Basketball
Basketball betting: spreads, totals and moneylines
Basketball betting, NBA above all, runs on three numbers: the moneyline, the point spread and the game total. Together they imply a score for each team, and most other markets, from team totals to player props, are priced around them. Here is how each market works, with calculators to check the numbers.
Basketball betting calculators
All betting calculators- Point spread & total calculatorImplied team scores from a spread and total, plus the vig on each line.
- No vig calculatorStrip the bookmaker's margin from a 2-way or 3-way market to get fair odds.
- Parlay calculatorCombine 2 to 15 legs: parlay odds, payout and the chance every leg wins.
- Betting payout calculatorProfit, total payout and implied probability for any stake and price.
Basketball betting markets and how they settle
| Market | What you bet on | How it settles |
|---|---|---|
| MoneylineNo vig calculator | Which team wins the game, overtime included. | No draws: the game is played until there is a winner. |
| Point spreadPoint spread & total calculator | The favorite must win by more than the spread; the underdog covers by winning or losing by less. | Full game spreads usually include overtime. A whole number spread pushes on an exact margin. |
| Game total (over/under)Point spread & total calculator | Combined points of both teams above or below a line. | Usually includes overtime for full game markets. |
| Team totalsPoint spread & total calculator | One team's points above or below a line. | Usually set close to the score the spread and total imply. |
| Quarters and halves | Spreads, totals and moneylines for one part of the game. | Second half and fourth quarter markets may or may not include overtime; the rules say which. |
| Player props | A player's points, rebounds, assists, threes or combinations over or under a line. | If a player doesn't play, the bet is usually void; rules on minutes played vary. |
| Futures | Season long bets: champion, conference, MVP, win totals. | Money is tied up for months and the margin is usually larger than on single games. |
Settlement rules are the usual ones in US sportsbooks. Each sportsbook publishes its own rules, and those decide your bet.
Competitions people bet on
- NBA: 30 teams, an 82 game regular season, then the play-in tournament and the playoffs.
- WNBA: The women's pro league, with its season in the summer, between NBA seasons.
- NCAA men's and women's basketball: College basketball, ending with the 68 team March Madness tournaments.
- EuroLeague: Europe's top club competition.
Terms to know
- Spread (line)
- The points handicap between the two teams.
- Cover
- Beat the spread.
- Total
- Combined points of both teams; also called the over/under.
- Juice (vig)
- The sportsbook's margin built into the price, -110 on a typical spread.
- Prop
- A bet on something other than the final result, such as a player's points.
- Push
- A result exactly on the line; the stake is refunded.
Common questions
Does overtime count in NBA spreads and totals?
For full game markets, sportsbooks almost always include overtime. Quarter and first half markets do not; second half and fourth quarter rules vary, so check them.
What does -7.5 mean in basketball betting?
The favorite has to win by 8 points or more. A bet on the +7.5 underdog wins if it wins outright or loses by 7 or fewer.
How do I work out a team's implied score?
Favorite's score = (total + spread) / 2 and underdog's score = total minus that. A -6 favorite in a 224 total game implies about 115 to 109. The point spread calculator does it for any line.
What happens to a player prop if the player doesn't play?
Most sportsbooks void it and refund the stake. Rules differ when a player leaves the game early, so read the prop's rules.
Betting involves risk. Calculators show what prices imply, not what will happen. Set a budget before you start, never chase losses, and if betting stops being fun, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER for free, confidential help.