Basketball Over Under Strategy
- Basketball Over Under Strategy
- Basketball Over Under Strategy Games
- Basketball Over Under Strategy Examples
The foundation of basketball betting online comes down to knowing rosters inside and out (including the role of bench players) and factoring in the noticeable effect of home court advantage. That foundation will put you on the right track to turning a consistent profit betting on basketball, but there are other basketball betting strategies that should also be implemented. Below are some free basketball betting tips to utilize when handicapping and betting on basketball.
1. Controlling the Tempo
Given its high scoring nature, another popular NBA bet type is Over Under basketball betting, also known as point totals, or just totals. What is a NBA Over Under bet? While point spreads can be a little confusing to the unintiated, Over Under betting is more straightforward. Michigan vs OSU Basketball Game Info. 3 Michigan Wolverines (15-1, 10-1 Big Ten). Betting against the public in college basketball is a profitable long-term strategy. The idea is straight-forward, when recreational gamblers load up on one team the market will inflate the lines, which makes it smart to wager on the other side. Gamblers can gain an edge by focusing on matchups featuring Power Conference teams.
One of the best basketball betting strategies is understanding the effect that tempo has on the game, and betting it accordingly. Some teams run a fast, up-tempo offense that features plenty of fast breaks, quick shots, and big dunks. Other teams opt for a more defensive brand of basketball, slowing things down on each possession and setting up their opportunities gradually.
When two teams with a similar approach to the game meet, it’s clear what type of tempo the game will have, since both teams are comfortable playing it. But what happens when two different styles clash? Some teams play extremely well against teams with opposing styles; others crumble and let their opponent control the tempo. While handicapping a game, don’t just focus on the teams playing in the upcoming game; look at how they’ve fared this season against teams with similar and opposing styles. This should help give you a clue as to which team will control the tempo, and likely win the game by doing so.
2. Focus on Rebounds
Some handicappers prefer to bet games based on feel and observations they make watching games instead of focusing too heavily on stats. You should handicap however you feel comfortable, but one statistic that should never be overlooked is rebounding.
The average NBA team takes about 80 shots per game, and the average college team takes just under 60 per game. That’s an average of about 160 shots per game in the NBA, and about 115 shots per game in college. And when you do the math and consider that every team shoots under 50% over the course of a season, that’s a lot of rebounds up for grabs.
It comes as no surprise that the teams that win the battle of the boards on a night-to-night basis are the same teams that are at the top of the standings. Study how well each team rebounds, and if a team has injuries, factor those in to the rebound battle as well. Teams that rebound well on both ends of the court have a good shot of winning every night.
3. Don’t Just Focus on Superstars
Superstars are what draw us in to the sport of basketball. Huge slam dunks and clutch 3-pointers by the game’s best players are regularly featured on ESPN and local sports stations, and always leave fans of the game wanting more. Bookmakers know this, and they factor the public’s love and admiration for star power into their line-making process.
This isn’t to say that you should never bet on teams with superstars; every game is worthy of consideration, and these teams obviously pick up their share of wins. But some bettors make the mistake of only focusing on the exciting teams and players, and overlook great value on “boring” teams. There is a difference between bad and “boring”; some teams have deep benches and take a systematic, defensive approach to the game. While this type of team doesn’t produce the highlight-reel plays that others do, they do produce wins, and the money you make betting them will be just as sweet as the money won on the Kevin Durant types around the league.
4. Attack Soft Lines
Another free basketball betting tip to consider is that if you see a soft line (or a line that looks “off”), attack it! This may sound obvious, but it is different from football betting; when betting football, bettors should be wary of “off” lines, since bookmakers have an entire week to adjust the line. In basketball, on the other hand, there are multiple games every night. This is especially true of college basketball with hundreds of teams in action a week. Some games do simply fall through the cracks, and while they do get corrected eventually if lots of action comes in on one side, soft lines can be found quite regularly. Keep your eyes open for them, and if you see a side that looks great, don’t wait too long; grab it.
While not as popular as betting against the point spread in sports gambling, betting the “over/under” isn’t that far behind. Sometimes you may see this as O/U, over-under, over under or simply referred to as “the over” or “the under.”
What does over under mean in betting?
Basketball Over Under Strategy
Simply stated, it is the total of the points scored by both teams. While all sports employ an over/under betting option, by far the most money wagered on this bet is in football and basketball. Sports like baseball and hockey offer over/under options, but the vast majority of bets on those sports in based on the established “money line” to pick a winner at a set price.
Unlike a point spread bet in which you are aligning yourself with one team, you’re betting on both teams – either their offenses or the defenses – when betting the over/under. Sports books set over/under scores on games based upon numerous factors.
In the NFL, most over/under scores are set in the low-to-mid 40s.In college football, over/under scores are usually in the high-40 to low 50s – in the Big 12, the land that defense forgot, it can hit the 60s.In the NBA, a typical over/under tends to hover in the 210 range. In college basketball, a standard over/under is between 140 and 155.The hidden factors that come into play in determining a point spread vary by sport, but have common themes. Recent team history is a primary factor that sports books like to exploit. Sports by their nature are a reflective business based on developing trends from previous games (“getting on a roll”) and, if a football team has scored 40-plus points in three straight games, the over/under is going to be higher because sports bettors tend to believe that trends are going to continue. It’s human nature…until they don’t.
If a critical player – a quarterback in football or a dominant scorer in basketball – is out or playing injured, the over/under will drop.
Other factors critical in setting the over/under number include weather (where applicable), an undefinable history between teams (you know Steelers-Ravens games are going to be physical bloodbaths) and injuries that may not jump out to casual fans that mean a lot sports books are all factors that go into creating and setting an over/under line that will draw an even number of fans to both sides of the number.
The key to betting the over/under is to look at a slate of games without knowing what the over/under is and set what you believe it should be based on your knowledge of those two teams. The ones that differ the most from what you think should be are the ones to place your bets on.
Basketball Over Under Strategy Games
One final note that has been a mantra of those who bet the over/under with some consistency – every game is under until it goes over.
Basketball Over Under Strategy Examples
If you’re new to sports betting, start with picking and choosing games you’re convinced should go under and get an understanding of how late-game fireworks can botch your plans.