The NBA is one of the most popular sports to bet on in the US. NBA prop bets are an easy way to jump into basketball betting.
Proposition bets, or props, are easy to understand, numerous, and cover both player props and team props to give you plenty of variety.
Below, we look at betting NBA props at the best NBA betting sites and share some key information to make informed bets.
What are NBA props?
A prop bet is a side wager on an aspect of a game that usually doesn’t tie directly to the result. In the NBA, prop bets deal with both players and teams.
Some examples of NBA player props are:
- How many points a player will score
- Number of rebounds a player will have
- How many assists a player will get
- Rebounds and assists combined
- Points, rebounds, and assists combined
- How many steals a player will get
- Number of three-pointers made
Some examples of NBA team props include:
- Which team will reach 10 points first
- Which team will have the highest-scoring period
- Which team will score first
- Which team will win the first half
- Which team will win the second half
- Will there be a fourth-quarter comeback victory
All of the best sports betting sites have their selection of prop bets for each NBA game, so shop around to find the sportsbooks that best suit your needs.
How to bet on NBA props
The first step to betting on NBA props is opening an account at an online sportsbook. The process is simple, free, and doesn’t take very long. Below are the steps to opening a new account at an online sportsbook.
- Choose your sportsbook: Any state with legal online sports betting has a variety of sportsbooks. If you aren’t sure which sportsbooks best fit your needs, research and read our reviews on each. And don’t forget that you can have an account with more than one. Once you decide which sportsbook you’re interested in, follow the link from our site to qualify for the best new customer welcome bonus.
- Register for an account: At the top of the homepage of the sportsbook website, you will find a button that says “register” or “sign up.” Click that, and you’ll be taken to a form you must fill out. It will ask for personal information such as your name, phone number, email address, last four digits of your Social Security number, and more.
- Accept the terms and conditions: Before finalizing your account information, you must accept the sportsbook’s terms and conditions. We recommend you read through these to understand the rules your sportsbook will enforce regarding bets, especially for the sports you intend to wager on. The terms and conditions are also available on the sportsbook website for you to read at any point.
- Get your bonus: At this point, you can accept your welcome bonus. Be sure to read through the bonus requirements before accepting anything. If a bonus code is needed, which you can find on our website, this is where you will input it during the registration process.
- Make a deposit: Now that you’ve signed up for an account, you can start funding your bankroll by making a deposit. Most legal sportsbooks have a variety of ways you can add funds to your account, such as through your bank or an e-wallet.
- Start betting: Go to the basketball section of your sportsbook and select the NBA. From there, you can choose individual games and make bets like money lines, point spreads, totals, props, futures, and more.
How to read NBA props odds
At first glance, all the positive and negative numbers at US sportsbooks can be daunting. The good news is they are easy to read once you understand what you see.
Negative numbers, such as -110, represent how much money you need to wager to win $ 100. In many cases, such as a moneyline bet, the negative number also indicates which side of the bet is the favorite to win.
For example, if you were to bet on LeBron James scoring over 15.5 points in a contest at -125 odds, you’d need to wager $ 125 to win $ 100. If you did and your bet was correct, then you’d take home $ 225, which is your original $ 125 stake returned to you plus your $ 100 in profit.
Positive numbers, like +145, show how much you stand to win for every $ 100 you wager. If you were to bet $ 50 on Giannis Antetokounmpo to have over 7.5 rebounds and the odds were +130 at the time you finalized your bet slip, you would win $ 65 in profit if your bet wins.
Positive numbers also indicate which side of the bet is the underdog in the eyes of the oddsmakers.
Remember that you can bet as little or as much as you want, and your payout will be calculated based on your wager amount and the odds at the time you make your bet.
Types of NBA props
You can make two main prop bets on the National Basketball Association:
- Team props
- Player props
Team props are typically focused on statistical accomplishments by a particular team and rarely on the game’s result. You’ll often come across NBA team prop bets that are based on a team’s points, such as the first team to reach 20 points, the first team to score in a game, or whether the total points by both teams in a contest will end up being odd or even.
Team props, also known as “game props,” don’t rely on individual players but rather on the team as a whole. Player props, on the other hand, are driven by individual performance.
These individual props are focused on statistical milestones during a game. The most popular bets typically focus on points, rebounds, assists, and three-point field goals. You can also bet on combination wagers, such as points and rebounds together.
In most cases, you can bet on traditional statistics for the five starters on each team.
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Tips for betting on NBA props
Every bettor should develop their strategies, but we do have three tips you can use for NBA props.
- Pay attention to player and team news: Oddsmakers use various information to develop their lines for games and players, and you should, too. Keep tabs on player news and injuries, when top players are being rested, how they performed in recent games, and more. You can find value in player and team props by gathering information from multiple sources and tracking how players and their teammates perform. For example, if one of the starting guards is questionable for a game, you might want to consider the other guard for increased points or assists since they’ll likely handle a heavier load.
- Keep an eye on usage and minutes: Even slight increases to a player’s average minutes can make a difference when betting player props, especially later in the season when aging veteran players tend to rest more. Keep yourself informed on usage and minutes trends for the players you’re considering betting on, and use them to your advantage. Remember that some of the best players in the NBA were once on the bench for most games until small increases in their playing time gave them a chance to shine.
- Shop for the best lines: This tip applies to every bet you make. Using multiple sportsbook accounts lets you find the best odds for every NBA prop bet. Even the smallest differences, like one sportsbook having odds at +125 and another at +135, can make a difference in your profit. By shopping for the best lines, you can make smarter bets and find the best value.
