NBA Odds Today - NBA Betting Lines & Spreads

If you’re betting the NBA without finding the best odds or not understanding all the markets, you’re missing out in a big way. Getting the best of the number and at the “cheapest” price can be the ultimate difference between successful and unsuccessful sports bettors over time.

For example, if one sportsbook has the wager I’m interested in making at -110 odds, I should always take this price over the same bet at -123 odds on another sportsbook. The .13 difference adds up over time and can have a huge impact on your long-term bankroll. Make sure you’re always getting the best odds by using Oddspedia to compare the best prices.

How to bet on the NBA

The NBA is one of the most popular sports globally to bet on. With so many newer betting markets within the league, there’s a variety of different ways you can get in on the action. Three of the most common bet types are point spread bets, moneyline bets and parlay teaser bets. All three bet types require you as a bettor to place a wager on a team, or teams if placing a teaser/parlay, to win. Total bets are another highly popular betting option, as well as player props, and game props which allow bettors to wager on performances outside of which team wins the game.

NBA moneyline

NBA moneyline wagers require only selecting the right team of any two in a matchup to win the game. Depending on how big of a favorite or underdog a team is determines the juice (or vig) that comes with choosing a side in the contest. For example, if the Los Angeles Lakers are a -200 on the moneyline against the New York Knicks who are a +165, a bettor would have to wager $200 on the Lakers to return $100. If another bettor liked the Knicks to upset the Lakers, a $100 bet would win $165 in addition to the initial investment of the $100. Each moneyline price has implied probability of winning and should be considered when placing moneyline wagers on favorites or underdogs.

NBA point spread

NBA point spread betting is the most popular betting markets amongst NBA bettors. It’s one of the oldest markets and it’s typically the first market offered by bookmakers across all betting platforms. The point spread, also known as “the line”, is a number in which a team that is listed as the favorite must win by, for the bet to be considered a winner.

Think of the NBA point spread as the equalizer to create a balanced playing field amongst good and bad teams on a given night. Most of the time, a good team won’t just have to win the game but win the game by the number indicated in the point spread. For example, let’s say the Indiana Pacers are 8-point favorites (-) vs the Washington Wizards. The Pacers point spread is indicated by the negative number placed beside them when reading the spread (-8). Similarly, the Wizards are 8-point underdogs and would be represented by +8. As a bettor, if you’re backing the Pacers as the favorite, you’ll need them to win the game by 9 points or more. Conversely, if you’re wanting to back the underdog Wizards, you’re betting that they’ll lose by less than 8 points.

NBA totals

NBA total betting, often recognized as Over/Under betting, allows bettors to wager on the total combined points of both teams in an NBA game. Bookmakers set a total amount of points expected to be scored between both teams in a game. NBA bettors then can decide whether the total is too low or too high by wagering in this market.

As an example, let’s say the Golden State Warriors are playing the Portland Trailblazers and the total is 229.5 points. You can bet on the final score of the game to be more or less than 229.5 points. If the combined score at the end of the game is 235, you’re a winner if you bet the Over, but if the offenses struggle and only 223 points are scored, your bet loses.

NBA props

NBA prop betting is a rapidly expanding market that enables bettors to wager on specific events or outcomes within an NBA game that aren't directly related to the game's overall result. Bettors can place bets on player performances (player props), or a team’s performance such as “Team Total” or “First to 15 points” within a specific game to name a few.

Let’s look at an example. If LeBron James points are set at 27.5 and you’d like to bet this prop, you’re deciding whether you think LeBron will score more or less than 28 points in a particular NBA game. There are also other categories such as rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, and a combination of some of these stats available for betting at certain sportsbooks and sports betting apps.

NBA futures

NBA futures betting provides an opportunity for bettors to wager on what will be determined later in the NBA season. NBA point spreads, moneylines and totals are available every day while future betting allows for bettors to wager beyond the current day, week and sometimes month. Future bets are commonly available before the NBA season starts. Amongst NBA futures betting opportunities, there are different markets provided to wager. NBA Champion odds, NBA Most Valuable Player odds, Defensive Play of the Year odds, NBA Most Improved Player of the Year and NBA Rookie of the Year are some of the more popular in the future betting markets. For example, the Denver Nuggets won the 2022-2023 NBA Championship last season, though the Boston Celtics are the favorites in the 2023-2024 NBA season at +220.

Eastern Conference Winner odds

The NBA is divided into two conferences, the Western and Eastern. Both conferences consist of 15 teams but only one of those 15 teams can win the Eastern Conference. Each year, oddsmakers provide Eastern Conference Winner odds based on last season’s performance, off-season acquisitions, injuries, and other factors. The team with the best odds is considered the favorite to win the Eastern Conference, which leaves the team with the worst odds considered the biggest underdog. For example, currently the Celtics are the favorites to win the Eastern Conference with odds of +100 with FanDuel sportsbook. While the Toronto Raptors are the biggest underdogs and have the highest odds of +50000.

Western Conference Winner odds

As previously stated, the Western Conference has 15 teams, and most sportsbooks provide odds for each team to win the conference. Based on each team’s performance from last season, amongst a few other factors, oddsmakers provide odds for each team to win the Western Conference. The team with the lowest odds are considered the favorites to win the conference and conversely, the team with highest odds are the teams with more to prove. For example, if the Los Angeles Clippers are +250 to win the Western Conference, that means a $100 bet would return $250 if the Clippers won the Western Conference. Odds provided by FanDuel sportsbook:

NBA Championship odds

Prior to the NBA season starting, each team is given odds to win the NBA Championship at the end of the season. Team’s odds to win the championship are constantly changing throughout the season based on injuries to key players, recent performances, trades, and other factors. For example, let’s say the Philadelphia 76ers are +3800 to win the NBA Championship before the season starts and they eventually are crowned Champions, a $100 bet would return $3800. The odds for winning the NBA Championship vary amongst sportsbooks so be sure to shop around for the best odds depending on which team you’re wanting to select. And to add a touch an extra touch of excitement to the NBA Playoffs, don't forget to fill out your NBA Playoff bracket. Odds provided by FanDuel sportsbook:

NBA MVP odds

NBA MVP odds are another futures bet type that’s typically offered by all major sports books before the season begins. Bettors have the option to wager on which NBA Player they think will take home the Most Valuable Player Award up until the last few weeks of the season. Bettors can expect to find odds for about 50 different players, with those odds changing daily depending on their individual recent performance, injuries, or their team’s recent performance. For example, If I think Luka Doncic at +650 is my favorite and +650 odds are the best I’ll get throughout the season, it’ll probably be best to place my bet now versus waiting until later in the season when the odds are worse.

*Odds from FanDuel Sportsbook

NBA Rookie of the Year odds

The NBA Rookie of the Year odds is a futures market that allows bettors to wager on who they think will take home the Rookie of the Year trophy. The odds are commonly tied to a player’s draft selection, opportunity to play huge minutes in their first year and other factors. For example, let’s say Victor Wembanyama is the favorite to win Rookie of the year at -2500 odds. This means a $100 bet on Wembanyama will return $104.00. Odds for Rookie of the Year are typically offered by most sportsbooks before the season begins and are commonly changing daily based on a variety of factors. Odds provided by FanDuel sportsbook:

NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds

The NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds provide bettors a chance to wager on which NBA player will win Defensive Player of the Year at the conclusion of the regular season. A list of candidates is commonly released well before the NBA season starts with upwards of 50+ players available to bet on. Odds for each player vary depending on sportsbook and are typically offered at all major sportsbooks. For example, let’s say for the upcoming 2023-2024 NBA season, Jaren Jackson Jr. is favored at +500 to repeat as the winner again next season. Jackson Jr.’s odds will vary throughout the season based on his performance, availability, and his overall team success.

*Odds from FanDuel Sportsbook

NBA Sixth Man of the Year odds

The NBA Sixth Man of the Year odds is yet another future betting market available to NBA bettors. The Sixth Man of the Year odds represent each player in the market chances of taking home the award for contributing to their squad’s success off the bench. This market is often available to wager before the season starts and provides a list of key contributors to a team’s success that is not a starter in the NBA. For example, Malik Monk of the Sacramento Kings, may be the current favorite at -260 odds because of how much he's contributed to the Kings success this season. Most Sixth Man of the Year candidates could start on many NBA teams but instead take on a smaller role with the team’s second unit.

*Odds from FanDuel Sportsbook

NBA Coach of the Year odds

The NBA Coach of the Year odds represents the chances that each of the top coaches in the NBA have at winning the Coach of the Year Award when the regular season ends. This market is offered well in-advance of the start of the season with the odds changing daily at times based on a team’s success and a coaches’ accomplishments recognized by local and national media. Exceeding expectations and large leaps of unexpected success improve a coaches’ chances to win the award. For example, last season Mike Brown won coach of the year in his first season as the Sacramento Kings Head Coach with very little expectations because his team excessively exceeded expectations.

*Odds from FanDuel Sportsbook

NBA Draft odds

NBA Draft odds provide NBA bettors an opportunity to wager on which player(s) will be selected in which order in each year’s NBA draft. This is another futures market that has odds constantly changing throughout the NBA season. The odds are predicated based on NBA scouts ranking talented and upcoming players who will qualify for the NBA draft in the upcoming year. Notoriety, skill, size, athleticism, speed, and height are a few common factors taken into consideration when odds are created for this betting market. For example, let's say Matas Buzelis, who is the favorite currently at +250 odds to be drafted number one, exceeds expectations in his first year with the G League Ignite. The odds at +250 will likely plummet and fall somewhere closer to +120 as the season progresses.

NBA parlays

NBA parlays are one of the most popular bet types amongst recreational and newer bettors and can best be described as a combination of multiple wagers within the same bet. Anytime an NBA bettor adds two or more wagers or “legs” to a bet, it’s considered a parlay. Each leg of a parlay increases potential payout but has significantly less likelihood of winning based on implied probability. There are tons of bets that can be parlayed in the NBA such as any combination of point spreads, moneylines and Over/Under to name a few. For instance, let’s say the Lakers are sizable favorites versus the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Miami Heat are also sizable favorites in a matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. If I think both favorites will win but want to avoid the point spreads, an option that I have is parlaying the Lakers and Heat together for one bet.

Live NBA Betting

NBA live betting affords NBA bettors an opportunity to wager on NBA games in real-time. Live betting has quickly become one of the most popular and gratifying bet types for NBA bettors and sportsbooks alike. All major sportsbooks provide a variety of live betting markets such as moneyline, totals, point spreads, game props and even some player props. Over time, more markets have become available to wager live whereas initially, only select markets such as moneylines and point spreads were available.

Most pre-game bet markets are available during live action as well. For example, let's say you’re hesitant but interested in placing a point spread wager on the Oklahoma City Thunder as small home underdogs of +4.5 because you feel they can win the game outright. If within the first few minutes of the game they’re playing as well as you predicted and they jump out to an early lead, here’s a great opportunity to place a live bet on either the Thunder’s moneyline or point spread.

NBA picks & predictions

NBA picks and predictions are designed to provide insight and recommendations on a team’s or player’s predicted performance. Picks and predictions in the NBA have grown popular amongst causal bettors because of the in-depth knowledge and expertise shared amongst breakdowns. NBA content creators and some experts complete analytically written and video breakdowns providing helpful information into a team’s recent performances, injuries, and other factors. For interested parties this saves time and gives perspective of why to back a specific team or player. Be sure to check out the picks' section for expert analysis on NBA picks throughout the NBA season. You’ll be sure to find some of the sharpest betting insight to make more informed decisions with your NBA wagers.

Understanding NBA odds and betting lines

How to read NBA odds

Being able to read NBA odds and betting lines is a must if you’re going to be placing bets. The most important numbers are the point spread, which is represented by a negative number (-) that constitutes the favorite. Conversely, the positive number (+) on the point spread represents the underdog in the matchup. The moneyline is the next big number that needs to be understood. The odds of the moneyline represent the chances each team has to win the game outright.

Similarly, to point spread betting, the negative (-) number represents the price of the favorite while the positive number (+) represents the underdog. Let's say for example, the Nuggets are hosting the Lakers and the Nuggets are 5-point favorites (-5). A five-point favorite (-5) with (-205) odds to win the game or on the moneyline. If this is the case and you wanted to bet on the Nuggets on the moneyline instead of the spread, you’d have to bet $205 to win $100. On the opposite side, the Lakers as 5-point dogs (+5) are +170 on the moneyline and a $100 bet would win $170.

How to calculate winnings from NBA betting

Understanding the math behind an NBA bet makes the world of a difference to making informed decisions and turning consistent profit. All odds come with implied probability of winning based on the numbers. For example, let’s say you bet $100 on the Celtics to win against the Milwaukee Bucks. The odds for the Celtics to win are -160, which means you need to bet $160 to win $100. However, since the bet is $100, your profit would be $62.50, if your bet won. Your return, if your bet wins, will be the total amount won plus your initial stake. In this case, $162.50.

What to know when betting on the NBA in the USA

There are tons of factors to consider when making an NBA bet that the average person wouldn’t consider. Factors such as rest advantage, location of the game, whether a team is a favorite or underdog and injuries are just a few things to consider before making a bet. The more information you have on a game, the more educated you'll become on making the right pick.

Sportsbooks availability varies depending on which state you’re located in. Some states have more than a dozen sportsbooks while others are still trying to legalize sports gambling. If you’re in a legal betting state, I’d highly recommend wagering at multiple sportsbooks so you’re able to shop around for the best line after you’ve found a play you absolutely love. FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, PointsBet and bet365 are some of the best sportsbooks. They all provide different values to sports betting such as first available odds, best prices, most betting markets and so forth.

Why compare NBA odds on Oddspedia?

Oddspedia is an extremely useful tool to all NBA bettors. With a variety of odds comparisons, bettors will be able to identify the best odds for the wager you’re most interested in making. This is in large part because all sportsbooks set their own lines to be unique. The https://oddspedia.com/us/basketball/usa/nba/odds page provides bettors with an opportunity to find odds slightly better than other competitors in various markets. Oddspedia gathers the odds for the various sportsbooks and identifies the best price for each bet type no matter which side of the bet you’re wanting to have action on. This is often both the most valuable and yet overlooked aspect in sports betting.

Odds Comparison helps you win more on NBA

Every time you place a bet, the odds for your wager determine the amount of money you can win if your bet is successful. The bigger the odds, the bigger your payout. For example, if the Memphis Grizzlies are a -125 favorite on a moneyline wager, a $100 bet would return $80 if successful. However, if the Grizzlies were a +195 underdog on a moneyline wager, a $100 bet would return $295 if successful. While betting underdogs can be extremely gratifying, it also comes with smaller implied probability of winning so be sure to do all your homework before placing wagers.

Find the best NBA odds for today

Track NBA line movement

Line movement in the NBA betting refers to changes in either the odds or point spread for a specific game before it officially starts. Knowing how to read line movement can be extremely valuable to bettors for a few different reasons. First, it can shed light on how public bettors and sharp bettors are betting a particular game. Understanding line movement can also help bettors time their wagers better to maximize their profit. For example, if a bettor likes the Dallas Mavericks as +3.5 underdogs and more money is coming in on the favorite, the bettor’s best option may be to wait until closer to tip-off to potentially get a +4 if the odds do change. The Oddspedia NBA odds page allows bettors to track line movement from when the line first opens to when it closes before tip. Be sure to check the betting odds from various NBA betting sites on dozens of markets provided at www.oddspedia.com/basketball/usa/wnba/odds.

Find the Best NBA betting sites

Oddspedia is a useful tool to locate the right sportsbook as an NBA bettor because of all the free tools and information at hand. Visiting the website will provide bettors with an overview of games available to bet, news relating to players and teams, and the best odds for different betting markets. As earlier stated, shopping around to confirm you’re getting the best price on your wager and best sportsbook promos are some of the keys to long-term success for bettors.

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