How To Bet Nba Playoffs
NBA gamblers, rejoice! Basketball is back. Well, almost. 22 NBA teams are quarantining in a Disney World bubble and preparing to tip-off on July 30. The remaining teams will play eight regular-season games to close out the 2020 basketball season before continuing with a slightly altered NBA playoff format. The changes give hopes to a few teams who were on the outside looking in before the Adam Silver and the NBA suspended the season.
Sometimes referred to as the second season, the NBA playoffs are extensive and are a significant draw for sports fans. Many countries around the globe celebrate the sport of basketball and feature professional leagues, but the National Basketball Association (NBA) is the top level of basketball competition in the world, and betting on the NBA playoffs is an exciting way to enjoy the games. Hoping for underdogs to win every night isn’t a great NBA betting strategy, thanks to a few powerhouses like Golden State and Cleveland stomping their way through the league, particularly in the playoffs. The best way to get any value out of those teams on a nightly basis is by using multiple bets like parlays, round robins, or teasers.
Recent NBA Betting Article: Updated NBA Futures Odds, Series Prices & Best Bets
Basketball will officially resume more than two months after the league pulled NBA teams from the court March 17 due to positive COVID-19 tests among players. The novel virus subsequently led to the cancellation of March Madness and put the NHL, MLB, and PGA Tour all in limbo.
It has been a long hiatus for sports bettors, leaving little for us to bet on, but action does seem to be returning. NHL announced a similar approach to extend the Stanley Cup Playoffs, golf betting has resumed thanks to the PGA Tour’s return in June, and the Nationals and Yankees headline MLB Opening Day on Thursday, July 23.
How To Bet Nba Playoffs Results
Here are the key details to know about the NBA’s format and schedule:
Who: 16 current playoff teams, plus nine teams within six games of the eighth seeds of their conference
When: July 30 – Oct. 12
Where: Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
Format: Eight-game regular season extension, play-in tournament for the eight and nine seeds (tentative), playoffs
The NBA returns one week after MLB Opening Day, with night games between the Utah Jazz and New Orleans followed by the Clippers vs the Lakers. Read our NBA ‘Opening Night’ preview here and find out who we’re picking at online sports betting sites
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2020 NBA Futures Odds
All odds are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook, accurate as of July 21, 2020.
- Milwaukee Bucks +240
- Los Angeles Lakers +260
- Los Angeles Clippers +320
- Houston Rockets +1700
- Boston Celtics +1800
- Toronto Raptors +2000
- Philadelphia 76ers +2500
- Denver Nuggets +2700
- Philadelphia 76ers +2700
- Miami Heat +3000
- Utah Jazz +3300
- Dallas Mavericks +3800
- Indiana Pacers +10000
- Oklahoma City Thunder +10000
- Brooklyn Nets +16000
- New Orleans Pelicans +16000
- Memphis Grizzlies +21000
- Portland Trail Blazers +21000
- San Antonio Spurs +21000
- Orlando Magic +25000
- Phoenix Suns +25000
- Sacramento Kings +25000
- Washington Wizards +25000
NBA Playoffs Storylines
Current top-seeds Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers have solid 5.5 and 6.5-game cushions, respectively. With only eight regular-season games remaining, the Bucks and Lakers should maintain the position when they head into the playoffs.
However, with every game taking place in Orlando and without fans, home-court advantage will be obsolete. The biggest seeding battles to watch are toward the bottom of the current playoff standings.
Watch Out for Zion and the Pelicans?
The New Orleans Pelicans have crept into the playoff race, and suddenly, with the possibility of a play-in game between the eighth and ninth seeds, the Pelicans might have a chance to show off rookie phenom Zion Williamson on the biggest stage.
Williamson made his NBA debut on January 22, and since then the former Duke Blue Devil has exceeded the expectations that he carried into the league as the top pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
The Pelicans are 10-9 with Williamson on the court. His impact is accentuated when you consider New Orleans started the season with a 6-22 record. Williamson’s playing time was restricted early on, but the Pelicans are 8-3 against the spread after giving him the green light.
Williamson has also dominated his points props, averaging 23.6 per game while adding nearly 7 rebounds per contest.
With the extra rest, Zion’s presence and workload are likely to increase even more. For teams like the Lakers and Clippers, the playoffs don’t officially start until after the eight regular-season games in Orlando, but teams like the Pelicans who are currently on the outside looking in will be playoff mode from the start.
I for one am rooting for a Pelicans vs. Lakers, Zion vs. LeBron first-round matchup.
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NBA Futures Betting Advice
Historically, the NBA playoffs have not been kind to underdogs. Only three No. 8 seeds won in the first round as favorites consistently dominate in their best-of-seven series. This year, however, there’s some added uncertainty. So how should you attack U.S. sportsbooks when looking at NBA futures odds?
In a blog post, economist Tyler Cowen asks tackles a related question: which NBA teams will gain in relative prospects from the shutdown?
His answer is the teams with the most valuable stars. For example, the top stars like LeBron James typically have their own private gyms and work-out rooms in their homes. On the other hand, there’s the report that only two Miami Heat players had basketball hoops available to practice on during quarantine.
Additionally, Cowen points out that the most valuable stars in the NBA are more accustomed to unusual circumstances (think All-star games and Olympics), and less reliant on their home-court crowd for support than role players.
All things considered, Cowen might be right that the Lakers have gained the most in relative terms, making it difficult to bet against them. But also watch out for teams like the Rockets, at least in the first round or two of the playoffs.
In the past, Harden has seemed to gas out in the playoffs, but that shouldn’t be the case this time. Also, Houston’s scoring is dominated by James Harden and Russell Westbrook, who make up 52.5% percent of the Rockets’ 118 ppg. Westbrook was diagnosed with coronavirus two weeks ago, which delayed his arrival to Orland. However, the former MVP rejoined the Rockets on Monday. Houston should be ready to go by the time the regular season is officially over and the NBA playoffs begin.
Be sure to check back as we update this page with relevant NBA playoffs wagering information in upcoming weeks. For more general betting tips, check out our NBA guide.
The 2018-19 NBA playoffs tip off on Saturday. Thanks to the spread of legal sports betting across the country, there are now eight states where you can bet on the action.
The NBA playoffs are a lot like the NCAA Tournament with a few significant differences.
Instead of a single-elimination tournament, the NBA playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament. Plus, instead of playing for a National Championship, the NBA playoffs determine which team will be this season’s NBA champions.
Additionally, the NBA playoffs feature only 16 teams, not 64. Only the top eight teams from each of the Eastern and Western conferences battle it out for the title.
Each team’s regular season record determines seeded matchups and position in the final conference standings after the 82-game NBA regular season wraps up.
When it comes to betting on the NBA playoffs, it’s not much different than betting on the NBA during the regular season. Except that in the playoffs you can wager on the outcome of individual games, each seven-game series, and who will win it all.
Basic NBA playoffs betting
Basic NBA playoffs bets available at most legal sportsbooks across the US include:
- Futures: A bet on one of the playoff teams still in contention to win a series, conference or the NBA Finals. Odds are adjusted as the playoffs continue.
- Moneylines: A bet on one team to win an NBA playoff game paying either negative (favorite) or positive (underdog) odds. Odds are set according to what oddsmakers feel are each team’s probability of winning. All you have do is pick the outright winner.
- Spreads: A bet on one team to win an NBA playoff game with a spread set by oddsmakers factored into the final score.
- Totals: A bet on whether the total score in an NBA playoff game will be over or under a line set by oddsmakers.
- Parlays: Two or more basic bets put together into one wager. All legs of a parlay must win to get paid.
Betting on the NBA playoffs first-round series
You can always pick a team to win it all and put a bet down it. Outside of that, the easiest way to wager on the NBA playoffs is to pick winners in each series.
The first round of seven-game series featuring all 16 NBA playoffs teams begins April 13. Most legal sportsbooks across the US will have odds set on who will win each series.
Here’s a look at the odds on the first-round series at two of the top sportsbooks in the country as of April 11:
NBA Playoffs 1st Round Series | FanDuel Sportsbook (NJ) | Parx Sportsbook (PA) |
---|---|---|
Philadelphia 76ers vs Brooklyn Nets | Philadelphia -650 Brooklyn +410 | Philadelphia -835 Brooklyn +550 |
Houston Rockets vs Utah Jazz | Houston -300 Utah +230 | Houston -375 Utah +275 |
Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Clippers | Golden State -20000 Los Angeles +5500 | Golden State N/A Los Angeles +2000 |
Toronto Raptors vs Orlando Magic | Toronto -1200 Orlando +710 | Toronto -1250 Orlando +725 |
Milwaukee Bucks vs Detroit Pistons | Milwaukee -4000 Detroit +1650 | Milwaukee -10000 Detroit +1700 |
Denver Nuggets vs San Antonio Spurs | Denver -240 San Antonio +190 | Denver -286 San Antonio +220 |
Portland Trail Blazers vs Oklahoma City Thunder | Portland +122 Oklahoma City -148 | Portland +115 Oklahoma City -143 |
Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers | Boston -460 Indiana +330 | Boston -560 Indiana +400 |
Even if you’re not in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, you should find similar odds you can bet on at legal sportsbooks in:
How To Bet Nba Playoffs Schedule
- New Mexico (At Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel only)
If you can, it’s always a good idea to shop around for the best price these and other bets. Then, lock it in when you find the most favorable.
Best Nba Playoff Bets
Legal sportsbooks can also be a fun place to watch NBA playoff games. Most will offer live in-play betting options on NBA playoff games. This allows you to make wagers with odds that are adjusted throughout each game.
Best Nba Playoff Stat Line Ever
Enjoy the NBA playoffs and good luck, no matter how you choose to bet on it.