One of the four major sports leagues in the United States, the National Basketball Association (NBA) attracts millions of fans from around the world. Betting on the NBA is convenient these days because the league offers full game streaming of every game played in every arena. You can watch every dunk live and then some as the NBA livestream experience has improved with YouTube and other platforms from which to watch the league. The league itself is also in play, with a full season schedule that runs for nine months, from October to July.
Canadian gamblers need no introduction to betting on NBA basketball. However, we have provided an in-depth look at basketball wagering to ensure that it proves to be very lucrative for the nation's hoop heads. Our guide features a variety of betting options, from predicting the regular season MVP to nailing the NBA Props. Finding the best online sportsbooks to bet on NBA games is a prerequisite to cashing in for any bettor in Canada. We've done the legwork for you, too, by highlighting the top sites in our opinion.
Best NBA Online Betting Sites
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100% Match
Up to 600 $ |
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100% Match
Up to 23000 $ |
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100% Match
Up to 1800 $ |
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100% Match
Up to 900 $ |
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100% Match
Up to 3000 $ |
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100% Match
Up to $100 |
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100% Match
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100% Match
Up to 92200 $ |
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Top NBA Betting Guide
Latest NBA Betting News
Understanding NBA Basketball Odds
In order to make NBA bets that can pay off, you need to understand how to interpret the odds. Not all basketball games have the same importance. Some games determine conference champions, while others are just a tune-up for the playoffs. Still, you need to learn NBA odds at some of the leading betting markets around. The NBA preseason is an excellent primer for the regular season series between teams from different conferences. NBA teams use these exhibition opportunities to figure out the chemistry among the new season's selections.
Types on the NBA Games Bets
Different Types of NBA Bets to Place Before and During the GamePlayers can place a variety of bets on the outcome of an NBA game before it starts and while it is in progress. Although the NBA playoff schedule is not announced until well after the regular season has begun, bets can be placed on which teams are likely to make the playoffs and which teams will come out on top. This betting market has expanded the number of betting opportunities that Canadian players can find online. Below we have listed some of the more common bets in the NBA.
NBA Handicap Bets
In this type of basketball betting, bookmakers level the playing field by offering odds that make it worthwhile for punters to pick the favorite to win. The favorite must win by a certain number of points for the punter to be paid. The underdog, on the other hand, is given a certain number of points so that even if it loses, the bettor can still come out a winner. For example, if you were betting on the Denver Nuggets to keep it close against the Golden State Warriors, you would have to back the underdog quite a bit for the bet to make sense.
The last four NBA Finals have been won by the Golden State Warriors. They are on track to make it five in a row this season, with the Splash Brothers still part of the team. The Nuggets, on the other hand, are a team without a championship and therefore the underdog in this scenario. Therefore, to make the competition fair, Golden State will be at a -18.5 disadvantage, while Denver will be at a +18.5 advantage.
NBA Futures
By looking at each team's record, you can place prop bets on which team will win the conference. Players should pay close attention to the odds throughout the season as they serve as a barometer for not only the teams in the mix, but also who is putting up the most meaningful numbers for a potential MVP trophy.
Moneylines NBA Bets
Similar to other sports, money line betting in the NBA involves picking the overall winner of the game. There are many expert tipsters who make nightly NBA predictions and offer their thoughts on the night's key matchups. Players can use this information to bet against the spread (which is basically the NBA's version of picking the favorite to win) and make some money by picking the underdog.
If your research and intuition lead you to believe that the Clippers can beat the Lakers in the game of the year, you can place a bet and win big. Moneyline bets don't pay much, but if you bet on the Clippers to win and don't go with the safer options like betting on the Lakers to win, you'll be rewarded much better. Bold bets can lead to big payouts.
Over/Under Betting
Because basketball is such a high scoring game, total bets make betting on the NBA much more interesting. Over and Under bets directly affect the total score of both teams combined. Bettors are betting on whether the NBA total will be higher or lower than a specific number set by the oddsmaker.
The final score of the game was 194, which was only 3.5 points off the predicted score. What you should know is that the total lines change from when they are first published. Make sure you check the data before you place a bet. This is especially important with totals.
NBA Parlay/Teaser
The top NBS betting sites offer basketball parlay bets with the weekend selections to increase your total payouts. You can only win on parlay bets if every single one of your picks is correct. Bookmakers hand out parlay tickets with totals, handicaps and money line bets to keep the odds palatable.
A teaser is essentially the same bet, but with only a prediction set by the sportsbook. They typically present players with point spreads to inflate the betting line, but the spreads in teasers are adjusted in the player's favor, resulting in a line that a player must hit in order to win.
NBA Betting Strategies
World-renowned tipsters share their expertise in online forums dedicated to the NBA. These forums are a veritable cornucopia of free information and NBA betting advice. Use the tips you pick up in your pregame research. And if you're not using forum information, you're not using all the tools at your disposal.
- Remember, the best way to bet is to know which players will be on the floor for the game. Before each game, NBA teams release their starting lineups. If the opponent's most valuable player is injured, it's a great time to bet on the underdog.
- Pay attention to the time of the game. During the regular season, players will tend to take it easy and not push themselves too hard. When it comes to the playoffs, you'll usually see players step it up a notch.
- What matters is not just the wins, but the momentum the team brings into a game. The year the Golden State Warriors last won the NBA Finals, 2015, they won 73 games and lost just nine. They string together some decent wins on their home court and on the road. This form can offset the odds in a matchup.
- Watch the performance of teams when they are away from their home field. This is especially important with teams you think might be contenders. This can be very telling about a team's overall ability to perform reliably when the pressure is on.
National Basketball Association Rules
The National Basketball Association conducts basketball tournaments that last 48 minutes. The 48 minutes are divided into 4 quarters of 12 minutes each. When two teams play against each other, there are 5 players from each team on the court. If necessary, the teams can change their players.
A team has 24 seconds to try to score on the other side of the field when they have the ball. All of these game factors are what Canadian bettors are betting on, including the first and last quarter scores of the game.
Past NBA Finals Champions and Runners-Up
The list of NBA title winners illustrates that only a handful of teams have gotten in on the action in recent years. Looking just at the last 20 seasons - from 2000-01 to 2020-21, as we will do here - you can see only nine different franchises that have captured the league's championship during that span. And when you narrow that number down to the last 10 seasons, the title map shows only five different winners. These stats don't just paint a pretty picture - they can help bettors navigate the landscape when trying to assess which teams might advance to and win the NBA Finals.
| Year | NBA Finals Winner | Runner-Up |
| 2022 | Golden State Warriors | Boston Celtics |
| 2021 | Milwaukee Bucks | Phoenix Suns |
| 2020 | Los Angeles Lakers | Miami Heat |
| 2019 | Toronto Raptors | Golden State Warriors |
| 2018 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2017 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2016 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Golden State Warriors |
| 2015 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2014 | San Antonio Spurs | Miami Heat |
| 2013 | Miami Heat | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2012 | Miami Heat | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2011 | Dallas Mavericks | Miami Heat |
| 2010 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics |
| 209 | Los Angeles Lakers | Orlando Magic |
| 2008 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2007 | San Antonio Spurs | Cleveland Cavaliers |
