The NBA playoffs are underway once again and all basketball fans are looking to predict the winners and losers. After a long regular season, the best teams from the East and West are currently battling out for the right to progress to the finals series.
Those that want to take their interest a little further will often get involved with the basketball betting markets. The prices have been published and are currently being considered by bettors across North America. Before making the next step, it’s important to know what to look for when assessing the odds for each game.
Starting Points- the NBA Playoffs
While looking to get started, it’s important to decide on which markets you want to get involved with. At this late stage of the NBA season, many of the ‘Futures’ bets such as Divisional winners have been decided.
It is, however, still possible to stake on the NBA Champions and the two Conference winners. Moneyline markets will be quoted for every single game in the postseason while each of those matches will also contain a series of Prop bets.
Moneyline betting on the match winner remains a popular choice among the betting community but it’s ultimately down to personal preference. Having made that decision, it’s time to move on.
Should you Listen to the Public?
As you check the odds for the NBA playoffs, you can certainly listen to the verdict of the sportsbooks. The odds setters have taken on board the views of the public and have set the prices accordingly.
The favorites have been declared but the underdog has the capacity to cause an upset. Should you bet with the public and get behind the team with the shorter odds or is there a surprise in store? While analyzing those odds, you need to find ways to help you make up your own mind.
Do Your Own Research
As the playoffs arrive, the betting community has a whole host of stats to assess. A grueling regular season has just been completed and the results from those initial rounds of games can offer trends moving forward.
Who are the form teams overall and who has the better records in the closing stages of that regular season? Be aware of coaches who have rested key players and tried out new tactics in games where they are playing much weaker opposition.
Results can be deceptive sometimes and team selection can be a factor. In general, however, form is a strong guide.
Now it’s time to move on and assess any head to head results between the two sets of opponents. Have the two teams already met during the regular season? If so, the results of those matches can provide some useful pointers for their next encounter.
If the franchises have played each other in previous postseason games, those results can also be useful. However, it’s important not to go too far back in time. Opinions may differ but playoff scores from the last two seasons will be the most relevant.
Home court advantage is another factor to consider. While there can be exceptions, a team will generally return better results in their home arena than they will on the road.
Take a look at the draw for the playoffs. With each tie being a best of seven-game encounter, one team will be at home for four of those games while playing on the road for the remaining three. There are no guarantees but the franchise with four home games may have a slight advantage.
Check the Team News
Research is the most important weapon to use when analyzing NBA odds and your work hasn’t stopped just yet. We’ve touched on the question of injuries and how they can upset the balance of a team so make sure you check in on the news updates.
The official NBA site is a good place to acquire latest news while all the major US media outlets will also provide sources of information. Absences of any kind can affect a team so remember to stay in the loop.
Look for Value
There is value for money to be found in all areas of consumerism and sports betting is no exception. It’s important to make sure that your chosen sportsbook is providing competitive odds that are not out of step with the rest of the industry.
Odds comparison websites can help you identify this point. Just a few checks of the NBA section should offer clarity as to who is giving value and who should be avoided.
Offers and promotions can enhance that value. Free bets, matched deposits and price boosts can all lift returns, subject to terms and conditions.
The NBA playoff odds are in place and, by using all of these tips, you can analyze the prices effectively while giving yourself a better chance of claiming some returns.
