Betting Lines Described

Money Lines

Money Line wagers are outright bets on the winner of an NBA game. This means the point spreads are not taken into consideration when determining the winner.  Instead, the odds vary depending on if the team is the favourite or the underdog. For example, if the Toronto Raptors played the Boston Celtics the money line odds would likely look something like this:

  • Toronto Raptors +180
  • Boston Celtics -220

This would mean a $100 bet on the Raptors would win you $180, while a $220 bet on the Celtics would win you $100.  You will receive a better return if you bet on the underdog, but more often than not the favourite should win.

Point Spreads

Point spread bets are the most popular type of NBA wager.  In these NBA betting lines, there is a point spread which is meant to give the underdog a handicap.  For the favourite to be the winning team in the bet they would have to win by more than the spread, while for a underdog wager to win the underdog would have to either win or lose by less than the spread.  Continuing with the above example, the Toronto Raptors are the underdog, while the Celtics are the favourite.  The point spread line for these two teams would look something like this: Toronto Raptors +8.5 Boston Celtics -8.5 Therefore a bet on the Raptors would win if they get the W or if they lose by 8 or less points. A bet on the Celtics would win only if they win by 9 or more points.  The standard line for either of these bets would be -110, which means you would win $100 for every $110 you wager.

Over/Under (Totals)

Totals bets are wagers on how many total points you think will be scored in a basketball game.  The bookie will set a number and then you can bet over or under the set amount.  For example, the over/under amount for the Raptors Celtics game may be something like 198.5.  If you think there will be 199 or more points scored you would make an over bet. Over/under bets can also be made on single teams points and other totals like first quarter points and more.

Prop Bets

Prop bets are wagers on an outcome that is not directly related to the outcome of the game.  Some examples of NBA prop bets include, quarter lines, over/unders on team or player rebounds, assists, steals and much more.  Prop bets are a lot of fun because they allow you to fully immerse yourself in the game and take interest in many game factors that you would normally overlook.

Futures Bets

Futures are lines on outcomes that will occur in the fairly distant future.  The prime example of an NBA futures bet is wagering on who will win this season’s NBA championship.  The odds of futures bets will constantly be changing throughout the season.