NBA Picks

Cover

To beat the point spread by the required number of points. When you win, you have “covered the spread.”

Over/Under

A bet on whether the combined total of the points/goals scored by the two teams will exceed or be less than a specified number.

Moneyline

A bet where no point spread is involved and is based solely on which team will win the game.

Straight Bet

A wager on just one team.

Futures Bets

Bets placed on an event taking place sometime in the future. (e.g. betting before the season which team will win their respective Division, Conference or the overall NBA title).

Player Props

Player props are decided by player performance during a game. These can be bet on via moneylines, spreads, Over/Under totals, or Yes/No propositions. Options can consist of Total Points, Rebounds, Assists, Steals, Blocks, 3 Pointers made/attempted.

Parlay Bets

One bet on two or more teams/outcomes playing in separate games. The odds are greater if you win, however, all selections must be correct for the parlay to win. If you bet a 4 team parlay, it may pay 10-1, but if you win 3 of the games and lose 1, you lose the bet. In the event of a push or a game cancellation in one game, the parlay reverts to the next lower number (e.g. a 4-team parlay becomes a 3-team parlay).

Teaser Bets

A bet on two or more teams where the line on each team is adjusted a certain amount of points. For example, if the Suns are + 6 vs. the Lakers and the Blazers are +3 vs the Kings, you can play a 5 point teaser in which you have the Suns +11 and the Blazers + 8. However, similar to a parlay, all selections in the teaser must be correct for the bet to win and with some books, a push on one bet equals a loss of the overall bet.

Totals Bet

A bet where the bettor bets that the total score combined by the two teams will be over or under the number set by the bookmaker.

Unit

A basic measurement used by bettors to better understand a record. Each bettor’s unit can be a different dollar amount based on their bankroll and preferred risk.

Open vs. Closing Odds

Opening odds are the very first odds/lines that are listed for a specific game and it’s the first chance for the betting public to see what bookmakers think of that game. Closing odds are the odds offered by bookmakers just before the game starts and are based on how the betting public has wagered leading up to the game.

Favorites vs. Underdogs

When oddsmakers release a betting line on a game, the first thing they do is decide which team should be the favorite and which should be the underdog.

The favorite is the team that is expected to win the game and will get a minus sign next to its odds, while the underdog is expected to lose and gets a plus sign. If the game is a toss-up, books will open it as a “pick” or “pick’em.”