Basketball is one of the most popular sports around the world. It is easy to watch, accessible for people of all ages, and lets you express different parts of yourself: you can be aggressive or crafty, fast or patient.
Like many other sports, basketball is now being played professionally, with teams representing different nations facing off against each other. The game has also created a culture of betting, with fans and even players putting money on the line through wagers and predictions.
If you’re unfamiliar, handicap betting is where you place a bet on a sporting event with the idea that the bookie will compensate you for losing or bet on your behalf for winning. This article will teach you the odds and how you can use them to your advantage when betting on basketball games.
The Basics of Basketball Handicap Betting
Basketball is a team sport where players on one side of the court are trying to score points by throwing the ball through a series of rings surrounding the opponent’s goal. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. In practice, the objective is to move the puck (the ball) into the opponents’ territory and score as many points as you can.
In the NBA (the American Basketball League was the first to implement this format), the goal is to score more points than the other team. If the home team scores more than the visiting team, then the people at the bookie’s shop will win your betting dollar. However, if the visiting team scores more points than the home team, then the casino or bookie will win because there’s more money in that than in your pocket.
The following sections will teach you the odds and strategies behind handicap betting on basketball:
The Basics of Basketball
Like other sports, basketball is currently being played with 8 players per team. Each player is given a score on the scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being lowest and 100 being highest. Teams are ranked by score, with the highest-scoring team on the left and the lowest-scoring team on the right. The general idea is that the viewer can follow the action better if the games are broadcast in the order of increasing score.
As the game progresses, players will increase or decrease their score based on how effectively they are performing. If a player gets a ball into the bucket before any of their teammates, they will score a point even if they finish with a lower score than their teammates. This is called a “doublescore.”
There are 5 ways to score in basketball:
1. Shooting
Each time a player shoots the ball, they score a point. However, if they miss, then the opposing team scores a point. This is called a “field goal” and can be worth a few points as the bookie knows that most people are unable to shoot the ball accurately. Missed shots will also contribute to a team’s overall score because there are fewer made fields goals than there are attempted shots.
2. Free Throws
A free throw is worth 2 points. If you’re on the court during a free throw, you have the opportunity to shoot the ball. However, there is no scorekeeping for free throws, so you are not penalized for missing.
3. Assisted Scoring
When a team has the ball and they score a point, then the people at the bookie’s shop will win your betting dollar. However, if someone on the opposing team assists on the scoring play, then you win because they assisted on a scoring play. This is the equivalent in other sports of a touchdown pass or a field goal in a football game.
4. Rebounds
A team wins every time they get the ball and put it into the basket (mostly). However, if the opposing team gets the ball off a missed shot and they score a point, then the people at the bookie’s shop will win because the team rebounded the ball. There is no limit to the number of times a team can “clinch” the rebound. Just remember that all rebounds are worth the same amount regardless of whether a player beats the buzzer or a referee’s call.
5. Three Pointers
If you manage to get a ball into the basket, then you score 3 points. However, if you miss, then the opposing team scores 3 points. Once again, the bookie will win your betting dollar because there are more made three pointers than there are attempted three point shots.
The Basics of Half-Time in Basketball
When the game is 20 minutes or more into the first half, then we get the “half-time” scenario. During half-time, players will stop shooting the ball and start passing the puck (the ball) between teammates. The action will slow down as players take a break and the crowd does as well so that everyone can analyze the half and make the appropriate changes for the rest of the game. The first half is often refereed by a game official called the “referee” who will keep track of the actions on the court via a digital timer that records each possession. Once the referee’s stopwatch hits the dot, then players will get back to shooting the ball and the action will continue as before. The referee’s main responsibility is to keep the game flowing and ensure that each team gets a shot at scoring. They will also make calls based on the rules of the game as well as give penalties to players who break them. This responsibility also gives the referee a distinct advantage over the rest of the team. They have the final say on whether the game continues or not, and can make calls (such as a flagrant foul) that will end the game quickly. If there’s ever any doubt about whether or not to continue the game, then the referee has the final word.
How Does Handicap Betting Work in Basketball?
Basketball is one of the few sports where half-time equals half-time. This is largely because the players don’t stop shooting the ball during the break. While some teams like to take a timeout during the break, others want to keep the momentum going. In those instances, the players will just have their heads down and keep shooting the ball.
If you bet on the favorite team during the first half and they win, you win your money back plus some. However, if the underdogs win, then you’ll have extra money to play with. This is because the favorite teams will score more points in the first half than the underdogs are projected to. The same rule applies if you bet on the underdogs in the first half and they win by a large margin. In those cases, you’ll have a positive expectation (we won) and can take advantage of the situation by placing a follow bet on the next game or placing a parlay bet (Series+Line).
The Biggest Winners & Losers From Half-Time in Basketball
As mentioned above, if you bet on the favorite team in the first half and they win by a large margin, then you’ll have a positive expectation (we won) and can take advantage of the situation by placing a follow bet on the next game or placing a parlay bet (Series+Line). On the other hand, if you bet on the underdog in the first half and they win, you’ll have a negative expectation (we lost) and can walk away without a penalty. However, if the favorite team wins by a close margin or the underdogs lose, then you’ll still have money left over from the wager. In those cases, you might want to consider placing a lay bet (Single Line) or taking a walk off with what you’ve got.
Key Things to Remember From Half-Time in Basketball
When the game is 20 minutes or more into the first half, then the following guidelines will come in handy:
1. Headset
If you’re watching a game and you’re not sure whether or not to call timeout, then you can ask the people around you or look at the scoreboard to get the latest information. However, if you’re using your headset, then you can get the latest news and score updates directly from the officials. This is especially handy if you’re on the road and can’t easily pull your eyes off the screen to look at other parts of the room. You can also use the headset to hear important announcements directly from the pitch and catch. This can be helpful when trying to follow the action during a game.