Basketball Betting – Guide

Basketball betting is very popular at online sportsbooks in the Philippines. Though it can be challenging, our guide will show you how to win your wagers.

Basketball is one of the most popular sports for gambling and entertainment in the Philippines. In fact, basketball is continuously gaining momentum on online sports betting platforms as it appeals to a broad audience. It offers lots of options, making it easy to place wagers. The U.S. National Basketball Association, or NBA for short, is the most popular league when it comes to online bets.

The NBA offers many betting opportunities daily, as it has 30 teams playing 82 matches over seven months. However, there are many other leagues and tournaments that you can wager on. If you’re just getting started or simply want to know more about betting on basketball, this guide is all you need. We’ll walk you through all the basics and give you some tips on how to get the most out of your gambling experience.

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The Basketball Game

Basketball is played on a court that’s 50 feet wide by 94 feet long. On both ends of the court, there are hoops for scoring – each with a basket, board, and net. To score a point, a ball must pass through the rim. But while an NBA basketball match has four quarters of 12 minutes, college basketball games have two 20 minute halves. 

Furthermore, each team has five players playing at a time. They have different roles in the game, including the shooting guard, point guard, power forward, small forward, and center. Players can dribble, shoot, pass, and pivot the ball during play. 

The game begins with either jump balls or throw-ins. But in case of a foul, players get free throws, all worth a point. Moreover, a violation always results in a turnover – ball possession is given to the other team. Finally, in case of illegal physical contact, personal fouls are awarded.

Basketball Betting Guide

Betting Options

Whether you are betting on NBA teams, college basketball, or any other league, there are many options out there. Here are some popular types of bets that you can opt for:

Spread Betting

Essentially, basketball spread betting is betting on the prediction of outcomes (spread) to happen. Punters predict whether the outcome will be lower or higher than the spread. Naturally, if it is higher – bettors buy. But if it’s lower, they sell. The profit or loss is the difference between the buy or sell and the outcome times the stake. 

For example, in a match, Team A is awarded a point spread of 110-113. So, let’s say you buy 200 ₱ at 113 and team A wins the first match with 120 points. In that case, your profit will be:

  • (120 – 113) x 200 ₱= 1,400 ₱

However, if Team A only managed 100 points, it’ll be a loss:

  • (100 – 113) x 200 ₱ = 2,600 ₱

Basketball Moneyline

Moneyline bets are bets placed on the teams that you think will win a match. These bets can have a negative or positive sign. While a minus sign represents the favorite, a positive sign represents the underdog team. Furthermore, the corresponding numbers represent how much the team is an underdog or favorite. For instance, -260 is bigger than -135. So, if you have the Raptors versus Nuggets with the following odds:

  • Toronto Raptors +180 (underdogs)
  • Denver Nuggets -155 (favorite)

You can bet on either team and if it wins, you also win the bet. But if the team you bet on loses, you do, too.

Basketball Teaser Bet

Simply put, a teaser bet ties multiple bets into one wager and gives an opportunity to move the betting line in your favor. Bettors can add or subtract four points for all picks but to win, all of your picks have to be successful. NBA teasers are available as 4, 4.5, and 5-point teasers. Let’s look at an example:

  • Raptors/Knicks game: 201
  • Heat/Pelicans game: 194

Say you take a 4-point teaser – “under” in the Raptors game and “over” in the Heat match. As the line always moves in your favor, the “under” bet on the Raptors move from 201 to 205 (201+4). With the over bet (the Heat game) it moves to 190 (194 – 4). So, to win the wager the Raptors/Knicks must score less than 205 points combined. On the other hand, the Heat/Pelicans should score more than 190 points combined.

Basketball Parlays

Parlays are essentially betting on a series of games. But to make a parlay bet you should pick a minimum of two and up to 12 games, depending on the bookie. However, for you to win, all games must end as you predicted. 

For example, say both the Packers (+4) and Ravens (-6) may cover their spreads on an NFL match. You can opt to bet on both teams (parlay) rather than individually on each. The outcome will be one of these:

  • If both cover the spread: You win 2.65x your bet.
  • When one team covers but the other loses: You lose.
  • If both teams do not cover the spread: you lose.
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Basketball Betting Odds 101

Odds compilers are responsible for creating the betting odds for a sportsbook. They use a variety of critical parameters including:

Power Rankings

Power ratings are numerical values assigned to each team. The highest scoring and thereby best team is placed at the top of the ranking, while the worst – at the bottom. The ranking is based on overall strength but there are constant adjustments depending on performance. Of course, the power rankings are subjective and bettors can have a different opinion.

Home Court Advantage

In the NBA, the home-court advantage usually adds 3 points. So, in two equal strength teams, the team playing at home is favored by 3 points. These points take into account fans’ encouragement, the convenience of sleeping in your home, and treatment from referees.

Situational Factors

These are external factors that may affect the game. For instance, while handicapping a match, oddsmakers look at:

  • Fatigue – how far is the team traveling;
  • Team’s motivation – a team may need the game more than the other;
  • Matchups – does one team dominate the other in regards to play style.
How to Bet on Basketball

Basketball Betting Predictions: Workable Strategies

Much like with other types of sports, betting on basketball can be optimized. It can be straightforward if you follow the expert’s reliable tips and advice. Here are some tips. 

  • Know the league or team history – This can help decide whether it’s worth risking your money and make informed choices. 
  • Don’t forget the grudge matches – These are matches where a traded player faces his former employer for the first time. If the player is high performing, a strong grudge performance might secure the new team a victory. 
  • Consider the schedule – The NBA has a total of 82 matches. Especially between October and April, there are many back-to-back games and this can affect the players. 
  • Geography matters – How far a team travels in terms of time zones to get to the game is crucial. Longer travels mean more fatigue and this can be fatal for the game results. 
  • At home is always better – Playing in your home arena comes with a huge advantage, so exercise caution when risking your money on a visiting team. 
  • Study the injury reports – The outcome of a game can shift drastically if the star player has an injury. So, before making a bet check the injury report and find out who’s playing. 
  • Every coach is different – The team’s game plan is the work of the coach and the coach’s strategies are essential in handicapping matches. But every coach is different, so take the time to study their tendencies. 
  • Get to know the scoring and pace factor – The pace factor is vital in estimating the possession percentage of a team in a game. This, alongside scores per game, helps in choosing over or under on a game total. 
  • Keep track of your results – Always look at how each team is scoring its points and examine players’ patterns. Don’t just bet on the team that seems to be winning.
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Our Top Basketball Betting Tips And Tricks

To get the most out of your sports betting experience, consider implementing these tips:

  • Bet with your head, not your heart – Betting isn’t an exact science. However, by keeping your emotions at bay and sticking to your strategies, your winning chances increase. 
  • Don’t get greedy – The value of the bets should guide your decisions, as it shows the relationship between the odds and the probability of the outcome happening. 
  • Never bet more than you can afford to lose – Without a budget, you might spend more than intended, so make one first. 
  • Don’t bet on friendly matches – A bet on a friendly match is a huge risk due to the lack of statistics, making these matches unpredictable. 
  • Know the team motivation – Motivation is a crucial factor in basketball games. When players are not motivated, they might lose the game even if they are talented. 

Final Words

Basketball betting is no different from other sports betting. Therefore, you need to collect as much information as possible about the team and the game before betting. That research can be tedious but hopefully, with our guide you’ve learned how to go about it. Our useful tips and strategies are sure to come in handy next time you want to place a bet. If you’re also looking for a great online platform to do so – check out our sportsbook reviews. There you’ll learn more about the top online sportsbooks in the Philippines.

FAQ

Generally, yes, betting on basketball online is legal in most regions. However, it depends on your local jurisdiction, as laws may vary.

Of course, the process varies from one bookie to another. But if you’re betting online, generally all you have to do is select the team or outcome on which you want to bet and press a couple of buttons to place the wager.

Yes, of course. You can join as many online basketball betting sites as you like.

Yes! There is a live basketball betting option that allows punters to place a wager while the game is going on.

Yes. If you want to bet on several games at once, you could take advantage of parlay bets, for instance.

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