The National Basketball Association may be an American league, but the NBA has followers around the world. Even though people may not normally associate India as being fanatical about basketball, the sport has become immensely popular in the nation over the past few years.
With interest in the sport higher than ever, there is no surprise at the sheer volume of betting on the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Indian online casinos and sportsbooks are reporting more bets than ever on NBA matches in 2024 and 2024.
Anyone curious about picking the winner for the NBA Conference Finals or the NBA Finals should read the rest of this article. We dive deep into the NBA betting trends for these playoffs, explaining the favorites to win.
Betters can also learn about general strategies for improving their chances of succeeding when betting on NBA games.
Table of Contents
Growing Popularity of Basketball in India
Source: unsplash.com
Even though most Indians are die-hard fanatics of cricket, and soccer is hugely popular in the nation, basketball is starting to take root as well.
NBA matches are shown on television in India throughout the year, with big matchups and the playoffs getting a lot of coverage. Such exposure means that more people tune in to watch their favorite stars, such as LeBron James, James Harden, Kevin Durant, or Steph Curry.
With an increasing interest in the NBA comes a desire to bet money on basketball as well. Indians are eager to put money on NBA teams, as they start to become more familiar with the game dynamics in playoff basketball.
Online casinos and sportsbooks that serve the Indian market are taking advantage of basketball becoming a more popular sport. Enthusiasts of the sport should have no problems finding a reputable online casino that has a basketball betting section, which displays odds for individual games, overall series, and other moments in those series.
NBA Playoffs 2024 – Betting Trends
Source: nba.com
The NBA Playoffs are hotting up as the season comes close to its conclusion. The Phoenix Suns are already in the NBA Finals, having defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 4-2 in a hard-fought contest. The loss of Kawhi Leonard was too much for the Clippers to overcome against a deep Suns team.
The Eastern Conference matchup of the Atlanta Hawks and the Milwaukee Bucks ended with the Bucks prevailing to reach the NBA Finals. Despite the serious doubts regarding the fitness of star player Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks were able to show resilience and tenacity as they moved past the Hawks and gave themselves a real chance of winning the NBA Finals.
One of the interesting aspects of the Bucks and Hawks series was how the odds continued to tighten between these two teams. When the Bucks lost Giannis late in the series, many bookmakers could not decide who would progress into the NBA finals.
Predicting the Winner of the 2024 NBA Finals
Source: wsj.com
Analyzing the remainder of the playoff matchups and coming up with a winner for the NBA Finals is not easy. Betters should keep in mind that odds can fluctuate significantly as one team has an excellent game.
The best strategy to win money on sports betting is to complete a dispassionate analysis of the upcoming matches and then place money on the team you believe has the most significant chance to win.
The Phoenix Suns are currently the betting favorites to win the Finals. They are already through, having seen off the Clippers. They will take on the Milwaukee Bucks, who defeated the Atlanta Hawks.
The Phoenix Suns are off to a good start in the NBA finals, taking the first game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Betting odds did shift after that first game, with some bookies having the Bucks as 11/4 outsiders to go on to win the series. The Suns, meanwhile, are 4/11 favorites after game one.
Anyone hoping to bet on the series should note that game two takes place on Thursday, July 8th, and its result could have a big impact on how the series odds shift heading into games three, four, and five.
Should the Bucks claim a win and level the series, odds will start to tighten as bookies rediscover their faith in Giannis and his teammates. The Suns, however, can take a giant step towards the NBA title if they can pull off a game two win and go up 2-0 in the best of seven series.
NBA and Basketball Betting Tips
Source: completesports.com
One of the first rules for betting on NBA basketball is that you should pay less attention to home advantage, especially in the playoffs. Bookies give a lot of value to home advantage, leading to away teams having longer odds than the matchup would suggest.
Another tip is to assess whether the line is moving significantly in the lead-up to a game. You may have done all your research on the teams, but a surprise event in the lead-up could alter how betters predict the result. A late injury to a star player is such an example.
A final strategy for succeeding when you bet on NBA games is to know the difference between the regular season and the playoffs. Some teams are much better in the regular season, making full use of their deep roster and aggressive playstyles. The playoffs, however, can seem like an entirely different sport and are usually won by the teams with the most star players.
Maximize Your NBA Winnings
Source: olbg.com
If you enjoy watching basketball and regularly follow the NBA, betting on games will only increase your enjoyment of the sport. The drama of NBA basketball, particularly in the last few minutes of close matches, is hard to beat with any other sport.
Follow the strategies laid out above, understand the present NBA betting trends, and place money on the team you analyze as the more likely to win a matchup. By engaging in this process, you have an excellent chance of profiting from almost every NBA bet you make.
With the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, and Phoenix Suns still in contention to win the NBA Finals, there is so much money still to be made if you are strategic in how you bet on the remaining games.