NBA Odds

Best NBA Odds Tonight: Game Lines, Spreads & Totals

NBA betting is one of the most popular forms of online sports betting, and understanding the odds is key. It’s the highest-scoring of the four major sports, a star-driven league and its postseason runs from mid-April into June. There are dozens of ways to bet on the NBA that can be made on a given game from outrights to player props, and our odds table below will give you the best, most up-to-date, and diverse betting options each night.

At Bookies.com, you can be sure that you have access to the best odds for each game from the top sports betting sites in your state. Our unique odds table shows bettors the best point spreads for both the favorites and the underdogs, as well as the highest total for bettors wanting to take the under, and the lowest total for bettors wanting to bet the over.

There won’t be an enormous discrepancy across different sportsbooks, but as any bettor knows, one-half point in a spread or a couple of points on the over-under can make all the difference. You’ll also have access to NBA consensus data to show you where the money is going.

And if the spread or total is the same across the board? Our matrix can find you the best odds on those lines. For example, if the Boston Celtics are -5 against the Indiana Pacers across the board, one sportsbook may have that spread at -120 and another might have it at -110, meaning it costs $110 (-110) – instead of $120 (-120) – to win $100.

How to Read NBA Odds

Point Spreads

A point spread is a bet on whether the favorite will win by a specific number of points or more, or whether the underdog will lose by a certain number of points or win the game outright. For example, if the Sacramento Kings are -6.5 against the Memphis Grizzlies (who would be +6.5), a bet on the Kings would pay out if they won by seven or more points. A bet on the Grizzlies would cash if Memphis were to lose by fewer than seven or win the game.

Most point spread bets cost between -100 and -115, meaning bettors need to place that amount of money to earn $100. A valuable tool at bookies.com is our tracker of NBA teams against the spread. It helps you spot the best teams when making your NBA picks.

Moneylines

The moneyline is a bet on which team will win a game outright, which means more risk if picking an underdog but more reward as well.

For example, if the Los Angeles Lakers are heavy favorites against the Chicago Bulls, the Lakers would have a moneyline set at -400. That means bettors would need to place $400 down to win $100 if the Lakers won the game. Favorites are always minus odds in NBA betting odds.

Underdogs are plus-odds. In that same matchup, Chicago could be +350, meaning a $100 bet would earn $350 in profit if the Bulls were to upset the Lakers.

Over-Under

The over-under is concerned with the combined points of the two teams. A bettor places a bet on whether those combined points will be more (over) or less (under) than the total set by oddsmakers.

For example, if the over-under set Los Angeles Clippers-San Antonio Spurs is 224.5, the over pays out if the combined point total is 225 or more, with the under paying out on a combined point total of 224 or less. Most over-under bets cost between -100 and -120, meaning bettors need to place that amount of money to win $100. There are NBA over/under trends that develop over a season.

You can use tools such as our odds calculator and our parlay calculator to calculate potential payouts and convert odds for all these types of odds.

Implied Probability and the Vig

Every set of odds carries an implied probability. To convert negative odds divide the number by itself plus 100. To convert positive odds divide 100 by the number plus 100. At -110 the break-even rate is 52.4%. At +150 it is 40%.

Now look at both sides of a spread priced at -110. Each side implies 52.4%. The two add up to 104.8%. The extra 4.8% is the sportsbook’s margin, known as the vig or juice. A price of -105 shrinks that margin and costs you less to win the same amount.

Use our odds calculator to convert any price and see the break-even rate before you bet.

How Are NBA Odds Generated?

Oddsmakers consider a number of different statistical factors that make up the formula for a game’s moneyline, point spread, over-under total and even player props. Whatever numbers that algorithm spits out for a given game, however, are not the end-all, be-all. Oddsmakers can, and often will, tweak those numbers to favor one side or the other to make the point spread more favorable to potential bettors or to help balance the bets on that matchup.

There are also other factors oddsmakers will use that algorithms and numbers can’t necessarily account for: injuries and load management are more prevalent than ever in the NBA, and more players are being tagged as questionable and probable to play.

Betting apps must consider the likelihood of those players participating – or not – in a given game when setting their lines. While it may not matter when a role player’s status is up in the air, it certainly does for a star players who can and often will shift the course of a game.

How Often Do NBA Odds Change?

When it comes to game odds, once a line is set by oddsmakers, it won’t change much prior to the start of the game. Oddsmakers may decide to shift the line a point or two to help balance the bets (if one side is being bet too heavily), but there won’t be any drastic swings unless a significant injury pops up.

But don’t be so quick to dismiss those small point swings. They can make all the difference for a bettor, which is why it’s critical to bookmark this page so you can see up-to-the-second changes in those lines. Our matrix makes sure you’re never behind with the best lines available so you can bet on NBA games with confidence.

Spreads and over-under totals will fluctuate in-game, however. Live spreads and over-unders will change based on how the game has gone up to that point and provide a new final spread or point total that bettors can wager on in-game. Live betting is one of the most exciting and fastest growing markets in online sports betting.

NBA futures odds, however, tend to fluctuate considerably during the course of a season. A contender could start the season at +1200 to win the NBA title, shorten to +600 on the heels of a huge winning streak and other teams struggling, and then drift back out to +900 when the NBA playoffs start because other teams have surged. That’s why it is important to stay on top of futures markets and “buy” when the time is right.

When Are NBA Odds Released?

NBA championship odds are typically available the minute a season ends, straight through the next season’s NBA playoffs and NBA Finals. As we explained above, they can see some huge swings based on hot streaks, injuries, trades and more.

Odds for a game are released in two different timetables:

If neither team played the night before, lines for that game will be posted in the late afternoon, around 4 p.m. ET the day before. For example, if the San Antonio Spurs are scheduled to play the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, and neither team plays Tuesday, the spread, moneyline, and over-under will post on Tuesday afternoon. That could be delayed if there are outstanding injuries and key players are questionable, but odds will be posted the day before a game.

If one of the teams does play the previous night, the lines will be posted either late into the evening or early the following morning, but still well ahead of game time.

Types of Sports Bets Made From NBA Odds

An NBA point spread evens the playing field between a favorite and an underdog. A title contender is obviously going to beat a tanking team bound for the NBA Lottery. Betting the underdog to win is highly unlikely, and betting the favorite to win won’t yield much profit. Instead, a point spread balances the two teams, with the favorite needing to win by a certain amount of points for bettors to win the bet. An underdog simply needs to lose by a certain amount of points (or win outright) to win the bet.

An NBA moneyline is about as straightforward as it gets. Forget the point spread: All bettors are concerned with is the final score. On the one hand, betting the moneyline makes things easier for bettors because the favorite doesn’t need to cover and betting an underdog yields a higher payout. But odds are much longer for favorites when the moneyline is involved, and it’s more difficult for an underdog to outright win than it is for them to cover. They’re the underdog for a reason, and as it pertains to the NBA, the league is rather top-heavy. Major upsets aren’t all that common.

An NBA over-under is not concerned with which team wins the game or which team covers. Instead, the over-under is a wager on whether the combined point totals of the two teams will go over or under the total set by oddsmakers. Bettors take into account how good or bad each team’s offense and defense are, as well as how fast the two teams play.

NBA player prop bets are bets on a player’s performance during a game. An example might be: Giannis Antetokounmpo point total over/under 30.5 points with odds of -115 for over and -115 for under. There are typically dozens of player props and team props (such as which team will have the most rebounds) available.

NBA alternate lines let you move the spread or total away from the main number for a different price. Taking a favorite at -9.5 instead of -5.5 pays more because the team has to win by more. Taking an underdog at +9.5 instead of +5.5 costs more because the cushion is bigger. Team totals work like game totals but only count one team’s score.

How the Latest NBA Odds Can Impact Your Betting Decision

You’ve heard of bad beats, situations in which bettors lose their bet on the final, occasionally meaningless, play of a game. It’s why it’s so important to find the absolute best value you can before placing a bet.

The difference between getting a team at +6 and +6.5 could be the difference between a push and a win if your team loses, 106-100. Similarly, that last-second 3-pointer in a blowout loss that pushes the point total to 234 might be a huge difference if you bet on the under at 233 instead of seeing it change to 235 closer to tip-off.

It matters, which is why we’ve placed such a heavy emphasis on it here, and why you should go to bookies.com, shop the odds and check out our free expert NBA picks.

Bet on the NBA Responsibly

Live betting and same-game parlays move fast. Decide your stake before the game starts and avoid adding bets at halftime to win back a loss. Every sportsbook on this page offers deposit limits and self-exclusion tools in its app.

You must be 21 or older to bet in most states. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.