What Is an NBA Spread and How to Make Bets With It

Mar 20, 2020

nba spread, nba spread betting, nba spread odds

Betting on the outcome of NBA games is more popular than ever.

As a sport that seems to have unlimited growth potential, the gambling world has really shifted its focus on the NBA in the last number of years. Betting the NBA spread is like night and day from other sports.

Because games are so high scoring and the last few minutes are always so hectic, point spread betting becomes particularly fun in the NBA. If you want to learn more about the NBA spread, you’ve come to the right place.

Today, we’re going to explain how to examine the spread in basketball and how to make bets with it. The concept isn’t all that different from the NFL or NHL, but the outcomes are, so let’s dig in.

What Is the Spread in the NBA?

Point spread betting is when oddsmakers determine a likely point differential between two teams. If team A is the favorite to beat team B, they’d be given a disadvantage (marked by a “-“) of a certain number of points.

A line might look like this: Lakers -8.5/Raptors +8.5. The Lakers are the favorite and the Raptors are the underdog.

So, if you think the Lakers will beat the Raptors by 9, or more, points, then you’d place a bet on them. If you think the Raptors will either win outright or lose but by less than 8 points, then you’d bet on them.

How to Use the NBA Spread to Make Bets

The spread is especially popular in the NBA because there are always powerhouse teams at the top of each conference that are more likely to win against a weaker team on a given night. Basically, it makes betting on the games a lot more interesting and the payouts much better than if you bet on the money line.

So, in order to effectively bet the spread on an NBA matchup, you’d be best to have some prior knowledge of each team in play. Here are a few important things to know:

  • Which team has a better record?
  • Which team is performing better right now?
  • Are there any injured players?
  • What were the outcomes of their previous matchups?

It’s always good to stay well-researched. These things will be reflected in the point spread, but they’ll also help you decide if the favorite is giving too many points or if the underdog is getting too many points. Betting the spread is all about making an educated guess on the outcome of the game.

Try out Betting the Spread Tonight

The best way to learn about the NBA spread is by trying it out. Visit Okseim Sports to buy your daily sports picks and get the help of one of the best handicappers in the business.

While you’re there, come back and read our blog again for more great content on anything from NCAA tournament predictions to NBA rookie of the year odds. Okseim Sports is your one-stop spot for everything relating to the sports betting industry.

Join Oskeim Sports today and start earning the second income you deserve!