If you fail to place a bet on an NBA or NCAA game prior to the start of it, you might think that you’re out of luck when it comes to wagering on that specific game.
Once upon a time, that used to be the case. Sportsbooks would stop taking bets on pro and college basketball games after they tipped off.
But these days, most sportsbooks have started to offer a live spread on basketball games. It provides bettors with an opportunity to wager on games that are already in progress. And there are some people who enjoy betting on live NBA and NCAA spreads more than making pre-game wagers.
Here is everything you need to know to understand the live spread.
What Is a Live Spread?
If you log on to almost any sportsbook these days, you’ll see an entire section devoted to live betting. This is where you’ll find the live spread for almost any NBA or NCAA game that is going on at the moment.
A live spread for an NBA or NCAA game is a betting spread that is constantly changing on a second-by-second basis based on what’s going on in a game. You’ll see the live spread for a game fluctuate throughout the course of an NBA or NCAA contest.
There are some instances in which a sportsbook will temporarily take down a live spread. If, for example, an injury occurs or a play is being challenged, you might see it disappear.
But generally speaking, you can track down a live spread for any NBA or NCAA game you want throughout the duration of it.
How Is a Live Spread Determined?
The live spreads for NBA and NCAA games are often created by the same people who come up with the pre-game wagers for them. Oddsmakers are in charge of monitoring games and adjusting the live spreads for them accordingly.
There are a number of factors that can have an impact on a live spread. The strength of the two teams taking part in a game is obviously one of the biggest factors. But there are also many other things that can affect a live spread and cause it to change.
If one of the two teams loses a key player to an injury or has a key player in foul trouble, that could cause a live spread to change. Oddsmakers keep a close eye on these kinds of things at all times to ensure a live spread is as accurate as it can be.
What Is the Best Way to Place a Bet on a Live Spread?
Placing bets on live spreads can make betting on NBA and NCAA games more exciting than it already is. But you do need to be careful about how you go about making live bets.
When you place pre-game bets, you have a lot of time to do your research before deciding which NBA or NCAA team to bet on. This won’t be the case when you place live bets since the live spread for a game will always be changing.
But you can do your best to keep up with what’s going on in a game so that you’re able to make the smartest bets possible. If you play your cards right, you can find live spreads that offer a lot of value, especially when teams that were expected to win a game get down big right at the beginning of a contest.
Monitor NBA and NCAA games and their live spreads as they’re going on to see if you can spot spreads that offer good value. It’ll increase your chances of winning the live bets that you place.
Try Betting on a Live NBA or NCAA Spread to See How It Works
Now is the best time to bet on NBA and NCAA games. It’s also a great time to take live betting out for a test drive to see how you like it.
Try betting on a live spread between now and the end of the 2019-20 NBA season or give live betting a try at some point during the 2020 NCAA Tournament. It won’t take you long to see why so many bettors have fallen in love with live betting.
Learn more about live betting by checking out the other articles on our blog. Reach out to us if you need help placing winning bets on NBA and NCAA spreads in the coming weeks.