Basketball bets can go beyond just picking a winner. A lot of new sports bettors aren’t aware of the multitude of basketball bets available, but understanding them will enable you to place the right bet and avoid losing money. 

Though basketball is a relatively simple sport, potential basketball punters should understand a number of points before putting down their first wagers on VOdds.

To get a good understanding of basketball betting strategies and betting tips, begin by learning different ways to bet on NBA games and other basketball leagues. Afterwards, sign up to get up to €/£100 bonus and use it to try these betting types. 

Types of Basketball Bets

1. Moneyline Bets

This is the most popular and easiest bet in basketball betting. In this wager, you only have to pick a winner between the two teams. You will win if your prediction is correct, and lose otherwise. 

The key is that it doesn’t matter how they win, or whether they win by a lot or a little. The basketball game can be won in regulation or by a narrow margin. You win as long as the basketball team you chose wins.

Because of its simplicity, moneyline bets are perfect for beginners. But in terms of payout, other betting types have larger profits. 

This might be simple but don’t think that you won’t need a strategy for this bet. One common mistake new bettors make is they disregard statistics. Pay attention to coach and player changes, fatigue and injuries, home court advantage, and other factors that can affect the game.

2. Spread Bets

Every long time basketball fan has their own theories of who will win or at what scores the game will end. Wouldn’t you want to be rewarded for your more accurate predictions? This is where point spread betting comes in. 

Spread bets are all about outperforming the expectations of online bookmakers. Their expectations will dictate the odds available.

Courtesy of landofbasketball.com

Let’s say in the next Chicago Bulls vs Orlando Magic NBA match, the bookies expect the Bulls will win by 5 points. This is how your spread bet can play out:

• You bet on the Chicago Bulls (odds: -5) because you predict for them to win by 10 points.

– Bulls win by 6 or more points, you win.

– Bulls win by less than 6, you lose.

• You bet on Orlando Magic (odds: +5) because you think the Bulls will not surpass the expectation, or the Magic will only lose by small points.

– Magic loses by less than 4 points, you win.

– Magic loses by more than 4 points, you lose.

This way, spread bets can give you more types of games to bet on basketball. You can even bet on teams you expect will lose. 

One way to increase the accuracy of your predictions is to compare the odds to the teams’ head-to-head scores throughout the past. To do this, we recommend using sports betting API to gather these data quickly and regularly. 

3. Totals or Over/Under Bets

Another popular basketball betting is Totals. Also known as Over/Under, this bet is where the online sportsbook will predict the total points scored for the game. You will then have to bet whether the actual totals scores from both teams will surpass (over) or fall behind (under) the set benchmark.

This is a good alternative whenever you have a good idea of what the scores may be but are not confident of who will win. Let’s say by studying the history of Bulls vs Magic matches, you know that the average is between 90 to 110, which would be 200 points in total. If the betting site predicts that the totals scores will be 220, then you’ll bet under. 

We also recommend reading our article Basketball Betting: Features and Nuances. After reading, you’ll know more about how to be a successful basketball punter.