Basketball Betting Guides | NBA Betting Trends
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NBA Betting Trends

Steven D. Thompson

Updated:

The NBA may not be as popular as football on a global scale, but it's still a major league with millions of fans. It's one of the most-watched events in the world, with the regular NBA season always providing tons of highlight reels and quality entertainment. It's fun to bet on as well, not just for entertainment purposes. NBA bettors have hundreds of markets to bet on, including team and individual bets along with matched betting and many others.

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    That presents a bit of a sweet problem. Every betting market looks great when it comes to the NBA, and each season, numerous trends emerge that give bettors the edge. If you're looking to bet on the most popular teams, such as reigning champs, the Milwaukee Bucks or Steph Curry's Golden State Warriors, we've got your back.

    In this betting guide, we'll show you the trends worth placing a wager on and how to pick the best odds when you bet on the NBA and win. Not all the time, of course, but still, our betting trends should help when you wager on each game.

    Betting on the NBA

    Every year, new betting trends emerge during the season and playoffs. Regardless of the country where you're from, basketball fans love watching and betting on NBA matches. Every game in the NBA is high scoring and attractive, so it would be tough to find a league that's so great to wager on.

    Millions of wagers are placed on the NBA every year, thousands of them coming every night. If you'd like to get an advantage of the matches played, you should follow the latest betting trends. They might involve teams like the Lakers or Bucks or may be league-wide matchups as intended.

    When we say betting trends, we're not saying that you'll win all the time. There's no chance to win every bet made on the regular NBA season. We're talking about unique markets such as point spreads and games or choose seasons winners. It doesn't matter which team you root for. Whether it's the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, or Brooklyn Nets, there's plenty of action to win on. Of course, it's best to follow proper data before you do that, as the NBA moves at a fast pace and the matches are tracked from numerous angles.

    Those stats are important for the regular season and playoffs. Just like in football, you should track different stats, including how many points are scored on average in NBA games. Home court advantage pays off big in the playoffs, which are a completely different beast than the regular season.

    All games have one thing in common - they're hugely exciting regardless of the trend, making NBA basketball one of the best sports to bet on.

    Regular NBA Season Trends

    Every NBA team plays 82 games in the regular season, not counting the playoffs. Not one gets an exception - whether it's the Los Angeles Lakers or the Portland Trail Blazers, the regular-season game count is the same.

    Regular season matches are played to determine the playoffs passengers. Six teams goctly from each conference, with the remaining four sports determined through the play-in tournament. Teams ranked 7-10 are playing for the last two playoff spots, so the intensity in those matches is high.

    The regular-season games are notable less intensive, although still highly entertaining. No matter if you're watching the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Milwaukee Bucks, dunks and no-look assists are common. However, the lower intensity of the games also helps some betting trends emerge.

    When betting on regular-season games, home-court advantage is coveted. You don't need statistics to show you that teams will die fighting for the home court as it puts them in a better position for the playoffs.

    Also, defences are a bit less focused as teams are looking to score more. Sportsbooks offer hundreds of different markets when the regular season arrives, and by checking out the NBA trends, you should know what to bet on. The spread market is favoured, allowing you to predict if a team covers the spread so you can win.

    Picking match-winners is not exactly thrilling since odds for the favourite are always low. Sure, an underdog can beat anyone in the NBA, but to be honest, that won't happen all the time. It's a tough sport where superstars can destroy the opposition, so low-ranked teams rarely stand a big chance. That's a trend you should keep in mind when you wager on the Lakers against the, let's say, Magic.

    History always repeats itself, so you should take a look at trends during the regular season from last year or so to find a pattern that might emerge.

    Most Popular NBA Finals Trends

    Compared to the regular matches, NBA playoffs and especially Finals games are a lot more intensive. Teams tend to score fewer points per game, so betting over or under the line is better. Of course, teams such as the Golden State Warriors can always take off, so it's best to pay attention to the trends at a betting site before putting your money down.

    Make sure to check the last game or the last few to see if there's a trend. The defence is on high alert in the NBA Finals, which means that even the best players can fail to score a lot. When it comes to individual bet trends, over/under is still the favourite to beat. If the odds are good, you should put your money on it.

    Bettors should always look for all kinds of trends in the Finals. Have the teams won when leading 2-0 or more, what does the data say about home and road games, and what's the team's last point difference in the Finals. All of this could play a significant role, especially if the teams in the Finals had already met each other, like when the Warriors met LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers a few seasons in a row. Best new bookmakers will have that in mind as well when they build the odds and put focus on particular markets.

    Of course, nothing is safe in sports, but the right tips and paying attention to trends can give you the edge.

    Which Betting Markets Should NBA Bettors Pick?

    When it comes to betting on the NBA, point spreads and handicapping seem to be the favourite at most sportsbooks. Make sure you've got all the basics covered when it comes to NBA betting before you start. This is a truly different beast than football or the NFL, so participating will require a lot of knowledge. Keep in mind that every team is playing in a unique style which effectively gives birth to certain trends.

    The mathematics behind these betting markets can also be a bit complicated. But you can use Betpack's original calculators to your advantage to fill out rock-solid betting slips.

    Moneyline

    Moneyline is to NBA betting what match winner is for football. It means choosing the team to win in a game of basketball. As mentioned earlier, you'll have plenty of chances to do so as each team plays a game almost every night - 82 in total. There are plenty of moneyline sports bets to be placed every night, but make sure the odds are good.

    Due to differences in quality, favourites are often not worth betting on. Your expectation should be adjusted in derbies, as it's better to bet on spreads rather than picking the winner.

    With that said, it's still a popular market, and you should watch moneyline trends as the season moves ahead, especially after the All-Star game.

    Over/Under Betting Market

    The O/U market is applied to both team and individual markets. It's often the best choice by NBA bettors, especially in close matches. Games between a title favourite like the Bucks and the Denver Nuggets, for example, are too close to call. In this case, an over/under market might be the best choice instead of predicting the game-winner.

    Individual Markets

    The NBA is literally flooded with basketball stars, and we all know what they can do. LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and former Thunder star Kevin Durant post incredible feats night in and night out. Betting on their stats is always a gooda, especially on live betting markets with the game on the line.

    Will Durant or Curry put their teams ahead? That's a market that can be pretty profitable if you're sure they can score for the win.

    Points Spread

    Nothing beats point spreads when it comes to betting on the NBA. In the simplest terms, sportsbooks handicap teams in order to level the playing field, and you can bet on them just like you bet on football handicaps. If your selection covers the spread, your bet wins. Of course, you should take a look at developing spread trends as some teams often close tightly in derbies while beating weaker teams by over 10 or 15 points.

    Conclusion

    Following trends when you bet on the NBA is essential if you want to have the edge over bookies. Regardless of whether it's the spread or any other type of market, you should play around with different trends to see if you can get paid. NBA betting is very exciting and can be profitable if you follow the right trends and have a bit of luck on your side.

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