With the NBA season tipping off on October 17 and the college basketball betting season beginning in November, it’s time to discuss the different bets and options offered by Bodog Sportsbook.
Futures
Futures basketball betting is just what it sounds like: you place a bet on what will happen in the future. When it comes to NBA betting, the options include picking the eventual NBA champion and a conference/division winner. For example, if you believe the Oklahoma City Thunder is poised to win the Northwest Division in 2018, you can place a bet on this outcome at -150 odds as we go to press. The minus sign indicates the amount you have to wager to win $100, but you can certainly bet a lesser amount; a $10 bet would result in a $6.67 reward.
Season Props
With season betting props, you can bet on many different teams as well as individual outcomes and results. This online betting method allows you to bet on the eventual league MVP, defensive player of the year, teams’ regular season win totals and whether a team will make the playoffs. If you believe Draymond Green will repeat this season as Defensive Player of the Year, you can place a +160 bet on the Warrior. The plus sign usually means it’s a less likely outcome, so that’s the amount you win if you bet $100 (if you bet $10, you win $16).
Game Props
Game props are similar to season props, but relate to what will happen in a certain game. For example, you can bet on how many points a certain player will score in the first quarter of the game.
Game Lines
Point Spread
When it comes to betting on individual game outcomes, there are a few options, including the point spread. Oddsmakers will set a point spread (margin of victory) prior to the game, indicating a favourite. For example, for the Houston Rockets vs Golden State Warriors game, Golden State is -9, so the Warriors are expected to win by about that many points. If you bet on the Warriors with the point spread, you’re wagering that they will win by 10 points or more. A bet on the Rockets would mean that they would need to win or lose by 9 points or less for you to win the wager.
Moneyline
A moneyline bet is straightforward; you’re simply picking the game winning team. Using the NBA example above, Golden State is -500 and Houston is +305 on the moneyline.
Totals
When it comes to basketball betting on single games, you can also bet the points total in a game or a half. The Houston vs Golden State matchup has a points total of 229. If you bet the Over, you would need the two teams to combine for more than 229 points. You can also place similar bets on just the first or second halves alone (half betting).
Live Betting
Finally, live betting is one of the most exciting ways to bet on NBA and NCAAB. You can place many different types of bets that relate to a single game while the game is happening. For example, you can bet on whether the Pistons, who were down by 10 points after three quarters, would come back against the Warriors. The odds change constantly as the game evolves, so be sure to act quickly.
*Odds as of October 17, 2017