Basketball Betting: How to Bet on Basketball and the NBA
October 23, 2026
Basketball betting is betting on the result of a basketball game: which team wins, by how many points, how many points are scored, and what happens in each half or quarter. A basketball game cannot end level, because a tie at the end of regulation goes to overtime, so the main market has two sides. This guide explains how to bet on basketball, the markets on an NBA game and how overtime is settled, with NBA figures from 6,153 regular-season games from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
How a basketball game is timed
- NBA: four quarters of 12 minutes, 48 minutes in all.
- FIBA and most other leagues: four quarters of 10 minutes, 40 minutes in all.
- NCAA men’s college basketball: two halves of 20 minutes.
- Overtime: a game level at the end of regulation goes to a five-minute overtime, and another one after that if it is still level.
Whether a market counts overtime is the first thing to check on any basketball bet, because it decides how a bet on a close game is settled.
Basketball betting markets
An NBA game on 22bet carries more than 300 selections. The main markets:
| Market | What the bet is on | Overtime |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline (team wins) | Which team wins the game. | Included |
| 1X2 in regular time | Home win, draw or away win after 48 minutes; a draw means the game goes to overtime. | Not included |
| Point spread (handicap) | A team’s score with a handicap added: −5.5 has to win by 6 or more, +5.5 covers if it loses by 5 or fewer or wins. | Included |
| Total points | Over or under a number of points scored by both teams, such as 225.5. | Included |
| Team total | Over or under a number of points scored by one team. | Included |
| Winning margin | The winner and the size of the win, in bands such as 1–5, 6–10 or 11–15 points. | Check the rules |
| Half and quarter markets | Winner, spread and total of the first half, a single quarter, or the first quarter and the game together. | Not included |
| Half-time / full-time | The leader at half-time and the winner of the game. | Included |
| Race to points and specials | First team to 10 or 20 points, how the last points are scored, each team to score 110 or more, quarters won in a row. | Varies |
Under 22bet’s basketball rules, bets on the match winner, spread and total include overtime, while the regular-time 1X2, quarter markets and second-half markets do not. An NBA game also has to last at least 40 minutes for bets to stand, unless their result was already decided. Totals and spreads on a whole number, such as 225, are refunded if the result lands exactly on it.
The moneyline guide explains two- and three-way match bets, and the point spread guide covers spreads in more detail.
NBA betting numbers
| Season | Games | Home team won | Average total points | Went to overtime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 1,230 | 54.4% | 221.2 | 4.7% |
| 2022-23 | 1,230 | 58.0% | 229.4 | 6.4% |
| 2023-24 | 1,231 | 54.3% | 228.4 | 4.8% |
| 2024-25 | 1,231 | 54.3% | 227.6 | 4.9% |
| 2025-26 | 1,231 | 55.5% | 231.2 | 4.4% |
| All five | 6,153 | 55.3% | 227.6 | 5.0% |
Regular-season games, with the NBA Cup final counted from 2023-24; totals include overtime points. Scoring has risen to an average of 231.2 points a game, and total-points lines have moved with it: in 2025-26, 68.6% of games went over 220.5 points, 50.4% over 230.5 and 30.4% over 240.5. Playoff games are lower scoring: the 422 playoff games in the same five seasons averaged 215.3 points, and the home team won 58.1% of them.
How NBA games are decided
Winning margins matter for every spread and margin bet. Unlike American football, where many games end on 3 or 7 points, NBA margins have no single dominant number: every margin from 2 to 9 points came up in about 5% of games each.
| Winning margin | Share of games |
|---|---|
| 1–5 points | 25.1% |
| 6–10 points | 26.5% |
| 11–15 points | 19.0% |
| 16–20 points | 11.9% |
| 21–25 points | 7.5% |
| 26–30 points | 4.6% |
| 31 points or more | 5.3% |
The median game was won by 10 points, and 19.5% were won by 20 or more. Because a big lead late in a game often shrinks once the starters are rested, a spread of −10.5 or more needs a team to keep its lead to the final buzzer, not just build it.
Before you bet on basketball
- Check whether overtime counts for the market you are betting on.
- Look at the league. A 40-minute FIBA game has fewer points than a 48-minute NBA game, so totals are set much lower.
- Know the line. A half point (−5.5) cannot push; a whole number (−5) is refunded if the margin lands on it.
- For bets placed while the game is running, see the in-play betting guide.
Sports betting is for adults 18 and over. Set a budget before you bet and stop when it is used up.
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Basketball Betting FAQ
How do you bet on basketball?
Pick a game and a market, such as the moneyline, the point spread or total points, and enter your stake. A decimal price shows the total return per unit staked: a 10 bet at 1.90 returns 19 if the bet wins.
Does overtime count in basketball betting?
For the moneyline, point spread and total points, yes. The regular-time 1X2, quarter markets and second-half markets are settled on regulation only. Check the rules of the market before betting.
What does −5.5 mean in basketball betting?
The team has to win by 6 points or more for the bet to win. A bet on the other side at +5.5 wins if that team loses by 5 or fewer, or wins the game.
How many points are scored in an NBA game?
An average of 231.2 points in the 2025-26 regular season, overtime included, and 227.6 over the five seasons from 2021-22. Playoff games averaged 215.3.
How often do NBA games go to overtime?
In 5.0% of regular-season games from 2021-22 to 2025-26, and 4.4% in 2025-26.
How often does the home team win in the NBA?
In 55.3% of regular-season games from 2021-22 to 2025-26, and 58.1% of playoff games.
What is the 3-way basketball market?
A bet on the result after regulation: home win, draw or away win. A draw means the game went to overtime, so overtime points do not count.
What happens to a basketball bet on a whole number?
If the result lands exactly on a whole-number spread or total, such as a 5-point win against −5, the bet is a push and the stake is refunded.