Basketball Betting Basics
Betting on basketball can be profitable if sufficient research and preparation is done. With the basketball season lasting longer than most other sports, especially football, finding the right streaks and trends is a key. We’ll touch on a few basketball betting basics below and hopefully give you a better sense of how to make money on your basketball bets.
The single bet option allows for a point spread with a favorite and an underdog. The Sportsbook assigns each team a point total. When betting basketball, the bettor then bets which team he thinks will cover the spread. For example, in a game between the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls a line may look like this: Boston - 5.5, Chicago +5.5. If this were the line, the bettor would have to decide whether he thought the Boston Celtics could not only win this basketball game, but also win by 6 points or more. The - 5.5 means that Boston's point total would be subtracted by 5.5 for the betting line. If one were to choose the Chicago Bulls, they would be getting 5.5 points. So take their 89 points and add it by 5.5 for the betting line.
If people wanted to strictly just bet the winner of the basketball game, that option is out there as well. This type of betting is called Moneyline. This is an easier option in basketball betting, but when picking the heavy favorites, the earnings are not nearly as good. A line for Moneyline betting would look like this: Boston -200, Chicago +150. What this means, is if you like the Boston Celtics to win the game, straight up, over the Chicago Bulls, you would have to bet $200 to win $100, because of the -200. With the underdog, Chicago Bulls, if you wagered $100, you would win $250, if the Bulls won. The $250 comes from the $100 that you initially wagered plus the $150 for winning the bet. That's why it is at +150. You win 150% of your initial bet.
Basketball betting also offers over/unders. What this does, is allow the bettor to choose how many points he thinks will be scored in the game. This is for BOTH sides, not just one team. For example, the over/under for Boston/Chicago may be 196. The bettor would then choose whether he thought the total amount of points scored would be more (over) or less (under). Over/Unders are usually placed at -110 winnings, which means if you bet $100, and got the over/under correct, you would win $190. (100 for your initial bet, 90 for the betting win).
When betting basketball, do your homework. It's always a good idea to notice which team is on the road, and which team is at home. Some teams, although they may not be winning a lot of games, do significantly better at home. A big line against them may be worth taking a wager on. Also be sure to check out the injury report. If a heavy favorite finds out 30 minutes before game time that their 30+ points per game stud is not playing, you may want to take a gamble at betting against them.
All in all, betting on basketball can be a fun and profitable thing to do. Learn the teams and the different basketball bets and start making money today.
