Just like with any other type of gambling, winning when betting on NBA games isn’t all about luck. Also, a lot of people get excited thinking that players’ long streaks and winning records are enough to guarantee some easy cash. However, betting in professional sports is a lot more complex, as many variables can influence the outcome. Fortunately, various betting guides on the internet and learning from NBA handicappers can help those starting out by teaching them the basics of online sports betting.
Here are some of the biggest rookie mistakes that gamblers tend to make when betting on NBA games.
Being Biased
Every avid NBA fan wants their favorite team to win, and many people start betting precisely for this reason. Say Orlando Magic randomly goes on a 10-game win streak, and you’re a fan. You’ll finally feel confident enough to start betting on your beloved players. This is perhaps one of the worst mistakes you could make, as there’s no place for personal likings when it comes to betting. The same applies to all-star players and those leading on the stat boards.
Even if you root for a single team, you should always diversify your bets. Betting on multiple teams and results is more profitable than investing solely in your favorites.
Forgetting To Check Lineup Updates
This mistake can cost you big time. A last-minute roster change can affect the odds depending on who is suiting up to play that day. Injuries in practice are quite common as star players often get injured during pre-game workout routines. It’s important to stay alert and updated in the days leading up to the match you want to bet on to avoid sudden lineup changes. For instance, just before the playoffs, some of the best players can be pulled out from competing to get some rest or treat any persistent injuries.
Relying on Winning Streaks Only
Winning streaks can be a double-edged sword since they inevitably have to end at some point. The same goes for losing streaks. Although it may seem counterintuitive, betting against a consecutively winning team can result in a massive return on your investment. You have to be smart about it, though. Always do some research beforehand and follow up on both hot and cold streaks, as you can discover a golden opportunity to get an enormous payout, especially if an underdog wins.
Disregarding the Underdogs
Most players favor and bet on teams with the best records since that’s the logical thing to do. However, everyone else also does the same, making the odds against the favorites considerably bigger. Although riskier, a well-placed bet on a rising underdog can fill your pockets. That said, it usually takes years of experience and extensive research to pull that kind of bet off. If you are only beginning your betting journey, simply keeping an eye on the underdogs will suffice. Upsets often happen in the NBA, and there is no such thing as a guaranteed win – even for teams such as the Lakers.
Not Monitoring Player Injuries
NBA players in real life aren’t like in the videogames and do tire themselves out over the course of a season. Even the most gifted players like LeBron James reach a point where fatigue starts affecting their performance. As previously mentioned, this can also affect your betting. The players struggling with injuries can be temporarily removed from the games, resulting in a last-minute lineup change that can instantly affect the betting odds.
Fatigued players are more likely to get injured and hence are a liability. It’s important to keep this in mind and bet on players who are rested and generally able to deliver good performance. Always check if a player recently took a vacation and include other factors that can affect the players’ physical wellbeing.
Getting Caught Up in the Hype
The media have a massive influence on many sports bets, providing a wide range of expert opinions, NBA analysis, podcasts, and everything in between. It’s only natural that conflicting opinions will emerge, and some people will tend to favor a particular media outlet or NBA expert over another. However, never get carried away by the hype. At the end of the day, it’s simply a matter of opinion, and that shouldn’t affect your betting strategies.
Only rely on the media for information on stats. Sports news can often make an injury sound worse than it actually is or make predictions based on trade speculations and other “in-depth” newsworthy information. If you end up getting swayed by the media hype, it’s very likely that, sooner or later, you’ll start making bad betting decisions.
In short, the best way to avoid losing money when betting on NBA matches is to back up your intuition with factual data and statistics. Of course, being successful at sports betting often involves a bit of luck, but thorough research and crunching the numbers separate expert bettors from the rest of the bunch.
