NBA 2023/24: Your Complete Betting Guide Including Free Bets

As soon as the dust settled on the Denver Nuggets win over Miami Heat and Nikola Jokic bagged the Most Valuable Player award, attention turned to the next season. The 2023/24 National Basketball Association will be the 78th season, and the early signs suggest it could be the most competitive in recent years. Several big-name clubs have claims on the title, but which are genuine contenders, and which teams offer fans little more than false promises?

Ball fans can make predictions on the campaign ahead at the top sportsbooks and gambling apps. Bookies offer followers the chance to make predictions on the winner of the NBA Finals before game one or anytime during the season. There’s game betting, a Most Valuable Player market, head-to-head, top scorers, and more. 

Find an app that covers all the most popular options and adds exciting specials. But there’s more to successful NBA gambling than simply backing your favorite team and hoping for the best.

Knowledge is power

The more you know about the coming games, the greater your chance of making a profit. This article aims to help you look in the right places. Our panel of basketball enthusiasts and online gambling experts have trawled the markets, fixtures, and trades before presenting our in-depth guide to the season. 

Discover which teams traders are backing, how to get the best odds, the top markets, and promotions. There are dates for your diary and a guide to claiming an NBA free bet. In short, we have everything you need to enjoy the season ahead and make well-educated predictions. 

Dates for your diary

The official fixture list for the 2023/24 NBA season is yet to be released, but you can add some definite dates to your diary today. You’ll see fixtures published in due course, and we’ll keep you updated on the schedule and the most important ties.

The regular season begins on October 24, 2023, and concludes on April 14, 2024. In those five months, the teams go from a starting pack to the best performers progressing to the playoffs. But before the playoffs get underway and the remaining teams battle to make it to the finals, there’s a play-in tournament on April 16, 2024, which is always worth following.

The games come at us thick and fast during the regular season, but the tension levels rise as we move onto the playoffs. April 20 to May 2024 is the playoffs before the finals pairing is released. The games to decide this season’s champion are penned in for next June, with the teams, venues, and definite dates yet to be confirmed.

Favorites and dark horses

Now we know those all-important dates, let’s turn our attention to the teams to watch. It’s the ideal time to predict which teams you expect to find glory this term. You can call the NBA Finals winner or work back, placing bets on which names will make the playoffs or win the various regular season awards.

Study the stats and trends, listen to interviews with players and coaches, track the injury news, and keep pace with trades. The more you know, the better your predictions. Always study, even after confirming your picks. You can even make predictions during the season, thanks to in-play betting. A live gambling trader monitors player trades, forms, and results, updating their NBA betting markets throughout the year.

In addition to your studies, it’s always worth checking what the experts think. The leading online gambling apps offer their odds on various markets. Do you agree with the bookies about a favorite, or is your cash riding on a dark horse with the skills to cause an upset? Let’s see which teams the market supports.

Traders can’t decide

With a competitive season expected, sportsbooks need help finding their market leader. The Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets are joint favorites in the betting, with the Phoenix Suns completing the podium places. Do you agree? Will the Celtics and Nuggets battle for supremacy this year and into next? The value is with Phoenix; they could be worth a bet if you fancy them to upset the betting.

We can make a strong case for each of the first three in the betting, but we’re excited about the chances of the Milwaukee Bucks. They’re an improving team with an excellent fanbase and a strong squad. Keep your eyes on the summer trades, as a few smart moves could boost the Bucks’ chances of challenging. Innovative work done during the off-season will impact their performances.

Which team carries your stake this season? Many professional bettors like to split their stakes between a favorite and a plucky underdog. That approach gives them two chances at success and the opportunity to cash out early for a profit.

A little-known betting strategy that works when gambling on a season-long market is cash out. If you back an outsider like the Bucks and they perform well, making the playoffs, their outright odds reduce. You’ll notice a cash-out offer on your bet slip, and it’s worth considering when it’s in a healthy profit.

Find the best odds

Regardless of your chosen teams and bets, you want to ensure the best odds at every turn. When researching a gambling market like the NBA Finals winner, you’ll quickly notice a range of odds. Some bookies are more generous than others, depending on their predictions.

Even if the odds are only slightly different, you always want the bigger offer to increase your chances of making a profit. Choose a team to bet on and visit an online gambling odds comparison app. Find your bet and search the odds bookmakers offer to find the most generous. The best price will always be in bold to make it easier to find, and that’s the firm you should trust.

Claiming a free bet

Ready to bet? The leading gambling apps offer all new players a welcome bonus. The best is a free bet that matches your first deposit and gamble. The higher your stake, the greater the free bet.