Moneyline betting is an incredibly in-demand form of NBA betting, thanks in large part to how simple it is to grasp. With upsets being common in the NBA, there are plenty of opportunities to find value when betting on NBA moneylines. In this guide to NBA moneyline betting, find out what the moneyline consists of and what bettors should know before they place their moneyline wagers in pro basketball. See all NBA Computer Picks.
What is NBA Moneyline Betting?
Moneyline betting is a market where bettors are asked to predict which team will come out on top in an NBA game. It doesn’t matter how much that team wins by or how many points they score. All that matters for the purposes of this market is whether or not a bettor is able to accurately predict which side is going to be victorious when the final buzzer sounds.
In moneyline betting, bettors are required to lay extra juice or vig with the team that is favored, whereas they can bet underdogs at a plus price. For example, let’s say the Milwaukee Bucks are -150 favorites over the Miami Heat, who are +125 underdogs. In this example, bettors would have to bet $150 to win $100 on the Bucks or bet $100 to win $125 on the Heat.
How to Place an NBA Moneyline Bet
To place an NBA moneyline bet, bettors have to go to the NBA betting section of their preferred sportsbook. From there, they can select which NBA game they want to wager on and select which side of the moneyline they want to bet on. Once selected, bettors can enter the amount they wish to risk on that moneyline wager and finalize their bet.
Pros and Cons of NBA Moneyline Betting
The biggest positive to moneyline betting on NBA games is the fact that bettors don’t need to worry about the margin of victory or anything like that when they do it. The only thing that matters when betting on NBA moneylines is which team wins that game. The game can even go to overtime, and as long as a bettor picks the winner when overtime is completed, they will cash their ticket.
Another big plus to moneyline betting in pro basketball is the fact that there is often some real value to betting underdogs. Getting home underdogs at a plus price can be profitable in many cases, as teams tend to perform better at home than they do on the road in the NBA. Bettors who can identify those opportunities can usually do very well for themselves, picking straight-up winners.
On the other hand, the biggest negative of NBA moneyline betting is the prospect of having to lay juice with favorites. Heavy favorites are essentially unplayable on the moneyline market, as bettors may have to lay upwards of $1,000 or more just to win $100 on those heavily favored teams. For bettors who like playing favorites, the point spread market may be the route they want to take instead.
What is Moneyline Betting
Moneyline betting can also be dubbed straight-line betting. This is the simplest of all forms of NBA betting. When it comes to moneyline betting, players are just given the room to choose the team that is going to score the most points between two teams that are going head to head. In simple terms therefore, it’s a case of picking the likely winner between two opposing teams! Simple as A B C isn’t it?
What players ought to note about moneyline betting is that though seemingly simple, due diligence is needed if one is to be successful in using this betting market. The diligence we are talking about here largely refers to doing thorough research about the teams going head to head. Whether there is a clear favourite and a clear underdog in a tie, its still advisable to do thorough research into a team’s form, its current injury record and other factors before choosing the side you think will win.
As alluded to before, moneyline betting is the simplest of all forms of NBA betting markets – this however does come with its own cons. The major con here is that as a simple betting market, it comes with relatively lower odds. Punters who settle for this market therefore can expect reasonable payouts when they win rather than expect loads of cash.
How does NBA Moneyline Betting Work
Moneyline is a very simple betting market. When it comes to moneyline betting, we are just saying between the Home Team and the Away Team, the player is asked to choose the team that’s going to win. If the player decides that home advantage is going to come in handy and picks the Home Team, a payout is awarded at the end of the event once the Home Team scores the most points. The player loses if the Home Team loses or the tie ends in a stalemate. The number of points the Home Team scores does not matter, for as long as the Home Team wins, the player wins!