With an 82-game regular season and a lengthy, entertaining postseason, the NBA provides plenty of betting opportunities.
NBA betting lines are also well-adjusted, making it crucial to find the best legal sportsbooks. That includes the ones with the most markets, best odds, and most lucrative promotional offers.
Here is how to find the best sportsbooks when betting on the NBA.
Benefits of Betting on Basketball Online
Betting on the NBA is a thrill-a-minute joyride, and having money on the line can make any game infinitely more enjoyable.
While there are arguments for betting in person, nobody can be at a sportsbook 24/7. You have a life, and if you need to bet on the Dallas Mavericks moneyline tonight, you can do so at a soccer game or a birthday party.
However, it is also paramount to consider the +EV component of online betting. Taking advantage of online promotional offerings, boosted odds, and increased betting markets can significantly increase your bankroll.
Best NBA Betting Sites
DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings is the premier website for both sports betting and daily fantasy. They combine their standard betting markets with the most diverse and unique prop bets.
One of my favorite features of DraftKings Sportsbook is the sheer amount of alternate lines they offer on every game. If you think the Detroit Pistons should be closer to 15-point favorites than 5-point favorites, for example, DraftKings will often offer Pistons -12.5, -13, -13.5, etc., but at plus-money odds. That way, you can cash in on your sharpness.
BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM has one of the best user interfaces of any online sportsbook. Click on any game, and BetMGM makes it incredibly easy to bet on any aspect of the matchup, from first-half spreads to player props on NBA games.
BetMGM also frequently dishes out Lion’s Boost bets, building a parlay for you and boosting the odds to add value.
FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel is another well-known and popular daily fantasy and sportsbook website. Similar to DraftKings, FanDuel offers a wide array of prop bets.
However, one of my favorite features of FanDuel sportsbook is their same-game parlay offerings, which allow you to combine multiple wagers on the same game for a bigger payout.
Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars is just as qualified as any other sportsbook, except for one difference: They often have the best welcome offers and promotional bonuses.
Between their $1,000 first bet insurance (using our promo code ) and VIP rewards system, you will not find another online sportsbook that rewards its users like Caesars.
PointsBet Sportsbook
It is essential to find sportsbooks that offer excellent promotions, and PointsBet is top-tier. For example, PointsBet has a tab of odds-boosted bets that are updated daily.
In the past, PointsBet ran an NBA promotion where if you bet $100 on any NBA spread, you earned $3 in free bets for every three-pointer your team made.
Taking advantage of boosted odds and promos is the quickest way to build your betting bankroll.
How To Pick The Best NBA Betting Sites
Odds
The most significant aspect to consider when making NBA bets is the odds. The only way to beat the sharp NBA market is by getting the best of the odds market, and getting the Pistons +4.5 at (+100) rather than (-120) will make a big difference in the long run.
Use our NBA betting odds comparison tool to get the best value among available online sportsbooks.
Betting Markets
Another factor in picking the best NBA sportsbook is the amount of betting markets they offer. Often, secondary prop markets offer less efficient betting lines that give you a better chance to beat the books.
Try to look for sites that offer NBA player point totals, NBA first-basket bets, and other props where you can bet our NBA bet of the day.
Welcome Bonuses
Almost all sportsbooks offer sign-up bonuses for first-time users. However, not all welcome bonuses are the same. Browse every sportsbook to find a promotional offer that fits your best interests.
For example, maybe you value a first-time deposit match rather than a risk-free first bet.
Promotions
Again, most sportsbooks offer sports betting promotions, but not all are created equal. As such, we want to find the sportsbooks that provide the most favorable promotional offerings for us NBA bettors.
Perhaps DraftKings has the Pistons moneyline boosted to (+125) tonight, but PointsBet has it at (+150). That extra juice can go a long way toward building your bankroll.
User Interface
Consider ease of use when picking your NBA betting site. Each online sportsbook has a different interface, and you will want to use the one that is easiest for you to navigate when you need to place a bet as soon as possible.
Why You Should Avoid Illegal Betting Sites
In the past, offshore betting sites were the only way to bet on the NBA online. However, with sports betting availability increasing, these offshore sites are no longer in your best interest. Illegal betting sites will give you poor odds, unreliable payment options, and lackluster user interfaces.
Plus, the legality of using these offshore sites is sketchy at best. While the legal burden is not placed on you, these sites cannot legally accept sports wagers or send you your winnings.
As such, there is an inherent lack of trust in these illegal NBA betting sites. It is best to steer clear and use one of the many legal online sportsbooks available instead.
NBA Betting Site Offers to Keep in Mind
No Deposit Bonus
Online sportsbooks may allow you to place your first wager without depositing money. This involves a free bet of a specified amount.
In that case, you can place your first NBA bet without risking any real, hard cash. If you win, you get to keep the money in your account as site credit for future eligible sports wagers.
First-Deposit Bonus
First deposit bonuses are a common NBA betting site promotional offer. When you sign up for a sportsbook and place your initial deposit, sportsbooks will often match a certain percentage of that deposit in site credit.
For example, if an NBA betting site has a 100% first-deposit match and you make an initial deposit of $250, the site will immediately credit your account with $250 in bonus funds to use on eligible sports wagers.
Risk-Free Bet
Many sites will also offer you risk-free bets, also called bet insurance, which allow you to place an eligible wager on any NBA or sports game without the risk of losing that wager.
When you opt into these promos, place a wager on any eligible game. If you win, you get to keep all the money. If you lose, however, the sportsbook will reimburse you the amount of the wager in either free bets or site credit.
Bet & Get
Bet & Get promotions are a simple and fun way to boost your betting bankroll. Sportsbooks will offer you bonuses in site credit for making small wagers on certain NBA games.
For example, say there is a bet $1, get $100 promo on a matchup between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. The sportsbook will often allow you to bet $1 on either team’s spread or moneyline, then will gift you $100 in free site credit regardless of whether your bet wins or loses.
Where Can I Legally Bet on the NBA Online?
With the US Supreme Court overturning PASPA in 2018, sports gambling immediately boomed nationwide. Since then, more than 25 states have legalized sports betting.
Every state has different laws and rules, but if you’re not already in one that offers sports gambling, there’s a strong possibility that it will be legal soon.
Here’s a look at the legal betting states:
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Nevada
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Washington D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Choose More Than One NBA Betting Site
The biggest takeaway is to use as many NBA betting sites as possible. The easiest way to increase the +EV of your wagers is to line shop, as in browsing different legal online sportsbooks to find the best NBA gameday odds for your bet.
For example, if PointsBet offers the Minnesota Timberwolves moneyline at (+100), but FanDuel has it at (+125), you’ll want to place your wager on the Timberwolves with FanDuel.
Get ahead of the market by creating accounts with every legal sportsbook you can. That way, you can take advantage of all the great promotions and beat the books.
