- Where to Bet:
- The fractional odds for this example would be San Antonio at 3/1 and the Decimal conversion would read 4.0. How to Bet NBA Money Line Odds. A majority of NBA games involve point-spreads of single-digits, while games that see a favorite of 10 points or more is not usually the norm, although it happens.
- The NBA Las Vegas Odds are listed in order of rotation and those numbers are generated and produced by the sportsbooks. Above each matchup and rotation is the Time of the game, which is subject to change. All game times are Eastern Standard Time. One of the best features on the NBA Vegas Odds is the Open Line.
Expert NBA picks and predictions from SportsLine.com. The payouts are better in moneyline betting. And future odds – who will win the NBA championship – are always changing and always generating mainstream buzz. An injury to James Harden may send the Rockets’ title odds tumbling, while a key trade or hot streak may send a team’s NBA championship odds from 50/1 to 20/1 in just a few days.
How to read NBA Las Vegas Odds
The point-spread was developed to provide a balance for both teams involved in a contest to attract bettors to potentially back the weaker team and receive points. The two squads in a game are listed with a title, either a favorite or an underdog. The favorite is usually the perceived better team in the game, as backing them means giving up several points.
The favorite is always listed with a minus (-) sign before the point-spread while the underdog is labeled with a plus (+) label.
Ex. Favorite -10, Underdog +10
On the VegasInsider.com odds page, there is another number associated with the favorite and its listed as -10. This number is simply defined as vig or what many in the sports betting industry call vigorish. Another common term is called juice and its technically the price the bettor has to pay on a straight wager.
Ex. Bet $110 to win $100 (10% juice)
Ex. Bet $100 to win $91.91 (10% juice)
It's not uncommon to see other values posted other than -10. Examples seen on the NBA Vegas Odds pages could include -08, -12, -15 and -20. The -10 price is the most common value in the industry while many books offer reduced 'juice odds' and that would fall into the -08 category.
The lower-juice sportsbooks are normally found outside of the state of Nevada. If you are in a state where sports betting is legal, please check out our online sportsbook directory to find the best and most secure places to make NBA bets.
Another number thats posted on the NBA Las Vegas is the total or over/under for the specific matchup. If the favorite is designated as the home team, then the total will be listed above and vice versa if the visitors are favorites.
All of the above numbers are listed next to the teams, and before each matchup is a Rotation number. The NBA Las Vegas Odds are listed in order of rotation and those numbers are generated and produced by the sportsbooks. Above each matchup and rotation is the Time of the game, which is subject to change. All game times are Eastern Standard Time.
NBA Open Line
One of the best features on the NBA Vegas Odds is the Open Line. This numbers consists of the first betting line received from one of our Las Vegas or Global Sportsbooks. The opening line varies depending on the sportsbook but it provides a clear-cut rating that the oddsmakers use. If youre betting on the NBA or any other sport, its a great idea to view the open line first.
VI Consensus NBA Line
The VegasInsider.com Consensus NBA Line is just as important as the Open Line and also a key resource on odds platform. The Consensus column could be called a Median Line since it shows the most consistent number provided by the sportsbooks on VegasInsider.com. The consensus line will be the same as the open line but once the wagers start coming in, this number is often different than the openers.
Betting on NBA Games
Where can I bet on NBA games?
There are several legal sportsbook options in the United States. Visit our sportsbook directory to find online sportsbooks where you can bet on the NBA.
Who are the experts picking to win?
Our experts offer picks on all the big NBA games. Check out our 2020 NBA Playoff Predictions or our NBA game picks to see what our handicappers are saying.
What type of bets can I make on NBA games?
Betting the point spread, straight up winner, and over/under point total are the three popular NBA bets. Sportsbooks also first half lines, live betting, and other betting angles.
Who's the favorite to win the NBA Championship?
For odds on where teams will finish in the NBA Playoffs, check out our NBA Futures page.
Can you place parlay bets on NBA games?
Most sportsbooks will allow you to parlay your baskteball bets, meaning you can bet on multiple odds and win a bigger payout if they all win. Check out our parlay calculator to see what your payout will be.
- Where to Bet:
How to read NBA Las Vegas Money Line Odds
All you need to do is pick is the winner!
If youre placing NBA money line wagers then youre rooting for one team to grab a straight-up win. The betting term Against the Spread (ATS) doesn't matter for these types of bets since the point-spread doesnt come into play.
Similar to our Spread and 1st Half Odds, every matchup is listed in order of Rotation and those numbers are preceded by the Date and Time of the NBA game.
Every game has a Favorite and Underdog associated with the Money Line Odds and the plus (+) and minus (-) symbols are used to differentiate the teams. For NBA money line odds, its a simple math formula thats based on $100 wagers.
Toronto -400 (Bet $100 to win $25)
San Antonio +300 (Bet $100 to win $300)
In the above example, Toronto is the favorite (-) while San Antonio is the underdog. If a bettor wanted to back Toronto, who is expected to win, they would only win $25 on a $100 wager since they are minus -400. Some books will provide an extra option to view their betting odds in Fraction format and Toronto would be a 1/4 favorite in this matchup. If you prefer Decimal format, which is very common overseas, Toronto would be 1.25 on the betting board.
Since Toronto is the favorite, San Antonio is the underdog and bettors would receive a positive return greater than their initial stake. In this example, a $100 winning wager on San Antonio would net $400 and that includes your $300 win and $100 stake. The fractional odds for this example would be San Antonio at 3/1 and the Decimal conversion would read 4.0.
How to Bet NBA Money Line Odds
A majority of NBA games involve point-spreads of single-digits, while games that see a favorite of 10 points or more is not usually the norm, although it happens.
The VegasInsider.com Parlay Calculator is a great tool to see what kind of return you can create while avoiding the pitfalls of risk.
In the NBA playoffs, there is no single-elimination rounds. Each round is a best-of-seven series with the first team to four wins advancing to the next round.
Rockets Clippers Odds Against
Picking a straight up winner seems easy and if you dont want to lay the points, then betting money line wagers is for you. Underdog winners aren't as easy to find in the playoffs as the team with the higher seed usually advances, but straight up 'dogs sometimes come through in the postseason.