NBA spread betting, sometimes known as Against the Spread betting – ATS – is by far the most common way to wager on NBA championship matches. The NBA spread bet is the margin of points that the favored team or the underdog may win or lose by. For instance, if the NBA spread for the favored team is -6, they must win the game by a minimum of seven points for you to score the wager.
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Regardless of the team you bet on; an online sportsbook will award points to the weaker team or deduct points from the stronger one. The spread bet seeks to narrow down the skill difference among the opposing sides in an attempt to even out their winning chances.
In this guide, we’ll take a deeper look and explain everything related to NBA spreads. We will also take a look and explain the NBA odds and what they stand for before you start with real money betting!
Let’s see what NBA spread betting is all about.
Let’s Define Point Spread Betting First
To ensure the NBA playoffs and every other standard NBA game are more competitive betting-wise, the bookmakers take points away from the frontrunner and give them to the opponent. The intent behind this is to provide equitable treatment for both parties and to close the difference in skill across the two teams.
A spread wager enables NBA bettors to stake on the top pick to prevail by more than the predetermined number of points (covering the spread) and on the opponent to simply win or lose by fewer points under the specified spread betting number.
How Point Spread Betting Works in the NBA
The point spread, often known as the ‘handicap,’ is the number of points deducted from the favored or granted to the challenger in an attempt to equalize the probability of either team winning the game. If you see a ‘+’ sign next to your team’s name, it means they are the underdog.
Let’s take a game between the LA Lakers and the Chicago Bulls. Let’s say the Lakers have a ‘-7’ sign, which makes them the favorites. For you to win your bet, the LA Lakers will have to win with at least 8 points advantage. If the Lakers win with a 6-point advantage – you will lose the bet. In other cases, the Lakers can win with a seven-point difference, in which case you get your money back. This is known as ‘push,’ and you neither win nor lose when it occurs.
How to Read NBA Point Spreads
Making money on NBA point spread betting is no easy task, but understanding the rules and principles behind them can help you.
Keep in mind that a minus sign signifies a favorite, while the figure beside the negative sign represents the number of points the club must win by. Reading the NBA point spread is easy, and all you have to do is open an online sportsbook that provides NBA point spread betting. Select a game and access the point spread section.
Once you do, you will notice a ton of point spreads with different NBA odds. One game can have a +3, +5, +7, and a lot more NBA spreads with different odds.
What Do Those Plus/Minus Odds Mean?
The plus and minus signs represent the favored team to win the game. To help you understand this, we will use the American Odds.
First of all, the American Odds represent how much you stand to win by staking $100. If the sign is a positive number, +150, it means that you will win $150 by wagering $100. If you see a negative number, on the other hand, it represents the amount you must stake in order to win $100. So, ‘+’ represents the underdog, whereas ‘-‘ represents the favored team.
We’ve just explained the NBA moneyline odds, but make no mistake – the odds always represent only one thing – how much money you stand to win.
Line Movements in Point Spread Betting
The line movement in point spread is when the figures from a point spread wager increase with time (i.e., additional points separating the sides). This indicates that the larger proportion of funds is now being bet on the top pick. If the odds are falling, the overwhelming part of the cash is wagered on the outsider. Moving point spreads rely heavily on key variables. If you notice a spread changing on or off a critical number, think about how this can affect a bet.
Components of a Point Spread Wager
In all NBA point spreads – one side is the frontrunner, and it must win by a particular advantage, as shown by a negative sign beside its ratio. The underdog, on the other hand, can either lose by a specific ratio or win the game for you to win your bet. That team receives a plus sign.
The Betting Line
Placing NBA bets may be entertaining, although it can be tough to grasp if you are fresh to the game. If you’re betting for the first time on the NBA championship, you should know that the NBA line represents the payout you’re getting when wagering on the moneyline odds attached to the NBA spreads.
The Juice
The juice, also known as the ‘vig’ or ‘vigorish’, is the house-edge that bookmakers charge for taking your bet. One simple example is a game between two evenly matched teams. Instead of having +100 odds, bookies will provide -110 for both of them. The difference is house-edge, and it’s the bookmaker’s way of making money.
For every stake you wager with a bookie, you will be roughly paying 10%.
The Odds
NBA odds aren’t any different from any comparable quantitative odds; they simply indicate the likelihood of the event on which you are wagering. You can find numerous NBA odds forms and all of them indicate the identical concept. These forms of odds are decimal odds, American odds, and Vegas odds.
Whenever your team has a plus ratio, such as (+110) – you will win $110 when you wager $100. Whenever your club’s NBA odds have a negative value beside it, such as (-200), that implies you’d have to spend $200 to gain $100.
How to Place NBA Point Spread Bets
Let’s imagine a game between the Los Angeles Lakers vs. the Miami Heat as an illustration, in which the Lakers are being backed by 2.5 points. The odds will be displayed: Los Angeles Lakers -2.5 (-110) vs. Miami Heat +2.5 (-110)
Team favorites are indicated with a negative symbol (-) next to the spread inside this match. In this game, the Lakers have been favored by 2.5 pts. If you believe the Lakers would triumph by over three points and you bet $110 – you will win $100.
Best Online Sportsbooks to Make Your NBA Point Spread Bet
Everything boils down to promotions and individual choice when it comes to choosing top sportsbooks that offer NBA matches. There are several excellent betting sites available, each with its unique list of NBA betting odds and lines.
There are plenty of excellent alternatives available, ranging from well-known online bookmakers like DraftKings and FanDuel, all the way to recent arrivals such as Barstool Bookmaker. The ideal spot to begin is by exploring the bookies and determining your preferences. In specific circumstances, you may just like one label over the other, and also the selection may be as easy as that.
Questions About NBA Point Spread Betting
How do I read NBA odds in point spread betting?
A point spread has two main elements: the line and the juice. The line is merely a projected winning margin. The juice is the amount you give the bookmaker for that wager, and it will be shown beside the line. Every wager sum or conversion may be calculated with an Odds Calculator.
What does a “plus seven spread” mean when reading NBA betting lines?
This +7 point spread is the margin of points a team must win by for you to win your wager. A +7 point spread indicates that the favoured side must triumph by at least 7 points. It also implies that the outsider can lose by 7 points or less for you to win your bet.
What does “betting the spread” or “cover the spread” mean?
An alternative phrase to describe a team that managed to win a point spread wager is “covering the spread.”
What does betting against the spread mean?
Betting against the spread essentially means betting on the underdog in a point spread wager. If the underdog has a +7 spread, and the final score indicates they lost with a 4 point difference, you will win your bet even though the team lost the game.
Do point spreads bring in more value than other sports bets?
Point spread definitely brings more value when it comes to sports betting. This is because point spread offers better value while betting on the favorites when compared to a normal moneyline bet.
