The NBA has become one of the most popular sports to bet on, featuring many online sportsbooks offering different odds on the same game, including multiple bet types. We make it easy to compare all the top betting sites in your area to help get you the best lines and odds on totals, spreads, and moneylines.
With this tool, you can see the best lines on an NBA game. For example, say that the Knicks are 5.5-point home favorites (-110) against the Rockets on most sites. With our odds comparison tool, you might find one book offering -5 on the Knicks or (-105) instead of (-110).
Also, if you do not have an account with the site offering the best line, you can click the link, sign up for an account, and receive the best new player offer available at that sportsbook to help you build a larger bankroll right from the start.
The odds comparison tool allows you to monitor line movement and look for arbitrage opportunities (betting on both sides). The television schedule is also shown so you can sweat your bets while watching at home.
Having trouble deciding which side of the line to bet? Our experts analyze NBA games and share their predictions on The Game Day. Get their picks and look for the best odds in our tool.
NBA Odds Explained
NBA odds may look intimidating to new bettors, but the truth is that once you know how it works, they are easy to understand. NBA betting is like chess: easy to understand but hard to win.
For example:
Point Spread: Los Angeles Lakers +7 (-110), New York Knicks -7 (-110)
Money Line: Los Angeles Lakers +220, New York Knicks -270
Point Total: 213.5 Points (Over -110, Under -110)
At first, these numbers may look confusing, but after you break them down, it will become second nature.
For odds priced at minus money (-), you must bet that number to make $100. Similarly, if something is priced at plus money (+), that is how much you would get if you bet $100.
For example, to make $100 if the Knicks win, you would need to bet $270 on the moneyline. If the Lakers win and you bet $100 on them, you will net $220 in profit, plus your $100 stake back for a total payout of $320.
Even though both plus and minus odds are centered around $100, the minimum bet at a sportsbook is typically only $0.10, so you can bet whatever you want and get paid in the same ratio.
You may be wondering why sportsbooks offer different odds on the same game. Some betting sites have teams of statisticians who come up with betting lines and move the number based on betting activity or line moves by competitors.
Other sportsbooks use the same third-party company that sets all their lines and prices. You may see a few lines and odds moving together.
The operators that create numbers are known as market makers. If a market maker sets a team as a 9-point favorite and takes a large wager from a well-known sharp bettor on the underdog, they may make the opponent an 8- or 8.5-point favorite. Injuries, trades, and other shakeups in the lineup will also move the lines.
NBA Betting Odds
Our odds comparison tool lets you browse the best moneyline, spread, and point total odds. Below, we jump into the different bet types to help you decide what lines and odds to take on your next wager.
What to Look for in NBA Moneyline Odds
A moneyline is as simple as it gets, as it is just a bet on the winner of the game. Of all the types of wagers that you can place, moneylines are the easiest to understand, even if the payouts can seem complicated.
NBA teams are rarely evenly matched for several reasons. Teams may have better rosters, injured players, etc. You also need to consider home-court advantage, team chemistry, and style of play.
As a result, the favorite is at minus-money odds, and the underdog is at plus-money.
For example, a team could be favored by five points, making them (-220) moneyline favorites, meaning you must bet $220 to make $100 in profit. If the underdog in that game is (+180), you would win $180 on a $100 wager.
The appeal of a moneyline bet is that teams are trying to win, not cover a spread, so you do not need to worry about the margin of victory. If an underdog wins, you can make a greater return on investment. Payouts are smaller for favorites, but they will also win more often.
What to Look for in NBA Spread Lines
By far, the most popular NBA bets are on spreads. For this type of wager, you are betting on a team to cover a spread rather than win.
Favorites are identified by a minus symbol, and underdogs are identified by a plus symbol. It can seem counterintuitive since our brains think of being favored as a plus, but once you practice spread betting, it becomes as natural as riding a bike.
For example, the Chicago Bulls are hosting the Orlando Magic and are 9.5-point favorites. If you bet on the Bulls at -9.5, they must win by ten or more points. If the Bulls win 95-91, your bet loses even though Chicago won because they did not cover the spread.
Similarly, if you bet on the Magic, they must either win or lose by fewer than 9.5 points to cover the spread. If Orlando wins by two points or loses by seven points, it is the same result, as you have a winning ticket with both outcomes.
Spreads are typically priced at (-110) on both sides, so you must lay $110 to make $100. With an odds comparison tool, you might find a sportsbook with lower juice on the same number, like (-105) or even money (+100) on one side.
Another factor with spreads that makes an odds comparison tool critical is if you get an extra point or half-point. If the consensus line is Magic +9.5, but you find the Magic +10 using our tool, the +9.5 line could result in a losing bet, while the +10 would be a push, resulting in a refund.
Line shopping using our odds comparison tool could save you a ton of money long term, especially when betting on NBA spreads.
What to Look for in NBA Totals
Like spreads, point total bets are simple, with two choices: Over and Under. The way an NBA point total works is that you are betting on the combined number of points in an NBA game.
If the Golden State Warriors are playing the Denver Nuggets, the point total may be set at 240.5 points as both teams play an up-tempo offense and have a plethora of scorers on their roster.
If you believe that 241 or more points are scored, you take the Over. Conversely, if you think that 240 or fewer points will be scored, you take the Under.
If the final score is Warriors 121, Nuggets 107, the Under is the winning bet. Sportsbooks typically price the Over and Under at (-110) odds.
What makes the NBA Odds Comparison Tool a must-have? It can be the difference between winning or losing with NBA totals. You can find a site that offers an extra point, which could decide whether you win or lose.
Additionally, you might get better payouts for the total at other sites. With our odds comparison tool, we report, and you decide.
What Other NBA Bets Are Available?
In addition to the classics like totals, spreads, and moneylines, there are plenty of other betting options at your fingertips when betting on the NBA.
After the game starts, sportsbooks offer in-game or live odds on the game. A team can build a 20-4 lead, and you can bet on either side covering a new spread, or even a new point total.
Sportsbooks also offer alternative lines, where you can tease or reverse points on the spread. If you tease, you buy points, where a +7 underdog can turn into a +11 that pays (-180) rather than (-110).
Lastly, NBA player props are becoming more popular. There are team prop bets where you can bet on which team scores first, reaches 20 points first, how many points a team scores, and much more.
NBA prop bets allow you to wager on stats like points, rebounds, assists, and more. Say you like a backup center to have Over 5.5 rebounds because the other team’s bench has been struggling to clean up the glass — there is a good chance that prop will be available.
There are even combinations of stats that you can target, such as points + rebounds + assists (PRA). There is a vast selection.
How to Find the Best NBA Odds at US Online Sportsbooks
Price shopping for NBA betting is like walking through the supermarket. The only difference is that instead of buying bananas, you are finding online sportsbooks with the best odds.
If the average bettor uses only one book for NBA spreads, they should expect to lose $4.55 for every $100 bet as (-110) on both sides is equivalent to the juice. While this is still a low-cost form of entertainment, line shopping is an even lower-cost form of entertainment.
By combining sportsbooks offering -9.5 and +9.5 on the same game but at different prices, you can minimize the house edge. For example, say the San Antonio Spurs are playing the Houston Rockets. DraftKings Sportsbook has -4.5 on the Spurs at (+100), and BetMGM Sportsbook has +4.5 on the Rockets at (-104).
If the average bettor randomly picks a side, they should expect to lose only $0.97 per $100. The odds comparison tool trimmed the house edge on this game from 4.55% to 0.97%.
While randomly picking a side using the odds comparison tool is not enough to overcome the house edge alone, with enough hard work, sports betting is potentially beatable with price shopping.
One thing to remember with the odds comparison tool is that different books work differently in making lines. Some books create betting lines, while others hire outside providers.
Even though some books use lines available elsewhere, it is worth signing up for every sportsbook to take advantage of their various welcome bonuses.
How to Use the Odds Comparison Tool
On The Game Day’s NBA odds page, here is your step-by-step guide for using the Odds Comparison Tool.
- Pick your bet type: Choose between spread, total, and moneyline to find the best prices.
- Find your game: Games are ordered chronologically based on the date and time of the game. If you don’t know the time of your game, you can also type the name of the team that you are looking for in the search bar.
- Make your bet: Once you find the best price for your wager, you should log in to your account and make a bet. If you do not have an account with the sportsbook offering the best line, you should click the best price, taking you to the sign-up page. Follow our sign-up instructions below to maximize your sign-up bonus.
Not only is our Odds Comparison Tool easy, but using it will save you money over the long term.
How to Sign Up at an Online Sportsbook
Signing up for a sportsbook is easy. It only takes about ten minutes and will open a world of possibilities. Here is your step-by-step guide:
- Click the link: In the Odds Comparison Tool, if you click the best bet image, you are directed directly to the app.
- Sign up: Answer questions such as your address, birth date, etc., so they can confirm your identity.
- Deposit: After signing up, the last step is to deposit money into your account. You have many safe and secure banking options, including Credit/Debit, Checking/ACH, and PayPal.
- Bet: Once you have money in your account, you can bet.
Besides line shopping, the best tool is maximizing your sign-up offers. There are multiple sportsbooks, and they are handing out offers in exchange for you depositing money with them and betting.
These popular sign-up offers vary by sportsbook but include deposit matches, free bets, or matching your first bet in bonus funds. Check out our reviews for in-depth, hands-on analysis and learn how to claim the top bonus offer from all the best legal online sportsbooks in your betting market.
One of the most enticing sign-up offers is first bet insurance, where if your first bet loses, you are awarded either free bets or site credit. Site credit is treated like cash, but for free bet credits, you only get the profits and not your stake back. If you use a $100 free bet on a (-110) winning spread bet, you will only get $90.91 back in return.
Regardless of the welcome offer, the best advice is to maximize your bet amount. You only get one sign-up bonus for each book.
