Bettor’s Guide to NBA Betting in 2025

Stake big bets on the NBA with the help of our comprehensive guide to improve your chances of winning! The NBA is the most popular basketball league in the world, and it cannot be denied that there are also a lot of betting markets made available to the NBA over the years. From in-game betting, futures betting, prop betting, and many more, you can be sure that there will always be a big chance to win handsome rewards when you place your wagers in the NBA!

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Latest Basketball News

Bradley Beal Joins Clippers After Buyout from Suns
July 18th, 20254 mins

Bradley Beal Joins Clippers After Buyout from Suns

Kevin Durant started the star exodus in Phoenix, and with Devin Booker signing an extension deal with the Phoenix Suns, star guard Bradley Beal has taken the next best path around to move on from the team, by agreeing to a buyout and then signing a new deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. Now it is an end of an error in the Arizona state.

The Houston Rockets' decision to pull off a trade for Durant meant that Phoenix was no longer going to hold on to Beal. But with the guard harboring a no-trade clause, it meant that a contract buyout was the only way to move on from him. Luckily, Beal agreed to the proposal, and the Suns also allowed him to entertain notable parties, later leading to the new signing with the Clippers.

Finding the best basketball situation seemed to be the motive here. Beal’s time with the Suns did not work out well as the team failed to become relevant in a stacked Western Conference team – despite having enough talent to build around. Committing to Booker’s later years means that Beal would not be there to witness a rebuild – and instead mend a hurting contender’s chances in Los Angeles.

Beal on the Move

Beal signs a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers heading into the 2025-26 season. This includes a player option in the second year – and the deal is a shining show of commitment for Beal to allow the Clippers to find a leeway to bring him in while also not affecting much of the team’s salary cap in the long run.

The Clippers are already committed to both stars Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, and so bringing in a third star in Beal should have been problematic had it not been for the guard’s decision to take a pay cut at this point. He is playing for a winner, not for another year of tanking.

Los Angeles was eliminated in the 2025 NBA Playoffs in the first round, losing to the Denver Nuggets in seven games. It felt like the Clips were close to coming up with a promising run to the top of the West that time, and now they believe that adding Beal to the lineup would actually solve their scoring needs moving forward as they try another year with nearly the same roster.

But that is such a big gamble. Sure, Phoenix is expected to be out of the picture in the coming years in order to replenish its draft capital. However, there are a lot of teams to beat for Beal to have his big chance at the league title or even making it out of the Western Conference to begin with.

What Made Beal Leave the Suns?

Aside from the impending rebuild and the clear commitment to Devin Booker, Beal opted to move on from the Suns after he was forced out of the starting lineup last season. He was even linked a lot of times to Jimmy Butler with the latter’s exit from the Miami Heat, although it didn’t come to fruition.

Beal’s no-trade clause in the five-year, $251 million deal that he signed back with the Washington Wizards clearly hurt the Suns’ flexibility in the market, and it played a role in the Butler deal not to push through with Phoenix. Before the buyout, Beal was still owed nearly $111 million on his contract.

To top it all off, Beal was coming off his worst season in his career, just averaging 17 points, 3.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game in 32.7 minutes of action. Now he has a chance to redeem his worth in Los Angeles.

Victor Wembanyama Cleared to Return for 2025-26 NBA Season
July 17th, 20254 mins

Victor Wembanyama Cleared to Return for 2025-26 NBA Season

After being held to just 46 games last season due to an unwarranted blood clot, San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama is now all clear to play in the 2025-26 season for the team. Reports claim that the big man’s deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder has fully healed and is now ready to take the helm for the team moving forward.

Barring anything that would keep him out of the coming season, Wembanyama is now set to participate in the Spurs’ training camp this fall. Although no official word has come out, it seems that the big man himself believes that there’s a lot of expectations for him after he fell short of what could have been a promising second season to remember.

The Spurs have also not disclosed any details regarding the potential for a clot to return at any point in the next season. There are rumors that the disease may be genetic, but research also suggests that it was provoked, ruling out any untreatable situations that could threaten the French phenom’s star’s future in the NBA.

Wemby All Set for 2025-26

Despite his limited run in the 2024-25 season, Wembanyama averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks per game, leading the league in that department for the second straight year. Wembanyama also posted career-highs in minutes per game (33.2), field goal percentage (47.6%), 3pt percentage (35.2%), and free throw percentage (83.6%).

Had it not been for his injury that failed to at least put him into the Defensive Player of the Year discussions, the Spurs center would have easily won that award even after being out for the rest of the season. He even got to play in the 2025 NBA All-Star game before the said blood clot was revealed, which eventually led to him missing the rest of the season.

Still, the Spurs finished with a 34-48 record, finishing fourth in the Southwest Division and 13th overall in the Western Conference. Of course, a lot of critics claim that San Antonio would have been at least in the Play-In Tournament and might have gotten lucky enough at least to secure a playoff spot by the end of it.

Now that the team is coming for a new run, Wembanyama has some small adjustments to make. After all, it does seem that the Spurs look brand new with the addition of Dylan Harper in the Draft, and De’Aaron Fox in the trade deadline back in February. That’s going to be a big chance for him to push through that end then.

Will Wemby Stay Healthy?

Health is a major concern for any big man in the league of Wembanyama’s frame. It can be remembered that the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Chet Holmgren – often compared to Wembanyama – also missed 32 games last season due to a hip fracture.

“I was afraid of not being able to play basketball anymore,” Wembanyama said in the interview. “I think that we all have thoughts sometimes. Irrational thoughts about the things we care about most. But this type of thinking also changes you as a person, for the better.”

Still, many athletes have dealt with DVT before – Serena Williams came back from the same issue and dominated the WTA Tour after that. Chris Bosh also retired after he was diagnosed with multiple blood clots. NHL player Tomas Vokoun had surgery to relieve his clotting problem and did not return to play in the league.

Is Branden Carlson a Smart Signing for the Thunder?
July 14th, 20254 mins

Is Branden Carlson a Smart Signing for the Thunder?

With all the big signings that the Oklahoma City Thunder have made this offseason, it does seem that the team is eagerly on the prowl to make a chase for the league championship in the coming season as well. But is the Branden Carlson signing the best move they’ve managed to pull off so far?

In case you didn’t notice, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren have all been signed to major extension deals. There are also minor deals to the likes of Jaylin Williams and Ajay Mitchell. While the rest of the squad are still under contract and will be in the roster for the next two or three years, it does seem that two-way deals matter in this team as well.

Interestingly, rookie Brooks Barnhizer has already taken one of the three two-way spots for the Thunder. Carlson, who played last season for the Thunder’s majestic campaign, also headlines the next two-way deal that the Thunder can field for the upcoming 2025-26 season. While this is not a big move, this stands as the best signing that the Thunder has made this offseason.

Carlson is a High-Potential Player

Two-way players are given a chance to play a set number of games in a regular season and are ineligible for postseason action. Usually, these slots are given to players who are somewhat deserving of a deal but can only show up in limited games. This is still a better proposition than a 10-day contract or a five-game show contract. 

So in Carlson’s case, it puts OKC in a cost-efficient situation with the way he has played. In the previous season, Carlson was a great performer in 32 games for the Thunder in his rookie run, and had it not been for the structure of the team’s roster, the big man would have probably made it to the rotation for the team’s playoff campaign as well.

Whenever he plays double-digit minutes, Carlson averages 10.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. If you are not impressed, the big man put up 26 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, and two assists in 38 minutes when he played against the New Orleans Pelicans in the season finale.

Carlson is also one of the modern-day bigs of the NBA – who can play as a rim protector and create spacing opportunities on the floor with his stretch offense and the ability to hit the three. These attributes were well on display on the court as he proved to be one of the reliable performers that the Thunder can rely on.

A Potential Permanent Big Man

Carlson’s presence on the court is invaluable; he has proven to be a capable big man in his own right, even registering a +9.4 net rating in his debut campaign as well. However, what makes him a great signing for the team is that he can also deliver impressive performances, potentially securing a permanent spot in the team in the long run.

That being said, incoming rookie Thomas Sorber is an impressive selection for OKC, but then the Thunder could well use Carlson more should the rookie center find it hard to adjust in the NBA and spend more time in getting acclimated with the pros.

Securing Carlson in a two-way deal that doesn’t require much of the Thunder’s payroll says a lot about the bright move that they just made even in the two-way slots. It is another proof of how the Thunder’s future remains so bright at this point in time.

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NBA Betting Made Easy with GambleSpot's Guide!

Betting on the NBA is a fun experience if you know what to do to come up with a win. Not everyone wins in their wagers in the NBA, but you can be sure that this guide will work wonders to help you score massive wins that you have been looking for! Let’s learn more about how NBA betting works here!

There are plenty of betting platforms that allow you to bet on the NBA, but you can be sure that you will have better winning chances when you place bets on the best NBA betting sites that GambleSpot recommends for you to come up with promising wagers. There are many people who are keen to make the most of their betting chances, and we definitely can assure you that our selected betting sites will give you the best shot at landing handsome rewards!

With a lot of basketball betting sites to choose from, you should know that the right site will give you the best NBA odds that you can use to determine your favorite team’s winning chances. This is why our reliable picks should be the one that you consider in where to bet on NBA games.

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Where Should You Place Your Bets in the NBA?

Some of the popular betting apps in the United States are:

 

BetMGM

Known as one of the best basketball betting sites that you can consider if you want to bet on NBA basketball, BetMGM offers some of the best odds in sports while delivering impressive markets that you can consider. This site has stood out thanks to the ever-changing landscape of sports betting, with BetMGM putting up a more solid presence in the casino sector while also maintaining its dominance in the basketball betting scene.

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Borgata Sports

One of the renowned NBA sportsbooks, Borgata Sports is something that you can rely on thanks to its reputation of being an extension of the Atlantic City casino. For those who are keen to make the most of their chances in an NBA online betting website, Borgata is an obvious choice that you should consider especially with all the promising real-time odds updates that it offers for all bettors.

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Bet365

If you’re looking for a reliable basketball betting app that also has a lot of other sports in its reach, Bet365 is a great option for you to consider as it also has some betting markets for sports in Europe and the rest of the world. This United Kingdom-based betting site can give you a head start in learning how to bet on basketball and score massive wins in placing wagers right away.

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BetRivers

One of the most popular and accessible NBA gambling sites out there, BetRive offers some interesting NBA lines that will help you come up with promising bets that can get you a lot of handsome wins in the long run. Offered in almost 25 states for sports betting and casino gaming, you can be sure that BetRivers can help you rack up promising wins as you can get a wide variety of markets to win big.

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Make the Most of Your NBA Betting Experience with the Top Markets

Betting on the NBA is easy, and all it takes is a profound knowledge of the game and finding ways to wager on the best NBA betting sites that offer you competitive odds and promising markets that will allow you to come up with the best chances of winning. One way to enjoy your time in wagering on the best NBA betting apps is to make the most of the featured NBA picks and predictions, which come into play for every single game with different markets available for you to choose from.

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Here are some of the best markets that you should consider in betting on the NBA:

 

Point Spreads

Basketball point spread betting is a promising way to get started in winning wagers in the NBA. This is the initial setup for betting on the winning margin for any given matchup. Bookmakers set the odds for a given game every now and then, and all you have to do is to come up with considerable guesses on which team will reach the set point. It can be a tricky experience to wager on NBA betting lines, but you can easily win big awards once you get the hang of it.

For those who are keen to know how to bet on NBA point spreads means you need to know which team is the favorite and the underdog. In most betting sites, favorites are set with a minus (-) sign next to the number of points of a respective team to win. Meanwhile, an underdog will be labeled with a plus (+) sign next to the team least favored to win. To win in point spreads, all you have to do is predict the margin of victory between the winning team and the losing team by the end of the game.

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Moneylines

Moneylines are one of the most used betting markets in the NBA, thanks to its simplicity where bettors can just straight up wager on who they think will win the game. Compared to point spreads, there is no need to find out or predict the winning margin like in point spreads – just place your bet on the team that you think will come out on top, and hope that they can actually pull off the win by the end of the game.

The NBA can be a sport full of ups and downs, and you should know that basketball betting rules aren’t that strict to the point where you can even bet on multiple markets at once and gain wins on multiple fronts. Make sure to always bet based on research to make sure you don’t regret your choices, especially with the NBA full of impressive comebacks and battles that would even force extra periods in games.

 

Game Totals

For those who have an experience in how to bet on NBA games online, game totals usually come into mind especially in predicting the endings of various games. This usually puts bettors in position to guess the actual total combined points of the playing teams. Sportsbooks usually set a total number of predicted points, and all you have to do is bet if it goes over or under by the end of the game.

The NBA usually reaches a point total of around 200 to 250 points, depending on the playing teams and the level of defense on display. Most of the time, top teams in the league battling each other end up having more than 100 points each, and this defines the easy chance of betting on game totals in the NBA.

 

Parlays

Well, what better way to spice up your winning chances in betting on the NBA than to make parlays? These are combinations of bets that will give you a chance to win bigger prizes. These can be a mix between game totals, prop bets, future bets, moneylines, spreads, and many other wagers that you would like to incorporate. It is also possible to come up with a parlay bet on other sports as well, and any NBA betting app would allow this as well.

For parlays, the strategy is to have a lot of research backing your claim. This would mean that you will get the best chance to come up with the right wagers and the exact teams and players to win. This is considered to be high-stakes betting, and you would be glad to wager on the right ones if you are really going to win big wagers in the long run. It is a must to ensure that you make a sound and informed betting decision as a loss in any of the single wagers will lead to a loss.

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Prop Bets

The NBA has a lot of prop bets that you can enjoy just like in any other sport. If you are already immersed in the basics of how to bet in NBA games, then you would know that these market is answerable by “yes” or “no”. This can range from various betting options, such as “first player to score”, “player to win jump ball”, “x player to hit game-winner”, and many more. All of these are considered prop bets and will be an eligible form of over/under, which depends on the players or teams performances.

On top of that, these prop bets are usually offered in dozens, with a single game having various scenarios of “what-ifs”, such as a player scoring more than their average, players pulling off a triple-double, teams amassing a set total of assists, rebounds, or any other stat line, making it a fun market to consider in betting

 

Futures Betting

Futures betting is something that you can consider, especially if you always watch NBA games for a whole season, and you can be sure that there are still many betting markets available for you to consider. Long-term betting on the NBA can be rewarding, especially if your selected team or player makes the most of the season. These can be bets on a team to finish with a set record in the league, individual awards, and even a championship.

Most of these bets are available before the season begins. You can start betting on who wins the MVP, the Defensive Player of the Year, the In-Season Tournament, and even the NBA Finals if you’re feeling a little brave in your wagers as well.

 

Live Betting

With the best NBA betting apps available at your disposal, it is a no-brainer that you can actually make the most of your chances by placing wagers on the games as they unfold. Live betting means seeing the odds shift in real-time, allowing you to come up with informed decisions and making the most out of your bets. The NBA is a game of runs, and you can be sure that you can predict the actual outcome if you know how the game unfolds.

Live betting is one of the most practical ways to win big in any NBA gamble. This presents impressive winning chances as the game shifts in different momentums from time to time, and no lead is safe in the league with top teams making insane comebacks now and then.

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How to Bet on the NBA?

With a detailed understanding of how to bet on the NBA and its betting markets, you should now learn how you can actually put up a winning wager in one of the most popular basketball leagues in the world. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can place wagers in the NBA.

  1. Pick a site to wager on from the recommended list to avoid mishaps.
  2. Select any NBA game that you want to bet on.
  3. See the available betting markets and pick a market.
  4. Reivisit the betting odds and make sure to compare it to different betting sites before making a bet.
  5. Put up a wager amount that meets the minimum or maximum bet.
  6. Double check your wagers and remember to use bonuses and promotions to your bet, increasing the possible payout at the end.

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Tips in Betting on NBA Games

While being armed with the winning odds and markets at your disposal increases your chances of winning, you should know a few betting strategies that can help you pull off a promising win by the end of the game. Take a peek at some of our betting tips that can give you an edge in placing wagers on NBA games.

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Watch the Games Live

Watching the games live and on-demand gives you a heads-up on how the game is going, especially with the top-notch performances between players and teams on display. This is why it is important to tune in to the actual game to see what is going on – how the pace is going, what is changing for the playing teams, and how well their star players are performing. These all play a huge role in a game that you are betting on and the result at the end of the day. You can make quick adjustments based on these factors in the long run.

 

Always Check Head-to-Head Stats

Head-to-head stats compare playing teams before the game begins. These usually highlight the last meetings between respective teams and how well they performed against one another at home or on the road. This means that you can compare how well a team can perform against another, seeing how well it would end for one squad and the chances of winning with a certain player present in the game. These affect the odds overall and would turn the tide even for an underdog team at the end of the day.

 

Know Your Teams and Players

There are 30 teams in the NBA, with 15 teams in each conference divided into divisions as well. Knowing where your team lies is a must as these have certain implications when it comes to the playoff seeding, and even the number of games they are going to play against each other. There are many players in the league, from rookies, stars, and even veterans, it would be a no-brainer to know well how well they perform so you can come up with prop bets, futures bets, and many more!

 

See the Last Five Games

The NBA features an 82-game season, which means there can be ups and downs for teams down the stretch. There are times when they can win big in their games, while others may have some losing slumps depending on their pace. That being said, the last five games is usually used to gauge a team’s chances of winning in an upcoming game, and it plays a huge role on how sportsbooks perceive the way they will play in their showdown against another team.

 

Learn About NBA Trends

NBA trends differ from time to time. We have seen the rise of big-three superteams and many other buildup of stars in the league. We are now seeing the rise of phenomenal big men who are impacting the game at a high level, while there are a lot of teams that are shooting a high volume of threes. All of these play a huge role in predicting an outcome of a given game and the eventual result that is at play in betting.

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Events to Bet On in the NBA

There are multiple events in the NBA that you can consider betting on. Aside from the regular-season games, there are some instances when teams enter a phase where they play rival teams in certain holidays in the United States, such as Christmas Day, St. Patrick’s day, Valentine’s Day, and even New Year’s Eve. On top of that, the NBA has also added different events in the middle of the season to spice up your betting experience.

Here are some of the NBA events that you should consider betting on:

 

NBA In-Season Tournament

The NBA In-Season Tournament was added in the middle of the 2023-24 season and has been a staple ever since. This is the same as the FA Cup in English football and other domestic league competition variants. The games played add into the regular season standings all the way to the final, where various teams are shuffled into different groups that will play a knockout stage before having final four teams to compete for the big stage. This takes place during the early phase of the season from October to December.

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NBA All-Star Weekend

The NBA All-Star Weekend takes place in the middle of the NBA season, usually after the trade deadline and before the second half of the season begins, which ends up in mid-February. There are multiple events played in the All-Star Weekend while it is also held in different cities at an annual basis. From the Slam Dunk Contest, Three-Point Shootout, Skills Challenge, Celebrities’ Game, Rising Stars’ Challenge, and the highly-anticipated NBA All-Star Game.

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Play-In Tournament, NBA Playoffs and NBA Finals

The regular season of the NBA wraps up in mid-April, but this marks the beginning of the postseason madness that will take over basketball as a whole. This begins with the Play-In Tournament, which features teams ranked from 7th to 10th in each conference battling for a chance to fill in the final two spots of their respective playoff trees. This will then be followed by the NBA Playoffs, with teams playing a best-of-seven series for three rounds. One team from each conference will emerge as a winner, which will lead to the NBA Finals that will take place in June.

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Why Should You Bet in the NBA?

The NBA offers a lot of betting markets available for you to consider. There are plenty of tips and tricks that we have for you, and all of these can give you a chance to win handsome rewards. On top of that, you can definitely enjoy the experience of placing wagers in NBA games as the intense battles unfold between your favorite teams and the best players in the league.

Bet on the NBA today and make sure to take a breeze through our guide to ensure that you have an increased chance of winning in your bets. Win handsome prizes with our guides and blogs here at GambleSpot like no other!

FAQ

Who is the public betting on NBA?

You can always find general info on betting in the NBA through our recommended betting sites. Available information ranges from odds, markets, and even players or teams to bet on, making public betting a fun experience for you to enjoy.

How does NBA betting work?

Like any other sport, betting on the NBA only needs you to select a game to wager on, a market to place your bets, and then hope for the best in your chances of winning. With our guide, you can have no hassle in betting on these games.

What is spread betting NBA?

Spread betting, as discussed above, means to bet on any NBA team to win or lose by a set margin. Most sportsbooks offer markets that have a pre-set amount of points as the margin, but you can tweak it depending on how you think the chances of winning or losing for a certain team can be.

How to make money betting on NBA games?

By following our guides, tips, and tricks, you can be sure to have a fair chance of making a lot of money in betting on NBA games. However, you have to be sure to bet wisely and always consider the odds provided by the betting sites to make the most of your chances.

Author
Author: Paul Daniel Flores
Updated: 2 weeks ago
Author: Paul Daniel Flores
Writer l Sports and Esports Expert
Updated: 2 weeks ago

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