By Betmaker Team
It did not take long for live, in-game betting to become an online gambling sensation. That is especially so for those who bet on NBA games. In the minds of many, the Association offers the best live betting opportunities of any sport. Player and team props betting has come to rival regular NBA spread betting in popularity and handicapping potential. That is in line with how NBA betting relates so well to fantasy sports wagering. Let’s examine how NBA live betting props work and what to consider. We’ll also investigate potential pitfalls to avoid.
NBA Live Betting Props Overview
Before each NBA game, you will see an assortment of prop bets on both the teams and players involved in the game. Such items as if a player will score over or under a certain number of points, rebounds, or assists are the most common prop offerings. Various team props include which club will be the first to score ten or 20 points in a game, shoot the most three-pointers, compile the most rebounds, etc. Live betting takes these props and updates new lines for them as the game progresses. You will often see live betting props lines vastly different from what was posted before the game. And that is the entire point of live betting!
Over Under on Player Scoring
Let’s say that there was a pregame prop bet on James Harden to score 35 points in a game. And as the game progresses, Harden is falling far short of the pace to make it to 35 points by the end of the game. This situation is where the live betting props lines may offer an opportunity. If a gambler believes that Harden is overdue to get back on track, they will take Harden over the total for the live in-game props line posted. Remember that Harden may go over the total for the live betting props bet, even as he fails to go over the total on the original pregame props odds.
The opposite type of bet is also possible. If Harden is way ahead of pace to go over 35 points for his pregame props scoring total, a gambler may consider under the total for the rest of the game.
This comparison shopping is the beauty of live betting props for NBA games. You can get a better price on specific NBA props with live betting than you could on the regular pregame odds. These same principles apply to the player over under props for rebounding, assists, points, or combinations of those three.
Player vs. Player Matchups
One of the most popular props bets is player vs. player. Even for hardcore gamblers that sneer at props being an amateur hour endeavor, player vs. player props are impossible to resist. Imagine Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. LeBron James on a prop bet for who scores the most in the game. Or Giannis vs. Joel Embiid, for which player will have the most rebounds in a matchup. You will also see combo props for player matchups, such as which player will have the most assists, rebounds, and points in a game.
Live betting takes these props to a new and more exciting level. As the game progresses, you may see vastly different odds than what was originally the case. And that is when you may visit the opportunity for a potential bargain, compared to the pregame odds.
First Team to Score X Amount of Points
On the pregame NBA props board, you will often see a wager for which of the two teams in a game will be the first to score a certain number of points. Usually, that point total is 10 or 20, but sometimes other counts are offered. If one team or another gets off to an extreme start in that endeavor, live betting will provide the opportunity to make a corrective bet. Or you can go with the underperforming team to get its act together if the live props line is advantageous enough.
You can also shop comparative NBA live betting props on team totals for free throws, rebounds, three-pointers, etc.
The key to success with NBA live betting props is to be selective. The poker adage about the fewer hands you play, the more you win applies here.
