Betting on basketball- What you need to know

When basketball season begins, all bets are on. Basketball betting is one of the most lucrative past times is sports betting, especially when you have a passion for the game and an equal drive to win. As it turns out, basketball is one of the easiest sports to bet on, which also makes it one of the most popular. As such, there are a number of bookmakers that offer a wide variety of basketball betting events to attract punters from all corners of the world.

When the NBA started in 1946, only 11 teams were a part of the association. A couple of years later, the league grew to a total of 30 teams, thus creating a massive opportunity for punters. When it comes to betting on basketball, there a few important factors to take into consideration, however there are many gamblers that find the game to be much simpler than betting on a hand of poker. This is what you need to know when the stakes are high and you want a piece of the action.

Betting on Terms

If you plan on placing a few basketball bets, you need to get a general understanding of the most used terms. A point spread or line betting is a term you will hear often enough, and it’s the handicap given by sportsbooks to teams in basketball to grant equality to both sides in terms of betting. The team expected to take the victory is called the favourite and the team expected to lose is dubbed as ‘the underdog’.

Betting on Popular Teams

Most punters enjoy betting on the stars in basketball as the most popular teams are often favored over the underdogs. However, if you plan on betting, it is advisable to do your research. Simply because a team has a popular reputation, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will beat the opposing team.

For example, a popular NBA team, the Lakers, have a strike percentage against the spread of 47% which has proven to fall even shorter when the Lakers play at home as the rate drops to 37%. On the other hand, the Boston Celtics have a strike rate of 45% and the Chicago Bulls – 43%. Before you place any bets, make sure you have done your homework on your team and take into account what their strike rate is and where they are playing.

Betting on the Odds

Punters can bet on the odds that majority of bookmakers make available online. Have a look at which sites provide the best odds in terms of the decisions you will make on your team to weigh out the pros and cons.

Betting on the Totals

When betting on totals, punters place wagers on what they think will be the total is an incredibly popular form of wagering. If you choose to bet on the total, do some research and try to get an average of what the team has scored over the season. Chances are they will score a similar total as they have the previous season; that is if their totals are on par with the current season.
Betting on totals is great for first time punters as they can check out previous footage of their favored team and get a better understanding of the teams' gameplay strategy.

Basketball Schedules

Keep up to date with the current games to ensure you get the best possible bet in. Basketball schedules grant bettors the opportunity to stay abreast of key elements by working out which games they want to bet on. Sports betting at 888 sport NJ provides a number of games to bet on. You can test your luck and get in on the action if you think you have what it takes to bask in the glory of basketball victory.