Basketball is not the most popular team sport, but millions of people around the world are interested in it. They often wake up not just interested in sports, but also in the desire to bet. Basketball betting is the prerogative of many amateurs, and to succeed in this field you need to be a professional. In basketball gambling, there are interesting features, strategies and patterns of play that can make even a novice bettor a decent level. In this material, Telecomasia.net will reveal the key points of basketball betting with minimum risk and maximum return.
What you can bet on
The list of bets in basketball matches cannot be called the widest among all sports. But there are interesting events for betting. Let’s consider the main markets:
- Outcome – It is necessary to determine how the match will end. If the bet is accepted for regular time, the line will look like Home Win – Draw – Away Win. But usually, bookmakers accept bets on regular time + overtime, therefore a more traditional type of match outcomes: Home Win – Away Win.
- Handicap – This is the gap in the score between the teams. It can be minus and plus. Minus is usually bet on favorites, and plus – if there is a confidence that the underdog will not fail and will not be defeated. There is also a difference between Asian and European betting odds, fractional and integer.
- Total – The bookmaker sets the value of the performance and provides two choices for the bet, over or under. Totals are also European and Asian. Also, there is total and individual total, even and odd. Bets are accepted both for the whole match and for a specific quarter or half.
- Overtime – Formally, this is an analogue of a bet on a draw in regular time. The winning is rare, but the odds per event are high in any match.
- Outcome + total – It is a combined parlay outcome, in which the players need to guess not only the winner of the match but also the performance, over or under. Even if there is a favorite in the game, the odds for this type of bet will still be high, since bookmakers usually offer average values of totals.
- Exclusive markets – These can include bets on individual player actions, statistics, “who gets first possession”, “who scores first”, “who scores last”, etc.
Peculiarities of betting on basketball
To make a bet on any sport, a serious analysis of matches is required. To build a correct analysis of the game, you will need to study the following characteristics:
- History of face-to-face meetings;
- Current shape;
- Lineup;
- Number of possessions – the pace of the game;
- Average realization of shots – percentage;
- The way the game is played – quick shooting, defensive play, work for the perfect goal, etc.
If everything is clear on the first three components – you need to understand how the teams play with each other, evaluate the results of recent matches and determine if everything is in order with the line-up – then we will analyze the rest in more detail.
The number of possessions per game indicates how much the team values the ball. Combined with the average completion percentage for the season, it determines the effectiveness of the team’s play. Even without seeing the game, the bettor can understand what the team is by looking at these numbers. The numbers are different for each championship. If a team has the most possessions, it means that the ball control is at a high level and the number of interceptions is higher than many opponents. The realization percentage determines the efficiency of the shots. If the average percentage is between 45-55%, that is a very good result.
It is better to track your playing style when watching matches. If there is no such possibility, it can be estimated based on the number of thrown three-point and two-point throws, as well as the number of possessions per match. The more possessions, the less time the team spends on attacking and the faster it plays. These indicators will make it clear what total should be guided when placing a bet.
You can also pay attention to the defensive and attacking ratings of the teams. During the season, it will change, and at the start, it will be almost useless. It is advisable to use it for analysis after 10-15 rounds.
Pros and cons of betting on basketball
The advantages of betting on this sport include the following factors:
- The regularity of matches. Games in the season are held almost every day in the United States. In Europe, matches are also held daily, but not within the framework of one tournament. For example, VTB United League takes place on one day, Euroleague takes place on the next two, etc.
- The low margin for top matches. To a greater extent, it concerns the NBA, but in European basketball, this is not uncommon.
- A lot of equally probable events and a wide action line. Players have a great choice, the opportunity to hedge or take risks.
Cons of betting on basketball
- In European tournaments, the action line is stingy. 40-50 positions in the prematch are the limit for most bookmakers.
- Small limits and low odds. In the NBA, bookmakers offer big bets and give high odds, but in European and world basketball the picture is diametrically opposite.
Effective Tactics
Basketball betting is not only about rigorous analysis. This is an integral part of gambling, but there is always an opportunity to apply effective strategies, which together can give a good profit in the future. Let’s consider some game models.
Spurt Strategy
This is the name of the tactic in which players need to follow the spurts of roughly equal teams. The ideal situation for bets on this model is to watch the game in play and expect any team to spurt. Let’s say 3-4 minutes have passed since the start of the match, and one of the teams is leading 10-2, 14-5, etc. Wait for the coach of the losing team to take a timeout. When this happens, immediately play from the reverse. The best option would be to play a plus handicap in this quarter. For example, the score is 10:2. The bookmaker will give in the action line a handicap of (+7.5) or (+8.5) for odds of 1.7-1.8. This is a great option if the teams are equal. As a rule, after a timeout, the losing team gathers and tries to catch up with the opponent, while the leading team lets the situation go a little.
If you look at the statistics, the strategy works perfectly – 75-80% of the winning rate will be provided. But that is not the point. It is suggested to play on the average odds a priori, but you can also take a risk – take events rated 2.5, 3 or higher. The percentage of success may remain at 30-50%, but it will also give an excellent profit over the long run.
Quarter Chase System
This game model is more popular than spurt due to its early appearance in betting. The essence of the chase strategy is this: for each quarter, the player must choose the value of the total and play on Over or Under. In case of defeat, the bettor at least doubles the money and continues to play the same market until he wins.
For example, a player selects Over(36.5) in a match with odds of 2+. You need to bet on the first quarter. If it did not win, repeat the same on the second quarter, but this time double the bet. If the second quarter fails, the bet is repeated in the third quarter, but with an extra doubling. The game is played till the final victory, and in the case of a win, the bettor must choose another match and play on it.
