You never think you’ll like basketball, but then one day, when you least expect it, you find yourself genuinely enjoying one of the most popular sports in the world. You might even start following games regularly, and soon enough, you’ll be searching for tips and tricks to help you wade through the ever-changing standings and make the right picks. You might feel a bit uneasy at first, but then you’ll realize just how much fun the sport can be when you actually give it a shot. For those of you who’ve been waiting for the perfect opportunity to try your hand at handicapping the NBA, here’s your chance. With the 2019-20 NBA season approaching, many teams will be battling it out for playoff positioning, creating an entertaining race for the brass ring. There are plenty of bettors out there who would love to give you betting tips on each game, but the truth is, there’s no universally correct way of analyzing the NBA. Every game is different and requires a different approach. What we can do is teach you how to bet on the NBA when two bad teams play, giving you a leg up in selecting the right wagers for the various scenarios that will arise as the season progresses. With that, let’s dive into the details.
How to Bet on the NBA When Two Bad Teams Play
If you’re new to betting or just want to try out different types of wagers than those available on traditional sportsbooks, you might want to consider supporting a team that you believe in rather than betting on the NBA as a whole. The reason behind this is that when two teams are playing each other, there’s often very little betting opportunity, as few people will likely wish to back both sides. When there’s very little excitement around a rivalry game, you might find it difficult to attract any meaningful betting action. There are, however, exceptions to this rule. For example, when the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers play each other, the betting pool is often much larger as there’s a lot more money on the line. Similarly, if the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors were to meet in the post-season, it’s likely that many sportsbooks would be offering big-money odds on that one, as well. In those situations, you might have the opportunity to back the winning team and earn some decent profit, but beyond that, it’s essentially a crapshoot. Still, this is generally the case when it comes to underperforming teams playing against each other, so don’t expect to make huge profits unless the games are truly exciting. For newcomers, smaller wagers (i.e., singles, doubles, and so on) are usually the way to go when betting on the NBA.
Watch The Game You’re Betting On
It’s important to keep in mind that, when betting on the NBA, you’re not actually placing a wager on the outcome of the game. The reason for this is that the actual score won’t matter at all in terms of determining the outcome of your bet. If you’ve ever watched a basketball game and the score was never in doubt, you know what I’m talking about. The game’s outcome is already determined by the teams involved in the contest, and you’re just along for the ride. This is why it’s important to keep an eye on the game, especially if it’s a rivalry game. The more you know about the dynamics of the game, the better off you will be when making your picks. For example, if you’re aware that one of the teams is struggling a lot and might not be able to pull off the feat of winning the game, knowing this information could tip the scales in favor of the other team. This is why you should always try to avoid backing underperforming teams in the first place. If you truly believe that a game is going to be a walk in the park, you might want to consider taking the points, forgoing the spreads, and simply backing the team you believe in, regardless of whether or not they have a point spread associated with them.
Know Which Teams Are In The Running
Even if you decide to go against the grain and bet on the NBA as a whole, it’s still important to have an idea of which teams might be able to sneak in to the post-season. One of the best ways of finding these teams is by analyzing the current standing in the playoff race. Using various stats and formulae, it’s possible to get a good idea of which teams have a real shot at making the postseason and which ones are likely to falter and fall short. In some cases, it’s even possible to project which team will come out on top in a given matchup. For example, the Boston Celtics currently have a 14.5-game lead over the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division and a 4.5-game cushion over the Milwaukee Bucks in the Central Division, which makes them the two favorites to claim the title. In fact, the Celtics have a better chance of winning the championship than the Los Angeles Lakers, who are currently in second place in the Pacific Division. This information alone should give you a pretty good idea of which team you should root for when the 2019 NBA playoffs begin.
Understand How To Place Your Bets
Once you’ve determined which teams you support and which ones you believe have a chance at claiming the title, it’s time to figure out how to place your bets. It’s vital that you learn how to bet on the NBA correctly, as most sportsbooks will ask you to bet on the number of games your selected team will win, either straight up or against the spread. If you were to back the Milwaukee Bucks, for example, at -105 odds, you would win $10 for every $100 you wagered. This is largely due to the fact that the NBA likes to bet on underdogs, and the Bucks are currently 4.5 games underdogs to the Boston Celtics in the 2019 NBA Finals. This represents good value for those willing to wager on the number of games a team will win.
Be Careful With The Spreads
One of the biggest mistakes newbies make when betting on the NBA is getting caught up in the hype surrounding certain rivalry games. In most cases, these games have huge implications for the title race and will undoubtedly attract a large number of bets, particularly if they’re close games. If you check out the odds for these games, you’ll often find that they’re heavily inflated due to all the wagering activity surrounding them. If you’re planning on participating in this type of betting, it’s recommended that you steer clear of spreads, as these will often get botched and produce erratic results. To give you an example, take a look at the 2019 NBA Finals. The Cleveland Cavaliers are currently up 2 points with 1:26 remaining in the third quarter. This is a rather innocuous-looking statistic, but for those who follow the NBA, it’s already known that the Cavaliers will likely be seeking to come back and win this game. In response, the sportsbooks have jacked up the underdogs’ odds to win the game, with the New York Knicks now currently favored to win the 2019 NBA Finals by 5 points.
Use Stats To Your Advantage
One of the best ways of analyzing a game’s outcome is by looking at its statistical probabilities. With this in mind, it’s important to remember that not all stats are created equal, and it’s vital that you utilize only the ones that matter. In the case of the 2019 NBA Finals, for instance, only a handful of stats really matter in determining the outcome of the game. The shot clock is currently in full effect and the Cavaliers are only 5 of 11 from behind the arc, which is pretty pathetic. In a league where the three-point shot is commonplace, it’s rather difficult to pull off a successful three-pointer, much less shoot a decent percentage, so it’s entirely likely that the Cavaliers will struggle mightily from behind the arc. As for the rest of the game, neither team is particularly dominant, resulting in a close and rather even match, which is exactly how you’d expect it to be in the Finals. The truth is, without much in the way of exciting plays, this game was rather dull and rather uneventful. This is why at the end of the day, there’s no real way of knowing whether or not the Cavs will pull off an upset victory over the Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals.