NBA Previews, Predictions & Betting Tips
NBA Basketball
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is one of the biggest, richest and most globally recognised sporting competitions on the planet. NBA players are the best paid athletes in the world, with many former and present NBA superstars such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James instantly recognisable all around the world.
The NBA is undoubtedly the premier men's professional basketball league. All 30 teams go through a gruelling 82 game regular season beginning in October before the top 16 teams compete in an extensive playoff series. The Eastern and Western conference champions then square off in the grand finale, the NBA Finals which culminates in June.
The Boston Celtics are the most successful NBA team in history with 17 Championships. There are often periods where one team dominates the competition such as the Celtics in the 1960’s, Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980’s and 2000’s, the Chicago Bulls in the 1990’s and currently the Golden State Warriors.
During the NBA regular season, playoffs and finals, FreeTips.com will bring you our NBA Bet of the Day, NBA Daily Double Tips, NBA Treble Tips, NBA Player Props Tips, Basketball Accumulator Tips and NBA Outright Tips.
We have one mission at FreeTips.com, to provide you with free expertly researched NBA Basketball Tips that you can use to consistently win your basketball wagers.
Recent NBA Finals Winners and Runners-Up
Year | Winners | Runners-Up |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | ||
| 2017 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2016 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Golden State Warriors |
| 2015 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2014 | San Antonio Spurs | Miami Heat |
| 2013 | Miami Heat | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2012 | Miami Heat | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2011 | Dallas Mavericks | Miami Heat |
| 2010 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics |
| 2009 | Los Angeles Lakers | Orlando Magic |
| 2008 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2007 | San Antonio Spurs | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2006 | Miami Heat | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2005 | San Antonio Spurs | Detroit Pistons |
NBA Betting Markets
NBA betting markets resemble NFL betting markets in many ways with three main bets that bettors use:
Money Line, Winner
A money line bet on an NBA game is the most basic bets, with the bettor selecting the winner of the game.
Total Points
The total points betting market refers to the combined points that will be scored by both teams in an NBA match. Sportsbook gives punters the option of taking an Over/Under bet on the Totals Market.
Handicap, Line, Spread
Handicap, line or spread betting focuses on a number of points that either team will have to overcome of protect. The points handicap is often called ‘the spread’ in the US betting market.
There is often great value in the handicap market once you familiarise yourself with players and rosters. For example, the Log Angeles Lakers might be at odds of +6.5 against the Golden State Warriors -6.5. A bet on the Lakers would win if they lose the game by six or less points, while a bet on the Warriors would pay out if they win or win by seven points or more.
Half Time/Full Time
Predict which team will be winning at half time and at full time, this bet can be useful in lopsided NBA games to give you more value than a win bet.
Player points, rebounds and assists
There are a number of different betting options if you want to bet on one player in an NBA game. Bet on how many points a player will score, how many rebounds they will pull down or how many assists they will dish out. There are combinations available with different bookmakers including points + rebounds, points + rebounds + assists.
Alternative Totals
If an NBA game is tipped to go way over or under the total points, use alternative totals to get more value by predicting a game where many more or less points will be scored.
Team Points
These bets take the winner and loser out of the equation. Betting on only one team to score a certain amount of points can be done in different betting markets, such as over/under total points.
Other NBA Betting Markets
Punters have the potential to wager on hundreds of specific outcomes for an NBA match. These include 1st quarter, 1st and 2nd Half, Alternative Handicap Markets and individual team totals.