Important Terms To Know When Betting On Basketball

Several sports are being bet on in the U.S. for money and entertainment, and of them all, basketball is the easiest to learn. A point spread is used in the sport just as how it works in football. Moneyline is also a popular betting option available in both these sports. If you aren’t familiar with these terms, you might only be starting out in the field of sports betting. Beginners often make the mistake of not taking the right side by choosing their favorite team. You must first understand the fact that no player or team remains consistent forever. So, always research the standings of the teams before placing a bet.

Anyone familiar with football betting should find basketball betting easy. The handicap imposed by the sportsbooks on a team to make both teams equal in terms of betting is called the point spread, which will give the team expected to win the name “favorite.” The team that is expected to lose is called the underdog. When you are getting started with basketball betting, all this information can be quite overwhelming. Let us look at some of the most important terms before you place your first bet on a basketball game.

Totals

This is the second-most popular wagering option in basketball, and it is also known as over/under. Total is the combined score of the two teams predicted by the bettors or sportsbooks. The bettors either wager on the number posted or wager more (over) or less (under) than the predicted total points.

Anyone wagering on the over would win the bet if the combined score crosses even by one point. Bettors wagering on the under will win the bet when the combined score falls below the predicted score. Every punter is asked to risk around $11 on every $10 over/under bet, just like in the point spread.

Money Line Wagers

The vast majority of basketball wagers are in point spread or totals, but the other options are also being taken up by the bettors. Money line wager is one such bet that has conquered the hearts of the punters, especially when point spread doesn’t seem like a good option. You will most probably be asked to risk more than you stand to win when the chances of winning are more than 50%.

When many people started relying on money lines at a time when only that was popular, sportsbooks had to come up with another big option for sports betting- point spread.

Parlays and Teasers

Apart from the bets mentioned above, the most common basketball bets are parlays and teasers. These are called exotic bets, and they will work only when the bettors predict the winners of more than one game correctly. Betting against the point spread or money line is also an option on parlays. If all your teams don’t win according to your prediction, the parlays and teasers will fail to end you up in a massive loss.