Last updated on August 3rd, 2022
Basketball is one of the most common and most-watched sports in the world. Millions of people all over the world enjoy tuning in to enjoy numerous leagues and competitions every year. It’s a fast-paced game that provides bettors with a challenging yet thrilling way to try and make a profit.
That’s why tons of bookmakers offer a wide range of betting types and markets in which both recreational and professional bettors can find many profitable opportunities.
So take your basketball betting to a higher level by trying multiple NBA betting tips and strategies from our blogs. Then open an account with VOdds and have access to many reliable bookmakers so you can bet on real-time odds!
Different basketball betting markets to use
Using our aggregator platform, everyone can bet on their chosen basketball leagues since even unfamiliar competitions are available.
Betting odds for the NBA, EuroLeague, and more international basketball leagues such as the Bundesliga, and even the collegiate basketball tournament (NCAA), can all be found on the platform and are collected from the biggest sportsbooks in the world.
This article focuses on the basics and other details of basketball betting such as the different kinds of betting markets VOdds offer in basketball.
1. Handicap betting
Betting on the handicap market is beneficial when one basketball team is heavily favoured over the other. Bookmakers offer this type of basketball bet to balance the playing field.
The handicap number, shown in the form of a + or – value, is added to the final score to determine who wins the bet. This means the handicap outcome will sometimes differ from the actual result of the game.
For example, let’s say the handicap odds for a Nets vs Bulls game is:
Nets v Bulls handicap odds at VOdds
Brooklyn Nets (-7.5) 1.775
Chicago Bulls (+7.5) 2.170
In this matchup, the Nets are the bookmakers’ favourites since they have the minus (-) handicaps, while the Bulls are the underdogs with the plus (+) handicap. The bookies already determined that the final margin will be on either side of the Nets by 7.5 points.
Let’s assume that you staked £10 on the Nets. If the Nets win with a score of 100-95, you will lose your handicap bet because they started the game with -7.5 points. Then it means you have to subtract 7.5 from their final score, making the match outcome (92.5-95) in favour of the Bulls.
However, if the Nets won with the final score of 104-96, the adjusted handicap outcome will be (96.5-96) which means the handicap bets on them still win. Your stake of £10 on the Nets at 1.775 odds will result in a return of £17.70, including your initial stake plus a £7.70 profit.
2. Totals Betting
Totals betting, also known as Over/Under, is the second most popular way of betting on basketball. It’s the type of bet where you have to predict whether the combined total points scored of the two teams playing will be above or below an already set of points.
For example, look at these total odds for Sacramento Kings vs Miami Heat:
Kings v Miami totals (over/under) odds at VOdds
If you place a stake of £10 on the game to be over 217 points and the result was 101-127 (an aggregate total of 228 points), you would make a return of £18.06. If you backed the total score as under 217 points with the same final score and the odds of 2.100, you will automatically lose the bet.
3. Moneyline Betting
The Moneyline betting market is the simplest and most common market for a basketball bettor. You simply have to place your bets on whichever team you think will win the match.
For example, look at these money line odds for Detroit Pistons vs New York Knicks:
Pistons v Knicks money line odds at VOdds
With these odds, if you place a £10 stake on the Knicks, you would get a return of £41.7, including the £10 initial stake and the additional £31.70. However, you lose the bet if the Pistons come out victorious.
The same process is applied if you bet on the Pistons. If Detroit wins, your return would be a total of £12.74, which includes the £10 stake and the additional profit of £2.74.
Basketball betting offers a variety of betting options. You just need to find the right sportsbooks that will help you place bets conveniently, preferably those with live sports odds API data feed. These will give you the information you need so you can make high-value bets and profitable basketball betting strategies.