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 March 2023
Top Results for Virginia, US | # | Sportsbook | Bonus | 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 |
Up to $1250 free bet Cashback |
|
 |
Play |
Use bonus code: CZR15
Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount and no odds restrictions Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
|
|
3.
|
BetMGM |
Up to 1000$ 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 Free bet |
|
 |
Play |
Use bonus code: No bonus code required; Register to claim
Qualifying bet: $5 Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
|
|
6.
|
PointsBet |
5 x up to $50 in bet credits Cashback |
|
|
Play |
Only fixed odds bets. Only losing bets. Bet credits: 5 X $50 for 5 consecutive days.
|
|
|
7.
|
Unibet |
Up to $500 free bet Free bet |
|
|
Play |
Use bonus code: No bonus code required; Register to claim
Qualifying bet: $10 or more Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
|
|
8.
|
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 |
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.
A $10 cash wager on Golden State Warriors at +100 would normally net you a total of $20 – $10 winnings plus your initial $10 risk if they win. If that wager is a free bet, you only get back the $10 winnings.
This table shows the main types of basketball bonus available and which betting site is best for each.
|
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.
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.
It is vital that you bet with a legal sportsbook as this ensures your money is safe.
After choosing a sportsbook, sign up to them and utilize their welcome bonus.
Betting sites tend to only list the upcoming games for the day you are browsing on.
NBA statistics are freely available and you should definitely check them out before placing a bet.
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.
You wouldn’t buy something from one place if you could get it at another for cheaper, and that basic principle applies here.
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.
|
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.
| Caesars | FanDuel | bet365 | DraftKings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home – Golden State Warriors | -260 | -270 | -250 | -290 |
| Away – Los Angeles Lakers | +210 | +220 | +210 | +230 |
| Home spread | -6 -110 | -6 -108 | -6 -110 | -6.5 -110 |
| Away spread | +6 -110 | -6 -112 | +6 -110 | +6.5 -110 |
| Spread margin | 4.8% | 4.7% | 4.8% | 4.8% |
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.
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.
Example: Milwaukee Bucks are -4.5 favorites against Detroit Pistons. The Bucks need to win by five points or more to cover, such as a 120-108 victory. The Pistons can either win the game or lose by fewer than five points to cover. A 120-118 Bucks win would see Detroit cover.
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.
Example: The points line for Detroit Pistons vs Milwaukee Bucks is 213.5 points. If the teams combine for 214 points or more (including overtime) then it has gone over, whilst if they combine for 213 or fewer then it is under.
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.
Example: Milwaukee Bucks are -200 favorites against Detroit Pistons. A $10 wager on the Bucks returns $15 including your initial stake if they win.
Conversely, the Pistons are +165 to win so a $10 stake will see you scoop a total of $26.50 if they claim the W.
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.
Example: The points total for Giannis Antetokounmpo is set at 31.5 points. If he scores 32 or more points during the game, this bet will be a winner.
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.
Example: Bucks -4.5, Mavericks +2.5 and Jazz -9 are all priced at -110. Put all these selections into a parlay and that pays out at +595.
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.
Example: Bucks -4.5, Mavericks +2.5 and Jazz -9 are all priced at -110. If you wanted to add five points to each of these then the bet would become Bucks +1, Mavericks +7.5 and Jazz -4.5, with the odds cut from +595 to +130.
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.
Example: Milwaukee Bucks are -145 moneyline favorites to win the first quarter. You only need the Bucks to be ahead after 12 minutes for this bet to win – the rest of the game does not matter.
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
Caesars Sportsbook
BetMGM
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.
-
SecurityThis 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.
-
PromotionsPromotions 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 appsA 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 oddsThe best betting sites have extremely competitive basketball odds and also offer them consistently. Better odds means better returns for your successful bets.
-
MarketsHaving 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 bettingLive 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 methodsHaving 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
BetOnline
MyBookie
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.
 | |||||||||||||
|
|
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.
 | |||||||||||||
|
|
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.
 | |||||||||||||
|
|
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.
 | |||||||||||||
|
|
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.
FAQs
How do I bet on basketball?
You can bet on points spread, total points, moneyline, or player props. These are the most popular markets but others are available, with some basketball betting sites having hundreds for you to choose from including which player will make the first field goal of the game.
Can I bet on college basketball?
College basketball betting is legal in all states where online sports wagering is allowed, but some states impose restrictions which means you may not be able to bet on player props. You can read more about those restrictions here on our dedicated NCAA page.
Is basketball betting legal?
Basketball betting is legal in the US. Every state which allows online sports wagering has sportsbooks that accept bets on NBA, NCAA basketball, EuroLeague and other major basketball leagues around the world, giving you a range of choices for wagering.
What is moneyline in basketball betting?
Moneyline betting is simply wagering on which team will win the game. There are no other conditions or handicaps to be aware of, unlike spread betting which requires the winning team to be victorious by a set number. Many recreational bettors like to bet moneyline on an underdog as it gives better returns than the spread.
How to place a bet on basketball?
Sign up for a legal US betting site and deposit using your chosen payment method, then find the basketball game and market you want to bet on. Decide how much you want to risk on a bet and finally wait for the game to be played to see if you are a winner or not.
What does +1.5 mean in basketball betting?
+1.5 is the handicap you are giving to a team. This is added to their final total and your bet wins if that total is higher than the opponents’ after the +1.5 handicap has been added. Handicap betting is also known as spread betting.
