Top Ways to Make Money Betting on NBA Preseason Games

The snap of the net when the basketball swishes through it, the squeak sneakers make against the hardwood floor, and the roar crowds make each time their favorite team scores a three-pointer—the thrill of action-packed NBA games is matchless. But basketball fans can now take their excitement up a level.

Whether you’re a devoted follower of a particular team or player, a diehard fan of the NBA games, or a basketball aficionado, wagering on the NBA can significantly enhance the game-watching experience. Player props, halftime line, under/over, money line…there are many terms to keep up with when betting on your favorite sport.

In the contemporary world, you’ve also got to consider whether you want to bet on basketball games in brick-and-mortar betting hubs or the best betting site in your region. If you prefer the safety and comfort of being able to bet on the NBA favorites from anywhere at any time, Betting Sites Ranking has got your back.

Not only will we teach you everything you need to know about NBA betting, but we will also help you find trusted sports betting sites that help you maximize your winning outcomes.

You can find credible sports betting sites offering betting opportunities on the NBA preseason and many other global sporting events. You can browse hundreds of basketball sportsbooks and read comprehensive reviews on our platform, and that too, free of cost!

Since betting on NBA preseason games seems super promising, let’s take a look at the rundown of everything you need to know to have a shot at placing winning bets.

Do NBA Preseason Games Help Fans Make Predictions?

Let’s make things easier for all the newbie NBA fans. To know how the NBA preseason works, it’s important to understand the key concept. Preseason is when teams play to prepare for the regular season ahead. They are more like warm-up matches. Each team plays up to six games that last between two and three weeks.

At this point, you may see many strange lineups and unexpected strategies, but don’t panic. It’s not surprising to see coaches try out different plays or see how the players perform best.

Another important thing to remember is that the performances of players in the NBA preseason games don’t always carry over to the regular season. Therefore, it’s not a good idea to rely on the results of preview NBA games to predict how a player or team will do in the regular season.

But football fans love to watch the preseason games to get their dose of basketball before the regular season starts. Betting enthusiasts watch the games for the fun wagering opportunities they offer.

Preseason games are merely amusing because the standing or scores aren’t affected in any way, even though NBA tracks stats. Watching the teams try out new things and getting a glimpse of what works beforehand makes watching preseason games much more interesting.

The preseason is a grind for both the coaches and players and the oddsmakers and bettors. Predicting outcomes in the NBA preseason is difficult, like any other major market. It’s even more challenging to consistently beat the oddsmakers by enough to overcome the juice or vig needed to make profits.

However, we’re here to tell you ways to gain an edge when wagering on the NBA preseason. With the new season on the horizon, there’s no better time than now to learn a few tips and tricks to approach NBA preseason betting effectively.

Top Things to Know About NBA Preseason Betting

With the advent of technology, sports bettors can now take a whole new approach to wager on their favorite games, even the NBA. The NBA is the only professional league with comparable wagering options to the NFL.

Punters can bet on virtually anything involving NBA. The trades, the draft, free agency, and other aspects have the league constantly changing, which starts up top with wagering on the NBA Preseason and Finals and trickles down to player transactions. In fact, when trade rumors pop up, punters can also bet on where star players will be traded to or which team could be their next pick in the following year.

The lopsided and high-scoring nature of the game means spread betting, and teasers are popular choices. While the list of opportunities goes on, there’s a certain group of NBA Preseason wagers punters must focus more time and energy on. Let’s examine all the ways you can wager on the hard court!

Against the Spread

The standard NBA spread involves the home team being on the bottom—the favorite has a negative number, and the payout is listed next to the spread. Spreads don’t see as much line movement in basketball as their football counterparts since they’re not available for as long and because less money is wagered on the NBA.

Just like the NFL, NBA spreads factor in a home-court advantage, but some teams are so dominant that they’re favored no matter where they go. Consequently, the spreads can get quite sizeable when it comes to the NBA, especially if good teams are playing at home. However, betting on the big favorites also comes with bigger risks. Punters could fall victim to the back-door cover, and likewise, NBA players could end up going half-speed in the season, if they go at all.

Resting superstars during the year is one of the emerging trends in the Association, so bookmakers are always on top of it. If you see loaded teams like the Spurs going off as underdogs, it doesn’t mean the bookies screwed up. Chances are their best players are resting in that game. In the sport where the fewest players are on the court at a time, staying on top of starting lineups is important to find success in NBA betting.

In the NBA, spreads typically stay in the same range as NFL. You’ll rarely witness a favorite of over twenty points unless it’s the All-Star Game. Plus, it’s only the big matches that see double-digit spreads. Otherwise, NBA spreads will be single digits and in favor of the house team.

Moneyline

This is another option for players who want to pick winners, but the return is often lacking in a league that’s seeing a rising number of super teams. In simpler words, it would take a wager of $2000 to win only $100 if you bet on Utah to win. In contrast, the payout on a Golden State upset will be bigger, i.e., $1000 on a $100 bet.

Thanks to some powerhouse teams that stomp their way through the playoffs and the league, hoping for underdogs to win each night isn’t a great NBA wagering strategy. The best way to get any value out of such teams regularly is to use multiple bets like round robins, teasers, and parlays.

Game Totals

Betting on the game totals for basketball does not differ from any other sport. Due to the high-scoring nature of the NBA, the variance can be huge between the game total lines. A pair of defensive teams can have a total of 175, while on the same night, a pair of run-and-gun teams can be against a total of 265.

Teasers and Parlays

Teasers allow punters to adjust spreads by 4 to 5 points for the NBA specifically. The point totals for basketball not only differ from football but also offer slightly better payouts than the NFL. A four-point, two-team teaser is even odds for the NBA, while a six-point, two-team teaser is -100 in the NFL.

The maximum number of teams a punter can add to the teaser varies by sportsbooks, but the number rarely exceeds 10. Parlays for NFL and NBA are also similar. Players can’t include a Moneyline pick to pick against the spread for the game in the same parlay in NBA.

Proposition

If you sign up for a competent sportsbook, you’ll find an abundance of the proposition or prop bets associated with every game. This includes, for example, totals for how many assists or points a player will get. Since the NBA is a highly individually driven league, many punters view these types of bets as safer and more worthwhile than spread bets.

You can avoid the frustration associated with back-door covers thanks to props that feature half lines and alternate spreads. Sometimes teams tend to rest starters when they’re up big in the fourth quarter, which allows a well-beaten opponent to make the score more respectable. Always note how the coach staggers if you suspect the team is taking its foot off the gas in the first half. Most continue the manner from game to game.

The Association offers many unique props throughout the year that few other sports can claim. Players can bet on the Draft Lottery, the annual Slam Dunk Contest at the All-Star Weekend, and more. The options offered on NBA betting are seemingly endless.

Futures

The NBA boasts many contending teams, so the championship futures market sometimes lacks the appeal of other unpredictable leagues. Only a few top-heavy teams have a realistic shot.

So, while the odds may look attractive on every other team, they don’t offer good enough value if the teams do not stand a realistic chance. Luckily, you can find plenty of long-term bets such as the Rookie of the Year, Minutes Played, League’s MVP, and more. These are some futures wagers worth playing these days in the NBA’s top-heavy preseason.

Recommended Read: Top 10 Ways To Master The Art Of Soccer Betting

Top Tips to Pad the NBA Betting Bankroll

#1- Always Know Who is Playing

Regardless of the sport, preseason games help determine the most uncertainty about the players that are likely to see the field or court and how much playing time they might get.

In the digital era, we can instantly access information on Twitter and other online platforms to better understand how coaches are likely to approach the upcoming preseason NBA game.

Players can also get information from beat reporters before bookmakers do to get ahead of the line if it’s announced that a certain star player will or will not be suiting up.

You can also see whether the coaches are planning to give heavy minutes to the starters or turn things over to the bench after giving them time off to break a sweat.

#2- Consider Wagering Against Popular Teams

A lot of sports betting odds are based on the perceptions of the majority of the public, and that holds true, especially during preseason games. No one has seen any of the teams in action for many months, so oddsmakers base their lines on the excitement and hype surrounding the off-season moves of teams plus their last year’s performance. These factors create extra value on the preseason NBA betting lines.

For instance, if punters are betting on the preseason, a vast majority would bet on the Spurs, Cavaliers, and Warriors since they’re always near the top of the standings in the regular season.

Experts don’t recommend betting against elite teams on the Moneyline because the top teams in the regular season typically boast pretty decent preseason records too. Players must consider looking for the extra added value on the point spread.

The Association’s best teams might still post strong loss-win records in the preseason. But when they’re overvalued, they can face issues covering inflated spreads. This is especially true when they lack the regular NBA season’s motivation.

#3- Stay Updated with the Preseason Goals of Each Team

The preseason is often the best time for coaches looking to tinker around with new strategies or rotation combinations. Since losses and wins don’t matter at the end of the day in preseason matches, it’s a great opportunity to experiment at the time rather than in the games that count in the standings.

Players often accurately project the style they’re planning to play in the preseason games, along with the potential of their success, the minutes certain players will get, and more.

Teams that make major offseason moves often tend to give new players more time with other stars to figure out more about them. For instance, the Rockets need to figure out how to run their offense with two ball-dominating guards after acquiring Chris Paul to play with James Harden.

The pace at which teams play is another betting angle that flies under the radar of oddsmakers in the preseason games. The Mavericks’ goal after finishing last in the league in points in the last season must be to improve their offense. This could make them a strong Over bet, especially because they’ve got a reputation for struggling to score.

On the contrary, being one of the worst defensive teams in the league last season, the Suns might want to slow things down a bit. They tried doing this during last year’s regular season as well. So this year’s preseason gives them another opportunity to try again.

#4- Bet on Younger and Underdog Teams

Preview the younger and underdog teams in the preseason matches. Countless unknown factors will end up being the deciding factors of how the games will proceed. But don’t forget that it’s only the preseason.

Therefore, coaches might test certain players by giving them minutes throughout the match. And it only makes sense because we already know what LeBron James is capable of, so the Lakers might as well give more minutes to the younger players.

#5- Assess the Roster Depth of Each Team

Working on getting new players and systems to reshape the game to their advantage is among the main objectives for most coaches during preseason matches.

Ultimately, they want to get through the exhibition slate without letting any of the star players suffer from exertion or significant injuries. This implies that the bench’s depth will be more important than ever because the backups will get more minutes than usual.

Always keep an eye on the reserves of every team to see if any of them have a significant advantage over the others should the benches be involved. Basketball fans across the globe saw how badly the Cavaliers and Thunder played last year when LeBron James and Russel Westbrook were out of the lineup.

Although the supporting casts of the teams have improved significantly, many other teams can’t do much right when their top talent isn’t in the game. There’s probably no worse feeling than when a basketball punter sees the team that builds a huge lead suffer at the expense of a bunch of D-leaguers that blow the point spread cover down the spread.

#6- Keep a Note of Injury Reports

Punters must not understate the impact of NBA injuries when it comes to betting. Unlike baseball or football, where nine and eleven players are on each side of the baseball or football, there are only five players at a time on a basketball team. This implies that even a single player can significantly impact the game, unlike most other team sports.

Although betting early gives an edge, it can be unfortunate when the injury news suddenly comes out. Approaching NBA in shifts is a better option to prevent these issues. If you place a wager in the morning, make sure you stay tuned into injury news in the afternoon to bet on games where the injury could significantly impact the game.

Since load management is a priority, many star players often sit out back-to-back matches. Based on news reports, recent play, and betting markets, Bettors can anticipate which players might sit out. Many slower-moving sportsbooks don’t react quickly to injury news when moving their totals and spreads. Signing up on those is best for gaining an edge.

#7- Hunt for Scheduling Advantages

While the NBA has taken steps to reduce the number of back-to-back matches, the teams will still average 14 no-rest games and back-to-backs this season. Although this accounts for less than 18% of their games, these spots are what punters must capitalize on. However, there are no stretches where teams will play four games in five nights this season, so that’s not something that can be isolated. Since certain teams such as the Spurs, Trailblazers, and Grizzlies have had stretched where they played eight games in 12 nights, there might be stretches where they can have tired legs.

#8- Find Reliable Sports Betting Sites

Before getting started on preseason NBA betting, you need to chuck out reliable betting sites from fraudulent ones. You’ll want to ensure you’re getting the best value on all the markets, so you might want to sign up on more than one betting site. If you don’t want to go through all that hassle, consider checking out the detailed reviews of the best sports betting sites at Betting Sites Reviews.

Recommended Read: Top 3 Must-Try Betting Apps

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