NBA Playoffs Betting Guide: here's the best sites for betting on the NBA finals in 2023

NBA playoffs betting starts with the Play-In Tournament and ends with the final game of the NBA Finals. The schedule begins in April and finishes in June, giving bettors plenty of time to wager and cash in on games.

With so much at stake for these teams that play in upward of seven-game series, the way you can go about betting can be somewhat different than the regular season. And that’s where the need for an NBA playoffs betting guide comes in.

Below, we’ll cover what to expect from the guide for the playoffs and NBA finals betting.

Best NBA Playoffs Betting Explained

Whether it’s NBA championship betting or another playoff game, some tips we have below are exclusive to this situation. On top of that, we’ll provide some general tips that make betting more enjoyable, easier, and last longer. We have nine tips below for NBA championship betting and the other playoff games. Let’s dive in.

1. Review Injury Reports

Basketball is one of few sports in which a single player can change the entire dynamic of a game. With five players on the court on each side, the absence of a high-level player can make all the difference. Sure, an injury could allow for a lesser-known player to step up, but in the playoffs, having that star power on the team you want to wager on makes it all the more safe and comfortable to do so.

Injury reports are available daily. If something is unclear, we recommend waiting to bet until the next game in the series or engaging in NBA live betting instead.

2. Set a Bankroll Budget

While depositing $50 and betting it here and there can be easy, we’d recommend the “long game.” What we mean by this is depositing money and wagering anywhere from 1% to 10% on each bet. This helps you diversify your wagers and stay betting for much longer while preserving your bankroll through the playoffs and betting on the NBA finals.

3. Dont Overthink It

With money on the line, it’s understandable that you’ll want to cross all the t’s and dot all the I’s. However, sometimes we can talk ourselves in and out of bets because of our own trepidation. On top of not overthinking it, if you’re having trouble deciding which direction to bet, either wait to bet on the game live or wait until the next game—there’s no sense in betting for the sake of it, even it if is NBA championship betting.

4. Pay Attention To Teams That Were Blown Out

Whether it's NBA finals betting online or another playoff game, pay close attention to teams in the postseason that get blown out. The reason is most of the time, they bounce back. One factor to consider for this is time off between games, but another is whether or not the team that got blown out is playing at home next.

Sportsbooks may tend to overrate the team that did the blowing out in the next game, so this is a prime opportunity to bet on the underdog.

5. Watch For Home Point Spread Underdogs

For NBA finals betting online or other playoff games, it may be rare for the home team to be an underdog outside of the first round, but even then, consider taking them as an underdog on the point spread. Teams reach the postseason because they were better than however many teams below their seeding to make the playoffs. Playing in front of their home crowd matters, which we’ll look at in the next tip.

6. Home Court Advantage Matters

It ties in with an underdog, but a favorite, too. We cannot underestimate the power of the adrenaline a home team might get. There are more seedings involved in the NBA playoffs nowadays, but you can also look at their home/road splits to see how they perform at home and add that to the equation.

7. Live Betting Hedging

When a bet on a game before it starts, you do so with the best intentions. Well, it can go one of two ways—good or bad. It’s that simple.

With live betting hedging, this gives you a chance to either double down on your bet that’s going well to increase your bankroll. Conversely, if it’s not going so well, you can bet in the opposite direction in an attempt to either minimize your losses or come away with a smaller profit than anticipated.

8. The Third Game In A Series

If you’re looking at a playoff series in which a team is down 0-2, this is a great spot to place a bet on the losing team in the series. This only gets amplified if they’re set to play at home, which is usually the case if the team down 0-2 is the lower-seeded team.

So, to avoid getting swept and in front of their home crowd, consider wagering on the team down 0–2 in Game 3.

9. Focus On Key Statistics

• Individual Player Stats: As mentioned, basketball is a sport where one player can make a difference. See how the star players on the team performed that year and more recently.
• Per Game Statistics: This applies to points, rebounds, assists, and opponent points per game. Rebounds are arguably the most important here, especially if a team does well with offensive rebounds because this allows for second chances. Also, if a team scores many points and is playing against a team that allows a lot, this is a fairly rudimentary analysis, but sometimes it’s easier to keep it simple. You can also look into offensive and defensive efficiency stats.
• Pace of Play: This ties in with the scoring, but if two teams are playing against one another and one is more up-tempo and the other ranks toward the bottom, this is a stat to target, especially if the faster-paced team is the underdog.
• Days Off Splits: There are splits available for teams playing on 0-3 days rest, and this will show season-long trends. Even though these series involve the same teams, it’s something to consider, especially if there’s a glaring difference.
• Matchup History: Before betting on the NBA finals, teams will play against each other from their respective conferences, Western & Eastern Thus, they’ll have some history against one another that season—check this out to see how they do against one another.

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NBA Playoffs Betting and NBA Finals Betting Guide By State

Legal online sports betting is available in more than half of the United States. Below is a table showing a handful of states where NBA playoffs betting is legal and the ages you need to be there to wager.

Getting Started Betting On NBA Finals Betting

If you are not sure how to get started, be sure to follow our handy tips below.

• Check our reviews: Review our NBA sportsbooks and our thoughts on the welcome bonuses there. Decide which combination works best for you.
• Choose your platform: Visit their desktop site or download their NBA betting app.
• Register for an account: You’ll need to provide information such as your name, date of birth, last four digits of your social security number, and more.
• Complete checks: After you’ve created an account, the sportsbook will run geolocation software to confirm you reside in a state where sports betting is legal.
• Make your deposit: Go to the deposit/cashier’s page, find the method you want to use, and complete it—remember the welcome bonus when doing so.
• Find your bets: Go back to the homepage and find the NBA betting section.
• Place your bets: Find the game/bet you want to make, add it to the betslip, and complete your wager.

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Conclusion on NBA Playoffs Betting

NBA playoffs betting can be some of the most exciting wagering options you’ll participate in. Not only will you bet on series with up to seven games, but this is a prime opportunity for sportsbooks to offer exclusive bonuses and promotions to up the ante on your bets.

Here, we hope to have provided nine tips that will make your NBA playoffs betting more successful and some insight into how you could conduct your betting as a whole.

For new bettors, our “getting started” guide above will get you up and running when it comes to betting, and from there, you can start implementing our tips.