The National Basketball Association is the best basketball league in the world.  OddsJet lets you compare NBA odds from several of the best betting sites.  This NBA odds comparison allows OddsJet to display the best NBA odds for every game on the schedule, which helps basketball bettors maximize their potential returns.  OddsJet also displays the different handicap values from each sportsbook for both Point Spreads and Totals to find the optimal wagering opportunity for any opinion on any given game.  If one is looking for NBA Futures odds regarding the team that will win the championship, OddsJet also displays the best NBA Finals outright winner odds.   

NBA Odds explained

Money Line

When one is betting on the Money Line, one is betting on the team that you think will win a given NBA game.  There is no handicap – just pick a winner.  Favorites and underdogs are determined solely by the odds pricing.     

Point Spread

For the NBA, the Point Spread is the most popular type of handicap betting.  The point spread is an effort by the odds maker to offer prices that are similar for both potential outcomes.  Simply, the point spread means the game does not start at 0-0.  The point spread can be viewed as a point handicap which the favorite must overcome in order to be declared the winner.  From the perspective of the underdog, the point spread may be viewed as a head start on points toward winning the game.  For example if the spread is 4.5 points, the favorite will need to win by 5 for a wager on the favorite to be a winner.  The underdog can lose the game by as many as 4 points and still be considered the winner for wagering purposes. 

Oftentimes, one will see point spreads that end in 0.5.  In this case, there will always be a winning bet.  However, if the point spread is a full number like 4 points and the game ends with the favorite winning by exactly 4 points, all stakes should be returned as if no bet occurred.

OddsJet helps to analyse the point spread as well as the best odds price.  The ‘+’ button associated with each game on the events schedule opens up a window that displays all the different point spreads from all our sportsbook sources.  This helps to identify if any sportsbook is offering a point spread that is particularly attractive for a given opinion in relation to the potential game outcome.

For example, if one prefers the favorite and the consensus point spread is around -5.5 points, the OddsJet ‘+’ button and handicap analysis could show that one or two sportsbooks have set their spread at -4.5 points.  For those that like the favorite, this is clearly a better proposition as the favorite needs only to win by 5 points to win the bet.  Conversely, the same window could display a sportsbook with a spread of -6.5 points which is a superior handicap if one prefers the underdog.  Whether you like the favorite or the underdog, OddsJet helps to find your ideal handicap. 

Total or Over/Under

For the NBA, the Total or Over/Under refers to a figure for the total number of points to be scored by both teams over the course of a game.  The sportsbook sets this point total figure and sets odds pricing for the respective ‘Over’ and ‘Under’ outcomes.  Given the point figure handicap, the ‘Over’ and ‘Under’ prices tend to be similar in value.

The OddsJet ‘+’ buttons also help with Totals in the same way they help with point spreads.  The window that pops up will display all the different Total lines for the associated game from our sportsbook sources.  If you like the ‘Under’ for a given game, you might look for the highest Total line available in order to have more room to stay ‘Under.’  If you like the ‘Over’, one could look for the lowest ‘Total’ so that the teams might overcome the ‘Total’ line more easily.  If there are several sportsbooks offering a particularly attractive ‘Total’ line, OddsJet also displays the offered odds prices so one may get the best odds price for the ideal Total figure.  

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NBA Odds expressed in American, Decimal and Fractional Formats

For American odds format, keep in mind the difference between positive and negative expressions.  When the odds are below even-money, a negative number is used.   A negative odds price expresses how much one needs to wager in order to return a profit of $100.  For example, if San Antonio is favoured heavily on a Money Line, one might see a figure of -290.  This means that one would need to wager $290 in order to return $100 in profit for a total potential return of $390.  When one sees a positive NBA odds price in American format such as +170, the positive odds price expresses how much profit one might gain with a wager of $100.  At +170 on Oklahoma City, a winning bet of $100 would return one’s stake plus $170 for a total return of $270.  Note that although the American odds format centres on the figure of $100, this is purely for expression and is not a restriction in any way on the amount that may be staked. 

For the Decimal NBA odds format, simply multiply the stake amount by the decimal odds price to see the full amount that would be returned on a win including the stake amount.  For example, if one wagered $100 at a price of 1.93, the total return would be $193, a profit of $93. 

For Fractional NBA odds format, the odds express the potential profit return that could be received over and above the stake amount.  For example, if one bet $100 at an odds price of 1/2 (said one-to-two) and wins, the $100 stake is returned and the profit would be $50 (1 divided by 2, multiplied by $100) or a total return of $150.  In the case of underdogs, the numerator will be higher than the denominator, such as 37/20 (said thirty-seven-to-twenty).  The profit would simply multiply the fraction by the stake such as 37/20 X $100.  Thus the profit would be $185.  With the stake of $100 returned, the total potential return would be $285.

Odds comparisons for other top basketball competitions

NBA Odds

NCAA Basketball Odds (US College Hoops)

Euroleague Odds

Liga ACB Odds (Spain)

BSL Odds (Turkish Super League)

United League Odds (Russian Tier 1)

BBL Odds (German Basketball Bundesliga)

LBA Odds (Italy Lega Basket Serie A)

LNB Pro A Odds (France Tier 1)

ABA Odds (Adriatic League)

LKL Odds (Lithuanian League)

CBA Odds (Chinese Basketball Association)