Betting on the NBA can be a little different to betting on other sports because of the American influence that some of the NBA betting terminologies have.

How do you bet on the NBA?

1. Sign-up with an NBA betting site that accepts NZ players
2. Make a first deposit and claim your sign-up bonus
3. Find an NBA game or market to bet on
4. Decide how much you want to wager & place your bet!

Sounds simple huh? Well, it is!

If you're still unsure what kind of bets you can make on the NBA or what certain NBA terms mean, then check out the list of the most common NBA bets below.

Types of NBA Bets

🥇 Head to Head

Head to head to bets may have slightly different names depending on the bookmaker that you are using but they can also be called match result bets, moneyline bets or match winner bets. With a head to head bet, you are choosing the team that you think will win. There is no draw option with a head to head bet because NBA games go to overtime instead of ending as draws.

🔢 Total Points Scored

You can bet on the total number of points scored in an NBA game. The bookmaker will set a line, for example, 216 total points, and you must bet over or under this number. Alternatively, some bookmakers let you bet on whether the total number of points scored in a match will be an odd number or an even number. Unlike other NBA bets, there is no skill involved with an odd/even points bet.

⚖ Handicap Bet

A handicap bet or a point spread bet, is when the bookmaker gives one team a handicap (either plus or minus points) and then you bet on whether they will win with this handicap applied.

A margin bet works much the same way and when betting on the result you choose a margin with which the winning team will win by eg. between 1 and 10 points or 11+ points.

1️⃣ First Basket

As simple as it sounds, some basketball betting sites let you bet on who you think will score the first basket, or which team you think will score the first basket. With live basketball betting, you can also bet on which player, or team, will score the next basket and sometimes what kind of basket this will be eg. a 3-pointer, field goal or free throw.

⛹ Player Bets

There are many individual player bets available on the best basketball betting sites. Some of these include total points scored, number of free throws, number of three-pointers, minutes played and even if they will be ejected.

📅 Futures

NBA futures let you bet on games that might, or might not, be played in the future. For example, you can bet on which team will win the NBA playoffs, which teams will make the playoffs or which player will be the playoffs MVP.

We've ranked the best NBA betting sites for New Zealand players.

Best NBA Betting Sites 2024

1. 888sport → Money Back on NBA Multis
2. Bet365 → Best NBA Odds
3. Betway → Heaps of NBA and NZ Basketball Markets
4. LeoVegas → Great Betting App for the NBA
5. TonyBet → Deep selection of markets
6. Guts → Competitive NBA Odds
7. 22bet → Wide Range of Payment Options
8. Rabona → $1.90 Line Odds & Parlays
   
9. FansBet → Many College Basketball Games
   
10. Mr Play → Heaps of Additional Betting Features

If you're looking for the best NBA betting sign-up bonus then check out the list below.

If you are going to bet on the NBA and you want to maximise your winnings then there are a few key things that you can do.

Overall, you're going to want to make sure you understand what types of NBA bets are available, what the experts are predicting for the match you are going to bet on and also which NBA betting site gives you the best odds, plus any additional features that add to your betting experience.

1️⃣ Choose an NBA betting site that has the features you want

If you are looking to bet live you will want a top live betting site. If you are going to bet on your phone then you'll want a bookmaker with a good mobile betting app. If you want to pay with a specific payment method then you'll want to make sure your bookmaker offers this. Check out our New Zealand betting site reviews for all the information that you need to choose the bookmaker that's right for you.

2️⃣ Find some NBA tips and NBA predictions online

Before you bet on an NBA game you're going to want to know more about the players and teams that are competing. How have they been playing recently? Who is the home team? Are there any strengths or weaknesses that you should be aware of? Check out the sports blogs on Betway or 888sport for specific NBA predictions and NBA tips.

3️⃣ Understand the NBA betting markets that are available

There are heaps of different ways to bet on the NBA. You can bet live on who will score the next basket, or far in the future on who will win the NBA playoffs. Based on your research, look for markets where the bookmakers might have missed something and undervalued a certain bet.

4️⃣ Compare NBA odds between basketball betting sites

This is key to maximising your winnings. Different NBA betting sites all have slightly different odds and these can change over time so compare different bookies, and their odds, to find out who is offering the best value. Our experts have seen that 888sport, Bet365 and Betway often have the best NBA odds.

5️⃣ Place your bet at the right time

Odds are always changing on NBA betting sites, especially the closer to the final buzzer you get. With live betting, odds change after each basket as one team gets further ahead or drops behind. If you familiarize yourself with how these odds change over time you will see patterns and discover when the best time to place your bet is. For example, if you are placing a futures bet on a favourite to win the playoffs, we recommend betting early because if your team has success their odds will likely decrease throughout the season.

❌ Don't forget about NBA bonuses!

The best NBA betting sites offer sign-up bonuses and promotional offers for existing players. Some of these are for free bets, others give you bet credits, while some offers refund losing bets. Check out all the best New Zealand betting site bonuses here.

If you don't really care about getting more money then you don't need to read this section. However, if like every NBA bettor, you want to get the biggest returns on your bets then you're going to want to find the best NBA odds.

Often, finding the best odds just means taking a few minutes to compare the NBA odds on different NZ bookmakers but there are a couple of other ways to get higher odds and bigger winnings too.

Here's are some ways to get even better NBA odds:

1. Compare odds between NBA betting sites - You can figure out which bookmaker has the best NBA odds for your specific bet by comparing a few different sites. You don't need to be signed in to do this but if you create a free account placing your bet will be quicker later on.
   
2. Utilize odds boosts and promotional offers - Most NBA betting sites have bonuses and promotions that are available to new and existing players in their 'Promotions' section. No matter what these promotions are they will make your bet cheaper. Some NBA specific bonuses include odds boosts, money-back specials and NBA Multi boosts.
3. Place Multis and get multiplied odds - By combing multiple bets into one your odds will be multiplied so your returns are even higher. When you choose more than 4 or 5 selections on a Multi, some NBA betting sites will give you additionally boosted odds or money-back insurnce if your bet loses by one selection.
4. Bet live to take advantage of climbing odds - In-play NBA odds are always changing. For example, if one NBA team goes down by a few baskets early, their odds to win the match will increase slightly and you can use these live-odds to get higher returns.

NBA bonuses can be awarded to punters in the form of sign-up bonuses/welcome offers or as promotional bonuses that are available for existing New Zealand players.

Note that we like the 888sport bonus the most because for just a $10 deposit you get $30 in free bets. As such, this offer is great for beginners.

If you are already a bettor at any of these sites, or you also want more NBA bonuses, then you will also be able to nab some of these different bonuses depending on the bookmaker you choose.

NBA bonuses for existing customers

• Free Bets
• Enhanced Odds
• Money Back
• Odds boosts
• Deposit bonuses
• Multi boosts
• Early Payout
  

Check out our specific betting site reviews to see what kind of NBA bonuses each bookmaker offers or our bonus offers page to learn more about different bookmaker bonuses.

The NBA may be the focus of this page but we thought that it was only right to also mention the NBL.

The NBL could mean two different things in New Zealand and, confusingly, they both stand for the National Basketball League.

🇳🇿 NZ NBL - New Zealand's biggest domestic basketball competition. The NBL is currently undergoing changes but the next season is set to feature 9 teams - Southland Sharks, Nelson Giants, Canterbury Rams, Wellington Saints, Manawatu Jets, Hawke’s Bay Hawks, Taranaki Mountainairs and Franklin Bulls and the Otago Nuggets. Overall, the Wellington Saints have the most number of wins, claiming their 11th title in 2019 following a perfect 20-0 season.

🇦🇺 Australia NBL - Australia's biggest basketball competition also featuring one New Zealand team, the New Breakers. The eight Australian NBL teams are the Adelaide 36ers, Brisbane Bullets, Cairns Taipans, The Hawks, Melbourne United, Perth Wildcats, South East Melbourne Phoenix and the Sydney Kings. The Perth Wildcats have the most NBL championship with 10.

Betting on both NBL's is popular in both New Zealand and Australia. The best NBL betting sites in New Zealand are Bet365, Betway and 888sport because they offer the most NBL markets and competitively priced odds for all NBL matches.