The National Basketball Association (NBA), may not hold as much interest for Canadians from a spectator point of view, it remains a big draw for the wider betting community. Whereas other sports such as MLS, MLB and NHL host a number of Canada’s finest, NBA only gives us the Toronto Raptors to cheer on.
Ultimately it doesn’t matter because the championship is popular all over north America and there are lots of ways to get involved from a betting point of view.
Recommended Betting Sites in Canada
- Ontario
- SIA (Sports Interaction)
SIA for Ontario residentsCLAIMKey Terms:New customers only. T&Cs Apply. 19+ Play Responsibly. Ontario only. 19+. - OntarioEligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario.Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly.
- Betway
Ontario Sports betting from BetwayCLAIMKey Terms:New customers only from Ontario (CA). 19+. Full Terms apply. Play Responsibly - 888sport
888Sport for Ontario playersCLAIMKey Terms:#Ad Full Terms and Conditions Apply. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario. 19+ - Canada (excl. Ontario)Offers not available for Ontario residents.Offers not available for Ontario residents.
18+ only.
Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly.
If you, or someone you know, has a gambling problem and wants help, please visit https://www.gamblingtherapy.org/en - SIA (Sports Interaction)First Deposit Match Bonus up to $250CLAIMKey Terms:New customers only. Bonus equal to 125% of your 1st deposit up to $250. 6x rollover on deposit + bonus. T&Cs Apply. 19+ Play Responsibly
- ComeOn
Bet $25 and get $100 in Free BetsCLAIMKey Terms:18+ Begambleaware.org Min. deposit: $20. Wagering requirements (min odds 1.75) must be fulfilled within 30 days before a withdrawal. Accepted payment methods for the welcome offer are: Credit or Debit cards, MuchBetter, Local Bank Transfers, Interact. Any fraudulent or unethical behaviour be suspected in the Player’s Gameplay, the company has the right to reject the withdrawal and confiscate winnings. - Betway100% Deposit Bonus up to $200CLAIMKey Terms:New Canada customers only. Opt-in required. Bonus based on 1st deposit of $10+. 10x bonus wagering at odds of 1.75+. Terms apply
- 888sport100% bonus up to $300 + $10 casino bonusCLAIMKey Terms:$10 min deposit • The bonus will be applied once the full deposit amount has been wagered at least once with cumulative odds of 1.5 or greater • Wagering must be cleared within 60 days • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days • To withdraw bonus/related wins, wager the bonus amount40 times within 14 days • Casino Bonus expires after 60 days • Wagering limit of $50 per bet Applies • Withdrawal restrictions, payment methods, country & Full T&C’s apply
- Ontario
- bet365
Bet £10 & Get £50 in Free Bets – Registration RequiredCLAIMKey Terms:#Ad. 18+ New Customers only. Registration Required. Bet £10* & Get £50* in Free Bets. Sign up, deposit between £5* and £10* to your account and bet365 will give you three times that value in Free Bets when you place qualifying bets to the same value and they are settled. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits. Min odds/bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply.
Significant Terms and Conditions
• Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5* or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 500% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £50* in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable.
• To release your Bet Credits for use, you must place qualifying bets to the value of your qualifying deposit (capped at £10*) and they must settle within 30 days of claiming the offer. Only qualifying bets placed and settled after claiming the offer will count towards this requirement.
• Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, paysafecard and all other prepaid credit and debit cards, where available, cannot be used for either your qualifying deposit or any subsequent withdrawal of returns from Bet Credits stakes unless we have successfully verified an accepted form of your Identity Documents and you have entered a Postal Verification Code (PVC), or we have successfully verified two accepted forms of your Identity Documents. See full Terms and Conditions for details.
• Bets placed must meet certain conditions to count towards the release of your Bet Credits:
– Must contain at least one selection at odds of 1/5 (1.20) or greater.
– In market/fixture combinations that only have two or three potential outcomes (for example Soccer Full Time Result), where you have placed bets on more than one potential outcome, either pre-match or In-Play, only the outcome with your highest cumulative stake will count.
– Where a stake has been partially Cashed Out, only the remaining active stake will count.
– Where a bet has been edited using our Edit Bet feature, only the new stake on the new bet will count.
– Fully Cashed Out, Instant Games, Gaming, void bets or In-Play bets which are settled as a push will not count.
• Your Bet Credits are non-withdrawable, and Bet Credits stakes are not included in any returns. Any returns from Bet Credits placed will be added to your Withdrawable Balance. Bet Credits cannot be used on certain products, offers/promotions and bet types. See full Terms and Conditions for details.
• Your Bet Credits will be forfeit and removed if your account is inactive for 90 consecutive days.
*or currency equivalent
T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. See full Terms. Registration required. Please gamble responsibly! www.begambleaware.org - Betfred
BETFRED50 – Get £50 in Free BetsCLAIMKey Terms:New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. T&Cs apply; 18+ www.begambleaware.org #ad - 10bet
100% up to £50 welcome bonus. Code: SPORTCLAIMKey Terms:New bettors; Code SPORT; Wager deposit & bonus 8x; Max qualifying bet stake=initial bonus; Valid 60 days; Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply; T&C apply; 18+. See full Terms apply; 18+ www.begambleaware.org #ad - BetwayGet up to £90 in Free BetsCLAIMKey Terms:Opt-in required. Upon weekly qualification, customers will be credited with £/€10 in Free Bets in two £/€5 installments on Saturday and Monday. From 24th September until 18th November 2022, an extra £/€5 Free Bet will be added to Quest to Qatar pot, which half will be credited on 19th November 2022, and the other half credited on 3rd December 2022. £30 Acca Offer New UK customers only. Min Deposit: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. Debit card deposits only. Valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. 18+. BeGambleAware.org. Full terms apply.
- 888sport100% up to £250 w/ code 250BONUSCLAIMKey Terms:#Ad. 18+. £10 min deposit using promo code 250BONUS • The bonus will be applied once the full deposit amount has been wagered at least twice with cumulative odds of 1.50 or greater • To withdraw any winnings from your bonus, you must wager the bonus amount at least 5 times • All deposit and bonus wagering requirements must be completed within 60 days • This offer may not be combined with any other offer • Wagering limit of £50 per bet Applies • Restrictions apply to withdrawals, payment methods and countries & full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly – www.begambleaware.org
- Mr Play
Bet £10 Get £15CLAIMKey Terms:18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit,: £10, max £15 free bet valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible. T&Cs apply. www.begambleaware.org #ad - Grosvenor
Double the OddsCLAIMKey Terms:New customers. Max £10(Exc PayPal). 100% Odds Boost token. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. www.begambleaware.org #ad - LV BET
Bet £10 Get £10CLAIMKey Terms:18+ | New UK players after 31.03.2021 | Valid on first Sports bet | Min. dep. £10 req. | Min. £10 wag. on the first bet with min. total odds of 1/1 to qualify | Bet must be settled | Bonus Wag. req.1x on min. 2-fold Acca bets (min. 1/4 odds each selection) with min. final odds of 1/ 1| Virtual and cashed out bets do not qualify | One-time offer | Bonuses credited following working day | T&Cs apply | BeGambleAware.org #ad - Ontario
- LV BET100% up to €50CLAIMKey Terms:18+. New Customers Only. 100% Welcome Bonus up to €50. Minimum deposit: €10. Maximum Bonus: €50. Wagering Requirements: 12x (Deposit+Bonus). Minimum 2 selections with total odds of 2.00. Payment method and country restrictions apply. The offer is valid until 31.12.2021. Bets placed on different selections within the same market or bets placed on equivalent markets are not eligible for this offer. Gamble Responsibly.
- QuinnBet Sports
Bet €10 Get €60 + 10 Free SpinsCLAIMKey Terms:Bet €10 on any sport of your choice at min odds evens (2.00) or greater and QuinnBet will credit your account with 4 x €10 Free Bets (to use on any Sports of your choice), plus €20 QuinnCasino bonus, plus 10 Free Spins on Asgard Warriors. The 3 x €10 Free Bets, €20 Casino Bonus and 10 Free Spins will be credited the day after your qualifying bet settles. T&Cs apply | 18+ New IRE Customers Only | BeGambleAware.org - Ontario
- bet365Get Up To ₹4,000 in Bet CreditsCLAIMKey Terms:15% of your qualifying deposit in Bet Credits (up to ₹4,000). Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply. 18+, begambleaware.org.
- Betway100% Matched Free Bet up to ₹4,000 If First Bet LosesCLAIMKey Terms:*New India customers only. Min Stake: ₹250. Max Free Bet: ₹4,000. First bet on any sports with overall odds: 2.00 (1/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. This is offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. 18+ Terms Apply
- Casumo
100% Bonus up to ₹10,000CLAIMKey Terms:18+ New customers only. 100% Bonus: Opt-in required. Min. deposit ₹700 to receive a 100% bonus up to ₹10,000 (within 7 days from reg.). 6x deposit and bonus wagering at odds of 1.6. T&Cs apply. Play Responsibly. begambleaware.org. Full Bonus terms apply. - ComeOn100% Matched Deposit Bonus up to ₹6000CLAIMKey Terms:India 18+ customers only. You will have a total of 30 days to complete the bonus from the activation date. ComeOn! will double your first deposit, up to ₹6,000. Minimum deposit is ₹200. Maximum bonus amount is ₹6,000. Minimum wagering requirements apply. You will need to wager your bonus before you can withdraw as follows: Sportsbook: 10 x deposit and bonus. Each way bets or bets placed on Asian Handicap are excluded. The ₹6,000 Sports Welcome Bonus will be credited to your account within 24 hours after your first qualifying bet has been accepted. Terms and Conditions Apply.
- Bons
₹1000 Free BetCLAIMKey Terms:Cashback up to 20% every month, ₹1000 free bet on sport, Rebate 500% in sports bets, COMBOBOOST up to 100% in combo bet - Ontario
- bet365Bet Now!CLAIMKey Terms:Open an account with bet365 today and bet on a huge range of markets with the world’s favourite online sports betting company. Registration required.
- PlayUp Australia
Login to View PromotionsCLAIMKey Terms:Join PlayUp today and you can bet on all the best Racing and Sports. Whether you’re just after the simple stuff like Win/Place and Head-to-Heads or something a bit more complex such as Exotics and Player Props, we’ve got top odds on all the markets you could ever need! So sign up to Australia’s best fixed odds bookmaker now and make your best bet! - Ontario
- Ontario
NBA Betting Tips
Those of us who like to bet do so for two reasons: Firstly, a punt in moderation can help our enhancement of the game but of course, we really want to win profits on a regular basis. We could be completely lazy and just seek out the cappers and tipsters but with a very few exceptions, their records are mixed.
Winning thanks to our own insight is the sweetest way to turn a profit but it all starts with lots of research. The two key areas to look at in this respect are form and head to head statistics. Form would date back to maybe the last six games against all opponents and this will show if a team is at the peak of their game or if they are simply underperforming.
That’s the starting point and from this stage, there are some general points that apply to most team sports. Home court advantage does often play a part and many who observe basketball from afar might find this a little strange. After all, a court is a court but it seems that a noisy, partisan crowd can help to lift a home team and see them through to the win.
It doesn’t apply to every team and some squads might deliver better results on the road but all the stats are there to help punters identify this particular trend.
Moving forward, like a lot of north American sports, the fatigue factor can play a part in NBA games. On occasions, we may see a team playing two or even three matches in the course of four days before coming up against a side who are much fresher. In this case, while it’s not a guaranteed situation, the fresher side will often come through.
More advanced strategies can be found all over the net and you are always free to test out the cappers to see how they perform over a period of time. Take all of this information on board and it may help to turn those odds in your favour.
NBA Betting Odds
Odds are at the heart of all sports: They are just ‘there’ so why do they command their own section of this review? Firstly, it’s important to understand that bookmakers can show their odds in three different ways: American, Decimal and Fractional.
Fractional odds are the more traditional but they only tend to be favoured in the UK while most European bettors like to use the decimal alternative. As for American odds, there are no prizes for guessing that these are the preferred option in the US and Canada. It therefore helps if your chosen bookmaker defaults to American odds or, at the very least, allows you to switch to this option.
The other, more obvious point about odds is that we want them to be competitive ones. It’s good to find a sportsbook that can actually take the time to meet regulations and open its doors to Canadian customers but we need value for money.
If your favourite bookmaker is listed on the main odds comparison sites then it’s really very easy to see if they are offering good value for money. Just pick out an NBA game that you’re interested in betting on and a list of prices will appear. Check the odds from your sportsbook and compare them with others on the list. Quickly repeat this three or four times and you’ll know whether you’re getting value for money or not.
If they are not on those odds comparison sites then the process is essentially the same if a little more laborious. Simply head to the basketball section of the sportsbook and check against the odds comparison portals once again. Four match results will be enough to gauge whether the value is there.
NBA Betting Lines
The term ‘line’ is used to describe any bet type quoted by your sportsbook. It can apply to any sport but we’re focusing on the NBA here so we will keep it specific to basketball. Lines are described as markets in other parts of the world but the meaning is exactly the same and they start in an obvious way.
Betting on the result in any basketball match is simple to carry out as there are only two possible outcomes. We’re just staking on a win for either side and if a game does go into overtime, the bet is carried on until we have a winner.
Betting on a straight win, also called the moneyline bet, is the place where most of us start our journey but there are lots more options when it comes to NBA. Basketball is a sport where points play a vital role and a number of additional betting lines are opened around them.
We’ve now moved into the territory of prop bets: Also known as side markets, these are betting lines on things that can occur during a game that don’t necessarily have a bearing on the final outcome. Points are a good option here because you could bet, for example, on over 160.5 points dropping in and it doesn’t matter who wins the match. As long as that points threshold is reached then you will be paid out.
Similarly, while the combined points total bet is the more popular, it’s also possible to bet on Over or Under lines for each of the two teams involved. Once again, they do not necessarily have an effect on the result of the game so we can file them as Prop Bets.
Betting lines in relation to points can also extend to a ‘Race to 15’ or a ‘Race to 20’. As those names indicate, the bet relates to the first team to reach a certain points threshold as nominated by the sportsbook.
Other lines can relate to a result at half time so, in this case, we will be staking on which team we think will be ahead at the interval. It doesn’t matter if they go on to win the game – as long as they are ahead at the break then the bet will land.
Most sportsbooks will happily get involved in these prop bets: there are others but they are far more obscure and a smaller set of bookmakers will get involved. Check your own sportsbook for further details but this is a comprehensive summary of the type of lines you will find from the main operators.
NBA Betting Sites
Now we know more about NBA betting tips and the markets we want to target, it’s time to look for a good sportsbook. Not all operators are created equal and some are better for players in Canada than others.
We’re looking for flexibility and we’ve already mentioned that we’d like to play in $CAD and be able to set to American odds if possible. Beyond that, we want the same as any bettor in any country – a good choice of markets and some competitive pricing along the way.
Here, then, are our recommendations for top NBA sportsbooks.
