With a whopping 72-game season, the league provides plenty of NBA betting opportunities each year. Besides that, the premier basketball league comes in a close second to the NFL each year in sports betting handle. If you want to bet on NBA games, there are hundreds of betting options, props, and even live betting options that make you think on your feet. Our NBA betting guide covers the latest odds, the best NBA bets, an analysis oft her different basketball bets, and connections to the best NBA sportsbooks.
You’ve certainly come to the right place for players looking to find the NBA best bets tonight. The Golden State and Boston Celtics start the season as favorites to win it, which makes sense, given they were the NBA Finalists last year. Our in-house experts follow the latest NBA betting trends to provide our readers with insight into how to bet on NBA games, maximizing the value in the odds.
Whether you’re new to sports betting or a professional handicapper, here you can find the NBA best bets today. The NBA sports betting odds are now available. Betting on NBA lines is a prevalent market for US players, so ensure you work with the best providers. The odds were last updated on May 30, 2023:
| NBA Outright Winners Odds 2023 |  |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Nuggets | -340 | -360 | -340 |
| Miami Heat | +275 | +260 | +275 |
Latest NBA Betting News
But how do you bet on the NBA effectively? Here are some NBA betting tips from OnlineSportsBetting. It’s important to understand the game, do plenty of team and player research, and even follow beat writers who specifically cover the NBA. Many people just try to guess when it comes to betting on the NBA, and while some could be successful, it’s important for many sports bettors to have a strategy.
But first, for those who are new to betting on the NBA, we should go over the main NBA gambling options and NBA odds, to prime you for betting on the 2022-2023 NBA season.
Best NBA Bets May 2023
- The Boston Celtics have the best chance to win the 2023 NBA Championship, with +200 odds and a 32.68% implied probability.
- Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets’ center, is the front-runner for the 2023 NBA Finals MVP award with +150 odds.
- Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers was named the 2023 NBA MVP during the regular season.
- Bovada is offering +1150 odds on the Phoenix Suns to win the 2023 NBA Championship, placing them among the top 6 favorites.
- Sacramento Kings’ coach, Mike Brown, has been honored with the 2023 NBA Coach of the Year award, also known as the Red Auerbach Trophy.
- The Golden State Warriors are among the top 5 contenders to win the 2023 NBA Championship, with +710 odds.
- The LA Lakers have a strong chance to win the NBA Finals, with +560 odds and ranking as the top 3 favorites.
- The Denver Nuggets have a great shot at winning the NBA Championship, with +390 odds.
Best Online Sportsbooks for NBA Betting
Users can make NBA bets online at these sportsbooks. Below you’ll find a list of some of the best online bookmakers in the United States. We have reviewed them specifically for NBA betting. Take a look!
BetOnline
BetOnline is one of the more established bookmakers in North America, offering a range of odds, lines, and betting features for basketball. BetOnline is certainly one of the best for those who like to NBA bet online. Online NBA betting is a highly saturated market, with oddsmakers constantly competing for customer attention, which means that many top-tier providers offer customers bonuses and competitions to entice them. BetOnline focuses on the North American market, with NBA as one of its flagship betting lines. BetOnline’s NBA sportsbook is extensive and covers everything from standard moneylines for the games to more expansive prop betting markets. Find your betting niche with this unique online provider.
Sign Me Up To BetOnlineMyBookie
As the go-to bookmaker for many American NBA enthusiasts and bettors, MyBookie provides a unique online NBA betting experience. We have been working with this oddsmaker for almost ten years now, since it first went online back at the start of 2014. NBA sportsbooks will always cover all the prominent sports betting lines. But, what MyBookie does is delve deeper and try to cater to the broader basketball betting audience; from prop bets to industry-leading over/under lines, you will find it all at MyBookie. If you want to place an NBA bet online, be sure to work with a bookmaker offering various payment methods. MyBookie caters to the more traditional player with bank and card payments and more modern payment options like cryptocurrency.
Sign Me Up To MyBookieBetUS
BetUS has been active since 1994, providing quality sports betting lines and markets for almost two decades. Online NBA betting at this provider is quick and easy, all of which a first-rate customer service team supports. Customers will be met with well-informed and attentive customer service representatives. As one of the leading NBA sportsbooks operating in the states, we strongly advise looking through the various payment options available. Whether it’s crypto or a credit card you want to deposit with, BetUS has you covered. With 82 regular season games and an enthralling playoff period, it’s no surprise that the NBA markets are extensive. BetUS keeps you dialed in for the entire season while keeping you entertained with markets to cover it all.
Sign Me Up To BetUSGTBets
GTBets is a veteran bookmaker which doesn’t boast the same flashy interface you’ll see at some of the other bookmakers mentioned on this list. But it does all the small things perfectly, which is why it’s stayed at the top of the pile of US providers for the last decade. NBA fans will be thrilled to know that despite the long season, GTBets is dedicated to ensuring it brings the most exciting lines and competitive odds to users throughout the process. NBA sportsbooks don’t always allow you to wager on the various types of betting lines in basketball. This isn’t the case at GTBets, as customers can wager on moneylines, parlays, over/under, totals, player props, and much more.
Sign Me Up To GTBetsBovada
Bovada is probably the betting brand most synonymous with North American sports betting. The company has built a global empire, servicing countries from Australia to Europe. We are big fans of Bovada because of its a continued effort to give back to the community with competitions and free cash prizes. When making NBA bets online, we’d advise you to look through what’s on offer at Bovada. Regular competitions and bonuses are associated with the big leagues, namely the NBA. The best thing about this unique bookmaker is the ability to navigate through the various features using its innovative mobile sports betting app. The app is available to Android and iOS users.
Sign Me Up To BovadaHow to bet on NBA games
The first step in learning how to bet on NBA games is to understand NBA betting odds.
NBA Betting Odds
These are those numbers next to a team name, that are either denoted as positive or negative. The positive numbers indicate that the team is less likely to win than their opponent, and would be the underdog in this situation. The negative number represents the favored team and would be more likely to win. Their numbers would represent how likely they are to win.
If you have the Golden State Warriors at +200 and the Toronto Raptors at -200, that means the Raptors are favored to win that game, and the Warriors are the underdog. A bet on the Raptors wouldn’t pay out as much because the oddsmakers are predicting that they would be the ones to win, but a bet on the Warriors would pay out much more if they did pull off a victory.
The odds represent how much you would need to bet to win a certain amount of money. In the case above, you would need to bet $200 on the Raptors to win $100. You can bet any denomination, but that doesn’t sound like a bet that’s really worthwhile unless you were 100% sure the Raptors would win. If you bet on the Warriors, you would need to bet $100 to win $200.
The more a team is expected to lose, the higher their odds will be, meaning you’d be winning big bucks if a huge upset occurs. This is one of the core principals of placing a bet on NBA games.
Popular NBA Betting Options
Now that we’ve covered what the odds look like, let’s look at popular betting types that you will be able to choose from when you place a bet on an NBA game.
Betting on the NBA Moneyline
The easiest betting type you can lay down in terms of NBA betting is the moneyline. It’s simple and easy to understand and great for new bettors. Your job is to determine which team will win the game – that’s it.
If the Warriors and Raptors are playing and you believe the Warriors will win, you select the Warriors and you’re good to go. Mind you, reviewing the odds and aspects of the game before you place your wager is important to ensure you aren’t throwing your money away.
Let’s look at an example:
- Toronto Raptors -120
- Golden State Warriors +300
We changed the numbers around to give you a different perspective. The Raptors are still the favored team, at -120 vig. A $120 wager, with the Raptors winning, would yield $100 plus your initial wager. The Warriors are the underdog, and if they upset the Raptors and win, a $100 wager would yield $300 plus your initial $100.
In order to make the best NBA moneyline bets, you should reach far and wide for your research. For example, some have shown statistically the need to look at multiple seasons in order to predict the results of NBA games. They use a combination of models and forecasts to improve their betting success.
Betting on NBA Point Spreads
Point spreads are extremely popular in the NBA, and almost any of the main professional sports. Point spreads are intended to give the underdog an imaginary advantage or level the playing field in games that are one-sided. Your oddsmaker or sportsbook will decide who the favored team is, and determine the spread based on how those two teams match up.
The spread is essentially how many points a team must win or lose by, depending on which side you’re betting on. If you choose the favorite, their spread will be a negative number, and they must win the game by that amount. If you choose the underdog, they must lose by less than that number or win the game.
For example, if you have the Bulls at -5.5 and the Pacers at +5.5, the Bulls are favored to win the matchup. The Bulls are expected to win by more than five points, and for your bet to cash, they must win by more than 6 points. The Pacers, on the other hand, need to win the game or lose by less than 5 points. The team must cover their spread for you to win.
The spreads change as the game draws closer, you could get a better value closer to game time, as sportsbooks balance the lines based on the bets that come in early. They try to have equal bets on either side so the Pacers could be even bigger underdogs on game day.
Betting on NBA Totals
If you’re looking at the lines and you aren’t leaning toward a particular team, you can always bet the totals or the over/under as it’s commonly referred to as. Totals betting is quite simple, and you don’t have to choose one team over another – you simply have to decide if the total amount of points scored by both teams collectively will be over or under the oddsmaker’s line.
If you have the Celtics versus the Knicks, and the total is set at 190, you will need to decide if you think both teams will score more or less than 190. If both teams easily get over 100 points per game, that should be an easy bet to make, and you’d take the over. If the Celtics defensive play is too much for the Knicks to handle, and you don’t see the Knicks scoring many points, take the under.
The totals will have odds like -110 attached to it, based on the handle coming in on the choice. These are your odds for your bet, and usually don’t venture too far from the -110 and -105 zone due to the unpredictability of the over/under bet.
Betting on NBA Props
Let’s get into the fun side of NBA betting. Prop bets or proposition bets as they’re formally referred to as can be so much fun to wager on. They are unusual or goofy wagers on outcomes within the game that can make betting on the NBA a little more exciting. You could bet on the number of three-pointers a specific player could rack up in a game, or how many blocks a team might have, or who will win the opening tip-off.
NBA Prop bets are just for fun, and most people don’t put a lot of money on them. Many online sportsbooks offer a huge selection of props per game, providing a much greater variety than your average retail sportsbook. Sometimes there can even be too many to choose from, and it does get overwhelming when trying to determine which one to bet on.
Many props are purely luck, and you really don’t have to put a lot of thought or time into them.
Betting on NBA Futures
NBA Futures are extremely popular early in the season, as they provide a huge value with high risk. NBA Futures are exactly as they sound – you are placing a bet on which team will win an outcome month in advance. As soon as the NBA Finals wrap up each year, sportsbooks put out the following year’s futures.
The main NBA Futures are the NBA Finals Futures and the divisional winners. Predicting if a team will win the NBA Finals months before it happens can usher in some fantastic odds.
Let’s use the 2019 season for example. To start the season, the Toronto Raptors were +900 to win the NBA Finals. The Golden State Warriors were -165. A bet on the Warriors in October 2018 would have barely any value, and your money would be wasted as they lost. A $100 wager on the Raptors would have paid out $1000.
In some instances, you can find the middle of the pack teams sneaking up the standings and inching into the finals or even their divisional finals. It’s important to keep in mind that these NBA bets are highly risky, as you have 30 teams in the NBA, so 30/1 odds of being right.
Top Online Sportsbooks for Betting on the NBA
Now that you have a good idea of how to bet on the NBA games, let’s take a look at where to place the best NBA bets today.
While your state may have legalized sports betting, many haven’t passed laws or updated legislation yet, so offshore sportsbooks are still a great option for NBA betting.
Finding an online sportsbook that offers the best NBA odds, NBA bonuses and a variety of deposit options should be your main priority. All sportsbooks are different, so you want to ensure you do plenty of research and read sportsbook reviews before signing up.
NBA Betting Tips
There are a wealth of ways to find revealing NBA betting tips, many of which can be found on sites dedicated to basketball and often also offer handicapping advice. See our top 5 NBA betting tips below:
- Don’t chase losses: Losing can be a hard thing to stomach. But it happens. Don’t spend your money chasing losses and quickly trying to recoup financial losses.
- Line Shopping: You’ll see this term used quickly and often. It entails signing up with a variety of bookmakers and checking the betting line you’re interested in across a variety of providers rather than just one, allowing you to find the best value in the market.
- Do Your Homework: Don’t just wager on the first odds you see. Check to see what has happened in the past; check performance, and head-to-head statistics, to ensure you get the best value out of the odds.
- Don’t just follow your favorite team: It can be challenging to avoid wagering on your team, especially when there is such rivalry between the top teams. But, sometimes, you must concede and bet on a team you hate. Bet on value in the market, not on names and emotions. Follow the NBA betting advice you find online over your own personal hunches.
- Utilize live betting markets: Live betting has completely changed the sports betting landscape. Being able to wager on the action as it unfolds is of great value and opens up new doors and opportunities for sports bettors.
Best NBA Betting, April 2023
- Get ready for some serious NBA action! The Boston Celtics are on fire this season, so it’s no wonder they’re the Top 1 favorite to win the championship, with odds of +325 on top-notch sportsbooks like BetUs.
- Denver Nuggets’ star player Nikola Jokic is the favorite for the Regular Season MVP award, with odds of +125 at the best bookmakers.
- The Phoenix Suns have brought in Kevin Durant to join Devin Booker and Chris Paul on the court. The new lineup means the Suns are poised to be the Celtics’ biggest contender and are currently the runner-up to win the 2023 NBA Finals, with odds of +550 on Bovada.
- The Golden State Warriors might be a team to watch out for, with odds of +1500 to clinch the championship on MyBookie.
- Keep an eye on Joe Mazulla, coach of the Boston Celtics, who’s a heavy favorite for the NBA regular season coach of the year award, with +175 odds at BetUS.
- As for the regular season NBA Rookie of the Year award, Bennedict Mathurin from the Pacers is a top pick with +550 odds at major sportsbooks.
NBA Betting FAQs
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Who is favorite to win the NBA Championship in 2023?
It’s impossible to accurately predict who will be the favorite to win the NBA Championship in 2023 until more information is known about the league and its teams at that time. However, if we look at current trends, it’s likely that either the Boston Celtics or Phoenix Suns will be among the top contenders. Both these teams have proven themselves as serious championship contenders in recent years, and they both possess strong rosters featuring some of the best players in the league.
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Where can I place NBA best bets for today?
For NBA best bets, we would strongly advise browsing through our NBA pages, where you’ll find a range of odds and tables promoting the very best sportsbooks available to US players.
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Do bookmakers offer quality NBA betting advice?
Bookmakers may offer some NBA betting advice, but it is important to remember that their main goal is to make a profit. So, their advice may not always be unbiased or in the best interest of the bettor. It is always a good idea to do your own research and analysis before making any bets. You can look at betting odds, team and player statistics, and expert opinions to make more informed decisions. Additionally, following reputable NBA analysts and writers can also provide valuable insights and perspectives on the league and specific games.
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What are the various types of NBA player awards bets?
There are several types of NBA player awards bets that you can make. Here are a few examples:
1. MVP (Most Valuable Player) Bet: This type of bet requires you to predict who will win the MVP award at the end of the season. You can bet on a specific player or choose from a list of potential candidates.
2. Rookie of the Year Bet: This type of bet requires you to predict who will win the Rookie of the Year award at the end of the season. Again, you can bet on a specific player or choose from a list of potential candidates.
3. Defensive Player of the Year Bet: This type of bet requires you to predict who will win the Defensive Player of the Year award at the end of the season. Similar to the previous bets, you can bet on a specific player or choose from a list of potential candidates.
4. Sixth Man of the Year Bet: This type of bet requires you to predict who will win the Sixth Man of the Year award at the end of the season. This award is given to the best player who comes off the bench and is not a starter.
5. Most Improved Player Bet: This type of bet requires you to predict who will win the Most Improved Player award at the end of the season. This award is given to the player who has shown the most improvement from the previous year. -
Is NBA live betting available?
Yes, NBA live betting is available at many online sportsbooks and betting sites. Live betting allows you to place bets during a game, as the action unfolds. This can be a great way to stay engaged with the game and potentially make a profit. Just be sure to do your research and set a budget before placing any bets.
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Who sets NBA betting lines?
NBA betting lines are set by oddsmakers, who work for sportsbooks and gambling websites. Oddsmakers use a variety of factors to determine the opening lines for games, including team records, injuries, home court advantage, and historical data. They adjust the lines based on the amount of money bet on each side, in order to keep the wagers evenly split and minimize risk for the sportsbook. Additionally, oddsmakers may adjust the lines based on breaking news or significant events leading up to the game. Ultimately, the goal is to set a line that accurately reflects the relative strengths of the teams and generates balanced action from bettors.
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What is the best NBA betting strategy?
The best NBA betting strategy is to do your research and stay consistent with your approach. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
1. Follow the injury report: Before placing any bets, make sure to check the injury report for both teams. Injuries can have a big impact on the outcome of a game, so it’s important to know if any key players are sidelined.
2. Look for value: Rather than just betting on the favorite, look for opportunities where the odds are in your favor. This may mean betting on underdogs or looking for props with favorable odds.
3. Watch the lines: NBA lines can move quickly, so it’s important to keep an eye on them throughout the day. If you see a line that looks off or is moving in one direction, it may be worth taking a closer look.
4. Manage your bankroll: It’s important to have a solid bankroll management strategy in place before starting to bet on NBA games. This means setting limits on how much you’re willing to bet and sticking to them, regardless of how tempting a particular bet may seem. -
Can someone make a living betting on NBA games?
It is possible to make a living betting on NBA games, but it is not easy and requires a lot of skill and discipline. Successful sports bettors must have a deep understanding of the game, be able to analyze statistics and trends, and have the ability to manage their bankroll effectively. It is also important to have access to reliable information and stay on top of news and developments in the industry. However, even with all of these factors in place, there is still no guarantee of consistent profitability. It is important for those considering betting on NBA games as a career to approach it with caution and to have a backup plan for income.
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Where can I bet on NBA?
There are many online sports betting platforms where you can bet on NBA games. Some popular options include:
1. BetUS
2. Bovada
3. GTBets
4. BetOnline
5. MyBookieBefore choosing a platform to bet on NBA games, it’s important to do your research and make sure the platform is reputable, reliable, and safe. You’ll also want to check for any bonuses or promotions that may be available to new users. Always remember to gamble responsibly and within your means.
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Is NBA betting easy?
No, NBA betting is not easy. Betting on NBA games involves analyzing a wide range of factors such as team performance, injuries, player matchups, weather conditions, etc. You also need to have a good understanding of the different types of bets available and the odds associated with each one. Additionally, you need to keep up with the latest trends, news, and strategies related to NBA betting. While it is possible to make successful NBA bets, it takes a significant amount of research, skill, and experience to do so.
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Is betting on NBA basketball legal?
Betting on NBA basketball is legal in certain states in the United States. As of December 2023, sports betting is legal in 36 states, including Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. However, each state has its own laws and regulations surrounding sports betting, so it’s important to check the laws in your state before placing any bets. Additionally, it’s always important to gamble responsibly and within your means.
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