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NBA Odds
How Do You Read These NBA Odds?
Our NBA Odds page aggregates up-to-date spread, moneyline, and total (over/under) lines and odds from top online sports betting sites like BetDSI, BetOnline, and Bovada and highlights the best available line for every NBA betting market no matter what side of the line you’re looking to bet.
Filter through different betting markets by clicking the Point Spread, Moneyline and Total tabs above the odds table.
How does the information on this page benefit bettors? The information found here and on our NBA Picks page is designed to help sports bettors maximize their potential winnings. Whatever the sport, game, or line, odds can vary from sportsbook to sportsbook. Therefore, knowing which book has the best odds can make a difference whether you bet $10, $100, or $1000.
How to Read and Bet Today’s NBA Point Spreads
Similar to the NFL, the point spread is the most common way to make money on NBA betting picks.
The point spread system handicaps teams and puts them on an even playing field, making for a more interesting betting experience.
Let’s say the Milwaukee Bucks are playing the Chicago Bulls at home in one of tonight’s NBA matchups. The Bucks are a much better team in this NBA betting matchup, so you would make very little money betting on them to win straight up (the moneyline). Because of this, sportsbooks offer a point spread of 10.5 for the game to “even the odds”.
- Chicago Bulls +10.5 (-110)
- Milwaukee Bucks -10.5 (-110)
The (-) symbol in front of the point spread indicates the team that is the favorite. The (+) symbol indicates the team that is the underdog.
In our example, the Bucks will have 10.5 points subtracted from their final score. If their final sum is higher than the Bulls’ actual score, it means the Bucks have covered the spread and you have won your bet.
Example:
- Chicago Bulls 112
- Milwaukee Bucks 125
Here, the Bucks’ final sum (125 – 10.5 = 124.5) is 12.5 points higher than the Bulls’ actual score. That means that the Bucks have covered, so if your bet is Bucks -10.5, your bet is a winner.
The opposite is true if you picked Bulls +10.5, as they would have +10.5 points added to their final score.
In the above example, the Bulls’ final sum (112 + 10.5 = 122.5) is 2.5 points lower than the Bucks’ actual score. If your bet is Bulls +10.5, your bet is not a winner.
What Is the Number Beside the Point Spread?
The number beside the point spread (typically -110) is the odds being offered on that particular NBA betting line.
The American Odds system bases everything off a $100 bet, so in the above NBA betting example, you would have to bet $110 on either side to make $100 of profit. If the juice was +110 instead of -110, it means you could make $110 of profit on a $100 bet.
How to Read and Bet NBA Moneyline Odds
The moneyline is the simplest NBA bet available at sportsbooks. If the team you bet on wins the game, your bet wins.
Example:
- Chicago Bulls +400
- Milwaukee Bucks -600
Here, you would have to bet $600 on the Bucks to earn $100 of profit if Milwaukee wins. On the other hand, a $100 bet on the Bulls would result in a $400 profit if Chicago wins.
How to Read and Bet on NBA Total (Over/Under) Odds
Along with betting on point spreads and moneylines, over/under betting is the other most common way to wager on today’s NBA picks.
But whereas spread and moneyline betting comes down to how team A did versus team B, betting on NBA over/under odds take that kind of specific team performance out of the equation.
With basic over/under bets (the kind that you will see accompanying spreads and moneylines in game or first half lines at BetOnline, Bovada, etc.), you’re betting that the two teams will combine to score more or less than a certain total of points.
Example:
- Over 227.5 (-110)
- Under 227.5 (-110)
In the above Bulls vs. Bucks example, if the total was set at 227.5, OVER bets would win. That is because the two teams combined to score 237 points (112 + 125 = 237).
If you made a $110 bet on over 227.5 in this scenario, you would win $100 plus your original stake.
Learn more about odds and sports betting at our Guides section.
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