The Moneyline
NBA moneyline betting is simply to wager on which NBA team will win the game of basketball in question. Note that the market will usually be expressed in the American betting odds format.
Our Top NBA Betting Sites for Canadians
Sal Vetri's Expert NBA Betting Tips
Our sports expert Sal Vetri has provided the following NBA betting tips, to help you place smart bets and find the best NBA betting picks:
1. Be aware of the TWO best times to place an NBA bet
The two most opportunistic times to place a wager on the NBA are the moment the betting lines hit the marketplace and the moments after an injury is announced to a key player for any given team.
Once the betting lines open, this is the friendliest time to place a bet. The lines are now ‘soft’, meaning there is not much action (money) being placed yet. During this time, you have the ability to get the side of the bet you like before the market and professional bettors influence that line (line movement/changes).
Moments after an injury is the most advantageous time to place an NBA bet. It’s a common trend for teams not to announce injured/resting players until moments before tip (and sometimes after). This puts Vegas and the books at an extreme disadvantage. Following accounts like Fantasy Labs NBA on Twitter is the best way to get an information edge over the books. I’ve found that you will have 2-3 minutes to place a bet before the books change the line due to injury/rest.
2. Incorporate Game Pace into your Over/Under picks, it’s essential
3. As with any investment, be sure you’re getting the Best Deal
4. Take advantage of Player Prop Bets
How NBA Betting Odds Work
If you are new to sports betting odds and in particular how NBA odds work, we’ll explain for you below with the following example:
2.0
3.25
Here, Toronto is the betting favourite. Based on these 2.0 odds, for every C$4 you stake on the Raptors, you win C$4 and get your stake back. That’s a total return of C$8 if your bet wins.
Cleveland, meanwhile, is the betting underdog with higher odds of 3.25. A C$4 bet on the Cavs generates C$9 of profit and C$13 total returns.
Try out our NBA odds calculator below to work out other odds types, betting stakes and potential winnings:
NBA Best Bets & Betting Options
There are hundreds of basketball markets to choose from when it comes to NBA betting. Below, we’ve listed the most popular and best NBA bet types for wagering real money:
NBA Match Bets
-
Eg:Cleveland
Cavaliers+325
vsToronto
Raptors-200
-
Prop Bets
NBA prop bets are also hugely popular in basketball betting. They usually refer to player markets within a game, such as number of points, blocks or assists. Props can also be classed as NBA futures bets for markets across the season.
Eg: Steph Curry
is named NBA MVP6.5
-
Handicap/Spread Betting
NBA spread betting is when the bookies put both teams at a level playing field betting-wise. If the spread is 6.5, the favourite has to win by 7+ points, or the underdog must lose by no more than 6 points (or win) for you to win the bet.
Eg:Utah
Jazz
+6.54.50
vsGolden State
Warriors
-6.54.50
-
Over/Under
NBA over/under bets can be made on the total points scored by both teams combined or just one team, or even within quarters of the match. For example, you’ll see NBA betting markets such as: over 110.5 total points.
Eg:Over
110.51.75vsUnder
110.51.75 -
Quarter/Half Betting
NBA second half betting lines, or even wagering on a team to win a particular quarter, are also popular bets to take. For instance, the LA Clippers to win the third quarter against the LA Lakers.
Eg:LA
Clippers2.38
vsLA
Lakers2.38
NBA Futures Bets
-
Conference or Division Winner
One of the most popular NBA futures bets, is to pick which team you think will win its conference or division. These odds will fluctuate as the season progresses, with the best odds usually available before a match is played.
Eg:To win the Eastern Conference:
Toronto Raptors11.0To win the Atlantic Division:
Toronto Raptors7.50 -
NBA Championship Winner
Similar to conference or division winner markets, you are betting on which team will be NBA champions. You can bet on this market throughout the season and playoffs, all the way up to the NBA Finals.
Eg: To win the Championship:
Toronto Raptors29.0
What is NBA Live Betting?
- NBA betting continues even when matches are in-play
- Top NBA betting sites will offer you live markets to gamble on
- Odds shift constantly based on what happens on the basketball court
- You can bet on teams to win a quarter or the final result with live betting compatible with mobile devices
- It’s possible to get even better prices than taking regular fixed odds beforehand
Other Basketball Pages
Best NBA Teams to Bet On
When picking a team to bet on, either for a certain match or championship, it is wise do your homework and find out any NBA betting data and info.
Regularly looking at NBA betting expert picks and tips, such as from our very own Sal Vetri, is a great way to increase your chances of winning real money.
Some of the NBA betting tips we recommend are looking at team form, head-to-head history and injuries etc. Below we provide a list of the past 10 NBA champions, which is a great place to start:
Recent NBA Champions
-
2020
LA Lakers
-
2019
Toronto
Raptors -
2018
Golden State
Warriors -
2017
Golden State
Warriors -
2016
Cleveland
Cavaliers -
2015
Golden State
Warriors -
2014
San Antonio
Spurs -
2013
Miami
Heat -
2012
Miami
Heat -
2011
Dallas
Mavericks
NBA Rules and Overview
Now that you know about NBA betting in Canada, we go through the rules and format, to help you better plan your NBA betting picks and wagers:
1
There are 30 pro basketball teams in the NBA. Matches feature two at a time, and the team with the most points after four quarters or overtime wins.
2
The NBA is split into two conferences of 15 teams based on rough geographical areas – the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference.
3
Conferences are split into three divisions of five teams each. The Atlantic, Central and Southeast in the Eastern Conference, and the Northwest, Pacific and Southwest in the Western Conference.
4
During the regular NBA season, teams play 82 games (72 during the 2020/21 season due to COVID-19) – an equal number playing home and away.
5
Each NBA team plays the others in its division four times, six of the remaining 10 from the same conference four times and the other four three times. Teams play those from the other conference twice.
6
The NBA playoffs feature the top eight teams in each conference. The format has changed over the years as the NBA expanded. Now the playoffs are a best-of-seven series elimination tournament with seedings.
7
Whichever team comes through the playoffs and wins the NBA Finals (also best-of-seven) are crowned NBA champions for that season.
NBA Growth & History
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is founded in New York City as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). Canadian team Toronto Huskies lose 68-66 to the New York Knicks in the first-ever NBA game.
1946Philadelphia Warriors win the inaugural NBA finals.
1947The name is changed to NBA after a merger with the National Basketball League (NBL).
1949A shot clock, giving players 24 seconds to attempt scoring a field goal before ceding possession to the other team, is introduced.
1954Boston Celtics win a record eighth consecutive NBA Championship.
1966Bill Russell sets the record for the most NBA Championships won by an individual player with an 11th success at Boston Celtics.
1969The NBA logo still used today debuts after being designed by Alan Siegel.
1971The NBA adopts the American Basketball Association’s (ABA) three-point field goal.
1979The USA national basketball team picks NBA players for the Olympic Games for the first time. This “Dream Team” including Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird wins Gold in Barcelona, Spain.
1992Canadian representation returns to the NBA as franchises are awarded to Vancouver and Toronto.
1995San Antonio Spurs become the first former ABA team to win the NBA Championship.
1999The NBA sees its image tarnished by the infamous Basketbrawl. This violent incident between players and fans occurred during Indiana Pacers @ Detroit Pistons. The latter were defending champions at the time.
2004Boston Celtics win a record 17th NBA Championship.
2008A record crowd of 108,713 basketball fans watch the NBA All-Star Game in the Dallas Cowboys’ NFL stadium in Texas. LA Lakers compete in a record 31st NBA finals, winning the Championship for a 16th time.
2010Toronto Raptors become the first team in Canada to win the NBA Championship.
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FAQs
What is the NBA?
The NBA, or National Basketball Association, is the top pro basketball league in North America.
It features 30 teams, with 29 being from the USA and one from Canada (Toronto Raptors).
Are NBA betting sites safe?
What are the top NBA betting sites?
How does betting on the NBA work?
What are the most popular NBA bets?
How do I bet on the NBA finals?
Can I bet on the NBA on mobile?
Can I make a profit from NBA bets?
How often does the favourite win in NBA?
