How To Bet On The NBA Finals – Complete Guide
It doesn’t get more exciting than betting on the NBA Finals!
The League’s Finals have become quite a spectacle these days. Not only has there been a substantial increase in viewership, but wagering action on the event has grown massively.
NBA Finals betting interest is now at an all-time high, and there are plenty of opportunities to make a profit with the wide variety of markets sportsbooks offer.
Read on to learn everything you need to know to bet on the NBA championship this season. Our experts have laid out all the details for you to place your bets like a pro.
Betting On The NBA Finals
Best NBA Finals Betting Sites 2023
NBA Finals Betting Odds
Ready to predict the NBA Finals winner? Check out the latest odds to win the NBA Championship in the table below.
Odds To Win The 2023 NBA Championship
| Team |  |
|---|---|
| BOSTON CELTICS | +450 |
| MILWAUKEE BUCKS | +450 |
| DENVER NUGGETS | +550 |
| PHOENIX SUNS | +500 |
| LOS ANGELES LAKERS | +1200 |
| GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS | +1200 |
| LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS | +2000 |
| PHILADEPHIA 76ERS | +2000 |
| MIAMI HEAT | +2500 |
| DALLAS MAVERICS | +2500 |
| CLEVELAND CAVALIERS | +2500 |
| MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES | +2800 |
| NEW ORLEANS PELICANS | +4000 |
| SANCRAMENTO KINGS | +4000 |
| NEW YORK KNICKS | +5000 |
| OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER | +7000 |
| MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES | +7000 |
| ATLANTA HAWKS | +8000 |
| BROOKLYN NETS | +10000 |
| TORONTO RAPTORS | +10000 |
| PORTLAND TRAI BLAZERS | +15000 |
| CHICAGO BULLS | +15000 |
| HOUSTON ROCKETS | +25000 |
| ORLANDO MAGIC | +25000 |
| INDIANA PACERS | +25000 |
| UTAH JAZZ | +25000 |
| SAN ANTONIO SPURS | +25000 |
| WASHINGTON WIZARDS | +50000 |
| CHARLOTTE HORNETS | +50000 |
| DETROIT PISTONS | +50000 |
Bet On The NBA Championship With A Credit Card!
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How To Bet On The NBA Finals In 2023
The NBA Championship is the biggest basketball event in the world. Two teams will battle to see who takes home the NBA’s biggest prize.
This is the most popular time for betting on the NBA online for fans of the league.
Here are the steps you should follow to place your wagers. Don’t forget to look for the best NBA betting bonuses before placing your bets.
Choose How You Want To Bet
You can either bet on a game-by-game basis or on the entire series. If you want to bet game by game, which is recommended, focusing on game lines versus series odds makes a lot more sense.Research Your Team
Look at a team’s path to the NBA Finals. Did they play a bunch of injury-riddled teams, or did they have multiple hard-fought series?
Did they play in multiple long six, or seven-game series, or did they take care of teams in four games?
This info will allow you to predict team performance and if they are beginning to get tired due to playing a lot of games.Choose Your Side
If you are betting on the entire series then this will be quite easy, but if you want to go game-by-game it will be a bit more complicated.
One thing to keep in mind if you are betting game-by-game is that these series seem to go back and forth. Value can be found in major differences in the total or spread if the teams haven’t changed much.Choose An Online Sportsbook
At this point, you should have the team you want to bet on and exactly how you want to bet on them.
Now you need to go and open a sports betting account at a trusted sportsbook. Make sure to take advantage of sign-up bonuses.Place Your NBA Finals Bet
Find the NBA finals markets at the betting site of your choice and add a bet to your slip. The most important part of this step is to double-check everything before confirming your bet.
Check your bet slip thoroughly to ensure no complications later. Once you have hit confirm, you are ready to enjoy the 2023 NBA Championship.
Where To Bet On The NBA Finals Online
Ready to place your bets? Picking a reputable betting site is key!
Our experts have analyzed hundreds of sports betting sites and have come up with the top options for NBA Finals betting.
The following sportsbooks are a great option for your NBA Championship bets:
| Rank | NBA Betting Site | Deposit Bonus | Highlights | Get Started |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Deposit Bonus 100% Up To $2,500 | Highlights
| Bet Now |
| 2 |  | Deposit Bonus 50% Up To $250 | Highlights
| Bet Now |
| 3 |  | Deposit Bonus 100% Up To $500 | Highlights
| Bet Now |
Read Our Review Of The Best NBA Betting Sites
Popular NBA Finals Bets To Place
These days, there are so many betting markets available that it’s hard to narrow down your bet selection.
This is especially true when it comes to online betting on the NBA Finals, as there are more betting markets available than usual.
Here are some of the top bets to place in the NBA Playoffs and Finals:
NBA Finals Prop Bets
Proposition bets are any wager that doesn’t relate to the final scoreline.
NBA proposition betting ramps up for the finals, as each game will have hundreds of team and player props.
Props have lower limits than sides and totals but can be excellent bankroll builders for those new to wagering on sports.
NBA Finals Point Spread Betting
Betting on the point spread is the most common form of wagering on American sports.
That doesn’t change when betting on the NBA Finals. Point spread markets will easily have the most betting handle and are the most-wagered market by the betting masses.
NBA Finals Live Betting
Live betting or in-play wagering is available for every sport these days, but NBA live betting might be the most enjoyable for any sport.
And, for those who are fans and experts on the game, perhaps the most profitable, as well.
Sides, totals, and propositions are all available markets when betting live. It is one of the most-wagered markets when betting on the NBA Finals.
Top NBA Finals Betting Tips From Our Experts
You will need to get into some strategy if you want to make profitable bets.
We’ve asked our team of experts to put together their top 5 tips to bet on the NBA Finals. Here they are:
Pro Tip #1Realize When The Public Is Influencing Odds
We’ve already discussed how fading the public blindly is a -EV strategy, but it’s vital to realize when the public is having an effect on the odds.
The oddsmakers don’t trust the public’s opinion when it comes to handicapping sports and, in most cases, won’t move the odds if they know the sharps have a strong opinion on the opposite side.
Bettors should look for an instance of reverse line movement, which is more common regarding the playoffs or finals because of the increased public betting action.
Savvy bettors should also look for line shades at recreational sportsbooks.
The public is more partial to wagering on favorites and overs, rather than underdogs and under, but depending on the public perception of a team, they may end up doing the opposite.
Recreational bookies, such as Bovada, should be targets in these spots, particularly if the public doesn’t have much interest in betting the underdog on that particular evening.
Pro Tip #2Fans Vs. Bettors: Polarizing Views On Conferences
You will often find fans and bettors have polarizing views on each conference.
In the past few years, the Western Conference has been dominant in the regular-season record.
Top to bottom, they are the stronger conference, (few could argue against this based on record), but that doesn’t mean the Western Conference Champion automatically receives an advantage.
Bettors tend to follow the logic that the Western Conference Champion had a “harder path” to reach the Finals.
Pro Tip #3Ignore NBA Conference Myths
Ultimately, the difficulty of the conference that a team comes out of has no bearing on their chance to prevail in the Finals.
Nothing else matters except how these two teams battle it out on the court and how they match up with each other personnel and coaching-wise.
Don’t fall into “the West was better than the East” or vice versa, so their champion has a much better shot at winning the title.
Too many bettors make this mistake every year, and it blinds them to spots where they could find some excellent contrarian profitable betting spots.
Pro Tip #4Take Into Account Players’ Fatigue And Injuries
NBA players’ fatigue and injury are some of the factors to consider when looking at each game and the series as a whole.
Did any of the teams have to play a long series (6-7 games) before the NBA championship? Are any of their key players suffering from a nagging injury?
Fatigue matters. According to ESPN The Magazine, the NBA schedule is a brutal one and by the time the Finals roll around, players’ bodies are beaten to crap.
This is undoubtedly a factor to consider. The Warriors were the favorites to beat Cleveland in the 2015-16 Finals, but they blew a 3-1 lead to lose to Cleveland in seven games.
Fatigue and injury had a major impact on their demise.
Warriors guard Stephen Curry was battling knee and ankle issues throughout the playoffs, and the Warriors had to rally from 3-1 down in the Western Conference Finals to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Pro Tip #5Consider Coaching Changes And Philosophy
One would think that coaches and teams would stick with their schemes and starting lineups in the Finals and not tweak something they have been doing for more than 82 games.
After all, it got them there, so why tweak it?
It might seem to go against conventional wisdom to shake things up, but coaches who are superior tacticians have made lineup changes with great success.
The Cavaliers got the best of the Warriors in the 2015-16 NBA Finals, but Golden State bested Cleveland in the Finals the previous year.
In that series, Cleveland led 2-1 after three games. Coach Steve Kerr stated there would be no lineup changes for Game 4, but he came out with a different starting lineup.
Instead of starting Andrew Bogut, he moved Draymond Green to center and Andre Iguodala into the starting lineup while heavily limiting Bogut’s minutes.
The move paid off. Golden State won the next three games in convincing fashion and won their first Championship since 1975.
Where To Watch The NBA Finals Games Online
If you don’t have access to a cable package, we gathered for you the best options to watch the NBA Finals online:
Service | Price | Trial Period |
|---|---|---|
$28.99/month | 3-day Free Trial | |
$35/month | 7-day Free Trial | |
$84.99/month | 7-day Free Trial | |
$64.99/month | 2-week Free Trial |
Start Betting On The 2023 NBA Championship!
The NBA championship is certainly the most exciting basketball event in the world. The series is always packed with betting action and profitable opportunities!
You probably have a better understanding of the different factors that might affect the odds after reading this page.
As always, the more you know and the deeper you understand the game, the better your chances of winning.
NBA Finals Betting FAQ
How to place a bet on the NBA Finals?
Betting on the NBA Finals is easier than one may think. All you need to do is sign up at a sportsbook, deposit money and place a bet. Use the sportsbooks we have mentioned on this page for the best experience.
Where can I bet on the NBA Finals?
There are plenty of options to bet on the NBA Finals, either at online betting sites, local bookies, or in Vegas. Before you spend your hard-earned money, we recommend checking out our top-rated NBA sportsbooks to avoid possible scams.
How to bet on the NBA Finals MVP?
Go to your favorite basketball betting site, look for the NBA Finals MVP market in the sidebar or menu, choose your favorite team to win the Championship, and add it to your bet slip.
Who are the favorites to win the NBA Finals?
The odds changed quite a bit during the season, but right now, the Boston Celtics have the best odds to win the NBA title in the 2024 season. They are priced at around +450.
Which NBA team won the most championships?
After winning the 2020 NBA Championship, the Los Angeles Lakers have 17 titles – the same as the Boston Celtics. Those two franchises combined have won 34 of a total of 74 NBA championships.
Read Our Complete NBA Betting Guide
