Three Tips for Wagering on the NBA

Posted on | January 6, 2020 | No Comments

More Americans play basketball than any other sport and the popularity of this pastime continues to grow across the country. The NBA is also watched by millions of fans around the world with countries such as Canada, Australia and China amongst the most dedicated. As a result, this 30-team league is also incredibly popular with sports bettors and with each team playing 82 times throughout the regular season, there are always plenty of opportunities to get involved. There are hundreds of markets available ahead of each and every game and we take a look at three important aspects to consider before placing a wager on the sport.

Focus on Specific Teams and Divisions

The average bettor is unlikely to have time to follow the fortunes of all 30 franchises and it is possible to tie yourself in knots whilst trying to keep up with every single match throughout the course of the season. With fixtures taking place most nights and teams taking to the court every couple of days, newcomers may find the sheer volume of matches extremely overwhelming.

It is strongly advised to choose just a handful of sides to follow, paying particular attention to team news, match reports and camp morale. If you can follow their progress on TV, this will also prove beneficial. Alternatively, you could opt to hone in on a particular division such as the Central Division or the Pacific Division. This should allow for more in-depth analysis and subsequently result in far more informed picks.

Be Wary of Back-to-Back Games

Squeezing so many games into a relatively short period of time can result in teams playing back-to-back games on consecutive nights. Although this can help build up momentum, it may also prove to be a hindrance. Lack of recovery time can affect a player’s ability to perform and if a team has been involved in an energy-sapping contest, they may struggle to reach the same heights 24 hours later. This is particularly prevalent over the festive period and even the highest-ranked teams can struggle with the demanding fixture list.

In 2019, high-flying Miami Heat, who are +800 in the NBA betting to finish top of the Eastern Conference, saw their good form halted by a surprise defeat to the Washington Wizards. This came immediately off the back of a draining 117-116 overtime victory against the 76ers and was also their third game in four nights. Fatigue had clearly taken its toll.

#MIAvsWAS: Coach Spo calls timeout to talk this one over…

HEAT trailing the Wizards 87-69 with 4:22 remaining in the 3rd quarter. Down, but not out. pic.twitter.com/xWfkL1u3QB

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 31, 2019

Beware of Market Reactions

Injuries are part and parcel of the game and it is highly likely that every NBA side will suffer a number of setbacks throughout the course of the campaign. The markets can react quite strongly in favor of the opposition whenever a star player picks up an injury, although it may be occasionally worth swimming against the tide. The Bucks’ odds drifted following the news that superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo had picked up a back injury, however, the Milwaukee outfit still won each of the two games without the Greek-born star. Most coaches will have contingency plans in place and value can often by unearthed by backing the top sides to overcome these small setbacks.

Successful wagering on the NBA requires substantial patience and dedication, but savvy sports bettors should still be able to find plenty of betting opportunities throughout the course of the season. Following these three tips will hopefully help keep you on the winning track and make it much simpler to follow this fantastic competition.

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