Pro Picks: Analyzing and Applying NBA Tips from the Ladbrokes Blog

Basketball is an exhilarating, high-paced sport where the advantage can flip-flop continuously in a single match, and the NBA in the United States holds the crown for being the premier league globally. This league is segregated into two conferences, each hosting 15 teams – the Eastern and Western – further divided into three divisions of five; the Eastern Conference includes Atlantic, Central, and Southeast divisions, while the Western consists of Northwest, Pacific, and Southwest.

The routine season extends from October to April, featuring 30 teams that participate in 82 matches prior to the start of the playoffs, which include the top 16 teams. The highest-scoring six teams from both conferences proceed to the elimination stage, along with a play-in tournament for teams ranked seventh to tenth in East and West, providing the last four spots.

During the playoffs, teams engage in a best-of-seven series, narrowing down to the final two to fight for the NBA Championship. Given the frequency of consecutive matches, the excitement of the season is relentless, and Ladbrokes, of course, offers the latest NBA betting odds throughout the journey. Before the season’s inaugural tip-off, Ladbrokes present not only odds for the outright champion but also for the Conference and Divisional victors.

Additionally, Ladbrokes provides NBA MVP odds for the season’s most impactful player alongside the NBA Championship odds. When it comes to NBA betting, Ladbrokes offers nearly 200 markets for each game, so let’s delve into the various options for this phenomenal sport.

NBA odds

In the realm of NBA betting, a plethora of markets exist, the two most significant being Handicaps (also known as Points Spread) and the Money Line. The Money Line reflects the outcome of a match, and considering that basketball games don’t end in a draw, being instead resolved in overtime if the scores are tied after four quarters, bettors are provided with two options.

However, the Match Betting market incorporates three possibilities. Handicap betting, on the other hand, gives a head start to the underdogs and requires the favourites to surpass a specified number of points for a win. These specified points are often non-integers, such as -3.5, -6.5, or +2.5, which helps avert the possibility of a draw.

Alongside these, Ladbrokes offers NBA odds on winning margins, total points, and first-half money line and spreads. But what exactly do these terms convey? In the following section, let us demystify some of this niche vocabulary.

How does NBA betting work?

Apart from the typical NBA championship odds, there is a range of other betting options available. You may decide to wager on the victory margin, picking from a variety of five-point bands. For instance, you might find the Hornets at 5/1 odds to defeat the Knicks by a margin of 11-15 points, or 17/2 odds for a 16-20 point difference. Another intriguing market is Total Points, where the win-loss outcome is irrelevant, but you predict the final point total, in bands of ten, at the end of regulation time. If you had selected the 221-30 band at NBA odds of 4/1 in a game that ended with the Boston Celtics besting the Utah Jazz 115-112, you would have a winning wager.

In NBA betting, the first-half money line is a straightforward prediction of which team will lead after the game’s initial 24 minutes. However, you can also speculate on the first quarter’s outcome. Studying statistics to understand which teams are quick or slow starters can be valuable when betting on the first half or first quarter money lines, or even the race to a specific point total. Does the underdog start strong but lose momentum as the game progresses? Consider backing them in the race to 10, 20, or 30 points, for example, where the range lies between 5-50.

The points spread is a popular choice for many NBA bettors, who must decide whether a team can overcome the handicap when they are evenly matched or if the underdogs can maintain their lead. For example, the Lakers might have odds of 7/2 to beat the 76ers on the money line (match result), but both teams might be at 10/11, with Los Angeles given a +9.5 start on the spread.

You can also back teams to score under or over a specific point total, where examining recent games, the head-to-head record and crucial team news about key players can assist in making an informed decision. Whether you’re interested in NBA Championship odds, NBA playoff odds, NBA draft odds, or regular season games, Ladbrokes offers a comprehensive service for every basket, free throw, and three-pointer.

You can always read up on expert NBA tips on the Ladbrokes blog for informed basketball wagers. This way, you can get the upper hand before placing any bets.