NBA Futures Betting
NBA futures are a type of bet at NBA betting sites in which you wager on the outcome of some NBA event that takes place in the future. These bets are different than typical moneylines or point spreads, though, because they usually have more to do with who will win certain tournaments or how a specific team’s record will look at the end of the season.
Best NBA Betting Sites For Futures Bets
NBA betting futures can take many forms, but a common one at NBA betting websites has to do with who will win a conference title or the NBA Finals Championship. In these type of NBA futures, the betting site displays a list of teams that you can bet on and their associated payout odds.
NBA Futures Betting Example
This example is a common one that you will find at most NBA sports betting websites. In this example, you have the opportunity to place a bet on who you think will win the NBA Finals Championship.
Odds To Win NBA Championship
Miami Heat 11/5
Boston Celtics 5/1
Orlando Magic 10/1
Denver Nuggets 40/1
Atlanta Hawks 55/1
In reality you will see a full list of every NBA team and their associated betting odds. We’ve only list a few teams in this example. The odds next to each team tell you how much you can expect to be paid if you pick that team and win your bet.
The Miami Heat in this example are considered the most likely to win. The Boston Celtics have a good shot at winning too, but their payout odds are better because they are considered long shots compared to the Miami Heat. As a team’s chances of winning the NBA Finals Championship go down, the payout odds for that team go up.
For example, a successful bet on the Denver Nuggets would pay out 40/1. This means that if you wager $100 on the Nuggets and they end up winning, you would get a $4,000 payout.
NBA Futures Betting Strategy
NBA futures betting can be profitable if done with the right strategy. First of all, you have to do your homework and know exactly what’s going on in the NBA world all the time. Nothing is more important in sports betting than being up to date and knowledgeable.
For NBA futures betting in particular, you are best served by avoiding the big time long shot teams. There’s a reason NBA betting sites are willing to offer odds of 100/1 or higher on major long shots – that’s because they won’t win. Instead of hoping for a miracle, look for teams that are paying anywhere from 2/1 to 15/1.
NBA futures are usually pretty predictable, but if you want to get value for your money, you cannot just pick the top team every year. NBA betting sites purposely undervalue the best teams because they know everyone will bet on those teams regardless. If you do bet on a favorite team, try placing a secondary bet on another team as a hedge. That will significantly improve your chances of walking away with a profit.