Basketball is fast becoming one of the most popular sports out there, with professional leagues and competitions taking place worldwide! The rise in basketball fixtures and coverage in the UK has led to a surge in online bookmaker markets such as basketball handicap betting. The concept of placing stakes on professional basketball is still alien to many bettors, which is where this OddsMonkey basketball betting guide may be useful. Here, we hope to prepare bettors for the huge selection of fixtures and bet markets that are available from professional basketball. This is much more than the average NBA betting guide, with all the best competitions, bet markets and tactics available for anyone looking to increase the excitement this sport offers. The global reach of this sport has seen bookmakers around the world offer odds on fixtures with sports betting guides such as the NBA betting guide showing the potential of basketball betting!
Basketball Gameplay Explained
Before placing bets on basketball, it is important to understand fully how these games are played. Having a grasp on basketball play and rules is vital to making informed predictions on how a fixture could play out. Firstly, a basketball game involves 2 teams of 5 players alongside substitutes on the bench who can swap with other players during a fixture. Each game is divided into four 12-minute quarters in NBA fixtures or two 20-minute halves in college games. There are many differences between basketball formats, so an NBA betting guide may be helpful for anyone looking to bet on the biggest teams in basketball!
The possession-based gameplay of basketball requires players to move into better positions to throw the ball into the opponents’ hoop and score points. The team in possession has a time limit in which they need to move around the court and hope to score points, which results in fast-paced gameplay dominating basketball. The points scored in basketball differ from where the players stand when they make a successful shot. Scoring a ‘field goal’ from outside of the 3-point line rewards the team with 3 points; scoring from inside this line wins 2 points, and scoring from free throws is worth a single point.
Basketball Game Formats
There are many different formats of professional basketball that stakes can be placed on around the world. These different tiers of basketball can include different teams and players, which provide varying betting odds to make use of.
The NBA is possibly the most elite tier of professional basketball; this league is based in the United States and often attracts the best players worldwide. There are 30 teams included in the NBA that are split into the Eastern and Western conferences; the top 8 teams of each conference play in the NBA Finals each season. Bettors looking to place stakes on this premier league of basketball may want to check out an NBA betting guide first.
The FIBA (International Basketball Federation) is a governing body that officiates international basketball fixtures, including the Basketball World Cup and Women’s Basketball World Cup. They also organise basketball played at the Olympics along with continental tournaments such as the FIBA Africa Cup!
Each tournament in basketball offers great betting odds and markets to make use of; anyone looking to remove the risk from basketball betting could check out our matched betting blog!
Basketball Betting Markets
There is a great variety of basketball betting markets that people can use to place stakes on upcoming basketball fixtures, leagues and competitions. Fans of football betting will find lots of the same simple bet markets included in basketball. However, it is important to remember the differences in these sports, such as basketball offering high point-scoring potential, which reduces the chance of a low-scoring game or a draw.
Outright Betting
This way of betting on basketball relates to who will win the match or competition outright and is one of the most simple forms of betting available. This basketball betting market is great for anyone who is confident in a team’s ability, though the odds included in these stakes are often not the greatest. The odds on offer from outright basketball betting will relate to each team’s potential to win; the high-scoring gameplay in basketball makes draws very unlikely!
Handicap Betting
Basketball handicap betting is great for bettors who are confident in a certain team’s ability to win or lose a fixture. These bets provide greater odds than outright bets by attaching a theoretical advantage or disadvantage to the team on which this bet is based. This betting market can even the odds of play, specifically when 1 team is the favourite to win.
For example, a bettor who is confident in the Detroit Pistons to win against the Golden State Warriors might include a -5 points handicap in play. Basketball handicap betting would remove 5 points from the Pistons’ final score at the end of play, so they will need to win by more than 5 points for the bet to payout!
Over/Under Bets
The Over/Under bet markets in basketball betting are based on the total number of points scored in a fixture or by a single team in play. This betting market lets the bettor choose whether they think the final score will be above or below a specific number. The odds included in these bets are set by the bookmakers based on the predicted number of points they think will be scored in a game.
Player Propositions
The prop bets on offer in basketball betting are based on particular events in play that are normally split into quarter props, half props or main props. These could include odds on the number of points being scored by specific teams in an over/under format during play. Other prop bets could include the number of three-pointers scored or the player to score the first basket of a fixture.
Live Betting
This method of betting on basketball fixtures offers some of the aforementioned markets for bettors to stake on as the game is in play. Live basketball betting is a great option for fans who want to watch the match and place stakes based on the gameplay they are seeing. This betting format can provide the opportunity for odds to fluctuate and for the bettor to take advantage of odds when they are high on markets they are confident with.
Basketball Betting Tips
Here, we are going to explain some of the ways in which bettors can feel more confident in how to make money online with their basketball betting. Although these tips can be helpful, it is important to remember that no outcome of play is guaranteed and always to gamble responsibly on basketball fixtures.
Primary Research
The most important thing when it comes to basketball betting is to stay informed on the teams and players you are betting on. This can include being familiar with a player or team’s current form, any injuries that might prove advantageous for the opposition and the home-court advantage.
Along with researching the teams in specific fixtures before placing stakes, newcomers to basketball betting may want to further research betting with each format. Bettors may find useful information online, including an NBA betting guide or specific team reviews that can help when it comes to placing bets.
Find The Best Odds
Another way in which bettors can get the most from placing stakes on basketball is by finding the best odds available from trustworthy bookmakers. This can involve checking various sites before placing stakes on a specific market that ensures the greatest possible return if the bet wins!
When scouring these sites, it is worth keeping an eye out for any bonus offers they have available to new and existing customers. We offer plenty of guides on using these bonus offers, such as how to use free bets on Bet365, along with many more ways in which bettors can use these promotions in basketball betting!
Avoid Emotional Betting
One of the biggest mistakes that can be made when betting on basketball is letting emotions get in the way of making informed bets. This could mean taking time to weigh up your favourite team’s potential to win a match before backing them or even betting on the opposition when needed.
The risk of emotional betting could also include bettors being impatient with the amount they are winning from basketball betting. It is vital that bettors remember the importance of bankroll management in matched betting or placing stakes of any kind!
Basketball Matched Betting
This method of betting on all sports fixtures, including basketball, is quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to wager on play. Matched betting involves placing stakes on all outcomes of a basketball match using free bet bonus offers to ensure a profit no matter the result. This style of betting can return either a profit or the price of the initial stake, which means that there is no chance of losing in basketball matched betting!
Matched betting in basketball begins with placing a Back bet; this is betting on the team that you think will win a fixture using the free bet bonus offers available where possible. The bettor will then place a Lay bet on the initial bets team not to win; this includes the opposing team winning or the unlikely outcome of play ending in a draw. This bet size is based on the odds of it paying out to ensure that no losses are made despite the result of play.
Successful matched betting involves calculating the required stake for the Back or Lay bet, which would ensure that no outcome of play results in a loss. This basketball betting method is also dependent on promotional offers, of which, fortunately, there are plenty available across betting sites. The matched betting tools available at OddsMonkey can ensure that bettors have everything they need to place matched bets on basketball games successfully!
There are plenty more different betting methods that players can learn more about with OddsMonkey and use in upcoming basketball fixtures. This could include anything from a standard single or double bet to more complicated methods like the Lucky 63 bet! When it comes to using these bet methods, tools like betting odds calculators can ensure the bettor knows their chances of winning and the return available from each stake!
Basketball Betting
If you have found this basketball betting guide helpful, other pieces like the NBA betting guide may help you in placing stakes on this exciting sport. Along with the fast-paced gameplay, the various markets available, including basketball handicap betting or prop bets, make this sport great for placing stakes on play. If you have found this guide informative, other pieces like the horse racing betting guide may be worth looking into!
Responsible Gambling
It is important to ensure that responsible gambling measures are followed whenever stakes are placed on basketball fixtures. Remember only to place bet switch money you can afford to lose and never see basketball betting as a method of making money. All of the best betting websites will offer responsible gambling tools and features which can ensure the user is enjoying their betting experience responsibly.
