Many experts consider the NBA to be the most predictable of all the major American sports leagues. The smaller roster sizes compared with other sports and the high amount of scoring in each game means that the more talented team will usually prevail on any given night.
While there are opportunities for savvy bettors to take advantage of this predictability, it also means sportsbooks are rarely off the mark when it comes to setting odds and lines for NBA games. The below tips and strategies are designed to help NBA bettors make informed decisions in order to capitalise on favourable odds and increase their winnings.
KEEP TABS ON RECENT RESULTS
The NBA season is a long grind with many ebbs and flows. With this is mind, it’s helpful to be across the latest results of any teams you’re considering wagering on so you can make an objective assessment on their form.
Due to how closely clustered together the schedule is, momentum is often a big factor in the outcome of games. When a team finds their groove, it’s not uncommon for them to string together a big winning streak, especially if the schedule sees them coming up against weaker opponents. On the other hand, a team playing poorly and low on confidence can find it difficult to turn the tide. Evaluating the scores from recent games will help shape moneyline and spread bets, as well as possible totals wagers.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE INJURY REPORT
Injures to NBA players can significantly influence betting markets more than in any other sports league. Due to the fact roster sizes are much smaller than in other sports and there are only five players on the court from each team at any given time, missing one key player can dramatically alter a team’s playing style and hinder their chances of winning. This is important to account for with any moneyline and spread bets.
Injures can also have a major impact on prop bets as they may result in another player taking on added responsibility to score, rebound or provide assists for their teammates. Understanding how missing an injured player can change the team dynamic and wagering accordingly can help give bettors an edge.
It’s also becoming increasingly common for teams to rest players for load management purposes, such as having older veterans or players returning from injury sit out back-to-back games. A lot of this depends on the head coach, so it’s worth keeping an eye on any media interviews they do which indicate if they’re planning to rest players. If you’re really quick to react to this type of news, you can occasionally take advantage of favourable odds and lines before the sportsbooks are able to adjust.
KNOW THE TRAVEL SCHEDULE
While the NBA has aimed to make travel schedules less demanding and reduce the number of back-to-back games teams face in recent years, it’s still important to consider home court advantage.
Teams still encounter the odd stretch where they’re on the road for an extended period and are forced to battle fatigue after playing multiple games in recent nights. Identifying when a team (or certain individual players who have racked up a lot of minutes) might be in danger of having an off night due to a heavy travel schedule is another factor for bettors to consider when placing their wagers.
WATCH FOR FLUCTUATING ODDS
Despite the busy NBA schedule, with each team playing 82 games in a season, it’s still possible for the odds listed by sportsbooks to fluctuate in the lead-up to tip off. If you’re alert enough and know how to read different types of NBA odds, there’s opportunities gain an advantage and maximise your profits here.
For example, a team could start as a -4.5 spread favourite when odds are first listed in the morning, but an announcement that they will be resting a star player could see them drift out to become the underdogs by the time the game tips off. If you’re able to place your bet quickly enough before sportsbooks adjust their markets, there’s a chance you can tip the odds in your favour.
LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS
For even the most avid NBA fans, keeping tabs on all the latest news and results across the NBA on any given night is no easy task. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of NBA betting experts and pundits who are putting in the hard yards to come up with picks on a nightly basis, including our own team here at Bet Basics.
Using the picks of experts as a guide for your own NBA betting choices is a solid strategy to help you ultimately make the most informed wagers possible and hopefully win big!
Be sure to visit our NBA Lobby for the most up to date news, events and predictions so you’re across everything you need to know before wagering on the NBA.