NBA Betting in PA

The NBA provides a massive playground of betting markets for PA sports bettors to enjoy every night of the week. Unlike the NFL with just three days of games, or the MLB with an overwhelming slate each night, the NBA offers a more varied schedule throughout the season.

There are plenty of different sports betting apps supporting the hundreds of NBA betting markets. From core bets on the moneyline and team spreads, to creative wagers like players’ head-to-head stats, Pennsylvania bettors have a wealth of options.

For those who are brand new to NBA betting in Pennsylvania, welcome! We put together the ultimate guide to help you get started on the action, including the full list of the top PA sportsbooks for betting hoops. Let’s dive into it.

In the heart of Pennsylvania, NFL betting takes center stage, captivating the attention of sports enthusiasts and betting aficionados alike. The Keystone State boasts a vibrant and diverse landscape for football betting, ensuring that there's something for everyone, from the seasoned pros to the newcomers who are just dipping their toes into the exciting world of NFL wagering.

1. DraftKings Sportsbook

NBA Betting on DraftKings PA: DraftKings Sportsbook hosts one of the largest NBA betting menus in the industry, if not the outright biggest. PA sports bettors can find consistently early spreads and totals with DraftKings all season long. It’s also a great online sportsbook for those who enjoy creative markets.

Welcome Bonus: New sports bettors in PA who sign up for an account with DraftKings Sportsbook are currently in line for a free $200 in bonus bets. Sign up for your new account and deposit at least $5. Then, place your first wager of at least $5 and DraftKings will instantly place $200 in bonus bets into your account, regardless of the outcome of your bet.

Available States: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming

2. FanDuel Sportsbook

NBA Betting on FanDuel PA: As with most sports betting markets, FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings are neck-and-neck when it comes to NBA betting. FanDuel is a great place for player prop markets and competitive odds on sides or totals, and any bettors who look at NBA lines the moment they’re posted in order to find value.

Sports bettors who wisely line shop their NBA bets will also find slight edges with FanDuel. While a spread may be listed at -110 on a book like DraftKings, FanDuel often bumps that number down to -108, providing a couple cents worth of value to those who keep a sharp eye.

Welcome Bonus: FanDuel has a decent promo offer for players new to its site, although it’s a slight notch below the one found on DraftKings. Here’s how it works for new users still without a FanDuel Sportsbook account:

• Create your account and deposit at least $10.
• Place a moneyline wager on any NBA team of at least $5.
• If your chosen team wins and the bet cashes, FanDuel will deposit another $150 in bonus funds directly into your account.

As a clever marketing tactic, FanDuel is throwing in three months of a free subscription to NBA League Pass. There’s no promo code necessary, simply sign up and accept the terms to receive your NBA promo code for your subscription.

Available States: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming

3. Caesars Sportsbook

NBA Betting on Caesars PA: Caesars Sportsbook jumps fully into the NBA season as a major player in the sports betting world. With a vast amount of NBA bets, odds boosts, and bonuses, betting the NBA with Caesars provides an all-around exciting experience.

Caesars Sportsbook PA separates itself from the rest with its consistent promotions for new and existing players. Known for its incredibly generous welcome bonuses, Caesars also provides quality odds boosts and special daily promotions for specific games. For example, for a recent matchup between the Pelicans and Thunder, bettors who put together a Same Game Parlay earned a 50% match in bonus funds if their bet resulted in a loss.

Welcome Bonus: Caesars is currently offering a premier welcome bonus for new PA sports bettors when they sign up for an account. After registering with Caesars, place a real-money wager of any amount and if it fails to cash successfully, Caesars will match 100% of your stake up to $1,000. This type of promotion isn’t very common and is well worth it.

Available States: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming

4. BetMGM Sportsbook

NBA Betting on BetMGM PA: BetMGM Sportsbook takes its NBA markets as seriously as any other book out there. NBA bettors will find plenty of early lines and a variety of bet types not found in many other places. Sports bettors in Pennsylvania have the luxury of a variety of prop markets and BetMGM is a hotspot for player prop betting. Prop bettors will often find NBA player markets available before other books have them posted, even for less popular players.

Welcome Bonus: BetMGM Sportsbook usually has a solid welcome bonus in its own right. At the moment, however, that value is in the hands of NFL bettors, where new users can enjoy up to $1,500 on bonus bets. For those who prefer to wager on the NBA, but there is a nice odds boost available that’s usable on any NBA game. Secure your NBA token and you can earn a 25% boost on the game of your choice.

Available States: Arizona, Colorado, DC, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming

5. BetRivers Sportsbook

NBA Betting on BetRivers PA: One of the most preferred sportsbooks in the Keystone State, BetRivers won’t disappoint NBA bettors. It usually has among the most competitive odds menus in the business, and will often keep betting markets up and available when most other books won’t.

We should definitely mention here that live betting on BetRivers is as fun and potentially profitable  as you’ll find in Pennsylvania. One great example is its NBA Live Bet & Get promo. PA sports bettors who opt in and place a live NBA bet $10-$25 get a 50% Matched Bet Bonus.

Welcome Bonus: New players on BetRivers PA are eligible for up to $500 in bonus bets when their first-ever bet with the site fails to record as a win. There’s no promo code necessary, simply sign up and start betting to opt in.

Available States: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia

6. PointsBet Sportsbook

NBA Betting on PointsBet PA: PointsBet Sportsbook hangs its hat on the ability to engage and excite its players. You won’t find consistently competitive odds or early spreads available for betting, so advanced bettors laying large amounts of action on straight bets don’t usually play on PointsBet. However, if you’re looking for a fun, social betting environment, it’s probably for you.

Features such as PointsBetting and Name A Bet are all available for NBA wagers. Name A Bet, for example, is not something you’ll find anywhere else. Players have the option to send in custom bets that they devise and propose to PointsBet. If accepted, you’ll have a new bettable NBA market at your disposal.

Welcome Bonus: New customers on PointsBet can earn up to $1,000 in second chance bets. Sign up for an account and place your first wager with the site. If it fails to cash, PointsBet PA will provide you with 100% of your stake in bonus funds, up to $1,000.

Available States: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia

We always recommend obtaining multiple sportsbook accounts if you’re serious about finding peak value for all of your bets. The ability to shop around for the best price for every bet you make is key to long-term sports betting success. The process to register with each PA sportsbook is nearly the same and overall incredibly simple.

We laid out the process from registration to withdrawals to get you in on the action for the 2023-24 NBA season.

1. Create Account

Every legal online sportsbook will kick off your process with a button that reads something to the effect of “Sign Up” or “Create Account.” You’ll need to provide a few pieces of personal information ranging from name and address, to a social security number, depending on the book. For those with an NBA promo code, there will be an opportunity to enter it at some point during this process.

2. Deposit Money

Once you have your account up and running, it’s time to add some money to play with. You can deposit money into your account by heading to your wallet, often found near the Sign Up button or profile page. When using a promo code, it’s important to know whether or not there is a minimum deposit requirement in order to receive the promotional bonus.

There are times when new bettors are required to provide proof of identity before they are allowed to deposit funds. PA sports bettors should be prepared to provide a photo of themselves alongside a picture of their I.D. if that happens.

3. Place A Bet

Now that you have some money in your pocket, it’s time to find the betting markets. You can toggle through each sport listed on your sportsbook’s menu, or use the search function to move directly to your choice. Once you select a bet, it will pop up on your bet slip. Most online sportsbooks will bring your betting slip up from its minimized state as soon as you click on a bet. You can then locate each bet you add to your slip moving forward.

4. Withdraw Funds

While there are usually plenty of options to deposit money into your sportsbook account, there may not be the same amount available when it’s time to withdraw. Either way, most online books provide the most common methods such as online banking transfers or PayPal. It takes a bit longer for most sportsbooks to process a withdrawal request than a money deposit, however, barring an unforeseen incident, such as the need for further proof of identity, the deposit should go through within 1-2 days.

Only the NBA can rival the NFL’s massive betting menu each week. While that makes for some great value and fun, it can also be overwhelming for those just starting out. A betting menu full of options is always a good thing, but there are plenty of other important characteristics that make up a good sportsbook for NBA bettors.

Trustworthiness

There’s no need to worry that your money is ever in jeopardy with legal online sportsbooks. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board regulates the financial obligations of any sportsbook that it allows into its state. However, sportsbooks can act shady in other ways, such as convoluted promotions, or misleading odds boosts. If you feel like your sportsbook is trying to trick you, it probably is.

Money Transferring Options

While it’s always a good idea to have as many methods at your disposal as possible, you also want your sportsbook to provide the most secure banking methods. PayPal, for example, has proven to offer top-notch security and easy systems to move your money online. As a result, the largest sportsbooks in the U.S. have a working partnership with PayPal

Competitive Odds Menu

Shopping around to find the best odds among competitor sportsbooks is the only way to ensure you’re always getting the best deal on your NBA bets. There are plenty of tools available to track each sportsbook’s betting menu in one place, but before placing your wager always check the book’s site directly.

One other important aspect to note is which sports betting sites post their bets earlier than most. The reason is simple: Game lines and props provided further in advance of are less likely to be accurate than those closer to the game’s start. For example, if the game lines for a Saturday matchup between the 76ers and Celtics come out on Thursday, by the time Saturday comes around, those lines have been moved by market pressures, making them much harder to beat.

PA NBA betting odds can be a fickle beast considering the ebbs and flow of the league's daily injury reports. It’s important to keep up with league updates for your favorite NBA teams like the Philadelphia 76ers, to know who’s playing before you place a bet.

In addition to daily NBA betting markets, PA sports bettors can also wager on the odds for futures bets, such as NBA champion and conference champions. These odds are updated regularly throughout the season to match the relevant current events like season-ending injuries and the updated progress of the standings.

At the start of the NBA preseason, the reigning champion Denver Nuggets were favorites to repeat this season. At +475 to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy again, Denver was followed closely by the Celtics at +500 to pull down their 18th title. Oddsmakers seemed to place a decent-sized gap between these top two contenders and the rest of the field, with the Phoenix Suns (+650) and Milwaukee Bucks (+850) as the next two favorites.

That was all before two major trades took place, however. Damian Lillard was shipped from Portland to Milwaukee, increasing the Bucks’ title odds from +850 to +650 in an instant. A month later, James Harden traded in his Philadelphia 76ers uniform for a Clippers jersey, catapulting Los Angeles to +1200 odds to win the franchise’s first-ever title.

Season-Opening NBA Odds

Here’s how the NBA championship market odds stand as of October 31, 2023.

Pennsylvania NBA betting provides bettors with hundreds of bets for every game over the course of the 82-game season. The sport allows for a wide variety of creative and bet types between team and player prop markets. Of course, there are the core betting options as well, available every night there’s NBA action.

• Moneyline: Betting on the moneyline takes into account the outright winner of each game. The favored team’s moneyline odds are indicated by a negative sign, while the betting underdog will have a positive sign next to its listed odds.
• Point spread: A point spread bet isn’t dependent upon the winner of the game, but rather how many points a team wins or loses by. For example, if the 76ers are -4.5 points favorites against the Knicks, Philadelphia needs to beat New York by five-or-more points in order to cover the spread and cash a bet.
• Totals (Over/Under): NBA bettors can bet on the total amount of points that will be scored by each team. A common NBA total will be around 220 points with today’s style of play. With totals, bettors have the option of projecting over or under the number provided by the sportsbooks. 
• Prop Bets: Proposition bets are placed on aspects of a game that don’t necessarily impact the winner or loser. In the NBA, for instance, PA bettors can select over or under the amount of three-point field goals the 76ers will make.
• Parlays: The ever-popular parlay is a great way to boost the odds on a bettor’s payouts by combining multiple bets into one. While the odds for a moneyline bet on the 76ers might be -155, but if you parlay that with a moneyline bet on the Golden State Warriors to defeat the Sacramento Kings, your odds might shoot all the way up to +220.
• Futures Bets: Futures are wagers that are placed well in advance of when their outcome will be decided. They also rely on more than one game to determine their outcome. Wagers on the eventual NBA champion, league MVP, and the player with the most threes made are all examples of futures bets.

Not all bets made with a sportsbook are made equal thanks to the vig, short for Vigorish. The vig is essentially the price you pay for placing bets with a sportsbook and it’s indicated by the returned odds for winning a bet. Take a game featuring the Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks. If the 76ers are favored as -150 on the moneyline, that negative number indicates that the bettor’s return on a successful bet will be less than their staked wager. Which means that if the 76ers win, a $100 bet on their moneyline will only return the bettor $66.67 in winnings, plus the initial $100 for a total of $166.67.

With the 76ers as favorites in the game, the sportsbook knows that they’re much more likely to win the game. That’s just the nature of online gambling: The less risk that’s involved, the smaller the payout will be.

A plethora of top-tier NBA talent changed teams in the offseason. It all started in June with the blockbuster trade between the Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards, sending point guard Chris Paul to Washington in exchange for long-time Wizards guard Bradley Beal. This would set the stage for another major trade involving Paul, this time between Washington and the Golden State Warriors. Roughly a month after Pau landed in D.C., he was packaged in a deal that landed Warriors guard Jordan Poole in the nation’s capital and placed Paul in the Bay Area. Golden State is now the seventh franchise on Paul’s career resume.

In Boston, the Celtics put together a few deals of their own to dramatically improve their roster. Center Kristaps Porzingis is now a Celtic after the three-team trade that sent Porzingis to Boston, Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies, and Tyus Jones and Danilo Galinari to the Washington Wizards.

Boston’s other move to acquire another all-star-level guard came a few months later. It was the second domino in a series of moves that completely shook up the outlook of the NBA.

Three Biggest NBA Offseason Trades

Just a few weeks before the tip of the regular season, the Portland Trail Blazers sent future hall-of-fame point guard, Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. In exchange, Portland received a haul of draft picks, guard Jrue Holiday from the Bucks, and center Deandre Ayton from the Suns. Lillard now teams up with fellow superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, lifting the Bucks’ title expectations even higher than they already were.

Holiday, meanwhile, wouldn’t spend much time in Portland, as the Blazers dealt him to the Celtics. The move solidified one of the best starting fives in the league for Boston: Holiday, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis.

Finally, one week into the start of the regular season, another disgruntled NBA star demanded his way out of town. James Harden hadn’t shown up to practice or played in a single game for the Philadelphia 76ers when he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in late October. In exchange, Philly acquired veterans Robert Covington, Marcus Morris Sr., Nic Batum, and Kenyon Martin Jr, on top of a pile of draft picks.

Other NBA Offseason Transactions

In Detroit, the Pistons put together a few transactions to ac quire a few veterans. Joe Harris came over from the Brooklyn Nets in a trade for a few Pistons’ draft picks and the Wizards dealt Monte Morris to Detroit for a few more picks.

The Miami Heat got involved in the transaction market when they dealt Victor Oladipo to the Oklahoma City Thunder. A few weeks later, Miami also sent Max Strus to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team deal that sent Cedi Osman from Clevelan to the San Antonio Spurs. The team also chose not to re-sign point guard Gabe Vincent, who opted to sign a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The New York Knicks remained relatively quiet, although the team did trade former first-round draft pick, Obi Toppin to the Indiana Pacers. Indiana was much busier than New York, picking up reigning NBA champion Bruce Brown after the Denver Nuggets couldn’t muster up the money to keep him.

John Colins was sent from the only team he’s ever played on, the Atlanta Hawks, to the Utah Jazz. Collins had been the subject of trade rumors for years before they finally moved him. Similarly, the Celtics made one final offseason move when they traded Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks. Like Collins, Williams’ name continuously came up as a potential trade piece for years before Boston finally sent him to Dallas.

2023 NBA Draft Results

This year’s draft class looks to be a promising one in the NBA. To no one’s surprise, the San Antonio Spurs selected Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick. The young star out of France is the highest graded prospect since LeBron James entered the league in 2003.

With Wemby locked up as the top pick since announcing his intentions to join the NBA, the biggest question heading into the draft was which player would be drafted second. Brandon Miller out of Alabama ended up beating out the G League’s Scoot Henderson when the Charlotte Hornets selected him with the second overall pick. Henderson ended up in Portland just one pick later.

Twin brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson went 4th and 5th overall to the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons respectively. Both brothers chose to play in the Overtime league after high school instead of either NCAA Basketball or the NBA G League. In fact, half of the top 10 picks in the draft chose not play in either of the two leagues, the most in recent history.

Here’s a full look at the top 10 picks:

1. Spurs: Victor Wembanyama (Metropolitans 92)
2. Hornets: Brandon Miller (Alabama)
3. Blazers: Scoot Henderson (G League Ignite)
4. Rockets: Amen Thompson (Overtime Elite)
5. Pistons: Ausar Thompson (Overtime Elite)
6. Magic: Anthony Black (Arkansas)
7. Pacers: Bilal Coulibaly (Metropolitans 92) – Traded to Wizards
8. Wizards: Jarace Walker (Houston) – Traded to Pacers
9. Jazz: Taylor Hendricks (UCF)
10. Mavericks: Cason Wallace (Kentucky) – Traded to Thunder

2023 NBA Key Dates

We put together a list of the most important dates to mark on your calendar for the 2023-24 season.

• Jun. 22: NBA Draft
• Jun. 30: NBA Free Agency begins
• Oct. 24: NBA Season tips off
• Oct. 28: NBA G League Draft
• Nov. 3: NBA In-Season Tournament begins
• Nov.10: NBA G League Season begins
• Dec. 7: NBA In-Season Tournament Semifinals (Las Vegas, NV)
• Dec. 9: NBA In-Season Tournament Championship (Las Vegas, NV)
• Dec. 25: NBA Christmas Day games
• Feb. 8: NBA Trade Deadline (3 p.m. ET)
• Feb. 16-18: NBA All-Star Weekend 2024 (Indianapolis, IN)
• March 30: NBA G League Regular Season ends
• April 2: NBA G League Playoffs begin
• April 14: NBA Regular Season ends
• April 16-19: NBA Play-In Tournament
• April 20: NBA Playoffs begin
• May 6: Conference Semifinals begin (possible move up to May 4-5)
• May 12: NBA Draft Lottery 2024
• May 21: Conference Finals begin (possible move up to May 19-20)
• June 6: NBA Finals 2024 Game 1

Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers had a major question to answer heading into this season: What is James Harden’s future with the team? Although Harden started out the season on the roster, he never played a second for the team, nor did he show up to a single practice. It always seemed he was destined to play elsewhere this season and that destiny played out when G.M. Daryl Morey sent his former league MVP to the Los Angeles Clippers.

In return, the 76ers received a number of veteran players and a slew of draft picks. It’s still unclear how much playing time guys like Marcus Morris Sr., Nic Batum, K.J. Martin, or Robert Covington will see in Philadelphia. Only Covington was averaging more than 20 minutes per game when the trade went through. Marcu Morris Sr. had yet to play a second of game action for the Clippers and appears near ready for retirement.

Philadelphia 76ers Offseason

Other questions for the 76ers center around the departures of key role players such as George Niang, Shake Milton, and Jalen McDaniels. All three played key minutes down the stretch of the regular season and into Philadelphia’s playoff run.

The only new arrivals for Philly came in the form of guard Pat Beverly and backup big man Mo Bamba. It’s fair to say the team lost more talent than it gained back this offseason.

Philadelphia 76ers 2023 Projections

The 76ers are still projected as a playoff team in the Eastern Conference, even without Harden. Young guard Tyrese Maxey is expected to make a major leap and has huge potential to earn Most Improved Player award honors. His ability to carry the load left in Harden’s wake will heavily impact Philadelphia’s chances to make a legitimate run towards the championships.

As has been the case for the 76ers every year since they drafted Joel Embiid, the team’s hope to reach the finals will depend on the all-star center’s health and durability. Embiid has been one of the most heavily used players since joining the league. Unfortunately, that often means he is unable to stay on the floor deep into the playoffs.

To simplify the process, let’s first examine the differences between lines and odds. A line is the bet that the sportsbook offers its players. The listed odds next to each line indicates the amount a bettor receives if that particular bet cashes correctly.

For example, if the Philadelphia 76ers are playing the Boston Celtics, they may be listed as -3.5 point favorites with -110 odds. The -3.5 indicates that the 76ers are favored to win by at least three points, meaning a bet on their line requires them to win by at least four points in order to cash. The -110 odds mean that a bettor must bet $110 in order to win $100, plus the $110 stake.

It’s important to note both the odds and the lines when shopping for different bets between sportsbooks. While most PA sportsbooks will offer similar bets and odds, there are always differences that can provide a good amount of value for a bettor. Take the same game between the 76ers and Celtics. While sportsbook A has the 76ers listed at -3.5 with odds of -110, sportsbook B has them listed at -3 with odds of -110. The odds are the same, but that little half of a point can mean the difference between winning a bet and pushing it. A push occurs when the bet ends as a draw and a player’s money is returned to them

By shopping lines and finding the best price wherever possible, bettors are also ensuring the sportsbooks stay honest. One of the major benefits of regulated online sports betting to PA sports bettors is the market pressures that cause a bet to remain valuable. If the sportsbooks were able to set their lines and odds at their preferred numbers, there would be limited value for sports bettors. One of the main factors impacting the way in which the books set their menus, is the knowledge that sports bettors can find legal, alternative means to placing bets if they don’t like what’s being offered to them. By staying sharp and finding the best deals, we’re all working together to make more money.

Line Movements

Much like the NFL, betting on the NBA successfully is heavily dependent on a bettor’s timing. When a book opens up its lines to bettors, that line is usually the most likely to provide the public value. As previously mentioned, market pressure will push and pull that opening number to the most correct projection.

What do we mean by market pressures, though? And what are the different factors that cause the opening lines to shift in either direction? While there are plenty of various reasons why a line might move there are two key ones off which all other factors are derived.

1. Sharp Bettors

Professional bettors are also referred to as sharp bettors, or Sharps. While the amount of bets and money that come in on a particular bet will move the lines and odds, it’s also important to note who is betting the money. Digital sportsbooks have the advantage of easily tracking the bettors who place wagers on their site. As a result, they can also track how much that person is winning to determine just how “sharp” that bettor may be.

Once a bettor is labeled as sharp, that person has the ability to heavily impact a sportsbook’s future actions. For example, if a book opens up the 76ers as -3 favorites over the New York Knicks and a majority of the money comes in on the 76ers, the line may move slightly from -3 to -3.5. However, if a noted sharp NBA bettor comes in with a large bet on Philly that indicates they know something that the sportsbook doesn’t, the sportsbook may be inclined to move the line a full point from -3.5 to -4.5. That’s the power of being known as a sharp bettor.

2. Updated Information Impacts Betting Lines

Before ever placing a bet on the NBA, it’s important to remember that the sportsbook is not your friend, but rather your competitor. If you win, the sportsbook loses, so they’re going to do everything they can to gain an edge on public bettors. And the most fruitful advantage to a bettor or sportsbook is information. 

There are certain pieces of information that will always be baked into the offered bets and lines. Let’s take a look at what those are.

1. Injury Report: Especially in today’s NBA where the injury reports can change by the hour leading up to a game’s tip, it’s crucial to understand who is playing. That’s often easier said than done as most teams keep information as confined as possible to keep every advantage over their opponents as possible. Make sure to utilize various tools and social media accounts that monitor each game’s injury report as you place various wagers on the league.
2. Home Team: NBA teams and players have a long schedule filled with consistent cross-country travel. Playing in front of a home crowd while playing indoors can impact a team’s ability to communicate effectively on offense and defense. Furthermore, coming off a long plane ride and sleeping in a hotel rather than your own bed can certainly impact a team’s play, something the sportsbooks will take into account when establishing lines and odds.
3. Rest: With such a rigorous 82-game schedule over the course of a 6-month regular season, not every team will enter each matchup with the equally-rested legs. Teams coming off of more time between their previous game are often more likely to win in the NBA, as is the case in most sports providing constant wear and tear on an athlete’s body.

NBA team injury reports are a convoluted mess of moving players throughout the week. Staying on top of the players coming in and out of the lineups each day is the only way to ensure your bets won’t be affected by major changes to the depth chart without your knowledge.

Overall, it’s a long season with large swaths of games every night of the week and during weekends. The general rule of thumb for best betting practices is to remember that it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Organize Your Bankroll

Head into each night of NBA betting with a plan for which bets you’re going to make, and, just as important, how much you’re going to bet. It’s usually helpful to rank your bets in order of the amount of confidence you have in each of them. This practice makes it easy to place the correct amount of money on them. 

The most common form of bankroll management involves a unit system. Sports bettors will designate a specific amount of money equal to one unit and then wager accordingly. For example, if a bettor equates one unit with $100, a bet of 1.5 units would equal $150. Not all bets are created equal, therefore they shouldn’t all receive the same amount of money spent.

Watch The Games

Basketball is one of those sports where watching the games can greatly benefit your ability to successfully bet on it. There are only 10 players on the court at one time and the rosters are much smaller than other sports such as baseball or football. When watching the NBA, it’s easier for bettors to track the important players on each roster and gauge who is good and who’s not.

Getting a feel for a team and its style of play can be hugely beneficial to a bettor when wagering on a matchup. This aspect of NBA betting isn’t always applicable to other sports where there are more factors and players to account for within each slate of games.

There are plenty of different betting strategies when it comes to online NBA gambling. While each of them has the ability for long-term success in its own right, there are a number of standard mistakes to avoid that new bettors may not be aware of. Some of them may seem like common sense, but they are usually more easily said than done when in the midst of the rush of sports betting.

Here are a few lessons that experienced bettors have learned the hard way. If you’re just getting started, it’s a good idea to heed the below. 

1. Don’t Bet On Tilt

Tilt is a common word among bettors in reference to someone who has lost their money and is frantically trying to regain it by over-betting. It’s normal to lose a bet in an unexpected way. No amount of research or preparation can overcome the crazy oddities that occur in sports all the time. The abnormal is bound to happen, that’s what makes sports so appealing in the first place.

So, control what you can control and don’t let the rest rattle you too much. Most gamblers who end up going down a bad road towards addiction start out by chasing their losses instead of accepting the outcomes of the games as they happen. Bankroll management is the best way to prevent betting on tilt before it happens. Establish the amount of money you are allotting for each night, week, and month of betting. If you have a bad string of betting on NBA games and reach your self-imposed limits, it’s time to pack it in for the night.

2. Don’t Bet Without Info

Out-smarting the books is not a solid strategy for long-term success in the sports betting world. As we’ve already discussed, sportsbooks have a myriad of tactics they can turn to in order to guarantee themselves profit. Make sure you’ve always done your homework before laying any action. 

Consider the context of the game and the overall matchup, including the key factors we spoke about above, such as rest. And above all, always know who’s playing for both teams. It sounds incredibly simple, but the art of dissecting NBA player availability and starting lineups has become a tricky one to master.

3. Find Your Preferred Betting Markets

Having a betting speciality can only be a good thing. Playing the same sports and bet types consistently gives a bettor experience and familiarity to better inform them moving forward. For example, if you find consistent success betting player props in the NBA, make that your forte and keep going back to it. You’ll notice that you pick up trends among specific players because you’re paying closer attention to the player prop markets every night. This will also begin saving you time as you research different matchups each night, as the key information for each player will remain relatively consistent and similar, despite the change in opponents.

Of course, this doesn’t mean bettors should limit or confine themselves to only betting one type of market. If a bettor finds value in any way shape or form, they should always take it.

While sports fans need to wait for the end of October to watch regular season basketball, sports bettors can get in on NBA action starting in July with the Summer League games. The mid-summer tournament is meant to offer rookies and sophomores, as well as fringe NBA players a chance to show off their skills as teams begin to finalize their rosters. All of these games are bettable, but it’s vital to have a strong understanding of the lesser-known players who participate.

Preseason games begin in September, and also provide betting markets for sports bettors. Preseason betting can be lucrative for those who can quickly gather information leading up to game time. NBA teams are very erratic with the way they play their best players in games leading up to the regular season. This confusion and lack of public information levels the playing field between the sportsbooks and the public, as it neutralizes the edge the books may have had in the information department.

For the third year in a row, the NBA will host a Play In Tournament in advance of the start of the Playoffs. This season will also feature the first-ever In Season Tournament. With so many key dates to remember, we put together the below chart to keep you ahead of the games.

Sports betting is legal both online and in person inside the Keystone State. When the Supreme Court rescinded the federal ban on online casinos and sports betting in 2017, Pennsylvania was ready and waiting to establish one of the country’s foremost betting states. Considering PA has such a storied history of great basketball players and a historic franchise in the 76ers, it wasn’t a surprise to anyone that NBA betting became so popular so fast.

All sports bettors placing wagers of any kind on any sport in PA must be 21 or older with no exceptions. Those betting in person at a casino or sportsbook must show valid identification. Online sports bettors must create an account with a legal book and show proof of I.D. via the online methods provided by that sportsbook.