How to Bet on Basketball with bet365

A comprehensive guide to help you understand and best approach betting on basketball, including the NBA, WNBA, and College Basketball on bet365.

How do Odds Work in Basketball?

Basketball odds work the same as every other major sport in the United States. One team will typically be favored, and the payout correlates with who is supposed to win the game.

When using bet365 in the United States and Canada, odds are depicted using the plus (+) or minus (-) signs, and are based on bettors wagering $100.

The minus sign indicates the expected winner (favorite) and offers a lower payout than the wager itself. A plus sign indicates an underdog, and comes with higher payout.

When a minus is present, the number shows how much you need to bet to win $100. When a plus sign is present the odds show how much you would win on a $100 bet.

Team	Odds	Bet Amount	Expected Payout
Celtics	-150	$150	$100 (plus your stake back)
Lakers	+200	$100	$200 (plus your stake back)

Basketball Betting Markets

From moneylines, point spreads, and totals, to player props and futures, Basketball has plenty of markets to bet on. Whether you have a belief that Stephen Curry is going to get hot from behind the arc, or A'Ja Wilson will lead Aces to another WNBA Championship, bet365 will have it.

Basketball Moneylines

A moneyline bet is the simplest bet in sports. It's just picking the winner of the game, just like the example with the table above. The margin of victory does not matter in this market, The team with the minus (-) is favored, while the team with the plus (+) is the underdog.

Basketball Point Spreads

You can back a team to cover the spread. If a team is -3.5 points, they must win by 4 or more points in the game for the bet to win.

When one team is -3.5, the other team will be +3.5. If you place a bet on a team that is +3.5 points, the must either win, or lose by 3 or fewer points.

Point spread bets allow bettors to bet on the winner of the game with coin flip odds (typically -110 on each side).

Basketball Prop Bets

Basketball, particularly the NBA and WNBA has loads of prop bets that bettors can choose from.

Basketball prop bets include player points, rebounds, assists, turnovers, steals, blocks, and three pointers in a single game. Basically, any stat that gets recorded in the box score would have been available to bet on.

Most players will have an over/under number related to a prop, which represents the amount a player is expected to have.

Stephen Curry is great scorer and three point shooter, so his expected point total and three point makes will be high, but his rebounding is likely to be low because he does not average very many in a game.

bet365 does not offer player props on college basketball in most states.

Basketball Over/Unders

Along with a moneyline and point spread, every game will also have a total. Commonly referred to as the "over/under" of the game, sportsbooks will determine the line for the total points scored in the game, and bettors can choose whether or not the teams will score over or under the line. This market is also typically a coin flip, with the odds for the over and under listed at -110 most of the time.

Bettors can bet on the total points in the game, or total points scored by a specific team.

Basketball Parlays

Parlays are also very common in Basketball, and allow fans to go beyond a single outcome, Combine multiple bets for a higher payout using a parlay.

Even just two selections would constitute a parlay. All bets (or legs) have to win for the parlay to win. A riskier form of sports betting, the chances of winning are low, but the payouts are tremendous.

Basketball Same Game Parlays

Same Game Parlays in Basketball combine multiple bets from the same game for a higher payout. The only difference in a Parlay and a Same Game Parlay is that the bets must all be for the same game. Not all props and bets can be combined in a Same Game Parlay.

An example of a same game parlay would be selecting the Golden State Warriors to win a game, and for Stephen Curry to score over 25 points in the same game.

Special Basketball Bets

Basketball bettors get many unique betting markets on bet365, including live betting, futures, and draft specials. Learn about some basketball specific betting markets.

Next Basket Specials

Next basket is a popular 'Live Betting' option where bettors can guess which player or team will score the next basket, and they method of that basket (Three pointer, two pointer, or free throw).

NBA Draft Specials

Bettors can also bet on the NBA Draft. Common markets include: who will be drafted No. 1 overall, No. 2 overall, No. 3 overall, etc. Also, select players will have an over/under on their draft position, letting bettors bet on if they think a specific player will be picked before or after the line listed.

Next Team Specials

Basketball is a sport that is known for what happens off the court nearly as much as what happens on it. Player personalities are so prevalent, and stars switch teams quite commonly.

Next Team odds are a very common future bet, where betters get a choice to pick what team certain stars will be playing for on a certain date.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is one player who's future has been up in the air for multiple years, and fans can bet on what team they think he will play for at certain times.

These odds are typically present leading up the the NBA Trade Deadline, and ahead of Free Agency.

Tips for Betting on Basketball

As a seasoned or new bettor, strategy goes a long way in being successful.

Player Research

Before placing a bet, do your research.

Due to the nature of the sport and the amount of games, star players will miss games with very little notice. Make sure to do your research to see whether the best players are suiting up in the game.

When a certain player is not going to play in a game, the odds can shift a certain direction. Make sure you stay up to date on team news to stay informed. 

Team Research

Similar to doing player research, also consider what a team has been through leading up to a game.

Consider whether a team has been tired due to playing back-to-back nights, or if they have been on a long road trip.

Teams typically have an advantage playing at home, and when they have had a few days rest before a game.

Manage Your Budget

Think about how much money you spend gambling. View Gambling as a source of entertainment, not a form of income. Do not gamble more than you are comfortable losing.

Responsible Gambling on Basketball

For more on responsible gambling, bet365 has a dedicated resource page that can be found at https://responsiblegaming.nj.bet365.com/us.

GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL OR TEXT 1-800-GAMBLER (AZ/CO/IL/IN/KS/KY/LA/MD/MI/NC/NJ/OH/PA/TN/VA) or 1-800-BETS OFF (IA). 21+ (18+ KY). Must be present in AZ/CO/IA/IL/IN/KS/KY/LA (select parishes)/MD/MI/NC/NJ/OH/PA/TN/VA.

Basketball Betting FAQs

Below, you'll find some common questions and answers about betting on basketball.

How do I Bet on Basketball with bet365?

To bet on basketball with bet365, navigate to the bet365 Sportsbook and click on "Basketball" on the left-hand side toolbar. This will show the leagues with games available to bet on, futures, and promos for basketball bets.

Can I Bet on Live Basketball Games?

Yes. bet365 offers live betting for players in the United States.

Odds on spreads, moneylines, and player props will adjust throughout the match to represent the script of the game.

What Types of Bets can I Place on Basketball?

There are many different types of bets you can make. Bettors can place bets on futures markets, individual game outcomes, and player props within a game like points, rebounds, and assists just to name a few.

Bettors can also place parlay bets, which combines multiple bets for a higher payout.

What States can I Bet on Basketball in?

As of April 2026, bet365 offers basketball betting in 16 U.S. states.

The states where bet365 is active include Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Read the latest NBA news on site.