Last updated on March 30th, 2023
Basketball Betting in New Jersey
As one of the most popular sports in the US, it’s no surprise that basketball betting is so common in the state of New Jersey. Betting offers sports fans a great opportunity to turn their knowledge of their favourite sport into cash. It’s this reason that betting on basketball has become so popular. But what if you’re new to sports betting, and you’re not sure where to start? This handy guide put together by our experts will tell you everything you need to know. From the best bookmakers to bet with, to how to bet, what markets to bet on and more. You’ll even find a glossary of common terms used in basketball betting. Even if you’re experienced in sports betting, you may still find some aspects of this guide helpful. So, if you’re ready to learn more about betting on basketball, continue reading…
Top Sports Bookmakers for Betting Basketball in New Jersey
When it comes to any kind of sports betting in the state of New Jersey, the good news is that there is a plethora of options out there when it comes to sportsbook operators to bet with. This can also be a negative however, as it can be difficult to decide who you should choose. To give you a helping hand, our experts have outlined the top sports bookmakers in the state. Here’s who we recommend for basketball betting online:
- Caesars Sportsbook – a good choice if you’re new to online sports betting. Its basic layout makes it easy to understand and navigate.
- FanDuel Sportsbook – a very popular online sportsbook operator in the Garden State. Offers some special bet types that help it stand out from competitors.
- BetMGM Sportsbook – arguably the most popular sportsbook in New Jersey. They offer regular promotions and special offers to help enhance your experience.
- BetRivers Sportsbook – a lot more of an all round online betting experience than the others in that the casino aspect is fully embedded. The chance to earn iRush rewards that can be used across the platform is a definite plus.
Any of the above would be a very good option for online basketball betting. Whether you’re new to betting or a seasoned pro, they have a little something for everyone.
How to Bet in Basketball
Once you’ve decided which sportsbook you want to bet online with, the next step is to actually place your bet. So how do you bet on basketball? We’ll outline how to do it below:
- Open your chosen app or go to your chosen sportsbook website
- Select “basketball” from the options (it may be titled “NBA”). This will present you with a list of upcoming basketball games.
- From the list, choose the game you want to bet on.
- You’ll then be shown the full list of betting markets to choose from.
- Select the bet you want to place, this will put it in your betslip.
- Go to your betslip and enter the wager you want to place.
- Click place bet and wait a few seconds for confirmation.
Once confirmation is shown, your bet is placed. In basketball betting, you can also bet live on the action, when placing a live bet, the confirmation will take a little longer than when placing a pre-game bet.
Which Markets to Bet in Basketball in New Jersey
You won’t struggle for choice when it comes to basketball betting markets. Some of the most common betting markets include:
- Moneyline – an easy, straightforward market to understand. This is a straight bet on the winner of the game.
- Spread (or handicap) betting – this is a bet for a team to win by a particular points margin. The odds will differ from moneyline odds.
- Totals (Over/Under) – a bet on the total amount of points that will be scored by both teams in a game. The amount is designated by the sportsbook.
- Winner and Over/Under points total – as the name suggests, this market is a bet on the winner of the game and the total points to be over a designated amount.
- Will there be overtime? Y/N – this is a bet on whether or not there will be overtime or not in the game.
- Individual and team proposition bets – these are special bets that will vary from each sportsbook. They often offer much better odds than other markets.
There are far more basketball betting markets to choose from, aside from the above. The most important thing to know is how the market works to ensure you know how your bet can be won and lost.
Markets to Bet Basketball around the World
Whether you’re betting on the NBA, the Chinese professional league, the Euro League or any of Europe’s top leagues, you’ll find all of the above markets and more online. If you do choose to bet on a basketball league from outside of the US, we advise that you do as much research as possible before placing any bets. You should also do your research on the sportsbook operators in New Jersey, as some may have betting odds and markets on foreign leagues and others may not.
Glossary in Betting on Basketball
A
- Accumulator – more commonly known as a parlay bet. It’s a bet involving multiple selections, with the winnings and odds accumulating. All selections must win for a return.
- Ante-post – a bet placed before a definitive list of participants is confirmed.
B
- Banker – a selection that is deemed very likely to win.
- Bet – another term for a wager. The act of placing money on a selection.
- Book/Bookie – a slang term for a bookmaker.
C
- Chalk – another term for a favourite. A bet that is considered most likely to win.
- Closing Line – the last available odds before a market closes.
- Cover – when a favourite wins by more than the required number of points (covering the spread).
D
- Dime – a slang term for a $1,000 bet.
- Dog – short for an underdog, a team considered less likely to win.
- Drift – a drift is when the odds on a market get bigger.
E
- Even Money – a bet that doubles the money staked. Usually expressed as +1000.
- Exotic – any bet that isn’t a straight win or parlay.
F
- Favourite – the same as the Chalk. The team considered most likely to win at the odds.
- Future – a bet on an event that is at least seven days away.
H
- Handicap – another term for the spread. A bet on a team to win by a particular margin set by the sportsbook.
- Hedging – to bet both sides of a market to guarantee a profit.
I
- In-play bet – another term for live betting i.e. a bet placed when a game has already started.
L
- Laying the points – backing the favourite on the points spread.
- Limit – the maximum amount that you’re able to bet.
- Live betting – betting while a game has already begun.
- Longshot – a bet that has very high odds. Suggests that it’s very unlikely to happen.
M
- Moneyline – a straight up bet on the outcome of a game.
- Multiple – a bet involving multiple selections, also known as a parlay or accumulator.
- MVP – a bet on a player to be named Most Valuable Player in a game.
N
- No-action – a bet that, for whatever reason, is voided or cancelled by the sportsbook.
O
- Odds – the number next to a selection that determines the likelihood of it happening.
- Outright betting – the same as an ante-post or futures bet.
- Over – a bet on the total amount of points scored in a game to be over a designated amount.
P
- Parlay – a bet involving multiple selections, see also accumulator or multiple.
- Payout – the returns on a winning bet.
- Points spread – the points difference offered by the sportsbook.
- Price – another term for the odds of a particular selection.
- Prop – short for a proposition bet. A special bet involving special outcomes in a game.
- Push – when a contest ends without a winner or loser, stakes are returned.
Q
- Quarter – a bet on a specific quarter of a game i.e. first quarter winner.
S
- Second half betting – a bet on the second half (last 2 quarters) of a game.
- Special – a unique bet outside of the ordinary.
- Sportsbook – another term for a bookmaker i.e. a company that offers the chance to place a bet.
- Spread – the predicted scoring difference offered by a bookmaker.
- Stake – the amount of money a bettor places on a specific bet.
- Straight bet – a bet on the outright winner of a particular game.
T
- Tie – a result in which no winner or loser is found. Usually results in a push.
- Total – the combined amount of points scored in a game.
U
- Under – a bet on the total amount of points to be under an amount designated by a bookmaker.
- Underdog – the team that is deemed less likely to win a game.
V
- Value – betting odds that are perceived to be bigger than they should be.
W
- Wager – another term for a bet.