Sports bettors around the world now have access to make so many different types of wagers across a lot of professional leagues, but one of them continues to stand out among the rest of the pack.

The National Football League drives the most rating of any other sport worldwide. International football (soccer) is big as well, but the NFL is watched around the globe. Not only that, its games — especially those on Sunday and Monday nights — are ranked as the top-watched television events every single year, without fail. And then there’s Major League Baseball, which is American’s favorite pastime, as the league was founded in 1903. 

But when it comes to keeping fans engaging, and betting on games, it’s all about the National Basketball Association. The NBA is an action-packed, highlight-driven league, and it’s driven by superstar play. Only five players suit up and play on each team, which allows fans to focus on only one player during a game, if they’re interested. Sportsbooks have been capitalizing on that as well, as fans can bet over/unders for players’ points, assists, rebounds — or a combination of the three, if it tickles their fancy — and more! This is one of the hottest NBA betting trends taking place right now, for many reasons.

Feb 16, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Team LeBron forward LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with his team after winning the 2020 NBA All Star Game at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

But there are so many other ways to bet the league as well, so follow along as we discuss some NBA betting tips

The first and most simple way to bet is to wager on the spread, which is how most casual bettors get involved with handicapping the league. NBA tips and trends dictate which teams play well in which spots — such as with a certain officiating crew, on a day of the week, off a win or loss, playing on back-to-back nights, and more — and bettors can wager on or agains that trend by backing a team. They have two options to do so as well, with the opportunity to lay or take points for or against the spread — or on the moneyline. For example, if a bettor takes the Warriors -3.5, they will need to win by at least four points for them to win their bet. Taking the moneyline is a lot simpler, though, as the team only needs to win straight up. Although, sometimes the odds can be a bit steep, so NBA betting explained shows that that route isn’t always the best value play.

And then there’s over-unders. Fans can bet whether or not a specific game will go over or under a posted point total. For example, if the over/under for Knicks/Wizards is 219.5, and the final score has New York winning, 110-108, then anyone who took the over would lose, while under backers would win, as that’s only 218 points. This is a popular method of betting as some handicappers actually have computer programs to track metrics that can greatly influence point totals, such as pace of play, number of possessions per game, offensive scoring ability and defensive efficiency. These handicappers, such as Doc’s Sports Service, can simply crunch the numbers using a computer program, and then they’ll have projected score outcomes for a specific game, dictating if they should bet it over or under.

Feb 16, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Team LeBron forward LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots between Team Giannis forward Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors (left), guard Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors (center) and center Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers (right) during the fourth quarter during the 2020 NBA All Star Game at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Futures are another popular way for fans to bet, as there are so many options to look at here. First off, bettors can wager on if a team will go over or under a posted win total before a season begins. Each team plays in 82 regular-season games, so oddsmakers decide how many games they believe a team will win, and bettors can wager if they’ll go over or under it. Futures are also a way to bet, as people can wager whether or not a team will win their division, make the playoffs, win their conference or even the NBA title. Those who bet on the Warriors over the past five years sure won a lot of money, as Golden State went to five consecutive NBA finals, winning titles in three of those years. They sure aren’t going to be repeating this year, though, although two of the other California teams — the Lakers and Clippers — are drawing a lot of action from bettors.

Now that you know how to bet, you can make a wager before watching an NBA game in the future. Good luck!