Basketball Betting in the US

Basketball is the second-most popular sport in the US behind football and so, naturally, people want to bet on it. To save you time and effort, we have gathered all the information you need to bet on basketball.

You can learn more about everything you need to know before placing a basketball bet. We cover everything from best basketball bonuses and top basketball betting apps to the different types of bets available and some helpful wagering tips.

Best Basketball Betting Sites in December 2023

Top Results for Virginia, US

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#	Sportsbook	Bonus	Payment methods	Visit Site	T&Cs
1.	FanDuel Sportsbook	Up to $1,000 risk-free bet Free bet				Play	Use bonus code: No bonus code required; Register to claim Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount Wagering requirement: 1x bonus
2.	Caesars Sportsbook	Bet $50 Get $250 in Bonus Bets Cashback				Play
3.	BetMGM	Up to 1000$ first bet offer Free bet				Play	Use bonus code: No bonus code required. Register to claim offer Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount and no odds restrictions Wagering requirement: 1x bonus
4.	BetRivers	100% up to $250 Match deposit bonus				Play	Use bonus code: 250MATCH Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount and no odds restrictions Wagering requirement: 1x bonus
5.	DraftKings Sportsbook	Bet $5 get $200 in free bets instantly Free bet				Play	Use bonus code: No bonus code required; Register to claim Qualifying bet: $5 Wagering requirement: 1x bonus
6.	WynnBET	Bet $100 get $100 in free bets Cashback				Play	Use bonus code: XUSBETTOP; Register to claim offer Qualifying bet: Bet $100 or more at minimum odds of -120 Wagering requirement: 1x bonus

It seems you are in Virginia, US, where US online sportsbooks are not legal. You can change your location or browse the recommended fantasy sports betting sites below.

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Our team of basketball betting experts researched and reviewed every legal US betting site to pick out the best ones for you.

Each site has been rated on a range of criteria, such as best bonuses and quality of odds, which ensures only the top sportsbooks are recommended.

It’s also important that we only list licensed sportsbooks as this means that sites have to abide by federal and state regulations that protect bettors.

Basketball Betting Bonuses

There are many specific basketball bonuses available at US betting sites that reward you for placing bets with bonuses such as free bets, odds boosts, and money back offers.

The amount available from these bonuses varies by basketball betting site, with some only a few dollars whilst others are upwards of $100, so you can be sure there is something for you.

Almost all sign-up offers at legal online betting sites can be used on NBA or NCAA basketball. The most popular sportsbook welcome bonuses are free bets and bet credits, and wagers you place with these bonuses are not included in returns.

This table shows the main types of basketball bonus available and which betting site is best for each.

Top basketball betting promotions

Best basketball betting free bets BetMGM Best basketball welcome bonuses Caesars Sportsbook Best basketball boosted odds bet365

Top Basketball Apps

Any betting site worth their salt has apps for both iOS and Android to make it as easy as possible for you to bet.

These sports betting apps allow you to view odds and place wagers from your phone or tablet, meaning you don’t need to be directly in front of a computer to bet on basketball.

Our team of experts have tested all the available mobile apps from US sportsbooks and picked out the best ones for betting on basketball.

BetMGM offers some of the best basketball promos and their mobile app is easy to navigate so it’s perfect for live basketball betting and bonuses.

Caesars Sportsbook boast one of the leading mobile apps out there and have a large range of basketball markets for both in-play and pre-game bets. For the best odds, FanDuel Sportsbook is the way to go.

How to Bet on Basketball

The number of basketball games played every day in both the NBA and college can make it overwhelming for new bettors.

It will all become much clearer once you understand basketball betting basics, such as the spread and how to bet on player props. Everything you need to know can be found by using the links below or just reading on.

Basketball betting explained

• How to place a bet
• Bet types
• Betting tips
• Odds explained

How to Place a Basketball Bet

The great thing about basketball betting is that there are so many games played almost every day when the sport is in season. This is in stark contrast to the likes of NFL, where most games are only played on Sundays from September to February.

Such frequency of games gives you plenty of options for betting and if nothing takes your fancy on a particular day, you can just wait until the next day.

1

Find legal US betting site

It is vital that you bet with a legal sportsbook as this ensures your money is safe.

2

Register for a betting account

After choosing a sportsbook, sign up to them and utilize their welcome bonus.

3

Find the game you want to bet on

Betting sites tend to only list the upcoming games for the day you are browsing on.

4

Do an analysis of the game

NBA statistics are freely available and you should definitely check them out before placing a bet.

5

Find the market

Sportsbooks offer upwards of 100 basketball markets to bet on, and the analysis you have done should make it easy to decide which market you want.

6

Compare odds

You wouldn’t buy something from one place if you could get it at another for cheaper, and that basic principle applies here.

7

Place your bet and wait for it to settle

Decide on your wager amount, place the bet, and then wait for the game to be played.

How to Read Basketball Odds

If there is a plus in front of the number, then that is how much you would win from a theoretical $100 wager. For instance, if you put $100 on a market priced at +250, you would win a total of $350 including your initial stake.

If it is a minus in front, then that shows the amount you would have to theoretically wager to win $100. If the selection is priced at -110 and you bet $110, you would win a total return of $210 including stake.

You do not have to wager exactly $100 – each sportsbook has minimum and maximum wagers – so you are free to decide how much you want to bet.

Basketball odds explained

-110 Wager $110 to win $100 profit -200 Wager $200 to win $100 profit +100 Wager $100 to win $100 profit +500 Wager $100 to win $500 profit

The American Odds format is not exactly user-friendly, certainly compared to decimal odds or even fractional odds, but it certainly becomes easier to understand as you bet more.

Basketball Odds Comparison

Basketball odds are fairly similar at most sportsbooks because they mostly start on the same prices, but as bets come in then sportsbooks will change their odds to compensate.

This table shows the odds from a range of sites for a game between Golden State Warriors and LA Lakers.

Most odds are close but there’s a clear disparity between DraftKings and the other sportsbooks for moneyline bets on either team. They offer better odds than other sites on the Lakers to win but worse than the others on a Warriors win.

Bet Types

Basketball betting shares many bet types with the other major American sports and the core concepts of these can applied to most other wagers we haven’t covered here.

Use the table to jump to the bet type you want to more about or just keep reading to find out about each one.

Basketball bet types

• Spread
• Totals (over/under)
• Moneyline
• Player props
• Parlays
• Teasers
• Half/quarter betting
• Futures

Spread

Spread betting is wagering on a team to win with either a positive or a negative handicap added to the final result. The number is determined by how comfortable the sportsbook expects the victory to be.

The team that the betting site favors to win will have a negative handicap which means you take points away from them after the final buzzer, whilst the underdog gets points added to their final total.

You only add or remove points from one side to determine who covers the spread. The spread number usually ends with half a point, which removes any doubt over who covered. In instances where it is a full point and the spread ends in a tie, that is called a push and results in your stake being returned.

Totals (Over/Under)

Totals betting is wagering on how many points will be scored in a basketball game. The betting site sets a line and you can bet on whether the game will see more or fewer points.

Over bets are common when there’s two high-scoring teams playing each other, whilst under are popular when there’s two low-scoring teams or if star players are absent through injury or rest.

Moneyline

Moneyline betting is just which team will win. The win can be by one point or by 30, so provided you wager on the winning team then your bet will be successful.

Lots of bettors like to wager on moneyline when the spread is only a couple of points, as it increases winnings. Extreme underdog moneyline bets, such as if a team is +400 or greater, are popular due to the potential returns.

Player Props

A player prop is betting on how well an individual performs in a game. Like totals betting, the sportsbook presents you with a number for a specific stat, and you can wager on whether the player goes over or under that.

Player props can be influenced by injury or by game flow and if your bet loses because chosen player doesn’t get as much time on the court as usual, it’s unlikely the sportsbook will take much pity on you.

Parlays

Parlay betting is a bet that consists of selections from multiple games, and you win if all your picks are successful. The total return is higher than if you place the bets individually, but the chance of winning is lower because you need more things to happen.

Recreational bettors use parlays a lot because they only require small stakes to potentially win big, making them more appealing than straight bets despite having worse odds.

Teasers

A teaser is like a parlay except that all selections have to be either spreads or totals or a combination of both. A fixed number of points is then added to all selections and the total return is reduced.

Teasing is not that common because it requires finding teams you’re extremely confident in and the returns are not always great.

Half/Quarter Betting

Half/quarter betting much like regular game betting except the bets only apply to either a selected quarter or half.

Usually you can only bet on the first quarter and first half before a game starts, with the other quarters and half becoming available in-play.

Some teams start slowly and make a habit of picking up the pace later in the game, whilst others can start strong so are worth considering for a bet to win the first quarter.

Basketball Futures

These bets are ones that get settled towards the end of the season rather than after a specific game. Futures are also known as outrights and usually take the entire year to become a winner or loser.

It is common to place bets on basketball futures before the season begins but betting sites almost always offer them throughout.

• Champion – The team that wins the NBA Championship or the College Basketball National Championship in NCAA Basketball. Teams that are expected to be contenders have shorter odds.
• Player awards – A handful of awards are handed out by the NBA each season with Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year the two key prizes. All betting sites should offer these whilst some may also have odds for Most Improved Player and Sixth man of the Year.
• Win total O/U – Sportsbooks set a win total for every NBA team and you can bet on whether they will win more or fewer games.
• To make/miss playoffs – The NBA playoffs consists of 16 teams and betting sites give odds on whether a team will make it into the postseason or not.
• To win division/conference – There are Eastern and Western conferences in the NBA and those are split into three divisions each.

Basketball Betting Tips and Advice

Knowing how to bet is just the tip of the iceberg – now you need to understand what to bet on. Staying disciplined and not just punting randomly are both important factors, along with the tips below.

It must be stressed that this is only general advice as there is no guaranteed way to win all basketball bets you place, but these can still help you out.

Basketball Live Betting

The introduction of in-play betting has created a mass of potential for online sports wagering and basketball betting is no different.

Live betting means you are able to wager as a game is going on, which gives you freedom to watch the fixture and place bets and means you can rely on more than just statistics to influence you.

For instance, say you’re watching LA Lakers vs Utah Jazz and see the Lakers giving up plenty of easy buckets inside – this could lead you to bet the over on Rudy Gobert’s points total as the center thrives on points in the paint.

There are lots of basketball live betting markets to wager on with every NBA and NCAA game available, and in-play betting opens new opportunities compared to pre-game. Major markets for live basketball betting include:

• Moneyline
• Run line
• Total
• Over/under points
• Over/under rebounds
• Over/under assists
• Over/under steals
• Over/under blocks
• Live player matchups (such as most points between Steph Curry and LeBron James)
• Team to win next quarter

The best sportsbooks for live basketball betting are below and they have all been specifically chosen because they are good at both in-play and basketball wagering, not one or the other.

DraftKings Sportsbook offers an excellent range of markets, usually upwards of 100, although they do lack when it comes to stats which makes it difficult to decide if a bet is worth placing.

Caesars and BetMGM both boast some of the best live basketball odds so you get more money on successful wagers than you would at other sportsbooks. However, they both only offer around 60 live basketball markets so there’s less choice.

DraftKings Sportsbook

Great range of markets

Lots of live events to bet on

Not many stats available

Draftkings Sportsbook review

Caesars Sportsbook

Very easy to use

Strong odds

Fewer markets than others

Caesars Sportsbook review

BetMGM

Lots of stats available

Competitive live odds

Not as many markets as some

BetMGM review

How We Rate Basketball Betting Sites

Picking the right betting site for you is not easy given the volume out there, and especially with how enticing the welcome bonuses are.

To save you the time of deciding what factors are important, our expert sports betting team have rated every sportsbook based on a series of strict factors.

• 

  Security

  This is a key criterion as it is vital that the betting site you choose is licensed. Every sportsbook we recommend has strong security features and is licensed to operate in the US, so you can be sure that your data is safe.

• 

  Promotions

  Promotions are always a good bonus for basketball bettors as you can get rewarded for placing bets that you may have done anyway. Basketball promos come in the form of odds boosts, enhanced returns, and money back offers, and can be worth as much as $100.

• 

  Mobile apps

  A good phone and tablet app available on both iOS and Android is crucial. Many people prefer to bet on their phones so the sportsbooks we recommend have apps that are easy to navigate and place wagers on.

• 

  Quality of odds

  The best betting sites have extremely competitive basketball odds and also offer them consistently. Better odds means better returns for your successful bets.

• 

  Markets

  Having a strong range of betting markets for basketball games is important as that gives bettors the most choice for wagers. Being stuck picking from only a handful of markets means you’re missing out on what other sites have to offer.

• 

  Live betting

  Live basketball betting is a must-have for all sportsbooks and the best ones provide both good odds and plenty of markets for in-play. As well, it should be easy to place bets on mobile and only a short delay between placing the bet and it being confirmed.

• 

  Payment methods

  Having a variety of deposit and withdrawal methods makes the site appeal to the most potential bettors, with the likes of PayPal, VISA and Play+ particularly common.

Basketball Betting Sites to Avoid

All the US betting sites we recommend are fully licensed and legally allowed to accept bets, but there are some out there you should avoid using.

These sportsbooks are usually based in other countries and although they can take wagers from US bettors, they tend not to have good odds and there is very little that can be done if something goes wrong.

On top of that, unlicensed sportsbooks offer poor bonuses with extremely vague and unfavorable terms, with wagering requirements as high as 50x fairly common.

Bovada

No US license

High deposit and withdrawal fees

No app

BetOnline

No US license

High minimum deposit

Withdrawal fees

MyBookie

No US license

High fees on deposits and withdrawals

Withdrawals take over a week

Most Popular Basketball Leagues and Events

Basketball is the second most-watched sport in the USA behind football, with both NBA and NCAA being incredibly popular all across the nation.

NBA

The NBA is the best basketball league in the world and is constantly on TV due to the sheer number of games, giving you lots of variety to bet on.

Games are played almost every day throughout the season, even on Christmas Day where there are usually five nationally televised fixtures.

Each NBA team plays 82 games during the regular season, with potential for another 28 during the playoffs. That means there are a total of 1,230 regular NBA games available to bet on plus at least 60 in the postseason.

Every sportsbook offers NBA betting, both pre-game and live, with hundreds of markets available. The best part is that sites are always trying to have the best odds because NBA is so popular, which means you can often find value if you search around.

NBA info

Year established 1946 Number of teams 30 Number of games played per team 82	Start of regular season October End of regular season April Team with most titles Boston Celtics, LA Lakers (17 each)

NBA is by far the most popular basketball league so check out our dedicated page about NBA betting. NBA betting sites

NCAA College Basketball

College basketball offers even more games to bet on, with hundreds of colleges having basketball teams that compete in the NCAA. Colleges like Kentucky, University of North Carolina, Duke, and Kansas are amongst the top teams.

March Madness, the informal name for the NCAA Division I Tournament, is one fo the biggest sporting events on the US calendar and sees the best 68 teams face off in a single elimination knockout to become champion.

There are some restrictions on college sports that are imposed by states and you can find out more about those limitations on our NCAA basketball page.

NCAA basketball info

Year established 1939 Number of teams 358 Number of games played per team Up to 31	Start of regular season November End of regular season March Team with most titles UCLA Bruins (11)

EuroLeague

EuroLeague is the top European basketball league, with 18 teams from across the continent playing in it each year. Each team plays everyone else twice, once at home and once away, with the top-eight qualifying for the playoffs.

Although not as popular as the NBA or NCAA Basketball the EuroLeague can still provide plenty of betting opportunities and there are plenty of former NBA stars who have played in the league.

Sportsbooks don’t make Euroleague games available for live betting and the market selection is limited to around 20, with no player props to bet on. Many sites also have identical odds on Euroleague action.

Euroleague info

Year established 1957 Number of teams 18 Number of games played per team 28	Start of regular season September End of regular season April Team with most titles Real Madrid (10)

NBL

The National Basketball League (NBL) is the top Oceanic basketball league and comprises of nine teams from Australia and one from New Zealand.

Each team plays 28 regular season games and the top-four qualify for the playoffs, which sees two best-of-three series in the semifinals followed by a best-of-five in the Grand Final.

NBL info

Year established 1979 Number of teams 10 Number of games played per team 28	Start of regular season October End of regular season March Team with most titles Perth Wildcats (10)

Conclusion

Basketball is incredibly popular in the US with both NBA and NCAA teams well-supported all over the country. The number of games in both professional and college ball presents bettors with thousands of opportunities for wagering.

Most sportsbooks have good and frequent bonuses for NBA betting with boosted odds and money back promos particularly common, whilst welcome bonuses can be worth up to $2,000 and are eligible for NBA and NCAA basketball.

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