betting Site
We have listed the criteria that we use to produce our list of the best NBA Betting Sites, please read through and understand all the options available to you before signing up at an NBA betting site.
Free Bets
Most online sportsbook sites will offer their customers free bets and bonus offers just for opening a betting account with them. Free bets are a good way of combining bonus offers with real money to get a very good betting bank to bet with.
Free bets also enable you to gamble risk-free but they do come with wagering requirements and will require you to place qualifying bets in order to activate the bonus. Before jumping straight into the betting action make sure you look at the wagering options and also make sure you check out what deposit options are supported in order to claim a free bet.
Casino
Online sportsbook sites typically allow you to play casino games on their website. Over the years sports bettors have demonstrated that they enjoy not only being able to have access to sports gambling but they enjoy playing online casino and slot games.
Website Layout
Some websites do a really bad job of creating a betting interface that is easy to use. Any website that we struggle to find our way around is excluded from the list.
Betting Tips
If you are unsure how to bet on a certain NBA game then many of the sites on our list offer betting tips and previews from experts and retired players that can give you some great insights into how a game will play out and who will win.
Cash Out
The ability to cash out a bet is a key feature of most betting sites. Online Gambling sites like bet365, betway and Betfair are known to offer this feature and it’s a key reason why these sites are so successful.
Licensing
Any website that is not licensed by a well respected and trusted gambling commission like the UKGC is immediately excluded from the list.
Payment Options
What payment methods you can use is an important aspect of picking a betting site. Traditional gambling is usually cash bets or paying on your Credit Cards or Debit Card. Modern betting sites allow deposits using things like PayPal, MasterCard and some with even allow BitCoin payments.
Great Betting Odds
When betting on a ball game you want to make sure that you pick a betting site that offers bettors great betting odds so that you can maximise your winnings.
The sites featured on our list are popular with sports bettors because they offer great basketball odds.
Real Time Betting
The traditional wager of betting before a game has now been replaced by real time betting. The ability to bet in real time and have access to live updates and in game action is now what sports fans demand. When a basketball game is in play then the sportsbook market odds will follow the action and real time betting is a great way to boost your winnings as the odds levels change.
Mobile Betting
Professional sports has grown in popularity mainly because the fan base now has 24/7 access to news and everything that is happening. The same is true with sports betting. Mobile betting has help grow the betting world made it more popular than ever to place a bet on easily and securely.
All of the NBA betting sites that we have recommended work fully on a mobile device and some have dedicated betting apps that you can download and install.
How Do You Bet On The NBA?
There are plenty of betting options when it comes to placing your basketball bets and there are various ways to bet on the NBA and of course, the names of the market will differ somewhat to those that are found in Europe or other parts of the world.
If you are used to betting on the NFL then a lot of the betting options and betting types are the same. If you already have a betting account that you use for placing your NFL bets, then there is a strong chance the online betting company will allow sports betting on the NFL.
That said it’s possible to have multiple online betting accounts and bonus offers that are available.
If you’ve never placed a bet on a betting website before then you may want to check out our betting guide which will give you all the information that sports bettors need when NBA sports gambling.
Moneyline Bets
This is quite simply a match bet and a prediction of who the winning team will be. This is the most popular method of betting and basketball bettors often place these into an accumulator bet to increase the odds. You will have a favourite and an outsider and this will, of course, be reflective of the team’s form and how they have gotten on against the opposition in recent times.
In terms of US Odds, favourites are indicated by a + sign before their odds, outside will have a -. An example of this is Charlotte Hornets +150 and Boston Celtics -120.
Point Spread
The Point Spread is another extremely popular bet in the NBA and is essentially handicap betting. The bookmakers will give a team a points advantage (whilst the other team will have a disadvantage.
Essentially it is a reflection of how many points they believe the favourites will win by. An example of this is Miami Heat +3.5 points versus San Antonio Spurs -3.5 points. Both of the prices for these two will be set at around double your money although there may well be wider-ranging point spreads at bigger odds.
If you were to place your bet on Miami Heat and they win by four or more points the bet will win. If they win by 3 points or less of were to lose the match your bet would lose. When betting San Antonio if they lost by 3 or fewer points or won the game your bet would again be successful.
This bet proves very popular if the match is deemed somewhat of a mismatch and it is difficult to back the favourites on the Moneyline.
Totals (Over/Under)
This bet is a prediction of the total amount of points scored in the match and you then decide if you think it will be Over/Under this amount. Points scoring has risen markedly in NBA matches in meaning the amount set by the bookies is distinctly higher than in recent years.
It is worth noting that if the points are set at 200 and there are exactly 200 scored it is considered a PUSH and all bets on this market are refunded. In some instances, bookmakers will set the market at 199.5 so that no PUSH can occur.
Teasers
Similar to a Parlay bet with regards to the fact that all bets must be correct in order to be paid out. In this bet, you can adjust the points spread to either increase potential winnings. Of course, the chances of winning the bet are considered less likely that the initial Point Spread.
Live Betting
As is the case with most major sports, you can now place bets once the game has begun. All bets will shift, reflective of the current scoreline. Bettors often like Live Betting as a favourite may start a game poorly, seeing their odds drift severely before making a comeback.
Prop Bets
These are sometimes called specials and are a newer way of placing an NBA Bet. Prop bets involve very specific markets which may involve an individual player or team. A points total scored by a player in the fourth quarter would be a simple example. The bet could also involve rebounds.
Futures Bets
Also known as Antepost best, this is placing a bet on something further in the future as opposed to the upcoming NBA fixtures. This may be who is going to win the 2020 NBA Championship? Or you want to bet on which team will qualify for the NBA finals?
The further out from the event that you place the bet would normally mean higher odds. However, the odds could still get higher if the team start their campaign poorly.
Basketball Betting Sites Summary
The NBA is one of the worlds most followed sports league and the investment that betting companies have made to give NBA bettors what they want is staggering.
There is no shortage of bets that you can place when it comes to betting on the sport and any of the betting sites we have featured on this page should be able to cater for all of your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of bets can I make on the NBA season?
There are plenty of betting options for NBA bettors throughout the season. Most popular bets include points spread, player props and totals bets. Futures bets on who will win the Western Conference or the Eastern Conference and common.
Where can I bet on NBA games?
There are literally hundreds of betting sites that will offer you NBA odds and accept most bet types. If you use any of the recommended sites on our list you will be able to claim a welcome bonus to use on an NBA bet.
Can I bet on any NBA game?
You can bet on any game in the NBA so long as you live in a state that offers legalised gambling. If you live outside of the United States, so long as you live in a country that permits legalised gambling they should accept any NBA bet you'd like to make.
Why Bet on NBA Games?
Having a bet on an NBA game or on any sport is a great way to add to your enjoyment of the sport. It's a great feeling when your team wins and your bet comes in.