How to Bet on Basketball Point Spreads?

What is a Point Spread Bet in Basketball?

Betting on the point spread is a fun way to bet on basketball matches in the NBA, EuroLeague or any professional league. Before any basketball game begins, the traders at Parimatch will use various statistics and variables to calculate a point spread between the two teams. 

Essentially, the traders will set this point spread as a benchmark of how many points better the pre-game favourite is than the pre-game underdog. In essence, this creates an opportunity for you to try and beat the traders by finding value odds on the point spread, more commonly known as the points handicap in the UK. 

Calculating the Potential Payout of a Point Spread Basketball Bet

Let’s say the Cleveland Cavaliers are due to tip-off against the Golden State Warriors. You might see something like this with a bookie: 

• Cleveland Cavaliers (+5.5) – 9/10 
• Golden State Warriors (-5.5) – 9/10 

What does this all mean? In layman’s terms, if you back the Cavaliers on this point spread, you’re backing them to lose by fewer than six points or better. On the flip side, if you back the Warriors on this point spread, you’re backing them to be able to defeat Cleveland by at least six points. 

If you back either of these outcomes for £10 and they ‘beat the spread’, you’ll win £9 plus your £10 stake back. 

At Parimatch, we have two other point spread options open to NBA basketball bettors – total points (over/under) and total points per team (over/under). 

This lets you bet on whether an NBA game will be a high-scorer, above the over/under benchmark set by the traders, or a tight, low-scoring affair below the point spread. It’s the same when you’re betting on the total points output for individual teams. Is a red-hot squad capable of beating their point spread against their next opponent? 

Pushes in Point Spread Bets on Basketball Games

In some cases, you might find that half-point spreads aren’t included in the point spread. Using the Cavaliers Vs Warriors example, it may be displayed as +5 and -5. This means if the Cavaliers lose by five points or the Warriors win by five points, the bet would result in a tie, known in basketball betting as a ‘push’. 

2 Reasons to Bet on the Point Spread in Basketball Markets

Get better odds on pre-game favourites 

This is arguably the main benefit of betting on the point spread, especially if you like betting on heavy pre-game favourites. The odds for these teams to win on the moneyline are usually too low to make it a worthwhile bet. However, if you were to back the heavy favourite to cover a hefty point spread, you’re more likely to get odds closer to even-money than a 1/3 or 1/4 shot. 

Simplifies the risk-reward ratio 

As the odds for point-spread bets are typically much closer to even money, this can simplify your betting bankroll management. You’re getting a healthier risk-reward ratio if you’re betting one unit to win 0.90 or 0.95 units instead of 0.33 or even 0.25 units of profits. Your strike rate doesn’t have to be so high to be profitable. 

How Accurate are Point Spreads in Basketball Betting?

The point spreads are determined by the in-house traders at Parimatch. They crunch the numbers to get the most accurate reflection of each team’s form. They’ll also factor in past head-to-head records to try and find correlations and match-ups which may or may not be favourable. 

Our traders are not infallible, though! This means there’s always an opportunity to capitalise on value odds from time to time. 

Why Bet on the Point Spread Instead of the Moneyline?

Many savvy basketball bettors divert their attention from the moneyline towards the point spread markets when the spread is large. When we say large, we mean more than eight or nine points. 

The larger the point spread, the less value the pre-game favourite’s moneyline odds will likely offer. 

What Influences Line Movement in Basketball Point Spreads?

Before an NBA game begins, it has been known for the point spread line to shift. There are various reasons why the spread may rise or narrow, including: 

Key injuries 

Injuries to star players are a major issue in all team sports, none more so than in basketball. Imagine a news story saying Giannis Antetokounmpo was injured and would miss the next Boston Celtics game. Undoubtedly, his absence would influence how the Celtics play, potentially making the game a more even contest. Similarly, key injuries to pre-game underdogs will also see traders widen the spread if they feel the contest will be even more one-sided than expected. 

Tactical changes to the roster 

It’s also possible that a basketball coach may decide to rest key players during heavy schedules. Alternatively, they may be dropped due to disciplinary issues. Either way, the unexpected absence of an influential player can be enough to force a change to the point spread. 

Weight of money 

As with all kinds of sports betting markets, the pre-game odds are also heavily influenced by the weight of money on either side of the book. If a bookmaker takes too much money on the point spread at a specific price, leaving them with uncomfortable liabilities, the odds of the point spread may be cut to balance the book. 

Top Tips for Basketball Spread Betting

• Keep a close eye on team schedules
  When starting with point spread betting in basketball, the best thing you can do is keep a close eye on a team’s fixture schedule. If they are due to play several road games in succession or back-to-back games, this has been known to affect the offensive power and stamina of teams.

  For example, a heavy pre-game favourite amid a hectic schedule may find it harder than usual to beat the point spread.
   

• The Home/Away conundrum
  Another issue basketball bettors sometimes forget to consider is the difference between playing games at home and away. Some players just find it easier to perform to their full potential in front of their own fans. It’s part and parcel of the psychology of professional sport. The weight of the home crowd can sometimes help underdogs beat the spread.
   

• Easy wins are few and far between
  Contrary to popular belief, blowouts in the NBA regular season happen less frequently than you might think. A team can lose by 20 clear points, but it only happens a few times a season at the most. If the point spread becomes too great, you might switch and prefer to back the underdog to avoid defeat by a large margin. 

Start Betting on NBA Point Spread Markets with Parimatch

Now that you’re armed with the knowledge to understand and tackle the point-spread markets in the biggest basketball leagues like the NBA, check out our NBA betting markets at Parimatch. 

It’s quick and easy to create an account, and we offer three different point spread markets for NBA games, including points handicaps, total points in a match and total points per team. 

If you’re betting on basketball with us for the first time, read through our Safer Gambling Portal. This contains all the responsible gambling tools and features you need to stay in control of your sports betting, including deposit and loss limits and self-exclusion.