How to Place Basketball Bets Online
Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world so it is only normal for betting to be a big part of it and for many sports enthusiasts to frequently wager on the games. It is also one of the easiest sports to bet on due to the point spread on the teams and the over/under bets, but more on that later. The first thing you need in order to bet on basketball is to find a reliable online sportsbook that has easy-to-use betting options and good coverage of the sport; it is very important for beginners to do some research before joining a new sportsbook in order to make sure that everything is secure and that the odds are good for all the games.
Popular Basketball Sportsbook
Bet365.com is the most popular online sportsbook when it comes to basketball betting so it is safe to say that it provides amazing coverage of all the leagues. With such a high popularity amongst gamblers, Bet365 Sportsbook can afford to offer more attractive lines and welcome bonuses that will help you get started. The betting interface is incredibly easy to use and it is known for winning quite a few awards; it is one of the many things that set this sportsbook apart from all the others.
Before you can place a bet, you must first create an account and make a deposit. It only takes a few minutes to do this; you must fill out the form on the website with the required personal information. Once your account is set and ready to go, you just need to make a deposit in order to have funds to wager on the games. This can be done by using one of the many deposit methods available with credit/debit cards usually being the most popular option.
Placing a Sportsbet Online from the US
For players from the United States that want to bet on basketball, the best option would be to use Bovada sportsbook. Not only is it a trustworthy site but it also offers a 50% welcome bonus and a 20% free bet up to $100. A free bet will allow you to wager on a game by using a special gambling chip; if you win, you will get all the profits while losing nothing if the bet is unsuccessful. It is a great little bonus to have as a new player in the basketball betting world. Click Here to join Bovada.
Start Betting on Basketball
Now that your account is ready and funded, it is time to start betting. Basketball normally uses point spreads for betting on a team. This may seem a bit difficult for beginners but is actually a very simple and common method used by sportsbooks. A point spread is a certain number used to handicap a team and favor the other in order to make both teams equal as far as betting goes. In most games, a team is the favorite to win while the other one is considered the underdog. If the payouts would have been the same, gamblers would just bet on the stronger team and have a better chance at winning.
About Online Bets and Odds
To keep things exciting and make both teams equal, sportsbooks offer a certain point spread. For example, let’s use a real game; Washington Wizards go to Boston to face the Celtics. In this situation, the favorite team is Boston and they are more likely to win the game on their home court. The spread is 10 points so this will show Boston -10 and Washington +10. In order for a bet on Boston to be successful, they must win the game by 11 (10+1) points or more. If the Celtics win by 10 points, the bet is a push and the wagered amount will be returned to the player. In order to avoid this situation, most spreads are specified in half-points (9.5 for example). If you bet on the Wizards, they must either win or lose by 9 points or less for the bet to be successful.
The odds of a bet placed against a point spread are 11:10. This means you will risk $11 to win $10, the extra dollar is considered the fee taken by the sportsbook. So if your bet is successful, you will get $21.
To Conclude
This is the best way to start betting on basketball because it is straightforward and very easy to use once you get the hang of it. There are also other betting options available on big online sportsbooks, such as Bovada and Bodog, and you can read about them in our Basketball Betting Guides.
