Betfred
Betfred has become one of the UK’s most popular betting sites since its online launch in 2004. They cover basketball well and their superb odds place the bookie among the best basketball betting sites in the UK.
- Great odds for basketball
- Wide range of leagues covered
- Quality Customer Service
Bottom line
Betfred provide great odds and cover basketball really well, covering a great range of leagues.
Why we like Betfred
Betfred offer superb odds for basketball. They cover major leagues, including the NBA, plus a range of less celebrated leagues around the world.
What Betfred offers you
- Wide range of leagues covered: Betfred cover a wide range of leagues around the world, from the NBA to less celebrated competitions. The bookie also offers a good range of future bets and outrights.
- Superb odds for basketball: Betfred´s odds for basketball are excellent. I looked at three matches, two from the NBA and one from the Euro League. The average payout for Betfred was 96.7%, which was better value than 12 other leading sportsbooks.
- Excellent customer service: Betfred provide excellent customer support. The help section is robust, with many FAQs and you can get a prompt response from the bookie through a range of other mediums.
- Daily Price Boosts: Check the Betfred website for daily price boosts on selected events and matches.
Unibet
Unibet are one of the best betting sites around and are continuing to develop. Their coverage of basketball is most impressive.
Bottom line
Unibet offer great betting options, live streaming and competitive odds, making them a popular choice for UK basketball bettors.
Why we like Unibet
Punters are greeted with a smart interface on both the Unibet website or app. Menus are straightforward, making navigation easy. Basketball punters have a great range of markets on individual matches, both pre match and live, with good odds to back this up. Their in-play section is backed up with live streaming for a wide range of leagues, including the NBA. They offer a great selection of outright and future bets.
What Unibet offers you
- Many betting options on individual matches and outrights: Unibet provides you with a great variety of markets for individual games, pre-match and in-play. They offer a great range of outright bets and future bets for many different leagues and competitions, from the NBA, other high quality leagues such as the Euro League, to US college basketball and to many other leagues around the world.
- Great in-play betting and live streaming for basketball: The bookie offer a range of in-play betting options and those Unibet customers with a funded account can enjoy basketball matches on a live stream.
- Good odds for basketball: Unibet offer competitive odds for basketball. I took three matches, two from the NBA and one from the Euro League. The average payout for Unibet was 94.3%, which compared well to other leading bookies.
- User-friendly interface: Unibet’s website and app well-designed and pleasing to the eye, making it a straight-forward experience for bettors.
Betway
Betway is exclusively an online sports gambling platform which was founded in 2006. It provides excellent service for basketball bettors.
- Statistics available on betting page for each game
- Great range of markets and betting options for basketball
- Competitive odds for basketball
Bottom line
Betway’s website is pleasing on the eye and smooth, making it a great place to browse and place wagers. For basketball, punters are provided with an abundance of stats and info and there are a wide range of betting options.
Why we like Betway
Punters have lots of information and stats at their disposal through the Betway website and app, allowing them to make more informed choices on their wagers. There is a great range of basketball betting options.
What Betway offers you
- Platform to do research: Bettors can make more informed choices thanks to the stats and info provided in the build up to matches, and in the case of in-play betting, during matches.
- Superb app and website: Betway’s website and app are easy to navigate and quick to load. Their design is stylish but also has substance.
- Great basketball odds: Betway offer competitive odds on basketball. I looked at three matches, two from the NBA and one from the Euro League. The average payout for Betway was 95.2%, which compared very well to other leading sportsbooks.
- Great range of betting options: Betway cover many different leagues and competitions and give punters many betting options.
BetUK
A new face on the scene, BetUK has quickly made a name for itself as one of the leading bookmakers in the UK since being founded in 2020.
- Best Odds for EPL
- Best Odds for UCL
- Acca Club with profit boosts on a weekly basis
- Early outrights available
- Good range of leagues covered
Bottom line
BetUK have quickly put themselves in contention to be the best basketball betting site in the UK. The Acca Club headlines its offering.
Why we like BetUK
BetUK provides an easy-to-navigate and clean website. The odds are always competitive, and the weekly Acca Club is particularly appealing for basketball fans who like backing multiple selections in one go.
What BetUK offers you
- Profit Boosts through Acca Club: Regularly back accumulators and you can receive £5 in free bets each week, along with profit boosts for qualifying wagers.
- Wide range of leagues covered: BetUK cover the sport in depth, offering odds on the NBA through to a number of more niche leagues. They offer a number of betting options including prop markets.
- Commitment to safer gambling: BetUK has made a significant effort to make gambling safer, and ranks well for bettor safety.
- Always available customer service: A 24-hour live chat option isn’t offered by every bookmaker. You will find BetUK are very helpful whenever you make contact.
- Good range of basketball events covered: BetUK cover a wide range of basketball leagues and competitions around the world.
- Functional, user-friendly website: BetUK have struck the balance between appealing and functional with their website.
Check out the best betting sites in the UK with Betting.com.
How our experts choose the best sites to bet on basketball
Bettors have many factors to consider when looking for a basketball betting site. The bookmaker must be well regulated and trustworthy. The quality of odds offered are vital along with the design and feel of the website, promotions, in-play betting, live streaming and the quality and accessibility of customer service. To be rated as one of the best Basketball betting sites, bookmakers must score highly in all of these areas.
Chris Sampson: Firstly, the company must be secure and reputable. The Basketball odds must be competitive, and the bookie must provide a range of betting options, including player props. Obviously good coverage of the NBA is vital, but I am also looking for sportsbooks to cover a range of other men’s and women’s leagues and competitions. Websites should be responsive and easy to use on both the desktop and the app
Compare the best Basketball betting sites
Basketball is a more niche betting market, however, it is a popular sport in Europe and America and there a plenty of markets to interest punters. Individual bettors will have different priorities, so it is up to you to decide what you want regarding basketball wagers. We’ve compared the top sites to be on Basketball:
| Site Name | Betting.com Rating | Best For | Full Review |
| bet365 | 4.8/5 | Basketball bet builder | Full review |
| Betfred | 4.7/5 | Superb odds for basketball | Full review |
| Unibet | 4.7/5 | Fantastic Live streaming and in-play betting | Full review |
| Betway | 4.7/5 | Comprehensive stats and info for basketball | Full review |
| BetUK | 4.6/5 | Accumulator betting | Full review |
How to choose the best site for you
Identifying the best Basketball betting sites isn’t an easy task with so many options out there. You can only get a real idea of what works for you by trying sites out and extensively researching their promotions. With basketball being a fairly niche sport there will not be many specific basketball promos so you need to look at whether generic offers can be applied to your wagers and evaluate what else you can get from the site.
When looking at Basketball online betting sites, these seven points are important to keep in mind:
- Safety is key: To keep your cash and data safe, you should always play on licensed and secure betting sites.
- Weigh up welcome offers: Not all welcome offers are the same. Each punter has different betting habits and will value different things when signing up to a new bookie, so make sure you find a site with a welcome offer which suits you.
- Analyse their Basketball prices: Before leaping in, have a look through the Basketball markets to get a feel for the value on offer. All punters want the best odds. It is worth comparing between sportsbooks to see which have the most competitive prices. Check out who offers the best value on specific tournaments and compare bookmaker’s odds over three individual matches to test their consistency.
- Consider payment and banking options: Making sure you can deposit and withdraw money safely and quickly is very important. It is worth seeing which bookies offer certain payment methods and comparing the fees involved and timescale for receiving your winnings.
- Tried and trusted bookies are worth it: Some bookmakers have a better reputation than others. The best Basketball betting sites will retain customers through the quality of their service, customer support and integrity.
- Bet on the move: Mobile apps are a large part of the bookmakers’ offering. Being able to scroll through odds, live stream and contact customer service through your phone or tablet is useful, especially if you like to bet when out and about.
- Try signing up: Registration with a new bookmaker should be a quick, smooth and straightforward process. The only way to get a feel of a betting site is to sign up yourself and look at what they can offer. Most trusted bookies require you to provide documentation to verify your account as part of their Know Your Customer (KYC) scheme.
Betting on Basketball explained
Basketball is a popular sport which is attracting an increasing amount of punters. Bookies are responding by adding more leagues and markets to their repertoire.
Odds
How Are Basketball Betting Odds Calculated?
Basketball betting odds are calculated on the probability of something happening.
In terms of betting on the outcome of a match by adding up the percentage probability of each of the two possible outcomes you can determine whether the odds are good value. Naturally the two percentages should make 100, however, that would leave the bookie without profit. What is a fair margin varies from sport to sport, however in Basketball 110 and under is considered fair, while the bookies who offer the best Basketball odds usually average around 107 (93% payout).
Picks
Just like selecting your preferred bookmaker, there is a lot to consider when making Basketball picks. Recent form and style of play/characteristics of the teams are all important factors.
Types of Basketball bets
Basketball bettors have never had more options available. Punters can, for example, bet on outright winners and match results. Accas and multiples are also becoming popular. Bettors pick a number of games to predict the result from, with, for example, odds given for selecting four out of four correct results.
Futures Bet
This is a bet on an event which is often some way down the line. Punters often bet on outright winners (the winner of a tournament, for example the NBA or for a country to win Gold at the next Olympics).
Moneyline Bets
For an individual match, punters bet on which team will win. An extension of this is betting on a specific result.
Over/Under (Total) bets
Betting the over/under in a match simply means you are wagering on how many points there will be in a match or a quarter.
Multiple-Game Bets
Parlay: A parlay involves more than one wager combined together for greater odds. You can place a same game Basketball parlay — multiple events from one matchup — or alternatively, events across multiple games. Comprising three doubles and a treble, a Trixie is three selections and four bets. At least two of the selections must land to guarantee a payout.
As stated earlier, accumulators, where punters try to match a number of results, are becoming more popular in Basketball betting.
The obvious risk is that all the bets have to win for the bettor to receive a payout. However, some bookmakers, offer accumulator insurance so if one of your selections (minimum five selections) lets you down you will receive your stake back as a free bet.
Spread Betting
Betting Spreads or Against the Spread betting also known ATS, is one of the most popular ways to bet on basketball. For example if New York Knicks were playing Orlando Magic and they were favourites to win, the spread could look something like this, ‘New York Knicks -5 / Orlando Magic +5’. Therefore a bet on the Knicks to ‘beat’ the points spread would pay out if they won by more than five points. A bet on Magic to ‘cover’ the points spread would pay out if they avoided defeat by more than five points, or won.
Props markets
Prop markets are becoming more common, and they allow customers to bet on anything that may unfold during a game. For the bigger games, especially in the NBA individual player props are available with most of the top bookies.
In-play betting
Lots of Basketball bettors enjoy the excitement of live betting as the match flows. Bettors can follow the action then use their judgement to place bets as the game unfolds. Live streaming has made this more popular.
Basketball betting strategies
It is important to do some background research before making your wager. Look into form and styles of play. Try to apply your knowledge and understanding of the game to your selections. Look at the types of bets you prefer and develop your own strategy. Above all, gamble responsibly and make it fun.
Popular Basketball events to bet on
The biggest competitions and leagues for basketball bets are as follows:
- The NBA: The NBA is considered to be the best basketball league in the world, with the top players being among the best sports performers on the planet. The action is relentless when you bet on the NBA, with games even taking place on Christmas Day. In the regular season alone, each of the 30 teams play 82 games. Then, in April, the top-eight teams from the Western and the Eastern Conferences go through to the NBA Playoffs. The winners of the Western and Eastern Conference Finals meet in the NBA Finals in June.
- The NCAA: College sport is at a very high standard in the United States and the NCAA is huge. the annual NCAA Division I tournament is known as “March Madness”. During the month, 68 teams fight it out, in front of large crowds cheering on their college side. Ultimately, the best teams from each region qualify to make the “Final Four”.
- The Basketball Champions League: The Basketball Champions League is a tournament organised by FIBA Europe. Teams qualify through their performances in domestic leagues and cups, with some allowed to enter through a wildcard. It was first played in 2016-17, and the champion earns a place in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup.
- The AmeriCup: The AmeriCup is a basketball tournament organised by FIBA. It features teams from, Central and South America. The women’s AmeriCup takes place every two years, while the men’s version is competed in every four years.
- The Euro League: The Euro League is the top basketball league in Europe. It’s made up of 18 teams, including Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
- Domestic leagues: Domestic leagues around the world are available to bet on, including the British Basketball League.
- The Summer Games: the Summer Games take place every four years. Basketball at the Summer Games has been a sport for men consistently since 1936. Women’s basketball made its first appearance in the 1976 Games in Montreal. The United States is by far the most successful country in Summer Games basketball, with United States men’s teams having won 16 of 19 tournaments in which they participated, including seven consecutive titles from 1936 through 1968. United States women’s teams have won 8 titles out of the 10 tournaments in which they competed, including seven in a row from 1996 to 2020. In 1989 FIBA approved the rule that allowed NBA players to compete in international tournaments, including the Olympics. In the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona, the U.S. “Dream Team” won the gold medal.
- The Basketball World Cup: The Basketball World Cup was first played in 1950. It is an international tournament scheduled every four years. There are men’s and women’s versions of the World Cup, which is organised by FIBA. There are 32 teams involved in the men’s World Cup and 12 for the women’s edition.
Check out the best betting sites in the UK with Betting.com.
