The Eastern Conference champions entered the 2020-21 season with high expectations. However, a disappointing sweep by the Milwaukee Bucks during the NBA Playoffs saw them leave for the beach just before Memorial Day.
DraftKings had projected the Heat would win 43, but they were only able to project a loss total of 40-32. This meant that the Heat lost 6.35 units to bettors. For all information about Miami Heat betting, see below.
Miami Heat Point Spreads
Casual bettors love the expression “Vegas is always right,” which seems to be true for Miami. In the 2020-21 season, Miami went 35-36-1 against spread (ATS). Spread bets are a simple margin-of-victory wager and are one of the most popular in basketball.
Let’s take an example of a point spread in a Heat home match:
- Atlanta Hawks (+3.5).
- Miami Heat (-3.5).
The favorite is indicated by the minus sign, (-), and the underdog by (+).. Point spread bets placed on the Heat as 3.5-point favorites would require at least a four point win by Miami to be paid. Bets placed on the Heat losing by three or less points would be lost.
Miami Heat Moneylines
Moneyline bets are a better option if you don’t like the idea of betting on the margin to win. Moneyline bets can be used to bet on the outcome of the game. Similar to point spreads, the favorite will be indicated with a (-) and underdog with an (+).
Let’s take the Hawks game for an example.
- Atlanta Hawks +150
- Miami Heat -180
American odds are expressed in units equal to $100. One would need to bet $180 in order to win $100 by betting on the favorite Heat. If Atlanta wins, a $100 wager would win $150 on visiting Hawks.
Miami Heat Over/Under
One might expect lots of low-scoring games from Miami with a team full of defensive grinders. The Heat won the 2020-21 season 38-to-34 against 34 unders. This was a major win for bettors who rely on tight defense.
A total or over/under bet is on the total points scored by the two teams. The winner of the matchup has no bearing on the wager. If the total between Hawks and Heat were set at 232 points then over bettors would require both teams to score 233 points or more. Under bettors would prefer 231 points or less. If the teams score exactly 232 points, the bet would be declared a push and wagers will be refunded.
Props for Miami Heat
A prop bet is the best way to bet on Bam Adebayo or Jimmy Butler. Prop bets can be placed on anything from the over/under on points, rebounds or assists to more specific bets like “who will score first bucket?”
Heat Futures
Futures are wagers on the future. They can be placed on things such as who will win the MVP award, division winners or whether a team will reach the postseason. You might be inclined bet on Miami’s future if you are confident in its ability to add another star this summer.
Last Updated on November 18, 2021
