Thursday’s NBA slate features two games, with both matchups taking place in the Western Conference.
The Orlando Magic visit the Phoenix Suns, while the Miami Heat head to San Francisco to take on the Golden State Warriors.
Without further ado, let’s dive into our best NBA bets for Thursday, November 5.
All NBA odds are current as of Thursday, November 12.
Best NBA Player Props Today
Joel Embiid: 22+ Points (-117)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
I’m backing Joel Embiid to score at least 22 points against the Toronto Raptors tonight. Embiid is averaging 17.7 points per game this season, but I like his chances of having a bigger offensive role against Toronto, particularly with Philadelphia looking to bounce back from its 123-101 loss to Boston.
The matchup against Jakob Poeltl is appealing for Embiid, who has the size, strength, and shooting ability to challenge Toronto’s starting centre. Poeltl is a capable interior defender, but Embiid can score from the post, knock down mid-range jumpers, and draw fouls. That versatility could make him difficult to contain if he gets enough touches.
My biggest concern is Embiid’s health. He’s listed as questionable with a right foot plantar fascia issue, so his availability and potential minutes restrictions are important. If he’s cleared to play without a significant limitation, I expect Philadelphia to involve him heavily in the offense.
I’ll take Embiid 22+ points (-117), provided he’s confirmed available without a restrictive minutes limit. Check out our NBA bet of the day for more picks.
Best NBA Props Today
Raptors: Under 108.5 Points (-112) vs. 76ers
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
I’m backing Toronto to finish Under 108.5 points against Philadelphia tonight, largely because of the 76ers’ strong defense. Philadelphia allows just 109.2 points per game, ranking among the NBA’s top defensive teams. The 76ers have been even better at home, surrendering only 108.5 points per contest.
Toronto is averaging 114.5 points per game, but the absence of Scottie Barnes is a significant concern. Barnes leads the Raptors with 23.5 points per game, and replacing that production won’t be easy. Toronto also struggled offensively in its last game, scoring just 102 points in a loss to Memphis.
- Feeling lucky? Check out our best NBA parlays for today’s action.
The Raptors have also been inconsistent from beyond the arc, shooting just 32.4% from three-point range. That could make it difficult to generate enough offense against a Philadelphia defense that has consistently limited opponents this season. RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley will need to shoulder more responsibility without Barnes.
I expect Philadelphia to make Toronto work for its points, particularly in the half-court offense. With Barnes sidelined and the Raptors coming off a disappointing offensive performance, I’ll take Toronto Under 108.5 points (-112) tonight.
NBA Player Prop Bet Odds Comparison
How NBA Prop Betting Works
NBA prop betting has become an increasingly popular area in basketball wagering. Unlike placing a wager on a team to win or cover the spread, a prop wager only needs an individual instance.
Basketball props can include various things, from game props to player props to season-long props. Therefore, when placing a bet, it’s crucial to scan various sportsbooks to look for an edge in an individual prop and to search for the best odds for those props.
For NBA prop betting, you can bet on a team, player, or game. A team prop is associated with how an individual team will perform in one particular game or over the entire year.
Player props focus on the performance of a single player within a game. A game prop is related to a specific situation within an individual game.
For instance, a team prop is set at 105.5 points for the Chicago Bulls in their matchup against the Boston Celtics. If you take the Over and the Bulls score at least 106 points, you win the wager.
A player prop would be a line set at 26.5 points for Donovan Mitchell in a matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers. If you bet the Over and Mitchell scores at least 27 points, you’ve won the bet.
Best NBA Prop Betting Sites
DraftKings
DraftKings Sportsbook is one of the top sportsbooks in the industry. Whether it’s game, team, player, or season-long props, they have it all. They have recurring promotions for existing users, including odds boosts on parlay bets.
FanDuel
FanDuel, like DraftKings, is among the leaders in the industry. The two sportsbooks are similar in their offerings, especially considering that FanDuel also offers frequent promotions, such as odds boosts.
BetMGM
BetMGM provides the same variety of game, team, and player props that most other sportsbooks do. They also offer plenty of season-long props, which include placing wagers on team win totals, as well as season statistics for individual players.
BetRivers
BetRivers usually offers a variety of house specials, providing juicy odds for props. They can also provide some unique wagers in their specials.
For instance, normally a player points prop would be for one individual player to score at least 20 points. However, they can provide a house special for two teammates to score that many points, so you would win your wager if either of those two players surpasses the total.
How to Pick the Best NBA Prop Betting Sites
Ease of Use
It’s important to feel comfortable with the sportsbook that you choose to use. Whether it be the layout of the website or the ease of depositing and withdrawing funds, it can make a difference in your overall experience.
Welcome Bonuses & Promotions
Keep an eye out for bonuses or promotions as they could prove to be profitable. As far as welcome bonuses go, some sportsbooks will offer free wagers to new customers.
With regards to promotions, they can include boosted odds to potentially make wagers more profitable for customers.
Variety of Props
A wide variety of props means more opportunities to win money. Not only does that mean offering game, team, individual, and season-long props, but offering more of them. A wider variety of props could also lead to added entertainment as you follow along with your wagers.
Odds on Props
This is important. It’s not uncommon for multiple sportsbooks to have the same line on a prop. However, the odds can be different.
DraftKings and FanDuel may both have a player prop for LeBron James set at 8.5 assists, however, the odds for him to hit the over on DraftKings are (-110), while the odds at FanDuel are (-120). If you were to make a $100 wager and win, you would profit $90 on DraftKings, but just $83 on FanDuel.
NBA Prop Betting Promotions
One type of promotion is an odds boost. This is where a bettor would receive more value for their wager.
The Over 23.5 points for Kevin Durant might initially be at (-110) but then be boosted to (+200). For a $100 bet, the (+200) odds would net $200 profit, rather than $90 for (-110) odds.
There are also welcome bonuses that are often offered for new members, including initial deposit matches up to a certain dollar amount.
Best NBA Prop Bets
One of the best types of props is player props. These can be easier to project because you only need that one instance to occur for an individual player to win money.
Let’s take a deeper look at why player props are enticing options.
NBA Player Props
NBA player props are when you bet on a player’s performance for a single game or the entire season. There can be a variety of player props, including total points scored, rebounds, assists, and three-pointers made.
If you believe that Stephen Curry could be in line for a big performance against a Washington Wizards team that has struggled defensively, you could take the Over on his player prop of 23.5 points. You would need him to score at least 24 points for that wager to payout.
Be sure to check out our best NBA player props tonight above.
NBA Prop Betting Strategy
The key to prop betting is to look for statistical trends. For example, last season, the Sacramento Kings played at the fastest pace and had the sixth-worst defensive rating in the league.
The Kings are set to play the Philadelphia 76ers, which means a big scoring night could be coming from Joel Embiid. Not only does Sacramento’s place of play and defensive struggles work in his favor, but Embiid led the league last season with his 33.1 points per game.
Benefits of NBA Prop Betting Online
Betting on NBA props online makes things easy. You deposit your funds and select your preferred wagers. There’s no getting in the car and driving to your local casino to place a wager at a physical sportsbook.
Another benefit of NBA betting online is getting to use multiple sportsbooks while never having to leave your home. This allows you to shop for the best odds and a wide variety of props.
Finally, another benefit of placing prop bets online is the ability to do in-game wagers.
How to Place an NBA Prop Bet Online
To place an NBA prop bet online, please follow these steps:
- Register at your preferred sportsbook.
- Click “Deposit" to add your funds to the account.
- Check to see if there are any promotions related to props.
- Use your welcome bonus before using your funds.
- Click “NBA" and the “Props."
- Look at the spread, game totals, and advanced stats to help guide your selection.
- Choose your wager.
- Place your wager and enjoy the game.
Where Can I Legally Place NBA Prop Bets Online?
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Missouri
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Washington D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Choose More Than One NBA Prop Betting Site
Choosing multiple sites to place bets on props allows you to search for a variety of different props. Also, it’s important to search for odds across multiple sites to help maximize your potential profits.
Various sites also offer different promotions daily, so being registered with multiple sportsbooks would allow you to take advantage of those opportunities.
