How to make NBA underdog bets on Sportsbet.io

The National Basketball Association has 30 teams where you can find contenders and underdogs. Underdog betting relies on upsetting the winning predictions, resulting in higher payouts. Find out how it works here before you place your NBA wagers.

Some people are not yet aware of the meaning of underdog—it’s a sports term that pertains to the weaker side or the team less likely to win the match. Underdog victories can feel cathartic when you get them right. However, a few factors must be considered before you try NBA underdog betting.

Read below to learn how to make underdog bets on the NBA here at Sportsbet.io:

See the odds on basketball outrights

How does NBA underdog betting spread work?

Spread betting predicts how many points a team will win a game by. For example, if you’re betting on a game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Boston Celtics, the odds will point to a victory for the latter. From a spread betting perspective, you will most likely bet on the Celtics winning with a +6.5 margin.

Betting on the Celtics will result in you needing a victory with a lead of 7 points or more. A Blazers bet will need to result in an outright Blazers win or a Celtics win with a lead of 6 points and below.

The underdog spread betting will involve staking on the Blazers because you believe they can win or at least keep it between a 1-point or a 6-point lead after 48 minutes.

What betting markets are the best options for NBA underdog betting?

As you look around Sportsbet.io’s NBA betting markets, there are options for specific underdog bets. You point to these markets for people who ask, ‘how does underdog betting work?’ because they work well as summaries. Check them out below:

• Winner: This is the simplest market because you can see the obvious difference between the favoured and underdog teams. Betting on the latter will be the textbook example of NBA underdogs betting.

• Handicap: Since this is made to level the playing field between the favourite and underdog, this can function as an underdog bet and essentially the same as a point spread betting NBA wager. This favours the underdog because all they have to do is reach a certain score, while the favourite has to dominate.

• Quarter - Winning margin: This involves betting on how much a team can win in a quarter. For example, if the Los Angeles Clippers and the San Antonio Spurs play, the former will likely win the first quarter. However, you can favour the Spurs to have a good start as the underdog in basketball betting.

NBA underdog betting odds formats explained

The odds help you determine the likely and less likely events that can unfold in the game. You will mostly see these numbers accompanying betting markets to help you identify the favourites and the underdog betting odds.

Your NBA underdog picks will be much better if you keep a mindful eye on these numbers and adjust accordingly to the odds. They come in different formats, but their context remains the same regardless. Here’s what you can use for your NBA point spread bets at Sportsbet.io:

• American: Also known as Moneyline odds, the numbers are accompanied by either plus (+) or minus (-) symbols. The positive numbers are for the underdogs because they can net you bigger money, while the negative odds are for the safer favourite bets.

• Decimal: Every $1 wager will be multiplied by the odds to calculate the potential payout. At the same time, lower numbers are favourites, while higher ones are for underdog bets.

• Hong Kong: This type of odds will centre on 1. The favourites have odds lower than 1, while the underdogs have more than 1. The odds exactly at 1 will net you a 1/1 payout. Add 1 to the underdogs or subtract 1 from the favourites and multiply the odds with every $1 wager.

Identifying the best bet: How can you find the best NBA underdogs

If you're following an NBA underdog betting system, it's not just simply choosing a weaker side to wager on. You need to look into certain qualities to assure yourself that the underdog can pull off an upset and win against the dominant team.

Here are some characteristics that make up a solid underdog wager:

• The underdog is heavily underrated: You have to look at the team that makes sense as the underdog, but they should not be underestimated. A team like the Oklahoma City Thunder appears as the underdogs but is tough to play against due to their scrappy energy.

• The playstyles matter: People often forget that contrasting playstyles matter for betting. A slower team like the Phoenix Suns will most likely struggle against a fast-paced New York Knicks squad.

• The team is from a smaller market: Sometimes, the NBA has a big market bias. A team like the Los Angeles Lakers can be considered favourites, but they are not that strong of a team. Compare this to a smaller market like the Sacramento Kings, who have returned to prominence but are not getting the same attention and love from the odds and analysts.

What makes the best NBA underdog teams?

While you know the characteristics of the bet itself, you should know how to identify the NBA’s underdogs. This will be important as you bet against the spread and general underdog wagers.

• Underdog teams have a scrappy mentality: Whenever you plan to bet on underdogs, you should know that these teams love to play with scrappy energy. Playing hard against favourites will require avoiding complacency.

• Some underdogs still have superstar players: Think of the OKC Thunder with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Trail Blazers with Damian Lillard. They might be underdogs, but having a superstar can tip the scales.

• Solid underdogs embrace their status: Some teams and players love being doubted because that is the motivation they need. It is important to remember that underdogs will play their hardest because they want to prove everyone wrong.

Why you should try NBA underdog betting

Underdog betting is an exciting experience in the NBA, and you can do that for the regular season or even any NBA Playoff series. Any bet on the less likely winner of the game will net you a higher payout than betting on favourites since doing so is riskier. However, you should always be aware of the NBA underdog winning percentage so you can see their chances of winning and gauge what kind of wager you can make.

Place your underdog NBA bets at Sportsbet.io

Here atSportsbet.io, you can find competitive markets and reliable odds for betting NBA underdogs. The site offers features that make your bets more enjoyable using Betslip and Betbuilder, which can track and combine all of your bets into a big wager.

You can even use your mobile app to make underdog bets, giving you a fun, fast, and fair betting experience you won’t get anywhere else.

FAQs

Here are the most commonly asked questions about underdog betting here at Sportsbet.io.

How to tell an underdog from betting odds?

Depending on the type of betting odds, the higher the potential payout, the more they’re considered the underdog.

What point spread do you take if you’re betting on the underdog to win?

Experts believe a loss by only a few points is the safest bet for point spread betting. However, you should also try betting on the underdog to win if you believe in them.

What if underdog teams win in spread betting?

That will result in a huge reward for the punters who placed a bet on the underdog.

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