Top 10 Tips For Betting On Basketball (And Winning!) Check (And Double Check) The Starting Lineup. As you know, a team's starting lineup is instrumental to the team's scoring potential.
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- Get big sports betting bonus (up to 7 BTC) from Bitcoin bookies. One college sport that grabs a lot of attention is college basketball. So in this article you will find college basketball betting strategies.
- When learning how to bet on basketball, we recommend starting with the basics. Basketball is generally played indoors on a rectangular court with hoops at either end. A centre mark with a small circle is the.
The NBA and college basketball seasons are well under way. Both deserve your attention as both offer daily opportunities to make a profit.
Here's a good rule of thumb: when it comes to betting on basketball, take the pundits' picks with a grain of salt. Don't rely on their 'insider' knowledge. The folks who have the statistical data and predictive models necessary to accurately forecast game outcomes aren't sharing them with the public. They keep their picks close to their chests to maximize their returns.
Having said that, you can improve your odds of winning your basketball wagers by using a number of time-proven tactics. I'll showcase the top 10 below. These are the tips that'll have the greatest impact on your NBA betting success.
Check (And Double Check) The Starting Lineup
Don't Overestimate The Home Court Advantage
Forget Your Favorite Team
Keep Your Eye On The Important Stats
- turnovers
- offensive rebounds
- free-throw percentage
- tempo (or pace)
- true shooting percentage
- offensive/defensive rating
- home/away stats
- how many starters are named Lebron James
Watch For Big Line Moves
Look For Signs Of Court Fatigue
Bet Against The Spread On Losing Streaks
Ignore The Betting Trends
Keep Your Eyes Peeled For 'Value' Bets
If You Bet The Over/Under, Do Your Research
- whether each team plays offensively or defensively
- each team's offensive efficiency
- each team's defensive efficiency
- which sportsbook offers the best over/under odds
- each team's pace or tempo
- each team's level of fatigue
- injuries sustained by starters
As you know, a team's starting lineup is instrumental to the team's scoring potential. The coach understandably wants his best players in the game from the outset.
Check odds here:
But there's one thing that can throw a wrench into the works: late injuries.
A starter who suffers an injury serious enough to keep him on the bench might have a huge impact on his team's performance. For example, suppose Kyrie Irving sustains a torn ACL at the last minute. With him warming the bench, the Cavs might have trouble if they're playing an aggressive team, such as the Warriors or Lakers.
The takeaway: always check a team's starting lineup before placing your bet. Make sure all starters are accounted for, and absent from the injury list. A corollary to this tip is to avoid placing your bet too early.
Most teams do better on their home turf than on the road. They're playing in front of their fans, who are rooting for them to win. The refs are sometimes biased. And they're often more rested than visiting teams. The players are sleeping in their own beds and probably enjoying their favorite meals at home.
That's a far cry from the experience of staying in a hotel.
Of course, the home court advantage doesn't guarantee the home team will win. In fact, this article on ESPN argues that the advantage has become less and less pronounced over the last 40 years.
The takeaway: home court advantage is still important when it comes to betting on basketball. But don't overestimate its value.
If you're a fan of the sport, you undoubtedly have a favorite team. And if you're like most NBA fans, it's probably the team in your city or county.
The problem is, having a favorite can bias your betting decisions. You want your team to win. You've followed them for years and are emotionally invested in them. Understandably, when the time comes to place your bet, you're inclined to bet with your heart.
That's fine if you're just betting for fun. It's like betting on your child to win his karate match, even though you're certain his opponent is more skilled. Again, you're emotionally invested.
But that's a losing proposition in sports betting. Emotions are almost guaranteed to lead to poor long-term results.
The takeaway: if you want to make a profit, set aside your favorites and bet with your head. Cold, calculated logic, preferably supported with solid data, trumps emotion every time.
You can really go into the weeds with statistics when it comes to basketball. It's not quite as bad as baseball, but you can still literally waste hours chasing data that fail to move the needle in any significant way.
That doesn't mean you should ignore stats altogether. Rather, identify the important stuff and disregard the rest.
What basketball stats should you focus on? Here are several that can have a big influence on the outcomes of games:
The takeaway: be wary of pursuing stats that don't matter. Zero in on the ones that do, starting with those listed above.
This is something that most novice basketball betters miss. Oddsmakers adjust the lines on games as action pours into one side or the other. Their goal is to balance the action. When a lot of action flows in, that balancing act occasionally requires big, sudden line movements.
Such movements reveal opportunity.
For example, let's say the Cavs are scheduled to play the Warriors. You notice that the line has shifted abruptly in favor of the latter. A smart play at that point would be to follow the line.
What's happening behind the scenes? What's causing the line to move?
Often, it's smart, well-heeled sports bettors identifying and acting upon mistakes they perceive the oddsmakers to have made. Sometimes, the movements stem from major changes in personnel – for example, Lebron James yanking a hamstring during game-night practice.
The takeaway: when lines move, there's good reason. Follow the smart action.
Eighty-two games per season makes for an exhausting grind. The fact that starters manage to move themselves up and down the court late in the season is impressive. When they manage to post big numbers night after night, it's downright remarkable.
But they're human and subject to the same physical laws as you and I. They get tired, particularly after playing several nights in a row. They suffer fatigue.
The effect is even more pronounced on the road. Not only does the court time take its toll, but sleeping in hotels, eating out, and being away from the comforts of home does, too. Burnout is common after a long series.
The takeaway: think twice before betting on a team suffering from court fatigue. There's a good chance the players' minds and bodies are operating at a suboptimal level.
No sportsbook in its right mind would offer straight win/loss bets on basketball. That'd be a surefire recipe to lose money.
For example, imagine if the Warriors were scheduled to play the 76ers. If Bovada were to allow folks to bet on which team was likely to win, all of the action would flow to the Warriors. And if, as most people would predict, the Warriors were to beat the 76ers, Bovada would take a major drubbing.
Spreads exist, in part, to prevent that from happening.
When you bet against the spread (ATS), you're not as interested in which team will win. Rather, you're interested in how the teams perform with regard to the spread.
When it comes to betting ATS in basketball, a lot of bettors focus on teams' winning streaks. They figure a hot team is likely to maintain its momentum and cover the spread. But data show that's actually untrue, especially for streaks that extend beyond three games.
As the streak lengthens, more action pours into the side favoring the team enjoying the streak. Oddsmakers respond by adjusting the lines and point spreads. That makes it more difficult to bet against the spread on the favored team.
The takeaway: if you're going to bet against the spread, look for increased value among teams suffering losing streaks. These teams are avoided by most bettors, which means oddsmakers may give you an extra point or two in an attempt to balance the action.
While matchups, both in terms of teams and positions, are important to take into account, trends are all but irrelevant in basketball. Sure, you want to be familiar with a team's track record. You want to be aware of its performance throughout the season.
But trends in basketball betting refer to something completely different. Trends point to whether a team has managed to cover its spread in the last three games. They point to the volume and percentage of action favoring one team over another, according to the money line, the point spread, and the over/under.
These numbers can be informative, but they're far from predictive. They won't help you to accurately forecast a game's outcome. They merely give you general insight into what other bettors (many of them misinformed or uninformed) are doing with their bets.
The takeaway: it's fine to look at betting trends, if only to satisfy your curiosity. But don't rely on them as useful data. It's like examining a city's annual population migration data to predict whether a certain family will move to another city this week. The trends don't provide any insight to that end.
Oddsmakers are adept at setting lines. They use mountains of data and vetted predictive models to accurately forecast outcomes.
But they're not perfect. They make mistakes.
Learn to identify these mistakes, and you can uncover significant value that'll increase your odds of winning.
Fair warning: it's not easy. It requires deep analysis and relatively good math skills. But if you're willing to roll up your sleeves and put in the work, you can find value bets that pay off.
The takeaway: making smart basketball bets involves keeping your eyes open for hidden, unexploited value. Sometimes, you can find such value by noting big line movements. Most times, however, you'll need to put in more effort.
Betting the over/under in basketball is one of the simplest bets you can make. You don't need to worry about money lines or point spreads. You don't even care which team wins the game. The only thing you care about is the total number of points scored by the two teams.
The simplistic nature of basketball over/under bets poses a downside: it tempts a lot of bettors to place them without doing even a modicum of research.
Before you bet an over/under, take the following into account:
The takeaway – Don't place an over/under bet without doing basic research. Handicap the totals using the factors above.
Conclusion
Basketball betting, both NBA and college games, attract a lot of action at places like Bovada, MyBookie, and BetOnline. But much of the action is uninformed or misinformed.
You can do better. Use the 10 tips highlighted above to give yourself an advantage at these and other top online sportsbooks.
Here you will find the best NBA picks as well as parlays for all of today's games. All of our expert NBA predictions are against the spread. (ATS) This page will be updated daily so bookmark this page.
Washington Wizards vs Memphis Grizzlies Prediction, 3/10/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Tony Sink - 3/9/2021
The Washington Wizards are set to take on the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum on Wednesday, March 10, 2021. Washington opens this game as 1.5-point underdogs. The O/U has been set at 236.5. This matchup report includes odds, betting trends and a free pick against the spread.
San Antonio Spurs vs Dallas Mavericks Prediction, 3/10/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 3/9/2021
The San Antonio Spurs are on the docket to go head to head with the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on Wednesday, March 10, 2021. San Antonio opens this contest as 5.5-point dogs. The O/U has been set at 220.5. This report includes betting odds and our expert NBA picks for todays game.
Golden State Warriors vs Phoenix Suns Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Parlay's Pundit - 3/3/2021
The Golden State Warriors are set to take on the Phoenix Suns at Phoenix Suns Arena on Thursday, March 4, 2021. Phoenix opens this matchup as 2.5-point favorites. The total has been set at 223.5. We have included an expert NBA pick and parlay for todays game ATS.
Detroit Pistons vs New York Knicks Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Josh Schonwald - 3/3/2021
The Detroit Pistons are on the docket to meet the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The spread on this contest has New York as 6-point favorites. The total opens at 223. This matchup report includes betting lines and our pick of the day for this game.
Sacramento Kings vs Portland Blazers Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Tony Sink - 3/3/2021
The Sacramento Kings are scheduled to play the Portland Blazers at Moda Center on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The odds on this contest have Portland as 5-point favorites. The O/U opens at 237. This report has odds and your NBA predictions for todays game against the spread.
Miami Heat vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 3/3/2021
The Miami Heat are scheduled to meet the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on Thursday, March 4, 2021. Miami opens this contest as 1.5-point dogs. The O/U has been set at 227. This games report has current odds, betting trends, and free picks against the spread.
Denver Nuggets vs Indiana Pacers Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Parlay's Pundit - 3/3/2021
College Basketball Betting Tips
The Denver Nuggets are set to go head to head with the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Thursday, March 4, 2021. Denver opens this contest as 2.5-point favorites. The over/under opens at 225.5. We have included an expert pick and parlay for todays game against the spread.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs San Antonio Spurs Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Josh Schonwald - 3/3/2021
The Oklahoma City Thunder are on the docket to meet the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The odds on this matchup have San Antonio as 3.5-point favorites. The over/under has been set at 225.5. This matchup report has Vegas lines and an expert NBA basketball pick for your daily winner.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Memphis Grizzlies Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Tony Sink - 3/3/2021
The Milwaukee Bucks are scheduled to meet the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum on Thursday, March 4, 2021. Milwaukee opens this matchup as 6-point favorites. The total opens at 237. This Matchup report includes Vegas odds and a free basketball pick for tonight.
Los Angeles Clippers vs Washington Wizards Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 3/3/2021
The Los Angeles Clippers are on the docket to play the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The spread on this game has Los Angeles as 9.5-point favorites. The O/U opens at 231. This report includes betting odds and our expert NBA picks for todays game.
Toronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Tony Sink - 3/3/2021
Miami Heat vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 3/3/2021
The Miami Heat are scheduled to meet the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on Thursday, March 4, 2021. Miami opens this contest as 1.5-point dogs. The O/U has been set at 227. This games report has current odds, betting trends, and free picks against the spread.
Denver Nuggets vs Indiana Pacers Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Parlay's Pundit - 3/3/2021
College Basketball Betting Tips
The Denver Nuggets are set to go head to head with the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Thursday, March 4, 2021. Denver opens this contest as 2.5-point favorites. The over/under opens at 225.5. We have included an expert pick and parlay for todays game against the spread.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs San Antonio Spurs Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Josh Schonwald - 3/3/2021
The Oklahoma City Thunder are on the docket to meet the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The odds on this matchup have San Antonio as 3.5-point favorites. The over/under has been set at 225.5. This matchup report has Vegas lines and an expert NBA basketball pick for your daily winner.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Memphis Grizzlies Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Tony Sink - 3/3/2021
The Milwaukee Bucks are scheduled to meet the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum on Thursday, March 4, 2021. Milwaukee opens this matchup as 6-point favorites. The total opens at 237. This Matchup report includes Vegas odds and a free basketball pick for tonight.
Los Angeles Clippers vs Washington Wizards Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 3/3/2021
The Los Angeles Clippers are on the docket to play the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The spread on this game has Los Angeles as 9.5-point favorites. The O/U opens at 231. This report includes betting odds and our expert NBA picks for todays game.
Toronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics Prediction, 3/4/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Tony Sink - 3/3/2021
The Toronto Raptors are scheduled to meet the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The odds on this contest have Boston as 8-point favorites. The over/under opens at 217. This matchup report includes odds, betting trends and a free pick against the spread.
Detroit Pistons vs Toronto Raptors Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Tony Sink - 3/2/2021
The Detroit Pistons are on the docket to meet the Toronto Raptors at Amalie Arena on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Detroit opens this game as 9.5-point underdogs. The O/U is set at 215. This matchup report includes odds, betting trends and a free pick against the spread.
Utah Jazz vs Philadelphia 76ers Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Josh Schonwald - 3/2/2021
The Utah Jazz are set to take on the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Utah opens this matchup as 1.5-point favorites. The O/U is set at 223. This matchup report includes betting lines and our pick of the day for this game.
Charlotte Hornets vs Minnesota Timberwolves Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 3/2/2021
The Charlotte Hornets are scheduled to play the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. The line on this contest has Charlotte as 2.5-point favorites. The O/U has been set at 227. This games report has current odds, betting trends, and free picks against the spread.
Chicago Bulls vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Josh Schonwald - 3/2/2021
The Chicago Bulls are set to meet the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. The spread on this contest has New Orleans as 5-point favorites. The O/U is set at 236. This matchup report has Vegas lines and an expert NBA basketball pick for your daily winner.
Atlanta Hawks vs Orlando Magic Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Tony Sink - 3/2/2021
The Atlanta Hawks are on the docket to play the Orlando Magic at Amway Center on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Atlanta opens this contest as 4.5-point favorites. The over/under has been set at 224. This Matchup report includes Vegas odds and a free basketball pick for tonight.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Sacramento Kings Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 3/2/2021
The Los Angeles Lakers are set to play the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. The odds on this contest have Los Angeles as 6.5-point favorites. The over/under has been set at 231. This game report has an NBA basketball pick, betting odds, and trends for tonights key matchup.
Brooklyn Nets vs Houston Rockets Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Parlay's Pundit - 3/2/2021
The Brooklyn Nets are on the docket to take on the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Houston opens this matchup as 7.5-point underdogs. The total opens at 233. We have included an expert pick and parlay for todays game against the spread.
Golden State Warriors vs Portland Blazers Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Tony Sink - 3/2/2021
The Golden State Warriors are on the docket to meet the Portland Blazers at Moda Center on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Portland opens this game as 1-point dogs. The over/under is set at 235. This report has odds and your NBA predictions for todays game against the spread.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks Prediction, 3/3/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds
by Parlay's Pundit - 3/2/2021
The Oklahoma City Thunder are on the docket to go head to head with the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Dallas opens this contest as 8.5-point favorites. The O/U has been set at 222. We have included an expert NBA pick and parlay for todays game ATS.
1 234567891011 ... 453 | Next >>Please note that the NBA picks above for tonight's games are not computer based picks. All of these articles are written by our talented staff. If you have any comments or suggestions please email service@docsports.com
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Most NBA bettors are going to make NBA picks against the spread. This is also known as NBA picks ATS. Sportsbooks give each NBA team a handicap of X amount of points. That means if books think the Lakers are 4 points better than the Celtics they will offer a line of Lakers -4. If a Doc's handicapper has reason to believe the Lakers are much more than 4 points better, his pick against the spread would be to take the Lakers -4. This is how all bets on the spread work unless bookmakers consider both teams to be evenly matched, in which case the line is a pick, AKA pick'em. At Doc's the majority of our NBA selections are against the spread. However, there can be outstanding value on betting NBA totals.
NBA Over/Under Picks
The pace of the game, as well as which team dictates the pace, is a key factor when handicapping basketball games. When pace is an especially strong signal, it may dictate a pick on the over/under. An NBA over/under pick is another way of referring to a prediction on an NBA game point total. NBA total lines are usually well above 200 in today's NBA making them harder for the betting public to find value. For example, the 2004 Detroit Pistons team was very consistently within 5 points of the 90 they averaged. In today's NBA, greater scoring means greater variance. However, professional basketball handicappers can use this to their advantage as the sportsbooks also try to keep track of the higher scoring NBA totals. Doc's sports NBA total picks are some of the best in the business and our total prediction write-ups are insightful. Along with offering our NBA expert picks, we provide free selections that are intended to help bettors with their handicapping legwork.
NBA Parlay Picks
Parlay picks are sucker bets they say! Never bet and NBA parlay they say! Bettors that speak in these absolutes clearly haven't learned how to find value betting basketball. Sure, the payout on parlays at most sportsbooks have gone down to the point where putting two of your picks together for the sake of winning more is not a good investment. But what if your parlay picks could be made on the same game? That is called a correlated NBA parlay. Many sportsbooks offer the ability to make NBA bets against the spread and total in the same game. So if you have a great read on a game and expect one team to quit and fall behind, you may decide to make an NBA parlay prediction. At Doc's our experts will offer a free parlay pick in rare cases. It is not common because we need to find value for our customers on both lines before they move. If our parlay prediction is indeed on the same game, we need to confirm there is value regardless of the fact that you can't line shop the odds on a parlay. Both bets in a parlay must be made at the same sportsbook. If there is a free selection on the total over of -14 and under 200 it was offered knowing that those lines can be found at most Las Vegas sportsbooks and online.
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NBA Playoff Predictions
College Basketball Betting Tip Today
Once the regular season is over the NBA tends to resemble the national football league in many ways. Bettors have much more time to make their NBA playoff picks as teams travel to each other's arenas and rest between series. Making successful NBA playoff predictions is as much about when you bet as it is who you bet on. A series might not start for days. That means an NBA spread may move quite a few points especially as the public bets closer to the action. If we see value in a playoff prediction it will rely heavily on getting the line we are quoting in said NBA pick. In the words of the great Tony George, 'We are betting numbers, not teams!' That may not be more relevant than when making picks on the NBA playoff games.
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