With National Basketball Association games running from late October through to the middle of June, there are many games for players to bet on throughout most of the year. There is also no shortage when it comes to the types of wagers available! You can Handicap a match and then stake it as you’d like.
Money Lines
Bettors of the internet betting who are disinclined to wager on their team on the Point Spread can choose the Money Line instead. When you’re staking on the Money Line, the discrepancy between the two squads will be reflected in each team’s price.
Instead of a Line like Dallas Mavericks -110 versus the Utah Jazz -110, if the Mavericks are favoured you’d see something like Mavericks -150, bet AU$150 to win AU$100, versus Jazz +130, bet AU$100 to win AU$130.
Favourite bettors who are confident that their squad will come out on top but don’t want to cede points on the Spread can spend a little extra chalk on the Money Line instead. And bettors who like the Underdog and believe that they have a good chance of winning outright can get a better price with these wagers than they would if they took the Points.
Over/Unders
For Over/Under bets, sportsbooks set a total number of points for the two squads to score combined and you’ll be wagering on whether the actual total will be Over or Under this number.
For example, the total for a match featuring the LA Lakers and the Boston Celtics is set at 195. You’ll be wagering that the actual score is Over or Under this, so less or more than 195.
Totals vary hugely and are very dependent on the styles of the teams in the game, and most are set between 190 and 210. But a matchup between two teams which face challenges either defensively or offensively can see totals set in the 170 range and a clash between two quick offensive teams can be in the range of 230 points. Overtime is included in these Totals, which means that most matches that go into overtime tend to go Over.
Point Spreads
Unlike in the majority of sports in which Money Lines are the most common stakes, Basketball’s most popular bet is the Point Spread. Usually, both teams can be wagered on at -110, where you stake AU$110 to win AU$100, and any discrepancy between the two squads is covered by a Points Handicap.
Let’s say the Milwaukee Bucks are at -5.5 and the Los Angeles Lakers are at +5.5. If you select the Bucks, they need to win by at least six points in order to collect a return. If you choose the Lakers, your bet wins if they win outright or lose by 5 points or less. Wagering on Point Spreads gives Favourite bettors a chance to stake on their team with less chalk and those who prefer betting on the underdogs a better chance to see their team coming in on top thanks to the extra points acting as insurance.