Sports betting is certainly on the rise in Australia, and basketball is not falling behind. Even though some other sports are far more popular in Australia, basketball fans are everywhere and would love to test their knowledge and skills while betting.
However, if you do have the knowledge on the sport, but lack some on betting, this short guide will help you familiarise yourself with betting on basketball in the land down under.
Find a Good Sports Book
This is the first and obvious step you need to take. Before you even get into the details of types of bets, and how odds work, you need to choose a reliable betting medium – a sports betting website.
There are thousands of bookies online, and it can be hard to differentiate between them (as some are legit and some are definitely not). A good starting point is reading online review websites that offer information on the best Australian sports betting sites for basketball, and taking advice from experts. They will create lists of good and reliable basketball betting sites that will help you start your journey.
Additionally, you want to check if the sports betting site is licensed (you can also find that out in reviews), and if it is secure. Always look for websites with 2-step verification, SSL encryption, and a wide variety of payment methods.
How Basketball Betting Works?
Basketball betting is fairly simple if you follow the sport. Basically, when placing a bet, you want to predict the outcome of the basketball game before or even during the game. You can bet on any league and any match you find available, and sportsbooks will offer different fixtures (which are great both for pro punters and beginners).
But, to place the right bet, you have to understand the game. Before you sign up and deposit the money, it is advisable to do a ton of research on the sport (in case you know nothing about it), understand the rules, and research the team you want to bet on. This will help you make an educated prediction and come up with smart betting strategies and decisions.
Most Common Types of Bets
Just like in any other sport, betting on basketball involves several different types of bets. You are probably already familiar with these bets, but, if you’re not, here the most common bets you can place:
- Moneylines – here you are betting on the team you think will win.
- Race to points – here you are predicting which team will be the first to reach a certain number of points.
- Handicaps (spread) – here you have superior and inferior teams, and the operator gives the superior teams a disadvantage to make the game fair.
- Winner margin – instead of predicting the winner of the match, you are using the high odds found on the winner margin. Essentially, you are predicting the margin with which the winner will beat the loser team.
- Under/over markets – this one is a popular totals bet where you are predicting the combined score of the two teams in play (usually used in the NBA).
- Quarter bets – here you are predicting who is going to be winning in which quarter of the game (usually available for higher leagues).
Advice From the Experts
Besides finding a good sports betting site and learning a thing or two about basketball, you certainly could use a bit more help from the experts.
Look for the Best Odds
No matter how much you believe in your team or how much you know about the sport, you should always look for the best odds available. This will help you gain some advantage and essentially win some cash. To find the best odds, you should compare the odds of different markets and even different operators.
Follow Basketball News, Tips and Predictions
Another thing that can help you is staying in the loop. The internet is filled with basketball experts who love predicting the matches, odds, and everything in between, and providing people with advice. It is a good idea to read what they have to say about the upcoming matches (especially about those you want to place a bet on!). So, stay up-to-date on the world of basketball for better betting decisions.
Betting on basketball is easy if you are a seasoned punter. However, if you are a beginner all of this can seem overwhelming. But, don’t worry as there are experts who can help you with everything – from finding a good and reliable sports betting site to learning how to pick the odds and your bets.
If you love a bet, check out our NBA expert picks for tonight.
