Table of Contents:
- Moneyline Bets Explained
- Finding The Value
- Moneyline Variance
Over/under bets in basketball are very different from moneyline or pointspread bets. Serious basketball bettors tend to favor O/U bets more than recreational gamblers. personally, I make over / under wagers all of the time but I always bet on other things as well. I have to have a team to root for. Most novice sports bettors find this kind of wager to be boring. They are missing out though. Your first objective in basketball betting is to win money and you can't afford to ignore a possible edge. Online sportsbooks don't make a habit of giving away money for free but you will find at least one solid over/under bet per week if you know what to look for. I'm getting ahead of myself though. What is an over/under bet in basketball? You will be betting on the final combined score of the game. This guide will explain how basketball O/U bets work and teach you the basics on successfully placing over/under wagers at an online sportsbook. Please visit our other basketball betting guides below.
Basketball Over/Under bets Explained
Betting on the combined score of a basketball game looks easy to most novice sports bettors. It may even seem like a coin-flip bet that requires little skill. Luckily for most inexperienced and recreational bettors they do not make many of these wagers because doing so lacks the thrill of rooting for a team. It doesn't matter which team wins by you make an o/u bet. It doesn't matter how many points they win by either. In most cases you won't even get excited about a 3-pointer until the final 5-10 minutes of the game. Neglecting these bets can be costly though, even if you don't know it. Here is an example of an over/under or game totals bet looks like at an online sportsbook:
- Dallas Mavericks Vs Miami Heat: Over 189 (-115), Under 189 (-105)
If you bet on the combined score being over 189 you will need to wager $115 to win $100. If you bet on the score being under 189 you will need to wager $105 to win $100. Some bookmakers display these bets differently:
- Dallas Mavericks Vs Miami Heat: Over 189 (11/10), Under 189 (11/10)
All you need to do to determine the simpler format used in the first example is add a 0 to the end of each number: 110/100. A $110 bet on over or under is required to win $100. Here are some o/u bet related questions and answers:
Q. What happens if there is a tie on an over/under bet?
A.
The reputable online sportsbooks listed on this site will refund all wagers that result in a tie, or push. Some shady bookmakers consider a tie to be a loss so it is always best to stick with the popular books.
Q. What happens if the game goes into overtime on a over/under bet?
A. Over/under bets are based on the final score of the basketball game, regardless of overtime.
Best Sportsbooks For Basketball Betting
| Sportsbook | U.S. Citizens? | Deposit Bonus | Sportsbook Review | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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10% Instant Cash Credit | Bodog Sportsbook Review | Visit |
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$100 Free Play Bonus | Bovada Sportsbook Review | Visit |
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All Sportsbooks |
over/Under Basketball betting tips, strategies & tactics
When you are looking for a good O/U bet on a basketball game you should look at both team's recent games. Taking the average scores for the first three games in a series is always useful in predicting the final combined score for the fourth game. there are some things you need to watch out for though. If a high scoring player was injured or fouled out early during the last match that could make previous score unreliable. This is where you have to pay close attention to the last few games for both teams. The total combined score for the previous game will be useless if the best defensive player on one of the teams sat on the bench for half the game due to a minor injury or something like that.
Over Under bet Variance - which sportsbook offers the best basketball O/U odds?
A $10 bill in your wallet may be worth $11 at one sportsbook and $9 at another. You should always check out the over/under lines at several online sportsbooks. The odds will be different as will the score you are betting on. I just checked the over/under stats for the next basketball game at my favorite sportsbooks and there was a 10 point difference between the highest and lowest (176 @ Bet365 & 186 @ Bodog). Throwing action on both is the perfect way to hedge your bets. If you bet on over 176 at Bet365 and under 186 at Bodog you will drastically increase your odds and limit your risk. This is called Arbitraging. Here is a breakdown of the different O/U odds at three of the best basketball sports books online today.
Game: Dallas Mavericks Vs Miami Heat
- Bodog's O/U - Over 186 (-115), Under 186 (-105)
- BetOnline.com's O/U - Over 182 (-105), Under 186 (+110)
- Bet365's O/U - Over 176 (-110), Under 187 (-115)
BetOnline offers the best odds on an over/under wager but Bodog and Bet365 are at opposite ends of the spectrum. One of these sportsbooks if completely off. They certainly both can't be right. If you can determine which one off you can win a lot of money.
Let's take a look at the lines now. If you bet on $500 on Under here are the payouts at each of these three books:
- BetOnline: $550
- Bodog: $476.19
- Bet365: 434.78
So you will need to consider both the actual over/under number and the lines to find a good over/under bet for a basketball game. Around 5-10% of your basketball wagers should be on over/unders. You can go much higher if you are comfortable with it but always make a couple each week.