Before you put your money down, it pays to know exactly what you're backing. Here's the quick tour of the markets you'll see on every Finals night.
Moneyline
The simplest bet going: pick who wins the game. Think of it as the match-result bet in football, only with no draw to worry about.
American odds can throw newcomers, so here's the short version. Negative odds mark the favourite: at -150 you stake £150 to win £100 profit (1.67 in decimal). Positive odds mark the underdog: a £100 bet at +130 returns £130 profit (2.30 in decimal). UK bookmakers will happily show decimal or fractional instead.
Point spread (handicap)
The spread levels the field by giving one side a head start. Say the Spurs are -3.5 and the Knicks +3.5: back the Spurs and they have to win by four or more, back the Knicks and they can lose by three or fewer, or win outright. It works much like Asian handicap betting in football, and it's the bet to reach for when there's a clear favourite. Two of the five Finals games were settled by a single point, which shows exactly why that half-point matters. Our NBA and EuroLeague point spreads guide goes deeper.
Totals and winning margin
Totals ask whether the combined score goes over or under a line. With the line at 220.5, Over needs 221 or more points and Under needs 220 or fewer. Winning margin bets split the result into bands (1-10, 11-20, 21-30 and 31+), and they pay better because they demand more precision.
Player props and the double result
Props are bets on individual performances: points, rebounds, assists, three-pointers or who scores first. They're the market for people who care more about a star's night than the final score. The double result works like football's half-time/full-time: you back who leads at the break and who wins. Game 4 was the perfect example, with the Spurs ahead at half-time and the Knicks winning, which would have landed a Spurs/Knicks double result.
Accas and bet builders
Accumulators (parlays in the US) tie several selections together and every leg has to win. Bet builders, or same game multis, let you combine markets from one game, such as a moneyline pick, a points line and a player prop. The combined price is usually shorter than the sum of the parts, so compare it with building the bets separately. Our same game multi strategy guide shows how.
