Point spread betting is one of the most common forms of sports betting in any sport. Professional basketball is no exception, as bettors regularly take to the point spread market when trying to win with their NBA wagers. In this guide to NBA point spread betting, we go over what this market consists of and what bettors should know before getting involved with it.
What is NBA Spread Betting?
In the NBA point spread market, there is a favorite and an underdog. The favorite has points taken off of their score at the end of a game, or the underdog has points added to their score at the end of the game. The team that has the higher score after the point spread is applied to either side of the equation is the winner for the purposes of this market.
For example, if the New York Knicks are five-point underdogs against the Brooklyn Nets, that means the Knicks would have five points added to their score after that game. If the Knicks won the game or lost by four or less, the extra five points would make them winners in this market. If the Nets won by more than five points, they would cover the spread, and Nets bettors would cash their tickets.
How to Place a Point Spread Bet?
To place a point spread bet, bettors simply need to go to the NBA section of their preferred sportsbook. From there, bettors can pick which game they want to bet on against the spread. The point spread market will list both a point spread value and the odds on each side of that point spread, so bettors know how many points are in play and how much they have to risk to make their desired profit amount.
More challenging than actually placing a point spread bet is the act of handicapping before placing the said bet. This market requires bettors to determine which team is going to win each game. But bettors who are backing the favorite also have to determine whether or not they will win by enough to cover the number.
Pros and Cons of NBA Spread Betting Picks
The biggest positive in point spread betting is the fact that the betting odds are relatively fixed. Both sides of each point spread wager typically come in at least in the neighborhood of -110 odds, meaning that bettors have to risk $110 to win $100. Compared to moneyline Picks odds, which can shift up or down depending on how heavily a team is favored, the odds in this market are affordable both ways. See all NBA Computer Picks.
On the flip side, the biggest negative with point spread betting in the NBA comes in the form of having to lay points with favorites. NBA games can be unpredictable as teams adjust their rotations and effort levels on a regular basis during the season. Bettors have to determine when those items work in favor of the favored team to justify laying points and requiring their selection to win by enough to beat the point spread.
What is Spread Betting
On the surface, spread betting feels more like the moneyline market. However, it does have its own unique set of elements. The most basic thing when it comes to spread betting is that the player has to predict the team that will win and the team that will lose in a match. On this front, spread betting can just be termed a carbon copy of moneyline market. However, spread betting goes further as it requires punters to predict a margin that they think the winning team will win by. Essentially, spread betting therefore entails two things, picking the team to win and predicting the margin the winning team will win by.
How does NBA Spread betting work
When it comes to betting markets, many punters understand better with the aid of a practical example. As such, lets explain spread betting with the aid of an example.
In an event between the Home Team and the Away Team, if the player picks the Home Team as the winner, he will need to go further and determine the margin that he thinks the Home Team will win by. For the purpose of this example let’s say the punter thinks the Home Team will win by a margin of six points (-6) – for the bet to win, the Home Team must win by at least seven points. When this happens, the spread (-6) is covered and any points above will determine the win. Owing to the need to choose the margin that the winning team will win by, the spread betting market effectively becomes more difficult and complex in comparison with other NBA betting markets. There is no need to worry however about this as this complexity translates to higher odds. Layers who successfully manage to predict the winning margin will smile all the way to the bank.
Round Up
Spread betting is one of the most popular NBA betting markets. The popularity of this market largely stems from the fact that it’s a market which comes with heightened odds owing to its complexity. Players who choose to use the betting market will settle for a complex market but the benefits of doing do are immense as spread betting markets are associated with high and lucrative odds. For punters who aren’t afraid of taking the big risks, spread betting is definitely the best route to take.