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| How To Bet On Basketball |
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| Betting on professional basketball (NBA) is one of the most difficult wagering challenges, second only to the NFL. College basketball is no easier. However, both offer a wide range of betting propositions, including: |
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- Pointspread and Total for the entire game
- Pointspread and Total for each individual half
- Moneyline for each game
- Exotics
- Propositions
- Point Buying
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| General Rules |
For betting purposes, unless otherwise stipulated, NBA contests are official after 43 minutes of play.
For betting purposes, unless otherwise stipulated, NCAA contests are official after 35 minutes of play.
Teams must play for there to be action, all wagers included, all leagues included. |
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| Pointspread & Over/Under Wagers |
On a pointspread wager, the team wagered on must win by the pointspread. On an over/under wager, the total points of the contest by both teams, overtime included, must fall over or under the side selected.
For Example: Boston Celtics –4 @ Cleveland Cavaliers; over/under total is 192
The player who wagers on the Celtics must win by more than 4 points to win the bet. The player who wagers on the Cavaliers must lose by less than 4 points.
The player who wagers on the total points scored by both teams to be Over 192, the combined final score of both teams must exceed 192. The player who wagers on the total points scored by both teams to be Under 192, the combined final score of both teams must be less than 192. If the final score is the same as the betting total (192), then the bet is declared no action, and the original bet amount is refunded.
Pointspread and Over/Under betting lines are offered on all NBA, WNBA and NCAA games. All wagers on sides and totals include overtime scoring. |
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| Halftime Wagers |
Halftime wagering is simply a wager only on the score of the first or second half of the basketball game. The betting lines offered include pointspread, moneyline, or a combination of the two, with the wager applying only to the score of the specified halftime period.
- First half lines are offered on all NBA and NCAA games
- Second half lines are offered on all NBA and the majority of NCAA games; second half lines are posted within 5 minutes of the end of the first half of the game
- Wagers may be parlayed to other contests, but a first half wager may not be parlayed to any other wager from the same game
- No teaser plays or buying of points is allowed on haftime wagers
- Overtime periods are included as part of the second half
- The full half (first or second) must be completed for the bet to have action
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| Quarter Wagers |
| As NBA betting has grown in popularity, more sportsbooks offer Quarter Wagers on selected games, usually major events such as playoffs or championship games. Wagering on quarters is simply a wager only on the score of the first, second, third or fourth quarter of a game. Quarter wagers include lines for pointspread, moneyline or a combination of the two. Quarter wagers apply only to the score of the quarter specified. Overtime scoring is not included in fourth quarter wagers. |
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| Moneyline Wagers |
Moneyline wagering is betting on the game based on a given price rather than a pointspread. The team wagered on must win the game.
For Example: The player may select one of two moneyline options from the following proposition: Boston Celtics –200 at Cleveland Cavaliers +180. If the player bets the Celtics, the player lays $200 to win $100 that the Celtics win the game. If the player bet the Cavaliers, the player bets $100 to win $180 that the Cavaliers win the game.
- Moneylines are offered on most NBA and NCAA games
- Moneyline wagers may be parlayed to other contests, but a moneyline wager may not be parlayed to any other wager from the same game
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| Points Buying |
Point Buying is a method of allowing the bettor to improve the pointspread of a basketball game by actually “buying points” for the team wagered on, either side or total. Bettors can buy points in 1/2 point increments up to 3 points, depending on the game. For each 1/2 point the player buys, he must pay an additional 10% vigorish.
Example: Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers –10, total 192; If a $100 wager is placed on the Cavaliers –10 with a 1/2 point buy, the player has a wager on the Cavaliers –9 1/2 points, and must wager $120 to win $100 (20% vigorish) instead of the usual $110 to win $100 (10% vigorish). If the player buys a full 1 point to move the pointspread down to 9, then he must bet $130 to win $100, etc.
Conversely, the bettor may also buy points for basketball game totals. In the example, the total is 192. The bettor may buy up to 3 points either over or under the total, paying an additional 10% vigorish for each additional 1/2 point.
Pointbuying of pointspreads and totals up to a maximum of 3 points is offered on all NBA and NCAA contests, but usually is not available on halftime, quarter or moneyline wagers. |
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| Proposition Wagers |
| A wide range of proposition wagers is available when betting basketball. For a complete description of proposition wagers, see Sportsbook101/Sports Bet Types. |
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