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If you love the NBA and you like to make a wager every now and again, then you might want to try live, or in-game, betting as we’ve covered previously for other sports like the NFL. Below we discuss several betting strategies to sharpen up your in-game wagers and help you with your NBA picks!
Trust Your Eyes
It’s one thing to research a matchup between two teams, scour the injury reports, and note how the teams have fared against each other over the recent past in order to give you the information needed to bet on one side or the other.
But it’s another to be able to watch the teams play live and determine what you are going to bet as the action is happening. NBA live betting is a whole new world and we like it because we can see how the players look and determine if the patterns are likely to change.
So, what do we mean by patterns? Let’s assume the Clippers are 0-6 from beyond the arc and 2-of-14 overall but are only trailing by seven points. The in-game odds, whether it be the point spread or money line, are going to be much more enticing on the Clippers because they are not only losing but shooting poorly. This is a down pattern and it’s so bad that we know there’s no place to go but up. Let’s call it a progression to the mean.
This would be an ideal time to bet the Clippers either in the game, the half, or maybe even the quarter if there is enough time left for them to get hot. Similarly, we can see a bad team shooting the lights out and we know that won’t last so we can anticipate a regression to the mean. This would be an ideal time to fade that team and bet on their opponent.
But the bottom line is to watch the game if you are going to bet during the game. You need to see how the players look in transition. Are they getting back quickly or are they slowly jogging back into position, maybe even limping slightly?
If a team looks gassed, take advantage and bet the other side. While there is no such thing as easy money, these telltale signs are often a prime indicator that something is wrong and there is no way you’ll know this unless you are watching the game and trusting your eyes.
Bet During the Breaks
NBA action can be hot and heavy so by the time you are ready to make an in-game bet, there could already be a scoring chance. It’s a frenetic pace and it can lead to hurrying your bets just to have action. That is never a good idea so take a deep breath, lower your heart rate, and wait.
That’s right, wait for a timeout so that you can consider which players are in foul trouble, how many timeouts each team has, and evaluate the recent pattern.
When there is a break in the action you can quickly do this and then make your bet. There’s no need to make a bet if you have to do so under duress. This is a thinking man’s game and you need to use your mind to evaluate the ebb and flow of the contest. There is no better time to do so than during the breaks.
Choose Your Sportsbook Wisely
Make sure you check out all of the U.S.-licensed sportsbooks in your jurisdiction. The lines are not all the same and neither are the live NBA betting features. Some dashboards, like Bet365’s (check our Bet365 Review), are super easy to navigate while others take a little more patience to become accustomed to them. But the only way you will be able to distinguish which one is right for you is to explore them all.
And while signing up for accounts at sportsbooks isn’t the most exciting thing you’ll do all day, what you should be aware of is that virtually every licensed sportsbook offers some very enticing sign-up bonuses and promotions. Take full advantage of them!
Beyond that, it is always important to get the best line out there but you won’t be able to do that if you can’t get access to all of the sites. Always have at least two or more different outs so that you can get the best NBA odds whether it be on in-game betting or any other kind for that matter.
