Five Tips for Betting on the NBA

Most sports fans around the world are familiar with the NBA. Regardless of whether someone follows the IPL or Rugby League or the Premier League, catching a game of basketball rarely disappoints.

Not only is the game quick-paced, but there are enough stars on each team to add a bit of flair and technical prowess to any match. The rules aren’t overly complicated, and the most popular teams, from the Lakers to the Celtics, are known around the world.

Betting on the NBA is another topic altogether. Each sport has its own variation of popular bets, but even if a newcomer knows the ins and outs of each wager, that doesn’t mean they’re savvy to other relevant information. Let’s take a look at five key tips for NBA betting.

One – Get a Grasp of the Basics

As mentioned above, each sport and league have its own variation on popular bets. In the case of basketball, the learning curve is sharp, which means punters with experience in other sports shouldn’t have a hard time picking up on how over/unders and moneylines work in the NBA.

However, some sportsbooks also go above and beyond to provide users with comprehensive guides. For example, one PointsBet sportsbook review lists the group’s Revis Betting Academy as one of their top features. The ‘Academy’ is a series of blog posts that cover the basics of punting, from the lingo to various bets covering different sports.

Whether an experienced punter or not, it’s always a good idea to revisit the basics.

Two – Rely on Data

Two decades ago, major sportsbooks around the world relied on seasoned veterans to predict the outcome of games. Analysts and pundits with backgrounds in the sports world were the ultimate authority on teams, players, and beyond.

Today, sports analytics and data science have revolutionized how predictions are made in sports. In the case of the NBA, stats related to shooting, passing, rebounding, assisting, and more offer key insight on players and teams.

With this in mind, most NBA punters have a program, like DataBall or CrystalBasketball, that they follow to leverage stats at sportsbooks.

Three – Follow Expert Picks

The clear trend in basketball betting (and beyond) is to utilize data-crunching algorithms to identify key patterns in a league. However, the seasoned veterans mentioned above still have a place in the modern sports betting industry.

After all, machine-learning programs can’t account for certain conditions, like team dynamics or (especially relevant to the NBA) how national movements can affect the game. In other words, it’s worth it to find a pundit who offers credible and thorough breakdowns with a balance of stats and human insight.

Many sportsbooks have their own analysts and pundits that users can access after signing up.

Four – Take Advantage of Promos

Successful punters know it isn’t about how much they wager, but how smart they place their bets. As mentioned above, many sportsbooks are looking to onboard new bettors, and offer features like a betting academy to help newcomers learn the ropes.

Leading sportsbooks also offer competitive welcome bonuses, promos, and free bets. These are great opportunities to back an underdog or try out another bet. Remember to keep a lookout for promo emails, as well, which often include exclusive offers.

Five – Learn the Strategies

The sports betting industry is full of strategies to help punters capitalize. There’s a Martingale System, an anti-Martingale System. There’s a Round Robin system and a Zig-Zag Theory. For the most part, successful punters cover the topics mentioned above, but many also turn to strategies created by experts to monitor their wagering.

One notable strategy in the NBA is for punters to follow a single team. This allows them to develop their knowledge of the team and wager more wisely. Another popular strategy is to follow how the public is betting. After all, sportsbooks finalize their odds based on who the public is backing.

Overall, successful punters will benefit from closely monitoring their bankroll. Some punters choose to only engage one or two percent of their total bankroll. For beginners, this is one way to learn the ropes and get the most experience for their money.