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Best ChoiceTop 6 NBA Betting Apps
One thing gamblers will learn quickly is it's best to shop around. Lines and choices are not the same at all basketball betting sites. Knowing where and when to look at different lines is key for NBA betting success.
| 🥇 ESPN BET | Best Overall NBA Betting App |
| 🔥 DraftKings | Best NBA Betting App for Live Bets |
| 🏆 Caesars Sportsbook | Best NBA Betting App for Bonuses |
| 📊 BetMGM | Best NBA Betting App for Odds |
| 📈 FanDuel | Highest Rated NBA Betting App |
| 📲 bet365 | Smallest NBA Betting App |
| ✅ Last Updated | December 19, 2024 |
Best Overall NBA Betting App
The new ESPN BET Kentucky Sportsbook app has the best features for NBA betting. At the top of the NBA section of the app are featured odds boosts on upcoming matchups, which show the original odds vs. the boosted ones. The NBA tab also shows futures markets for both teams and players, as well as special prop bets. When there are live games happening right now, you'll see a red "LIVE" button to the right of the market.
For individual games, point spreads and totals have slider tools to make placing an alternate line bet as easy as possible. You can also view selected Parlay+ bets to create your ultimate NBA same-game parlay.
This app is easy to navigate and easy to use for all markets, but especially for NBA betting.
- 📲 App Features: Parlay+, Live Betting, Odds Boosts
- 🎁 Promotions: Bet Anything, Get $250 in Bonus Bets with Code BETKY
- ✅ Total States Live: 17
Best NBA Betting App for Live Bets
They may not be No. 1 in market share, but DraftKings Sportsbook Kentucky has NBA bet choices ranging from the very simple to the very complex.
But first, I recommend advocate until 15 minutes before tipoff because of those two words that all NBA fans hate: load management, where coaches give players the night off for rest. DraftKings makes it easy to do so with odds updating constantly and plenty of in-same wagering options. If you have done your homework and can adjust on the fly, you are already one big step ahead of the game no matter which of the top NBA betting sites you choose.
- 📲 App Features: Quick Same Game Parlay, Bonus Bets & Special Offers
- 🎁 Promotions: Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets
- ✅ Total States Live: 17
Best NBA Betting App for Bonuses
If you like going to Las Vegas, you absolutely cannot beat Caesars Sportsbook in Kentucky. Caesars Rewards are tied to Harrah's, and Harvey's, which can get you complimentary or discounted hotel rooms and dining, free casino play and more.
You have to open a My Caesar's Rewards account to collect, and then it's off to the races during and before the NBA season. Futures markets on the 2023-24 season currently being offered include over/unders for rookie Victor Wembanyana's scoring and rebounding totals (17.5 and 8.5).
- 📲 App Features: Notifications for Real-Time Offers & Referrals
- 🎁 Promotions: First Bet Bonus
- ✅ Total States Live: 20 (incl. D.C.)
NBA Betting App with Best Odds
Odds can vary from site to site, so you have to shop around. BetMGM Kentucky Sportsbook consistently has higher payout odds on NBA game lines.
As the start of the regular season approaches, be sure to check this operator for futures on award winners, which can vary greatly from site to site more than other common wagers. If you like a long shot for Defensive Player of the Year, for example, boost your bet.
This operator offers exact outcome odds for the NBA Finals, which other books do not.
- 📲 App Features: Automatic Geolocation Switching, "Know When To Call a Timeout," & Lion's Boost
- 🎁 Promotions: $1,500 Bet Refund with Code BETKYCOM
- ✅ Total States Live: 21 (incl. D.C.)
Highest Rated NBA Betting App
The ability to parlay horse bets with NBA wagers will appeal to numerous Kentucky sports bettors. FanDuel Sportsbook Kentucky is big on the thoroughbred industry and even has a TV channel devoted almost entirely to horse racing. Because this operator advertises and partners with TNT on Thursday night telecasts, hosts will highlight wagers during the nationally televised games.
In-game wagering is especially user-friendly on an app notable for its clear font and easy-to-read blue and black color scheme. Some apps have a lag time—this one does not.
- 📲 App Features: Career Stats & Live Game Streaming with "Live Now" Menu
- 🎁 Promotions: Bet $5 on Moneyline, Get $150 In Bonus Bets
- ✅ Total States Live: 19
Top 6 NBA Betting Promos & Bonuses
This is extremely important if you want to use Kentucky sports betting promos on the NBA: The bonuses are lucrative, but there are terms and conditions that MUST be read. Follow those rules or your bonus funds will vanish.
| 🏀 ESPN BET | Best Overall NBA Betting Promo |
| 🏈 BetMGM | Best Value NBA Betting Promo |
| 📲 FanDuel | Best Promo for NBA Live Betting |
| 📈 DraftKings | Best NBA Betting Promo for Profit Boost |
| 💰 bet365 | Best Worry-Free NBA Promo for Early Payouts |
| 👋 Caesars Sportsbook | Best NBA Betting Promo for Beginners |
| ✅ Last Verified: | December 2024 |
Best Overall NBA Betting Promo
In addition to a high-value welcome offer, the ESPN BET Kentucky promotion for NBA betting is an exciting one. If you place a pregame moneyline bet on any NBA game in which there was a 50-point scorer, you could be eligible to receive up to $1,000 in Bonus Bets, regardless of if your original bet wins or loses. It adds another layer to your NBA betting and basically makes your wager a two-for-one special.
Best Value NBA Betting Promo
Daily BetMGM Kentucky Sportsbook bonuses for the NBA include individual odds boosts and parlay builders throughout the season. You can also use BetMGM's Multi-Sport Parlay Boost to combine NBA bets with other sports for potentially higher payouts. These promos add value for your everyday bets and for your longshot bets.
The welcome bonus also makes for an excellent NBA betting experience. Use BETKYCOM to get $1,500 in Bet Refunds when you sign up to place your NBA wagers!
Best NBA Betting Promo for Beginners
Let's say you're high on the Spurs, and you are convinced French phenom Victor Wembanyama is good enough to get the Spurs to the final eight of the Western Conference postseason.
Click on the line, and then click on whatever Caesars Sportsbook KY promos are being offered on any given day. Those offers change, so check regularly.
Best Promo for NBA Live Betting
Because of FanDuel's partnership with Turner Sports and the NBA, this is the best operator for live in-game betting promos, since you don't have to be staring at your phone when the game is on.
In-game wagers are posted frequently during commercial breaks when there are timeouts, so FanDuel Kentucky Sportsbook promos will allow you to quickly maximize your bet you like as soon as you see it on TV. Nobody else does that.
Best NBA Betting Promo for Profit Boost
Now that the NBA season has tipped off, DraftKings Sportsbook Kentucky bonuses are full of parlay and same-game parlay offers. DraftKings is offering 50% profit boosts on select NBA same-game parlays all season long! Check the promotions and NBA tabs regularly to make sure you don't miss out. If you're a new user, you can get $150 in Bonus Bets when you bet $5.
Best Worry-Free NBA Promo
While no bets are ever guaranteed, you can bet with more peace of mind thanks to the bet365 Kentucky Sportsbook bonuses for NBA betting. This promotion offers an early cash out on NBA bets if the team you're backing gets up by at least 20 points.
Is it Legal to Bet on the NBA Online?
It's no longer illegal to bet on the NBA online. In 2018 the United States Supreme Court struck down the law knows as PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act), allowing each state to decide whether to allow sports gambling. More than 30 states, along with the District of Columbia, have come online.
NBA Betting in Kentucky
On Sept. 28, Kentucky sportsbook apps launched. A few weeks earlier, retail sports betting opened up at licensed locations in the state.
That means Kentucky bettors no longer have to drive to neighboring states to wager legally on something other than horse racing.
NBA Betting in the U.S.
- 📅 2023: ESPN is expanding into sports betting with ESPN BET after partnering with PENN Entertainment.
- 📅 2021: NBA.com launches a gambling home called NBABet, accessed through LeaguePass. This is expected to be further integrated into the NBA App as the league's partnerships evolve.
- 📅 2020: Turner Sports' partnership with FanDuel begins, allowing Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal to weigh in with their picks on live TV.
- 📅 2020s: In-game betting has been a game-changer. No longer must a bettor make a choice before the game only.
- 📅 2014: Commissioner Adam Silver is an early advocate of legalizing sports betting, writing an New York Times op-ed. That betting-friendly attitude allowed the NBA to capitalize on sport gambling partnerships more quickly than other pro sports leagues.
Popular NBA Events To Bet On
Futures markets are the most fun to wager on. You can pick a player or coach in the preseason who you expect to win an award and monitor that NBA wager throughout the season as that market evolves.
The NBA is going to have its first in-season tournament in 2023-24, and lines have already been posted on which team is going to win. Because there is a financial incentive for first- and second-place finishes and no precedent for this tournament, there's no way to gauge whether load management will play a part, making this is a long shot opportunity in theory. For example, Boston (+650) is the only team with odds shorter than +1000.
NBA exact matchup wagering at BetMGM is especially fun because of the odds that are available preseason.
NBA Playoffs
NBA playoff odds are enticing for bettors who believe in sleeper teams. The Wembys (Spurs), for example, have the longest odds (+1100) on the board at DraftKings. BetMGM has dozens of variations on division odds, which involve likely playoff teams.
NBA Finals
The most common futures bet is normally on NBA Championship Odds, with the Boston Celtics as the preseason favorite. There is not much variance for the top teams, but you can find a sneaky-good team like the Clippers ranging from +1800 to +2200 odds.
Exact outcome bets at DraftKings require you to pick the winner and the loser of the NBA Finals, whereas BetMGM only requires you to pick the last two teams left in the NBA playoffs.
NBA MVP
The NBA MVP award is the most popular player award futures market. Here's a look at the latest odds to win the Most Valuable Player across NBA betting sites:
Eastern/Western Conference Champs
Every book has wagers available for division winner and conference winner, and the best variant available is BetMGM's exact finish in the division wager. This is a particularly cool place to go value shopping with your crystal ball.
NBA Rookie of the Year
It's all about Wemby ... until it isn't.
DraftKings has had a special "Wemby" category that includes short odds (+300 to score 40 in a game) and long odds (+30000) for both Victor Wembanyana to win Rookie of the Year and the Spurs to win the title.
Chet Holmgren of the Thunder (+300) and Scoot Henderson of the Blazers (+250) are the only other players with triple-digit odds at DraftKings. Betting options in this category require savvy shopping, especially on long shots.
NBA Draft Betting
We will not see NBA Draft odds on the major sports betting sites until midseason, and then it'll be all about who goes No. 1 overall.
The best time to wager on this is the day of the draft, as markets move significantly based upon reports from insiders Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania. Woj and Shams both got the top 3 wrong in 2023.
Remember this in June 2024: These things happen in threes.
Choosing An NBA Betting Site
Here is the trick to legal sports betting on the NBA: Open as many Kentucky sportsbook app accounts as possible, and read the find print. While those bonus offers are real, the terms and conditions can be tricky. We cannot emphasize enough how important that is.
Once you become familiar with apps' software, navigation and user experience, it'll become a matter of personal preference. It will behoove sports bettors to shop around regularly.
Some books update lines more quickly than others. Player awards futures lines often move at 9 a.m. Pacific Time, giving East-Coast Kentucky bettors an advantage.
Types of NBA Bets Offered
Sportsbooks' moneylines and point are generally the same. One of the tricks to being a savvy sports gambler? Finding sportsbooks that allow you to create parlays yourself.
Sportsbooks have moved toward a Same Game Parlay model in which only pre-selected parlays are available. During the season, certain parlays will be available at some sportsbooks, but not others.
On a 12-game night, there are infinite numbers of player props that can be parlayed with game lines and moneylines. Get creative.
Odds and Betting Lines for NBA Games
The line in the morning may not look the same as the line just before tipoff, as injuries, load management, and travel impact the line. Sportsbooks also adjust their lines if too much action is coming in on one team.
In-game betting lines can often be the most lucrative: In the NBA an 18-point first-half lead can be erased quickly. Pick your spots wisely here when in-game betting, and you will be rewarded. The moneyline is often the way to go when expecting a comeback.
NBA Betting Bonuses
Different sportsbooks offer different boosts on different days, and there is no predicting who will have the best offer on any given night. This is another reason why you should wait until 15 minutes before tipoff before wagering. You'll have time to shop around for bonuses, stay up to date with news, and wager wisely.
I suggest using first-deposit bonus bets in the awards futures markets, allowing that money to ride throughout the season.
User Experience
Sportsbooks have generally gotten better about making their laptop and app versions easier to navigate because that is where customer loyalty is built. My advice is to put up with the difficult-to-navigate sites no matter how frustrated you get, because lines are different at different books, and patience is a virtue. So is winning.
Deposits and Withdrawals
Every book uses online banking and PayPal; some books have other variants including gift cards, credit cards, Venmo, etc. Putting money in is very easy, but withdrawing can be more difficult depending on their customer service. Every sportsbook must pay in a timely manner to stay legally compliant. This is why legalized sports gambling is better than the alternative.
Customer Service
If there a sportsbook makes its agents available by phone, keep that in mind. E-mail and chat, especially bots, can be impersonal, confusing, and frustrating. Some are OK with e-mail communication; others want a human on the other end of the phone. Experience has shown a human on the phone can get things done much faster than a bot or moderator.
Generally, the bigger the book, the better the customer service is. Brand loyalty comes from here as much as anything else. If an agent does a good job, I suggest giving them five stars. Those ratings matter to those folks.
Mobile NBA Sports Betting Apps
The importance of checking app ratings before downloading varies from person to person. These ratings can be artificially influenced by complainers when it comes to a rating score.
It's more helpful to read specific comments to see what actual users had to say about their experience. Remember: People who are satisfied with a product generally do not rate it; they just use it. So take these ratings with a grain of salt.
Rules differ between states. You may want to look for comments from New Jersey users, for example, because NJ has the most customer-friendly regulations in the U.S.
How To Download Apple iOS NBA Betting Apps
Here's how you can download NBA Betting Apps to your iOS device:
- ✅ Open the Apple App Store on your iOS mobile device.
- ✅ In the search bar, type the name of the app you would like to download.
- ✅ Select the app, then click "Get" (the apps are free to download)
- ✅ Set up a username and password; write them down in a safe place. Many sports betting apps will lock you out after three unsuccessful login attempts.
How To Download Android NBA Sports Betting Apps
Here's how you can download NBA Betting Apps to your Android device:
- ✅ Open the Google Play Store on your Android mobile device.
- ✅ In the search bar type the name of the app you would like to download.
- ✅ Select the app, then click "get" (the apps are free to download).
- ✅ Set up a username and password and write down your password in a safe place. Many sports gambling apps will lock you out after three unsuccessful login attempts.
How To Bet On The NBA Odds Online
Rule No. 1: Try to win more than you lose. If you follow Rule No. 1, you will be a happy gambler. Find a system that suits you, even if it is by trial and error.
If you are OK with the book picking your same game parlays, that'll make things very easy for you. If you like spreading parlays across different games—some on player props, some on points spreads and money lines—you'll find that lucrative parlays can be built using just one unlikely outcome.
It's important to stick to your limits. Keep it fun.
🔥 More: How to Bet on Sports in Kentucky
How do NBA odds work?
The favored team will be giving points, but favorites do not always win.
When they lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals to the Miami Heat last season, the Boston Celtics were favored by 7.5 points. The Heat were +239 on the moneyline in that game, meaning a $100 win bet paid $339—$229 in profit plus the $100 that was wagered is returned.
Player prop bets put a line on how many points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks or 3s a player will record an any given night. Futures odds deal with long term outcomes.
🔥 Learn More: How to Read Odds & Lines in Kentucky
NBA Moneyline Betting
A heavy favorite is one for a reason, so when the expected outcome happens, the payoff is small. But parlaying several moneyline bets, even with heavy favorites, can produce much better returns. If you likes three heavy favorites to win outright and one underdog to join them, you can enjoy games without worrying about point spreads.
Therein lies the beauty of moneyline bets: It is a win or lose proposition, simple as that. If some player makes a meaningless bucket at the buzzer that makes the spread bettors go crazy, the moneyline better can remain aloof.
NBA Spread Betting
This is where you learn about bad beats, and their distant cousins, lucky shots. If Team A is favored by 1 1/2 points over Team B, and Team A wins by 2, everyone who wagered on Team A wins, and vice versa. But if Team B loses by 1 point, everyone who wagered on Team B wins their bets.
NBA game spread generally changes over the course of one or two days after they are first posted, based primarily on how much action is coming in on each team. Sportsbooks set lines anticipating that equal action will come in on both teams, but that is not always the case. That is what makes lines move, and that is also why we advise waiting until 15 minutes before tipoff to make a bet. You will know who is playing, and you'll have an advantage over those who locked in their bet earlier.
NBA Over/Under Betting
The point total of an NBA game determines whether the over or the under hits.
Last season, the best team on over/under (in terms of going over) were the San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz, who both went 47-33-2. The worst was the Charlotte Hornets, who went over only 34 times in 82 games. But if you were an under better, you hit nearly 60 percent of the time by playing Hornets under.
Some sites, such as DraftKings, show you teams' over/under trends.
NBA Parlay Betting
In a parlay, two or more bets are combined. On a 10-game NBA slate, any book will let you parlay over/unders and spread bets on as many of the games as you would like, but a 10-team parlay card is especially difficult to hit.
I suggest doing your homework and only picking the games that you feel are highly likely to hit. If you play four-pick parlays seven nights a week and are hitting on four of seven nights, you will be operating at a profit. That is the name of the game.
NBA Player Props
Player props have to do with individual statistics such as points scored, rebounds grabbed, assists given out, etc. Every game will have numerous individual player props, but substitutes often do not have lines listed, which can diminish your chances if a starter is not playing and his replacement is not on the board.
The trick here is to know your favorite teams inside and out, and to shop around with all of your accounts to see which books are listing substitutes along with starters.
NBA Team Props
Team props are usually referenced when talking about futures odds, such as odds to make the playoffs or win the NBA finals, etc. But point totals, alternate point totals, and alternate spreads are always available.
So if you think the Pacers are so overmatched that they will lose by at least 15 points despite being 8-point underdogs, you can click on "alternate spread" and lay 14.5 points, increasing your odds. This is another example of why waiting until shortly before tipoff is so important.
NBA Futures
There are player futures, tied to awards and statistical races, and there are team futures, which we discussed above. I have an affinity for player future markets, because there is tremendous value during the preseason on certain markets, including Most Improved Player. This is an award that often is not decided until the final month of the season, and odds fluctuations can be huge over the course of the a season.
Do yourself a favor and bookmark NBA Player of the Year at your favorite sportsbooks, and remember that odds are usually not adjusted until 9 a.m. Las Vegas time, which is 12 p.m. Kentucky time.
Get Started Betting On The NBA
You will want to determine a strategy when you start betting, and you will want to have a Plan B if Plan A is not working. If your are new to NBA betting, start slowly with one to three picks per night and small wagers. The season is 82 games and six months long, so there is plenty of time to let trends develop and to make money. Remember, injuries happen and expectations change.
Last season, the Dallas Mavericks punted their final game to be in the lottery and keep their pick rather than be in the play-in tournament. In instances such as that, think like an owner: What is best for the team's long-term prospects, and how will that manifest itself in tonight's game?
NBA Betting Apps FAQs
Author
Chris Sheridan is a veteran NBA writer who has been covering the league since 1992, with a specialty in international basketball after being credentialed for every Olympics since 1996 in Atlanta. He has been covering sports gambling since 2018.
