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• If you made the decision to bet on NBA games online, you usually still have a choice to make, but this one often isn’t hard either. US sportsbooks typically offer NBA betting both via a website and an app. The most convenient way for more bettors to get a wager down on the NBA is via a dedicated app. Apps will provide an experience that is tailormade for a mobile device, letting you bet.
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For NBA basketball players, the 82-game regular season is gruelling but there’s a bright light at the end of the tunnel: the NBA Finals. The top teams in the league advance to the playoffs but only the best of the best make the Finals.

The intensity level on the hardcourt kicks up several notches with each round and only teams with the right combination of health, unity and coaching can run the gauntlet. Just to make it to the NBA Championship, teams have to win three best-of-7 rounds of playoff games.

Which teams are positioned to make noise in the NBA playoffs? What should you be watching for? What are the best sportsbooks to bet on NBA final games? We have the answers here.

Bet on NBA Finals online in the US

NBA Championship odds

There’s a very active futures market for the NBA. The most popular option in the vast market is for the winner of the NBA Championship. Despite the unique playoff play-in format announced for this year, all playoff series are expected to be full best-of-7 series as per usual.

Here’s what the real-time NBA Finals odds look like at legal US online sportsbooks. Click on any set of odds to claim your bonus and open a new account. Use the drop-down menus to change your state.

Best NBA Finals betting apps

The legal sports betting industry is growing exponentially. Several reputable sportsbook apps are serving the legal states, and a handful of them have emerged as the top choices.

• DraftKings ($50 free): The daily fantasy sports (DFS) giant is also one of the top sports betting operators. NBA is a top market so you’ll find plenty of ways to bet on the Finals.
• FanDuel (up to $1,000 risk-free bet): User-friendly platform and great selection of ongoing promotions are among the calling cards for FanDuel, another DFS titan now crushing it with sports betting.
• BetMGM (up to $600 bonus): The MGM brand is instantly recognizable, and its vast reach continues to grow with an exceptional sports betting platform. Lots of NBA Final value here.

Getting started with each of these sportsbook apps is simple. All you need to do is click through on our exclusive links to create your account. You’ll get some outstandingsign-up bonuses for doing so. After entering some basic information, your new account will be created right away. From there, follow the instructions on the main website to download the app for your iPhone or Android device. Once that’s all set, log in on mobile and you’ll be ready to place your bets on the go.

NBA Finals live betting

As you get set to bet on the NBA Championship, you’ll have plenty of options. You can bet on the outright winner of the series or take it on a game-by-game basis or drill down even further with other fantastic wagering opportunities.

If you’re looking to take things to a new level, then be sure to reserve some of your bankroll for live betting. This is an area of sports betting that is growing tremendously, and it’s a featured option at several mobile and online sportsbooks.

You don’t need to get all your bets in before the first tipoff. Live betting makes that possible, and there is a whole range of wagers you can explore during a game.

For example, let’s say that it’s the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers in this year’s NBA Finals. Here are some of the betting markets you might come across during one of the games in the series:

• Who will have the halftime lead: Bucks or Lakers?
• Will Lebron James or Giannis Antetokounmpo score more points in the game?
• How many total points will be scored in the second quarter?

Live betting markets are fast-moving. Odds and bet offerings can change in an instant, so you need to stay plugged in and be ready to pounce when appealing options pop up.

The best way to make that happen is via a sports betting app. You can perform all of the same functions on mobile as you can online or at a retail sportsbook. It’s simply much more convenient to have everything you need at your fingertips as the game plays out and different betting opportunities emerge.

NBA Finals prop betting

If you want action on the NBA Finals, you won’t be disappointed. From standard bets such as moneylines, spreads and totals, to futures bets on the series winner or NBA Finals MVP, there are plenty of options to consider.

For even more chances to make the NBA Championship a profitable experience, take some time to examine the prop bettingmarket. Essentially, these are side bets on things that may or may not happen during the course of the series or in one of the individual games.

Here’s an example of some of the opportunities you may come across, sticking with the Bucks and Lakers, for example.

What will be the outcome of the series?

• Bucks or Lakers in 4 Games +140/+160
• Bucks or Lakers in 5 Games +130/+150
• Bucks or Lakers in 6 Games +120/+140
• Bucks or Lakers in 7 Games +110/+120

Who will win the NBA Finals MVP?

• LeBron James +125
• Giannis Antetokounmpo +115
• Any other player +200

Who will hold the series lead after Game Three?

• Bucks +130
• Lakers +150

Which player will have more points, rebounds and assists in Game Two?

• Anthony Davis +140
• Kris Middleton +160

You’ll find a wide range of choices throughout the NBA Finals. Some of them will be team-based, while others will revolve around individual player performance.

NBA Finals odds boosts & promos

While the NBA Finals attract plenty of betting action as it is, that doesn’t mean that sportsbooks are just going to sit by idly and wait for users to check out their offerings. Events that capture a lot of attention are a great time for operators to attract new users, and many go the extra mile to do so.

As the NBA Finals approach, keep your eyes peeled for special incentive offers. They could be in the form of a deposit bonus or some other type of promotional offerings, such as an odds boost.

So, what is an odds boost? It is a promo in which a sportsbook will take the regular odds for an outcome or event and make them even more enticing.

Let’s walk through a pair of examples using the NBA Finals and the MVP of the series. Heading into a fictitious NBA Finals matchup between the Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics, here’s what the odds might look like for the outright winner of the series:

• Los Angeles Clippers -105
• Boston Celtics +120

The Clippers are slight favorites in a series that most folks expect to last a while. If you place a $100 bet on the Clippers to win at odds of -105 and the team goes on to win the series, you’ll be in line for a profit of $95.20.

That’s not too shabby, but more favorable odds would be nice. Enter an odds boost promo from a random sportsbook that decides to offer the Clippers to win the NBA Championship at odds of +150. Here’s the math:

• A successful $100 bet at odds of +150 generates a profit of $150.

The favorable movement in odds results in the chance for an even better return on your preferred outcome.

Now let’s say that Kawhi Leonard and Jayson Tatum are the big favorites to win the NBA Finals MVP award. Here’s what the regular odds might look like at the start of the series:

• Kawhi Leonard +110
• Jayson Tatum +130

Since you like the Clippers to win, it doesn’t take much to convince you that Kawhi will take down another MVP award.

A $100 bet at odds of +110 would set you up for a profit of $110 is everything broke as you anticipated. You suddenly receive a promo offer, which is providing an odds boost on Kawhi for MVP at +200.

Just like that, you have a chance at a return of $200 on a $100 wager if he adds more hardware to his collection. Odds boosts can be fantastic opportunities to increase returns, so be on the lookout when the NBA Finals come rolling around.

NBA Finals schedule 2021

For the 2020-21 NBA regular season, here are the expected dates on the calendar to keep in mind:

• Mid-May: Regular season ends
• May: NBA playoffs begin
• July: NBA Finals begin
• July 21: Latest date for NBA Finals to be completed

From the open to the end date of the NBA Finals, there are typically 16 days in between. That means that there’s plenty of time for rest and travel, so there will be no need for back-to-back games. That’s a big plus for the product on the court.

How that schedule will look in 2021 still remains to be seen, though. If we use a standard NBA Finals schedule as a guide, there is a two- or three-day span between games. Here’s how that shook out between the Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors:

• Game One, Thursday, May 30: Raptors win at home 118-109
• Game Two, Sunday, June 2: Warriors win on the road 109-104
• Game Three, Wednesday, June 5: Raptors win on the road 123-109
• Game Four, Friday, June 7: Raptors win on the road 105-92
• Game Five, Monday, June 10: Warriors win on the road 106-105
• Game Six, Thursday, June 13: Raptors win on the road 114-110

Toronto took it down in six games with three of their victories in the series coming on the road. This was the first NBA title for the Raptors. Leonard was named NBA Finals MVP after averaging 28.5 points per game in the series.

Last 10 NBA Championship winners: Matchups and results

The NBA Finals traces its roots back to 1947 when the Philadelphia Warriors took down the Chicago Stags, 4-1, to win the title. We have seen many memorable series through the years, including in recent times.

Here’s a look at the last 10 editions:

• 2020: Los Angeles Lakers over Miami Heat, 4-2
• 2019: Toronto Raptors over Golden State Warriors, 4-2
• 2018: Golden State Warriors over Cleveland Cavaliers, 4-0
• 2017: Golden State Warriors over Cleveland Cavaliers, 4-1
• 2016: Cleveland Cavaliers over Golden State Warriors, 4-3
• 2015: Golden State Warriors over Cleveland Cavaliers, 4-2
• 2014: San Antonio Spurs over Miami Heat, 4-1
• 2013: Miami Heat over San Antonio Spurs, 4-3
• 2012: Miami Heat over Oklahoma City Thunder, 4-1
• 2011: Dallas Mavericks over Miami Heat, 4-2
• 2010: Los Angeles Lakers over Boston Celtics, 4-3

There have been several incredible teams over the past decade. The Heat went on a dominant run in the early part of the decade, while the Warriors wrapped it up while doing the same.

Last 10 NBA Finals MVP winners

Right along with the exceptional teams of the past decade are several stellar individual performances. Here the last 10 winners of the NBA Finals MVP award:

• 2020: LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
• 2019: Kawhi Leonard, Toronto Raptors
• 2018:Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors
• 2017: Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors
• 2016: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
• 2015:Andre Igoudala, Golden State Warriors
• 2014: Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
• 2013: LeBron James, Miami Heat
• 2012: LeBron James, Miami Heat
• 2011:Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
• 2010: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard are among the multi-time winners with four and two NBA Finals MVP awards, respectively. Since the Lakers and Clippers are still among the biggest favorites to win the next crown, both of them seem to have a great shot at adding another Finals MVP.

How to stream the NBA Finals

The US broadcast rights for the NBA Finals have traded hands among the major broadcast networks through the years, but they have been the property of ABC/ESPN since 2003. Since then, all games of the finals have been broadcast on ABC with ESPN Deportes pitching in on the international front.

As one of the big four broadcast networks, ABC is carried by cable and streaming operators across the nation, and it can also be picked up by HDTV antenna in certain areas. Since the NBA Finals are part of the ESPN family, there’s naturally expanded coverage on all their properties and major programs.

For other streaming possibilities, the ABC app provides a live stream of finals broadcasts. The app is available for smartphones and can also be downloaded on smart TVs, but please note that you’ll have to sign in with your TV provider to access it.

Those looking to catch the games online can follow the same process while visiting ABC.com. ESPN handles radio coverage, so look for the local affiliate in your area to catch coverage of the NBA Finals.

NBA Finals ratings

While the NBA Finals always attract plenty of attention, the ratings have ebbed and flowed on a national level based on the teams involved. For example, the 1998 NBA Finals set the all-time mark with an average of over 29 million viewers for broadcast network NBC. The Chicago Bulls took down the Utah Jazz four games to two in that memorable series.

The NBA was in the midst of a boom point at that time, and it’s not too hard to figure out why. That was the era when Michael Jordan was dominating the league, and he and the Bulls were quite the draw on the national level.

For the ‘98 finals, the rival Jazz had plenty of star power with Karl Malone and John Stockton. The series was highly anticipated, and that translated into fantastic viewership numbers.

On the other end of the spectrum, the 2007 edition set the low-water mark for the modern era of NBA Finals broadcast. ABC provided coverage, and an average of 9.29 million viewers tuned in to watch the San Antonio Spurs take down the Cleveland Cavaliers four games to zero.

It wasn’t a lack of familiar names that led to the low numbers, as Hall-of-Famer Tim Duncan led the way for the Spurs, while LeBron James led the Cavaliers.

Quite simply, the overall broadcast environment has continually evolved since the late 1990s. Fast forward to today, and there are a countless number of streaming options for viewers.

Events that used to attract millions of viewers have seen the numbers steadily decline across the board. That said, live sports remains the most significant driver in driving eyeballs to the screen at the same time. Hence, the enormous broadcast rights’ fees the various leagues can secure.

For round numbers, the current NBA broadcast deal with ABC, ESPN and Turner Sports runs from the 2016-17 season through 2024-25 and checks in with an eye-popping price tag of $24 billion. That’s behind only the NFL in terms of dollars, and in the neighborhood of what soccer’s Premier League manages to snag.

For individual games on an all-time basis, Game Six of the aforementioned Bulls-Jazz series in 1998 racked up 35.89 million viewers.

Game Three of the 2003 NBA Finals between San Antonio Spurs and New Jersey Nets holds the record in the opposite direction with 8.06 million viewers. The Spurs would go on to win that series, four games to two, in one of the lowest-rated finals of all time.

Since the end of the Jordan era, the NBA Finals as a whole have been averaging between 12 million and 20 million viewers. The two notable exceptions were in 2003 and 2007, as the average numbers dipped below 10 million for both series.

Where to bet on NBA Finals online

The legal sports betting environment across the US continues to evolve. Several states are ahead of the curve, others are pending launch and while another set is still sorting through legislation. If you want to bet on the NBA Championship online you can do so with:

Review the full list of US states with legal sports betting.

The mantle for which sports league is most popular with Americans outside of football is still up for grabs, but there’s a good case that it’s the NBA and basketball.

That, in turn, translates into pro hoops being one of the most popular sports to bet on. Betting on professional basketball is now legal in a growing number of states across the country.

Read on for more information about NBA betting, where you can wager on NBA games, and more.

Where you can bet on the NBA in the US

Once upon a time, the only place you could bet on the NBA was in Nevada. Sportsbooks have been legal there for decades, and online sports betting has been legal for the better of a decade.

But betting on the NBA is now legal in a variety of states, and its list is growing rapidly.

Nba Bets Today

Here is where you can legally bet on NBA games currently:

Best Nba Over Under Bets Tonight

In some of those states, you have to visit a physical sportsbook in order to bet. But online basketball betting is becoming more common. Here’s a look at where you can bet on NBA games via an app or website:

NBA betting in New Jersey

Betting on pro hoops is significant business in New Jersey. There are several teams that NJ residents root for: the Philadelphia 76ers, the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets.

New Jersey has an advantage over a lot of other states, as well: easy access to the New York City market. New York has legal sports betting only in upstate casinos, and no sports betting online. That means NJ sportsbook operators have sole access to people that live or work in NYC.

Here is a sampling of NJ sportsbook apps available:

NBA betting in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is the biggest state in terms of population that has legal sports betting apps. The Sixers are the main game in town here, and after years stuck in the bottom of the heap of the Eastern Conference, interest in the team has been on the rise.

Here are the current sportsbook apps available in PA:

NBA betting in Indiana

Place Nfl Bets Online

Indiana is one of the newest states with legal wagering; that includes both physical sportsbooks and sports betting apps available around the state.

Basketball of all types is big business in Indiana, from college to the NBA, with the Indiana Pacers in the state and the Chicago Bulls nearby. (For now, folks in the Windy City can easily cross the border and start betting online on NBA games and the Bulls.)

More info: Indiana sports betting apps.

NBA betting in West Virginia

There aren’t any NBA teams in West Virginia, but the state is still hoops crazy because of West Virginia University. That should lead NBA betting to come in No. 2 behind the NFL in terms of the amount wagered in the state.

More info: West Virginia sports betting apps.

NBA betting in Nevada

Betting has been legal online in Nevada for nearly a decade, and as such, betting on basketball is already well established.

While there’s no NBA team in Sin City, there’s usually heavy action on the two nearby Los Angeles teams: the Lakers and Clippers.

Beyond that, the NBA is usually the king of betting in the city when football is not going (and outside of March Madness in college hoops).

More info: Nevada sports betting apps.

NBA betting in Iowa

If you want to bet on the NBA legally in Iowa, you’re in luck. The state has both physical sportsbooks and online betting options.

Sports betting currently isn’t legal in any of the surrounding states, so NBA fans from beyond Iowa could make the pilgrimage to bet. (Illinois has legalized wagering, but it’s not yet live.

More info: Iowa sports betting apps.

NBA betting in Oregon

The first state with legal sports betting on the Pacific Coast was Oregon, as of 2019. The Oregon Lottery offers a sports betting app in collaboration with SBTech.

Best Nba Bets For Today

Without top-level teams in most of the major pro sports leagues, the Portland Trail Blazers get an outsized amount of attention in Oregon. Betting on them could be the most significant single sector for online wagering in the state.

More info: Oregon sports betting apps.

NBA betting in Rhode Island

There is just one app in the state, via the Rhode Island Lottery, to use for betting. Like much of Rhode Island, fans look north to Boston for their fandom and usually root for and bet on the Celtics.

More info: Rhode Island sports betting apps.

Legal NBA betting options vs. offshore sportsbooks

The states above all have legal sportsbooks, albeit of varying levels of competition and quality, for NBA betting. There are also a variety of options offshore, from companies that flout both federal and state laws to serve the US market.

As a bettor, you often don’t have to worry about legal issues regarding an offshore sportsbook, but legal sports betting does offer several advantages:

• If there are issues with a sportsbook on a bet or getting paid, you have recourse to state gaming regulators.
• Payments are safe through large companies and American banks.
• Revenue and tax money helps Americans and state residents.

Two of the states have monopolies on sports betting, meaning bettors in the state have only one option. Despite that fact, those sportsbooks, in Oregon and Rhode Island, are at least competitive with offshore sportsbooks.

NBA betting at sportsbooks vs. betting apps

If you want to bet on an NBA in states with legal sports betting, you have a couple of options: Head to a sportsbook near where you live or wager online. In the early days of the expanded US betting market, we know that about 80% of wagers for NBA and other sports come online, a percentage that is only going to rise.

Why? For many people, betting online is more convenient. With an app, you can bet wherever you want, including at home while watching a game. You could even bet while at a sportsbook if you wanted.

A sportsbook is a different type of experience. You make bets before you watch a game; then you sit and watch how the game turned out, and perhaps have some drinks and food. As more NBA games start, you could place more bets. You get a communal feel betting and watching at a sportsbook, as people are rooting on their favorite NBA teams, and their bets.

The significant advantage of betting online is live betting (or in-game betting), which is difficult to do or outright impossible, depending on where you live.

NBA sportsbook apps vs. websites

If you made the decision to bet on NBA games online, you usually still have a choice to make, but this one often isn’t hard either.

US sportsbooks typically offer NBA betting both via a website and an app. The most convenient way for more bettors to get a wager down on the NBA is via a dedicated app. Apps will provide an experience that is tailormade for a mobile device, letting you bet anywhere you go.

Sportsbook apps are available for both Android devices (like the Samsung Galaxy) or iOS (iPhone and iPad). You can download Android apps from sportsbook websites; they are not available in the Google PlayStore. For iOS, apps are always available in the App Store.

Sports betting sites are certainly convenient if you are near or on a computer, but betting on a phone is generally more accessible and can be done anywhere.

How to bet on the NBA

Every state where it is legal will take action on the NBA. While some states have limitations on college basketball, those are nonexistent for the major pro sports in the US.

There are several common ways to bet on NBA games:

• Moneyline Bets on the NBA: Here, you pick a winner. The moneyline will be designated by a negative or positive number. The team with odds that have a negative number is the favorite; the positive number is the underdog. If a team is -120 on the moneyline, you would have to bet $120 to return $100 in winnings. For a +120 underdog, a bet of $100 would return $120 in winnings.
• Point Spread Bets on the NBA: You bet on whether a team will cover a point spread set by the sportsbook. The favorite must win by more than the set number of points, and the underdog must win or lose by less than the spread.
• Over/Under Bets on the NBA: You bet on the total number of points that will be scored in a game. It is either under or over a total set by the sportsbook.
• Parlay Bets on the NBA: Parlay betting means linking two or more bets together for an increased payout. You could bet the point spread in multiple games, and get a much larger return on your wager. These are usually much riskier than any of the straight bets above.
• Proposition Bets: Prop bets are usually of the yes-or-no variety, such as whether LeBron James will score more than 30 points in a game, or if Joel Embiid will have more than 15 rebounds.
• Futures Bets: You bet on future events, such as the winner of the NBA Finals, or how many games a team will win in the regular season.
• Live Betting: You can bet on any number of things while games are going on, including moneylines, point spreads and props.

To bet on the NBA at US online sportsbooks, you need to have a way to deposit online. Several options are available, depending on where you are, including PayPal, Neteller, e-checks, Play+ cards, and credit and debit cards. The options vary by state and by sportsbooks.

If you’re betting at a physical sportsbook, you will usually have to use cash to wager.

NBA live betting

One of the fastest-growing segments in NBA betting is live betting or in-game betting.

One upon a time, the only way to bet on NBA games was before they happened, or if you were placing a futures bet. Now, those limitations have been eliminated, at least in states with online betting.

NBA futures and pro betting

Here is a sampling of what you can bet on at some legal US sportsbooks:

• Bet on who will win the NBA title.
• Bet on NBA division winners.
• Bet on if a team will make the NBA playoffs.
• Bet on NBA win totals.
• Bet on NBA MVP / Rookie of Year / Defensive Player of Year / Coach of Year / Sixth Man.
• Bet on the NBA All-Star game.
• Bet on the NBA 3-point shootout.
• Bet on the NBA dunk contest.
• Bet on the NBA draft.
• Bet on the NBA lottery.

NBA Betting FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions (and answers) about betting on the NBA:

Is it legal to bet on the NBA in the US?

Yes, you can bet in several states, including:

• Arkansas
• Delaware
• Indiana*
• Iowa*
• Mississippi
• Nevada*
• New Mexico
• New Jersey*
• New York
• Oregon*
• Pennsylvania*
• Rhode Island*
• West Virginia*

* Online betting is allowed statewide.

It will be legal in more states in short order.

How do NBA spreads work?

Sportsbooks will set a number of points that one team will win by; for instance, the Lakers could be favored over the Sixers by 3 points. If you bet on the Lakers (-3), they would have to win by 4 points or more. If you bet on the Sixers (+3), they have to either win the game outright or lose by 1-2 points. If the Lakers win by 3 points in this situation, bettors will get their wagers back.

How does over/under work in basketball?

For an over/under bet, also known as a totals wager, sportsbooks will set the number of points that will be scored in a game. You can bet over or under that total. For example, for a game between the Lakers and Sixers, the total could be set at 240 points. If you bet the under, you are saying the combined points will be under that total. If exactly 240 points are scored, the bet is a “push,” and a sportsbook will refund your money.

How are NBA spreads and odds created?

Sportsbooks will set initial lines, sometimes days before a game takes place. They will do this based on how they rate the teams involved, or perhaps by the early lines set by other sportsbooks. Sportsbooks will then take bets on the games, and they could move the line on the game based on how much money is coming in on one side or the other.

For instance, in a game where the Lakers are favored over the Sixers by 3 points, a sportsbook might move the line to 4-5 points (or perhaps more) if a lot of money comes in on the Lakers to cover.

Can you bet on the NBA draft?

Well, it depends on where you are. Different states have various regulations about whether you can bet on things other than the outcomes of games. In some states, you can place limited wagers on when players might be drafted. Betting on the draft is a fairly limited form of wagering in the US.