Betting on NBA or
NCAA basketball isNGuch the same as betting on football. Point spreads are used
to handicap the favorites and underdogs for any given game. Over and under
totals are popular for basketball wagering as well.
Most online sportsbooks offer NBA and NCAA betting action on point spreads and
totals for the entire game as well as for each individual half.
Moneyline wagering, proposition betting, point buying, parlays and teasers are
just a few more gambling options available for wager on basketball.
BASKETBALL
POINTSPREAD & OVER/UNDER BETTING
On a point spread
bet, the team wagered must win by the number of points indicated. On an
over/under wager, the total points of the contest by both teams, overtime
included, must fall over or under the side selected.
Example of a pointspread:
The posted line is the L.A. Lakers -10 at Portland Trailblazers +10 and the
over/under total is 189.
The odds are $1.10 to win $1.00 (-110) unless otherwise indicated.
For the player who wagers on the Lakers -10, they must win by more than 10
points for this to be a winning wager. For the player who wagers on Portland
+10, they must either win the game, or lose by less than 10 points for this to
be a winning wager. If the outcome falls on the number, either way, the bet is
declared a "Push", and the original stake is refunded.
For the player who wagers on the total points of this contest by both teams to
be "Over" 189, the combined final score of both teams must exceed 189.
For the player who wagers on the total points of this contest by both teams to
be "Under" 189, the combined final score of both teams must be less
than 189. If the outcome falls on the number, the bet is declared a
"Push", and the original stake is refunded.
NBA OR NCAA
HALFTIME WAGERS
Halftime betting
is simply a wager only on the score of the first, or second half of a contest.
The line offered will be a pointspread, a moneyline, or a combination of the
two, but the wager applies only to the score of the halftime period specified.
BASKETBALL
QUARTER WAGERING
Wagering on
quarters is simply a wager only on the score of the first, second, third or
fourth quarter of a contest. These lines will be offered on marquee events, such
as playoff and championship games. The line offered will be a pointspread, a
moneyline, or a combination of the two, but the wager applies only to the score
of the quarter specified.
MONEYLINE
GAMBLING ON BASKETBALL
Moneyline betting
is simply wagering on the contest based on a given price rather than a
pointspread. The team wagered on simply has to win the game outright, regardless
the score.
Example
A player could choose one of two wagers on the following matchup: L.A. Lakers
-200 at Portland Trailblazers +180. If the Lakers win, the player laid $200.00
to win $100.00. If Portland wins, the player who bet $100.00 wins $180.00.
BASKETBALL
POINT BUYING
This is a method
of allowing the bettor to improve the pointspread of a basketball contest by
actually "buying points" for the team he/she wants to wager, side or
total. Bettors can buy points in 1/2 point increments up to 3 points, depending
on the contest.
Example
The L.A. Lakers are playing the Portland Trailblazers, and the line on the game
is the Lakers -10, with a total of 189. If a $100 wager is placed on the Lakers
-10 with a 1/2 point buy, the player has a wager on the Lakers -9 1/2 points,
and must put up $120 to win $100, instead of the usual $110 to win $100. If the
player, for example, requests a full 1 point buy to move the pointspread down to
-9, he/she would have to put up $130 to win $100.
Conversely, the bettor may also buy points on the Trailblazers side, and get the
line at plus 10 1/2 or 11 points, with the same increase in vigorish.
Bettors may also buy points for basketball totals. In this particular game,
bettors could buy an "over" wager with a maximum line move down to
188, or an "under" wager with a maximum line move up to 190.
PARLAYS,
TEASERS, PROPOSITIONS & FUTURES
Betting one of
these wager types on an NBA game varies from sportsbook to sportsbook.
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