How to Bet on the NBA at Bodog

Welcome to the home of NBA betting at Bodog Sportsbook. Here, you’ll find everything you need to bet on basketball, including fresh NBA odds, a live betting portal, and the NBA futures market. There’s no better way to get in the game than by backing your instincts on a virtual bet slip. If your bet comes through, you get the satisfaction of knowing you nailed it, and a payout too.

NBA lines are posted daily during the regular season. Bet on the spread or moneyline, and then add a total for a simple parlay. Perhaps you’re more of a long-term bettor who is interested in predicting champions at the end of the season. NBA futures are available year-round and offer more ways to bet than just picking the finals winner. We’ll explain how each betting market works, so you can navigate our sportsbook with ease.

Sports Welcome Bonus and Promotions for NBA Fans in Canada

But before you set out for the gamelines, you need an account set up and funds deposited. We offer new players the choice between two welcome bonuses. The first is the standard Sports Welcome Bonus, which is good for more than just NBA betting in Canada; this is a 100% match bonus that gets you up to $400 in bonus cash. On top of that, we’re handing out 50 free spins on a slot game.

For even more cash, consider depositing with a cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin. New players who deposit with crypto get a 100% match bonus that’s good for up to $600. We support several different cryptocurrencies beyond just Bitcoin.

Another promotion to be aware of is our Parlay Protection. As avid sports bettors ourselves, we understand the pain of missing out on a parlay by a single leg. To ease the pain, we’ll send you a $100 bonus bet when it happens with a 5+ parlay.

NBA Events

From the season opener in October to the crowning of champions in June, the NBA season is full of NBA betting opportunities. Each team has 82 games in the regular season and fans can stake money on each one through the NBA gamelines. These lines have a point spread, moneyline and total, and you can bet them before tip-off, or live.

The season pauses every February, when the NBA All-Star Game happens—a fun event for basketball bettors. Bet on the team you think will win and add some props for your favourite players.

At the end of the season, the top eight teams from each conference head to the NBA playoffs for a chance to contend for the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. If you bet on division winners, this is the time to cash in. You can also bet on conference winners and the finals winners ahead of time through the futures market, or as they happen through freshly-posted series odds. The finals is the most exciting time to place NBA bets.

NBA Betting in Canada: Favourite Teams at Bodog

Canadians love placing NBA bets in our sportsbook. We may have just one Canada-based franchise, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only team we can cheer for on the NBA odds board. The following 10 teams attract a lot of NBA betting north of the border.

  • Toronto Raptors: Raptors fans had so much to cheer for in 2018 with the arrival of Kawhi Leonard. Leonard put forth an incredible playoff run that earned the franchise a championship trophy.
  • Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo had back-to-back seasons of near glory that led up to the team’s championship run in 2020-21. They’ve been back to the playoffs every season since.
  • Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets had many franchise firsts in 2022-23; they clinched the No. 1 seed in the west, made the finals, and then won the championship game. Nikola Jokic earned Finals MVP.
  • Phoenix Suns: The Phoenix Suns fanbase grew in 2020-21 when they went on their epic playoff run that led them to the final, where they lost to the Bucks after winning the first two games of the series.
  • Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers attract fans everywhere. Since Lebron James joined in 2018, they won a championship in 2020 and have been a perennial contender since.
  • Golden State Warriors: The only recent team to reach Dynasty status, the Golden State Warriors have reached the finals six times since 2015, and won four times.
  • Boston Celtics: No other team is as successful as the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. Of 23 appearances, they’ve won 18 times. They added to that impressive achievement in 2024.
  • Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers have been slowly improving over the last 15 years and made it as far as the Conference Finals in 2021 under the newly-appointed coach Tyronn Lue.
  • Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic has given Mavs fans something to cheer for in the post-Dirk Nowitzki era. They made it to the finals in 2024, but lost to Boston.
  • Philadelphia 76ers: After a brief rebuilding phase, the Sixers have gone on to contend in the playoffs in the last seven straight seasons. The recent acquisition of Paul George should help them return to the finals.

NBA Best Bets

NBA betting comes in many forms. Most people start on the NBA odds board with the moneyline, since you can just back your favourite team and hope they win. The spread changes the dynamic between the teams in a game, making it an even playing field—these NBA bets are sought out when there are lopsided matchups. Totals are a fun bet that let you try to guess if a game is going to be point-heavy or more defensive. We’ll go over each betting market in detail.

NBA Moneyline Bets

NBA moneyline bets are the simplest way to go. For any game, pick the team you think will win, and if they do, you win your bet. It doesn’t matter how much your pick wins by. Overtime counts in the unlikely case of a tie.

When you look at the moneyline on NBA lines, typically the favoured team has negative odds and the underdog has positive odds (American odds format is the default). Negative NBA moneyline odds show how much you’d have to bet to win $100, and positive odds show how much you’d win off of a $100 bet.

NBA Spreads

In the NBA, against the spread refers to a team’s performance as measured by a win margin. NBA spreads require a favoured team to beat their opponent by a minimum number of points to cover the margin (known as the spread) and pay supporters. If they fail to do this, the underdog wins.

For example, a 15-point NBA point spread means the favoured team must beat their opponent by at least 16 points. If they beat the underdog by exactly 15 points, the result is a push and all bets are returned.

Teaser Betting at NBA

Anytime you combine multiple bets into one, it’s called a parlay. There is risk with these since all of the bets in the parlay must win for you to get paid, but an easy way to reduce the risk is with teasers.

Teasers move the NBA point spread in the direction that serves you. If you’re betting on the favourite, it decreases the spread, whereas if you’re betting on the underdog, it increases the spread. You can also adjust the total up or down through the teaser option on the NBA lines. The tradeoff for incorporating a teaser into your NBA spreads is a lower payout.

NBA Totals

All gamelines include totals for NBA betting. These let you bet on points scored. A number is posted on the NBA odds board, and you bet if the total number of points scored in the game will be over or under that number.

There are other ways to bet on NBA totals beyond the standard gamelines. For example, team win totals let you bet on a team’s performance in the upcoming season. Each team is assigned a number of wins, and bettors choose if they think the team will exceed that number (Over) or fall short of it (Under).

In the props section, you’ll come across player totals that are based on a stat connected to a specific player. You could be betting on things like total number of assists, steals, or points.

NBA Picks and Parlays

Combining multiple bets into one super bet is what NBA picks and parlays are all about. Instead of your bets paying out individually, they pay out exponentially—and the more picks included in the parlay, the greater the payout multiplier.

You can combine up to 16 picks in your NBA parlay, but keep in mind, all of the picks must win in order for the parlay to win. If one loses, the parlay loses. Fortunately, we offer a Parlay Protection bonus as a promotion. Anytime you lose by one pick in a 5+ parlay, you get a $100 bonus bet added to your account.

Best NBA Prop Bets

For a little variety in your NBA betting experience, consider peppering in some NBA prop bets. These bets aren’t concerned about which team wins a game, or how many points are scored. They’re more like side bets on things like a team’s performance, or individual athletes’ performance.

Props are especially plentiful for major events, like the championship game. You can bet on all sorts of things and collect a payout if the bet comes through on the court.

NBA Futures

Long-term NBA betting can be found in the NBA futures market. Here’ you’ll find NBA odds for games happening in the playoffs as well as the division winners at the end of the regular season. For the highest risk/reward, you can try to predict the season’s champions while all teams are still in the race. For less risk/reward, division odds are a fun option for more conservative NBA futures betting. Conference winner odds strike a nice balance between the two.

Before the season even starts, you can bet whether or not a team will even make the playoffs. This is a great way to test your NBA acumen and nab a payout if your gut instinct proves to be true at the end of the season.

Other Favourite Markets at Bodog

We’ve covered all of the most popular NBA bets for recreational bettors, but there are many others in our sportsbook, including the following.

  • Requested Specials: We often post suggestions from NBA bettors in this section, making it available to everyone.
  • Total Points, Rebounds and Assists O/U – Player: This totals bet lets you wager on a specific player going over or under the posted total for points, rebounds and assists.
  • Total Rebounds O/U Player: You can also bet on just rebounds going over or under a total for a specific player.
  • Total Assists O/U Player: You can also bet on just assists going over or under for a specific player.
  • Total Points and Rebounds O/U Player: Bet on a player’s total points and rebounds going over or under a set number.
  • Total Made 3 Points Shots O/U Player: Bet on a player going over or under a total for his made 3-point shots.
  • Record a Double-Double: Bet on a star player to record a double-double on the NBA odds board.

NBA Awards Odds

Team Awards

  • Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy: Winners of the finals hoist the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.
  • Bob Cousy Trophy and Oscar Robertson: These trophies go to the Eastern and Western Conference winners.
  • Maurice Podoloff Trophy: Goes to the team with the best record at the end of the season.
  • Wayne Embry Trophy: Winner of the Central Division.
  • Nat Clifton Trophy: Winner of the Atlantic Division.
  • Earl Lloyd Trophy: Winner of the Southeast Division.
  • Willis Reed Trophy: Winner of the Southwest Division.
  • Sam Jones Trophy: Winner of the Northwest Division.
  • Chuck Cooper Trophy: Winner of the Pacific Division.
  • NBA Cup: Awarded to the winning team of the newly-debuted In-Season Tournament.

Individual Awards

  • Finals MVP: Most Valuable Player award for the NBA Finals.
  • Larry Bird and Magic Johnson: MVP awards for the Eastern and Western Conference Finals respectively.
  • Most Valuable Player: MVP award for the regular season.
  • All-Star Game MVP: Awarded to the top performer at the annual All-Star Game.
  • Coach of the Year: Awarded to the best coach of the season.
  • Rookie of the Year: Awarded to the top-performing rookie of the regular season.
  • Clutch Player of the Year: Jerry West Trophy goes to the player who frequently comes through in the clutch.
  • Defensive Player of the Year: Goes to the top defensive player in the regular season.
  • Most Improved Player: Awarded to a player who’s shown significant improvement over the season.
  • Sixth Man of the Year: Goes to the top player who comes off the bench as a sub.
  • Executive of the Year: Goes to the top GM/president or other top-ranking operational position.
  • Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year: Goes to the player who best demonstrates selfless play and commitment to the team.
  • Hustle Award: Player who helps his team in ways that aren’t recognized in traditional statistics.
  • Social Justice Champion: For the player who dedicates himself to social justice causes.
  • Sportsmanship Award: Player who consistently displays integrity and fair play.

Honours

  • All-NBA Team: Awarded to three five-man lineups comprising the best players in the league.
  • All-Rookie Team: Awarded to the season’s top rookies through two five-man lineups.
  • All-Defensive Team: Awarded to the top defensive players through two five-man lineups.