Online sportsbooks post a dazzling array of NBA betting lines and odds daily.
Beyond the standard NBA game lines (money lines, spreads and totals), NBA odds include futures bets, which allow for nearly year-round wagering, game and player props, parlays, in-game betting odds and more.
Second only to the NFL in terms of betting volume, NBA odds are at the heart of the action for any online sportsbook. See below for live NBA betting lines posted on the best sports betting sites, plus more on various NBA bet types.
Today’s live NBA odds
We'll post odds here from U.S. online sportsbooks when they are offered by bookmakers.
How to read basketball odds
At the best NBA betting sites, you can make an array of NBA bets for any game. The three most popular bets are:
- Moneylines
- Point spreads
- Totals
We’ll explain each staple bet below and how it applies to NBA games.
NBA moneyline odds
A moneyline bet means backing the team you believe will win the game. You will encounter two kinds of odds while betting on the NBA moneyline: positive and negative.
Negative odds, such as -145, represent the favorite team to win the game. The number indicates how much you need to bet to win $100.
For example, if the Chicago Bulls were -145 favorites over the Detroit Pistons, and you bet $145 on them, and they won, you’d receive $245. That includes your original bet of $145 plus $100 in profit.
Positive odds, like +260, indicate the underdog in a game. The number shows you how much you stand to win for every $100 you bet.
Using the Detroit Pistons vs. Chicago Bulls, let’s say the Pistons can come away as the victors in their game, and you bet $50 on them. You’d get $180, which includes your $50 wager returned to you and $130 in winnings.
NBA point spread odds
The NBA point spread is designed to ensure games, from a betting point of view, are competitive, no matter how lopsided the talent may be. The favorite in the game is given a certain number of points as a “spread” that they have to overcome to win the bet.
Oddsmakers determine how many points a team is expected to win by and create the point spread. If the favorite can defeat their opponent by that many points, your bet on them would win. If the underdog loses by fewer points than the spread or wins outright, then bets on them would pay out instead.
For example, let’s look at a fictional matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers are the favorites, and the point spread is set at -8.5. For your bet on the Lakers to be a winner, they must win by more than 8.5 points.
If they win by 9 or more, your bet will pay out. If they win by 8 points or fewer or lose the game, your bet will also lose.
The other side of the bet features the Suns at a spread of +8.5. A bet on them would pay out if they lose by 8 points or fewer or win the game. You lose the bet if they lose by 9 points or more.
In most instances, the odds with the point spread use -110 as the standard. That means you would need to bet $110 to win $100.
Remember that you don’t need to bet that much or that little, and your payout will be determined by your bet amount and the odds when you finalize your bet slip.
NBA totals odds
Totals bets, also known as over/unders, are wagers on the combined score of both teams in a single game. The oddsmakers set the total number they believe the two teams will score, and your job is to determine if the teams have the offensive firepower to score over that total or if the defenses can keep the final score below that total.
For example, we’ll consider a game between the Denver Nuggets and the Utah Jazz, where the bookmaker has set the total for the game at 211.5 points.
If you bet the over, you are betting that the sum of the final score between the Jazz and the Nuggets will be 212 points or more. If you bet the under, you hope the combined score will be 211 or fewer points.
Typically, the odds you’ll find with the over/under bet will be listed at -110, meaning you’ll need to bet $110 to win $100. Keep in mind that the odds can vary, however, due to several factors.
NBA futures and prop odds
Futures and props are other popular bet types for NBA bettors to enjoy. NBA futures are bets that revolve around events that haven’t happened yet, such as the NBA Finals winner or individual awards like NBA MVP.
Then, NBA props, short for proposition bets, are separated into team props and player props and are typically focused on things like statistical accomplishments or overall performance.
Futures bets include such things as:
- Odds to win the NBA Finals
- Eastern Conference winners
- Western Conference winners
- Division winners
- NBA Regular-season win totals odds
- Odds to make the playoffs
- NBA MVP odds
- NBA Rookie of the Year odds
- NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds
- NBA Most Improved Player of the Year odds
Player props and team props can be found for every game. They can include such bets as:
Player props
- Over/under points
- Over/under 3-point field goals
- Over/under rebounds
- Over/under assists
- Double-doubles and triple-doubles
Team props
- Over/under combined points
- Over/under combined free-throw attempts
- First team to reach 10 points
- Team to have the highest-scoring quarter
- Margin of victory
- Team to score first
- Team to win the first half
- Team to win the second half
Props can vary from sportsbook to sportsbook. If you’re highly interested in betting on prop bets, you should shop around to find the best odds on the props you want to bet.
See more: What is a prop bet?
NBA live betting odds
Live betting, also known as in-game betting, lets you bet on a game while it is being played. The action is fast and the odds shift according to what is happening on the court, including the score, player performances, and more.
Let’s use a fictional game between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers. Say the 76ers run out to a 25-12 lead in the first quarter. The live betting odds would adjust as the game was being played, with the 76ers likely getting better moneyline odds while the Celtics’ odds would decrease due to falling behind early in the contest.
Betting on the winner is far from the only in-game betting you can participate in. You can bet things like:
- Win or lose the quarter or half
- Over/under on points/rebounds/assists in a quarter/half
- Spread betting on the quarter or half
- Over/under on points scored
- Over/under rebounds
- Over/under assists
- Will a specific player post a double-double or triple-double
- Over/under on 3-pointers
- Which player will score next
- Which team wins the first or second half
- Over/under total combined points for both teams
From team-based bets to specific players, many options will be available through the best sports betting apps for betting live NBA games. Try multiple apps to find the one that best fits your live betting experience needs.
How to start betting on the NBA
Setting up an account at an online sportsbook is simple, easy, and free. Below is a short guide to help you through the process.
- Select a legal online sportsbook and use the links from our site to visit it. This will help you get the best welcome bonus possible.
- Register for your account by clicking the button at the top of the sportsbook’s homepage. You’ll be asked to enter personal information such as your name, address, login info, and more. Once you’re done with that, accept the sportsbook’s terms and conditions.
- Now is the time to claim any sportsbook welcome bonuses. Either check the box to claim your bonus or enter your sportsbook bonus code at this time (if one is required, it will be available on our site).
- Now that your account has been set up, you can make your initial deposit to fund your account.
- Make your way to the basketball section of the sportsbook, and you’ll find all the available leagues for betting, including the National Basketball Association.
- Place your wagers by clicking on the bet you want to make, adjusting your bet amount, and submitting your bet slip.
Related Pages:
How to find the best NBA betting lines
We recommend line shopping with multiple sportsbooks to find the best odds possible for NBA games and other sports. The strategy is simple: compare odds and lines at various NBA betting sites to find the best possible bet.
When betting on the NBA, you can use our odds feed above to find the best lines at all of the most reputable legal online sportsbooks, or you can do the line shopping yourself by visiting multiple sportsbooks and comparing the odds.
Let’s say the Los Angeles Clippers are playing the Sacramento Kings, and you’re looking to place a point spread bet. You line shop at three different sportsbooks; one has the Kings as -7.5 point favorites, another set at -7, and a third at -6.5 favorites. If you’re looking to bet on the Kings, you want the smallest point spread possible, so the -6.5 would be your best bet. That’s the spread that’s easiest for Sacramento to cover.
You can apply the same tactic to moneylines, totals, or even futures and props. Every bet type can benefit from line shopping to create a bigger profit margin.
This strategy can improve your potential profit, but it does require that you have accounts with multiple sportsbooks and that you’re willing to spend the time researching the lines before placing your wagers.
NBA odds boosts
NBA games are popular with bettors nationwide, meaning sportsbooks must compete for your action. New sports betting sites that have just entered a particular state's online sportsbook market must compete even harder.
One thing they offer to find and retain customers is sports betting bonuses and promotions. One such promotion is an odds boost.
Odds boost promotions enhance odds for bettors and can increase the potential return, allowing them to secure larger winnings without increasing their original stake. It’s a popular promotion that can lead to lucrative results.
For instance, a sportsbook might run a promotion offering an odds boost of +115 on an NBA contest where the regular odds were set at -110. A bettor could see a return of $225 on a $100 bet instead of $190.91 on the same bet at the original odds. That's a more appealing return.
Every sportsbook runs an odds boost promotion at some point, especially for existing customers. Read the full terms and conditions of any bonus or promotion before participating.
See more: Best NBA sports betting promos