NBA vs NFL Betting

NBA vs NFL Betting Strategies 

The NBA (National Basketball Association) is a North American professional basketball league comprising 30 teams. On the other hand, the NFL (National Football League) is a professional American football league with 32 teams. One of the most noticeable differences between these two leagues is the number of games each team plays. 

In the NBA, each team plays at least 82 games, while there are just 17 games per team in the NFL. This means that if you’re betting on both the NFL and NBA, you have more opportunities to place wagers on the latter. The NBA also has a longer season due to the high volume of games. This leads to more fatigue and more player rotation than in the NFL. 

Therefore, you can get more chances of underdog value bets in the NBA than in the NFL with proper analysis. Although upsets also happen in the NFL, they are generally more predictable. This is because the limited number of games gives the top teams an opportunity to rest, recover, and prepare extensively for their next game. For example, an underdog bet in the NBA might hold value if your analysis shows that the favorite is coming off back-to-back tough games that have likely caused fatigue or resulted in the loss of key players due to injury.

On the other hand, if you’re an NFL bettor, you’d want to focus more on stats like yards per play, third-down conversion rates, red-zone efficiency, turnover differential, etc. Unlike the NBA, you might also want to consider weather conditions as they can influence match outcomes.

Main Bet Types for NFL vs NBA

Both the NBA and NFL offer a wide range of betting options for punters. Some of the most common types of bets in both leagues include the moneyline, point spread, totals, prop bets, and futures. Let’s explore some of these below:

• Moneyline Bet: In a Moneyline bet, you’re simply predicting who will win a game straight up. Often, the odds set by the sportsbooks can help you determine the favorite to win. For example, in a game between the Lakers and the Celtics, the Celtics are most likely the favorites if they’re assigned, say, a 1.50 odds, while the Lakers have 2.70. However, beyond just looking at the bookmaker’s odds, it’s essential to be familiar with the quality and performance of the teams playing before making a decision.

• Point Spread: With the point spread, you’re simply predicting the margin of victory between two teams. For example, the spread set for the Dallas Cowboys may be +4.5 in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles. If you bet in favor of the Cowboys, you’re predicting they’ll win or lose by only four points or less. Similarly, if you favor the Eagles with a -4.5 spread, you’re simply predicting they’ll win the game by at least 5 points.

• Totals (Over/Under): This bet type simply allows you to predict if the total points scored in a game will be over a certain line or not. For example, you can bet over 209.5 for an NBA game and your wager would win if the combined score between each team is at least 210 points. Similarly, an under 49.5 wager in an NFL game means that the combined total points will be 49 at most.

• Props: Prop punters are a type of side bet on a specific part, player, or team in a game that may not have anything to do with the final result. For example, you can bet on LeBron scoring over/under 20.5 points in a basketball game. A prop bet may also include predicting the Gatorade color at the Super Bowl.

• Futures: Long-term bets on outcomes like which team will win the Super Bowl or NBA, which player will win MVP, etc. 

NBA vs NFL Popularity Among Bettors

As expected, both the NFL and NBA are quite popular in the betting scene. However, the NFL usually attracts more betting volume with the NBA closely behind. The NFL follows a weekly game structure that builds excitement and anticipation, leading to a large betting volume. Also, NFL matches, especially the Super Bowl, are more or less like commercial events that draw betting action from all over the world. Each game is usually considered a high-stakes affair, racking up high engagement each week.

On the other hand, the high number of games in the NBA means there are more opportunities for bettors. So, usually, many regular season games between the small and average teams wouldn’t attract as much betting action. But clashes between the bigger teams and post-season games usually get a busload of betting action.

Which Has More Profit Potential?

Sports betting revenue in NBA vs NFL when it comes to profit potential largely depends on your betting strategy. If you’re a casual bettor who only occasionally bets on popular games, the profit potential is fairly balanced between the two sports. However, if you are an experienced punter who bets more frequently, then the NBA has more profit potential. This is because, with the NBA, you have more games and betting opportunities.

For example, if you bet $100 on 10 NFL games in a season at 2.00 odds, and you win 60% of your bets, you would win six games and lose 4. Your total profit would be $200; that is, your $600 net winning minus $400 losses. On the other hand, if you bet $100 on 50 NBA games in a season at 2.00 odds, and you win 60% of your bets, you would win 30 games and lose 20. Your total profit would be $1,000; that is, your $3,000 net winning minus $2,000 losses.