How to Bet NBA Moneylines
When people think of NBA basketball, they think of it as an
over/under and spread league. That said, there is a way to bet NBA moneylines,
and sometimes, there is a way to bet moneylines to perfection.
Because basketball is a sport that is exceptionally correlated
with the spread, in many ways, betting
the spread and moneyline can be virtually the same. For
a few situations, the odds are so varied that there isn’t any meaningful
comparison.
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While most people shy away from moneylines, we’re here to explain
the select situations where you can bet NBA moneylines with a lot of edge. In
these situations, you should consider them the primary instances when you
decide to bet moneylines, rather than just taking them in cases where they
otherwise shouldn’t be bet.
Don’t Be Greedy
Not being greedy goes both ways in the NBA. For dog bettors,
don’t bet them as a short dog when that extra point and a half could mean the
difference between money lost and money won. In the NBA, the moneyline should
always be a tack-on wager.
When you’re looking to wager on the moneyline, bet it on top of
a spread wager you already have locked in. This is important to keep in mind
because there are those that are going to go all-in on a major wager on the
moneyline, and in due time, you’ll realize quickly that last-second buckets
will burn you on favorites and slim losses on dogs.
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Instead, if you have a short spread and like the favorite, don’t
lay the 1.5 or 2.5, just pay the extra juice and get the moneyline. That is,
assuming if you like the favorite.
In the NBA, money lines are a great greed trap, but if you’re
aware of this and play pragmatically, you’ll be perfectly fine.
Capitalize On In-Game Situations
When you’re trying to profit with money lines, there is perhaps
no better way than live betting. Live betting means you can take advantage of
the real-time odds and flow of a game, and there is probably no better way of
wagering that this benefits more than moneyline bets.
When outmatched dogs go on crazy spurts to make a big favorite
go down a considerable amount of points, this is the epitome of value. In that
situation, you could theoretically get a -275 favorite pregame for plus money.
These are just some of the benefits
that make a great sportsbook.
In these instances, you want to play them on the moneyline
because you’re getting absurd value.
This is especially true if you bet a dog on the moneyline and
the dog goes up to take the lead. The same situation presents itself. NBA moneylines,
while not the first wager you should be making out of the gate, can be
profitable wagers in particular circumstances, as described above.
Otherwise, they really should be avoided altogether, unless
you’re sprinkling a little extra on a moneyline to tack-on with a spread-based
wager.
