How to Read Basketball Odds

Even though the NBA season is over, a very exciting summer lies ahead for basketball fans. The Olympics are on their way (27 July – 11 August), and some would say the US team has never been stronger (learn about the differences between NBA and Olympic basketball or the 3×3 rules).

So, bear with us as we explain everything you need to know about basketball betting – how to read basketball odds, how to calculate them, and what your options are. You will be able to get started with betting before you head over to and claim some of the top sportsbook offers.

Reading NCAA basketball and NBA odds is very simple but requires that users understand the spread: +/- points system. Normal odds will include a number next to each team which is either + or -.

What Are the Main Basketball Bet Types?

The most popular bets are win/loss moneyline bets and point spread bets which we will explain later in this article. But you also want halftime lines, quarter lines, and total points bets for each segment of the game.

The fast-paced nature of basketball and the quick shifts in edge make it the perfect sport for in-play (or live) betting. This is a must-know when talking about how to bet on basketball.

Moneylines

Moneyline odds are one of the most straightforward and popular ways to bet on basketball. Unlike point spread betting, where the focus is on the margin of victory, moneyline betting is simply about picking the outright winner of a game. In this format, odds are presented with either a positive or negative sign, indicating the underdog and the favorite, respectively.

For example, if the Boston Celtics are listed at -150 and the Indiana Pacers at +130, a bet on the Celtics would require you to risk $150 to win $100, while a $100 bet on the Pacers would yield a $130 profit if they win.

The negative number represents how much you need to wager to win $100 on the favorite, whereas the positive number shows how much you can win with a $100 bet on the underdog. This simplicity makes moneyline odds appealing, especially for novice bettors who are more interested in picking a winner without worrying about the point spread.

Spread

In basketball line betting, the sportsbook handicaps the game by creating a margin that attempts to equalize both teams. The margin is referred to as the line. Most NBA lines give users odds close to -110 as the margin between -110 and 100 are the house margins.

An example of NBA lines would be Warriors -10.5, and Pacers +10.5. Basically, the sportsbook is awarding the Pacers 10.5 points as a head start to equalize the basketball betting odds on these NBA lines.

The odds on this type of bet will almost always yield close to even money.  

If the number is (+) then that many points will be added to the end score to decide the winner of the bet. For example, if we took an NCAAB line where there was +5 for Team A and -5 for Team B and the end score was 99-100 in favor of Team B, a wager placed on Team A would still win due to the fact they have a +5 point head start.

The important part to remember when making line bets is that the team that is the favorite in the game must cover the spread (the number of points awarded to the underdog) and the underdog must lose by no less than the spread. If a game ends in a draw, bets are refunded.

Keep in mind that odds can change based on injuries and rumors nearing game time. Whatever line you bet on, however, will not change in your betting slip.

Over/Under

Over/under betting, also known as totals betting, focuses on the combined score of both teams in a basketball game rather than the game’s outcome. Bettors wager on whether the total points scored will be over or under a predetermined number set by the sportsbook. This type of bet is appealing because it allows bettors to focus on the offensive and defensive dynamics of both teams rather than choosing a winner.

For example, if the over/under for a game between the Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers is set at 215.5 points, a bet on the “over” would win if the combined score of both teams is 216 or more, while a bet on the “under” would win if the total is 215 points or fewer.

Over/under betting requires consideration of various factors, such as team playing styles, pace of the game, and recent performance trends. This betting format adds an extra layer of excitement, as every basket contributes to the potential outcome of the wager.

Other Types of Basketball Bet Types

Apart from the three main basketball bet types, you’ll find many markets, allowing you to predict numerous outcomes. 

Halftime Lines

In addition to full-time betting, most sportsbooks will let you wager on half-time results. First, you can bet on the half-time winner. For example, you may place a bet that the Wizards will beat the Raptors in the first half of the game.

Also, the two remaining major markets (over/under and spread) are available for half-time betting. So you can guess the total number of points after the first half or try to estimate which team will cover the spread. 

Quarter Lines

Quarter-line betting is similar to half-time betting. The only difference is that you can place bets on four periods, i.e., quarters. Once again, you may pick the winner of the quarter.

There’s also a chance for you to guess whether the total point line will be crossed or not, and whether one of the teams will win or lose by a certain number of points with the opposing team winning or losing outright (spread betting). 

A great example of a quarter-line bet is for, let’s say, the Mavericks and the Nuggets to go over the 56.5 total point line in the first quarter.

Total Points Bets

Betting on the total number of points or simply on “totals” is practically the Over/Under betting. It is up to sportsbooks to calculate and set a total point line based on averages scores of both teams.

Once done, you can bet on both teams to either surpass or go below that line. For example, a betting platform features a 225.5-point line for the Kings vs Celtics game. That being said, wagering on totals here means that your pick is either for the teams to go Over or Under this line.

Game Props

Game prop betting is one of the most versatile ways of placing bets. This is because it includes many “props” which stand for various game aspects. That’s how you’ll find player and team props. The first one relates to the number of points, assists, steals, blocks, three points or so, achieved by a single player.

The latter are pretty much the same, but they relate to the whole team. Therefore, a bet on Steph Curry to score more than five three pointers in a Warriors vs Trail Blazers match is a true game props bet.

Margins

As you’re already familiar with NBA spread betting, it’s time for us to explain margins in our basketball betting guide. Just like spread betting, margin betting is not about outright winners. Instead, you can bet on the winning or losing team, but you have to guess the number of points they will win or lose by.

Imagine that there’s a 76ers vs Pacers duel. Your bet is that Philadelphia will win by a 8-12 margin. The final score of the game is 122:10. Your bet is a win, because the 76ers won by the number of points within your (8-12) margin.

The difference between this and spread betting is that there’s a range of points a team can win or lose by. With spread betting, a team can either go over or under a set line or win or lose outright.

Race To

Another interesting bet type involves your picks on the team, which will be the first to reach a certain number of points. Most often, operators give a 10-point line for these bets. It’s then up to you to choose a team that will score 10 points before their opponents.

For instance, if a team you wagered on gets three points behind (7-8), and scores a three-pointer, it means that your bet has won. The same goes for situations where a team is the first one to go over the 10-point limit.

If, for example, the Bucks are in a 9-8 lead against the Clippers, and they score a two-pointer, the current result will be 11-8, but your “race to” bet on the Bucks is still successful, as Milwaukee was the first one to get to 10 points or more.

What’s the Difference Between Moneyline, Spread, and Over/Under Types of Bets?

It goes without saying that knowing about the three major basketball bets is the base of betting on this sport. That’s why we’re here to provide you with a precise overview, with examples, explanations, and key points.

Moneyline	Straightforward win/loss bet. Bettors simply choose which team/player they believe will win.	Team A (-150) vs. Team B (+130)	➡️ Simple and easy to understand. ➡️ No need to worry about margins or totals ➡️ Ideal for beginners.
Spread	Predict the margin of victory. Bettors wager on the favorite to win by more than the spread or the underdog to lose by less than the spread or win outright.	Team A (-5.5) vs. Team B (+5.5)	➡️ Adds excitement to one-sided games. ➡️ Requires understanding of team strength and game dynamics. ➡️ Can be more complex than Moneyline.
Over/Under	Focus on total points. Bettors predict whether the total points scored by both teams will be over or under a specified number.	Over 220.5 points vs. Under 220.5 points	➡️Simplifies betting to total points. ➡️ Not dependent on which team wins. ➡️ Good for those who follow scoring trends.

How To Calculate Probabilities

A required NBA betting strategy to ensure you’re getting the most out of your bets is checking implied probabilities.

Implied probability converts your betting odds to a percentage by taking into account the sportsbook margin when expecting the probability of a certain team winning.

Implied odds can be calculated for each of the three different odds types using the following formulas:

American odds – Negative odds / (Negative odds + 100) X 100 = implied probability

Example for NBA Betting lines: if you bet on odds -200, then 200/ (200+100) X 100 = 66.6% is implied probability.

When the sportsbook implied probability is lower than your own calculated probability then you have a good betting opportunity on your hands.

Decimal odds  – (1/ the decimal odds) X 100 = implied probability

For example, for college basketball betting lines, if you bet on odds of 5.00, then (1/5) X 100 = 20% is the implied probability.

Fractional odds – the denominator / (the denominator + the numerator) X 100 = implied probability

Example for NBA Betting lines: if you bet on odds of 5/2, then 2 / (5+2) X 100 = 28.5% is implied probability.

Betting Terms You Should Know

As a new bettor, it’s important to have general knowledge about the most common betting phenomena and to use them at the right time.

• Push

A Push in betting means that no side (operator vs bettor) has won. You get your funds back, and your status becomes practically the same as before you placed a certain bet.

• Vig

Vig basically presents the profit that sportsbooks make when they offer you to bet on their platform. So, instead of offering, for instance, the odds of +100 for (50%-50% outcomes), offering the odds of -110 for one outcome shows the vig.

• Juice

This is yet another word that symbolizes a brand’s profit. It’s basically the same as vig, i.e. the part which helps sportsbooks ensure they have gains.

• Parlay

Placing a bet with multiple legs on a bet slip is parlay betting. For example, you can have a spread, moneyline, and an over/under selection in one bet. All of them have to win in order for you to receive potential winnings.

• Over/Under Bets

Over/Under bets allow you to guess if a team or player will perform better or worse when it comes to a number of points or other elements such as rebounds, assists, turnovers, etc. Bookies set a line (e.g., a total point line of 220.5) and your pick can either be for teams to score more or fewer points than that.

• Head-to-Head Bets

Also known as moneyline bets, h2h bets require you to choose one of the winning teams. In their essence, these sorts of bets are the simplest.

• First to Make a Three

This bet involves your estimation of which player or team will score a three-pointer first. Knowledge about the best shooters can help with this one.

How to Calculate Different Types of Odds?

The NBA or college basketball odds can be given to you in three different formats: American, Fractional, and Decimal.

All three NBA & college basketball odds types provide the same chance to bet on basketball but do so within different systems.

It might be hard at first, but you can learn how to read odds relatively easily.

American Odds

American odds use a completely different system to that of fractional or decimal. They represent how much a bettor will have to wager to win $100. So the basketball betting odds provided were -135 it means you must risk $135 to win $100 from the sportsbook.

Whereas the odds of +350 on an underdog means you risk only $100, but you win $350.

All three odds types can generally be interchanged very easily at most top sportsbooks so you should have no trouble finding the odds type that is best for you to bet on basketball.

Decimal Odds

With decimal odds, you will be given a specific number which will be the odds of your bet winning. So for example, if we took basketball betting odds on a game between the Lakers and the Celtics using the decimal system, odds would be given to each team in numbers such as 2.20 for the Lakers and 1.75 for the Celtics.

If you placed a wager on the Lakers using these odds for $10 you would receive 10 x 2.20 = $22 in total, whereas if you placed a $10 wager on the Celtics at 1.75 odds you would get 10 x 1.75 = $17.50.

Decimal odds are arguably the easiest to comprehend and should be used as a default for beginners who bet on basketball.

Fractional Odds

Fractional odds are similar to decimal odds when you bet on basketball in the sense that the odds given will be multiplied against your bet to decide your winnings but use fractions instead of numbers to display the odds. Another difference is that the amount you will win will be provided as profit instead of total winnings.

For example, if we took the same NBA betting odds on the Lakers vs Celtics NBA lines game, the odds would be displayed as 6/5 for the Lakers and 3/4 for the Celtics. So if you bet $10 on the Lakers using the odds you would still win 10 X 6/5 = $12 in profit.

Key Factors to Consider in Point Spreads in Basketball Betting

Once you know the meaning of spread in basketball, you can turn to some useful advice that may lead you to betting with more success. In fact, these are the key elements you should always have in mind before placing basketball point spread bets.

1. Team Performance:

Following the results and staying up to date with it comes to teams’ form is essential for this way of betting. You can check a team’s win-loss ratio, average number of points, home/away performance, etc.

2. Player Injuries and Lineup Changes:

If a team is missing one or more of their top players, that’s a telltale sign that its overall performance will be weaker than usual. This is why it is crucial for you to learn about injuries, as well as lineup changes that may directly affect the entire game or some game aspects.

3. Home Court Advantage:

Having the crowd on their side is almost always a morale boost for teams. Besides, squads have the habit of training in their own court. So, they typically perform better as hosts.

4. Head-to-Head Matchups:

Matching up two teams and seeing which one had more success in the past is also a factor to look for. Sometimes, even if one franchise ranks higher than the other one, it may have troubles in h2h duels with the lower-ranking rivals.

5. Coaching Strategies:

Coaches set different tactics. It may happen that one contestant wants to rest its top players, so the substitute players score a fewer number of points. This is how tactics could have an effect on spread betting (in this case, a franchise with substitute players is less likely to cover the spread).

Having all these factors on your side can pave the way for your higher spread betting success rate.

Basketball Betting Picks

The two most popular basketball leagues in the US are the NBA and the NCAA. Let’s take a look at each of them.

NBA

NBA best bets come in the form of handicaps, moneylines, and over/unders.

When betting on lines and handicaps it’s a good strategy to look at past performances between teams and the most recent games. Be sure to look at injury lists and whether key players are expected to be rested in a certain game before placing your bet.

Some of the other bets you can look towards wagering on are over and under bets. With them, you will have to predict whether both teams will score a combined number of points over or under an amount set by the sportsbook.

Example of NBA best bets: Lakers and Celtics to score over or under 210 points. A good NBA betting strategy is to look up the past meetings of teams and predict whether the teams will have a similar score.

Example of NBA prop bets: On FanDuel, and other top sportsbooks, you can place bets on players to score a certain amount of points, grab a number of rebounds, or even who is most likely to win the MVP. Below are the current NBA Championship winner odds courtesy of FanDuel.

• Boston Celtics -1000
• Dallas Mavericks +660

NCAA

College teams tend to be a lot less consistent than the professional ones. That makes college basketball wagering a lot more dynamic, especially if you’re betting on the Elite 8.

As the players are much younger, sometimes as young as 18, you can generally expect more volatile performances.

Team cohesion is very important when betting on college basketball. A LeBron James-style player rarely dominates the college court.

So when considering a college team to bet on, evaluate an entire team’s strengths and weaknesses. Don’t fall into the trap line of thinking that a single player or two might be “hot”.

Hot streaks come and go and it’s best to look at the whole picture before placing a bet on a college team. You don’t want to fall prey to the hot-hand fallacy.

What Are NBA Betting Tips and Strategies?

Successful betting on the NBA league and other basketball games comes with particular strategies users should be aware of. For this reason, we focus on some of the most widespread tips and tricks you can use to your advantage.

First and foremost, we recommend that you do your research before placing your wagers. What we mean by this is that you can get to know teams’ squads and their recent form. It’s the same for the overall performance, team atmosphere, and so on.

Next, you may want to check how players are doing. Primarily, you can learn about players’ form and performances. Also, the way that players act as whole, and their relationships with coaches is of great importance.

Let’s not forget about tradition and past results. Not that this is all about myths and legends, but tradition can sometimes be a special form of motivation for many franchises.

The same goes for different statistical analyses, and even some online previews and tips. All this may result in your enhanced NBA betting experience.

How to Bet on Basketball: Summary

There are both simple and complex elements to basketball betting. Being aware of all of them is what brings positive results. Starting off with teams and players, we point out the importance of doing proper research.

The same applies to making the first steps with small sums if you are a beginner. You may increase your stakes as you gain knowledge later on. Here, it is important to adhere to responsible gambling practices by setting deposit limits, taking timeouts, doing reality checks, etc.

Of course, you don’t want to miss out on all the range of available bet types, starting from the simplest to the most advanced ones. Knowing how to read NBA odds, what positive and negative spread bets are, and all the other phenomena from this category, is what actually teaches you how to bet on basketball.

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