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Betting Guide
The point spreads in the NBA are some of the best in any sport. The sharps who set these lines are some of the best in the world and you can have a rough time going against them. However, there are times when they want to get money on both ends and the spread might be off. There are times when you just simply disagree with what they put out and you want to profit from it. Enter NBA Alternative Point Spreads.
An Alternative point spread is a great way to bet when you think the sportsbooks are just plain wrong and you want to profit off of it. These can be really fun and the odds are often more than worth your while to do so. Much like any point spread bet, you can get screwed late in a game with a lucky shot or a bad free throw but with these odds the risk is often worth the reward as Alternative Point Spreads have a higher moneyline price than regular bets. I’ll explain more about that below.
This article is going to cover everything you need to know about NBA Alternative point spread. From what they are to how to bet them to where to bet them. Let’s get right into it.
Where To Bet NBA Alternative Point Spreads:
America: You can find alternative spreads at Bovada which offer them on all the major games throughout the season. This is one of the best sportsbooks to bet the NBA at as they offer this prop plus a ton more including player props, game props, moneylines, totals, and much more. One of the best sites for betting on sports on the internet.
Canada: Sports Interaction is one of the best sites for Canadian betters and they have you covered with the NBA. They offer alternative point spreads on a ton of games as well as a ton of betting props, alternative totals, and much more.
Everywhere Else: You can find NBA Alternative Point Spreads at Bet365 Sportsbook as well as a ton of other betting options. This site has a ton of betting options on every NBA game including point spreads, totals, moneylines, props, and much more.
What are NBA Alternative Point Spreads?
An alternative point spread is one that is different from the main point spread and has a different point total as well as different money odds on it.
Let’s say the Pelicans are playing the Warriors. The spread is Warriors -5. You have to pay -110 to bet either side of this. This is a typical moneyline to put on a point spread, but when it comes to an alternative point spread that number will be much different.
The alternative point spread would be something like Warriors -10 (+350) vs. Pelicans +10 (-400). You can take or lay more points with an alternative point spread while paying (or getting paid) for it on either side. You may also find a line where the Pelicans are favored for positive money, like Pelicans +3 (+300) or something like that.
Common NBA Alternative Point Spread Questions:
Are Alternative Point Spreads Worth Betting?
Just like any betting option, there are risks and rewards. This obviously doesn’t work for every game of the season as a lot of games end up close, but picking your spots this can be a very profitable bet.
There are times when you can bet this one that can really pay off. An example that I am thinking of is when a team has had a difficult schedule of late and is playing their third game of four nights. This can be a good time to go above whatever the spread is because if this team runs out of gas in the game, it can often lead to a blowout.
However, I will say that betting on an underdog and taking extra points is not worth it. Let’s say a team is a +2 underdog and you take the +6. You have a better chance of winning because you are getting more points, but the price you are paying will be around -200. That means you need to more than two out of every three bets at that price in order to profit. Win two and lose one? That’s breaking even. It’s a very thin line to walk and you need to be sure you are going to win if you are going to make a bet like this.
A sweet spot for betting can be where you take a team that is favored and add another couple of points. On a bet, you are typically paying -110 juice on your bet. So you need to bet $110 to win $100. If you add a couple of points, the price you get will be something like +110. That means that a $100 bet would pay $110. Picking these can be difficult and there is always a chance that a close game will cost you, but if you are going to bet a line like this then that is the way to go with it.
The point spread can move when a lot of money comes in on one side or another in a traditional point spread, but this rarely effects the alternative lines. Keep an eye on this and you may find a good value.
How To Bet NBA Alternative Point Spreads:
The best way to find the alternative point spreads for each NBA game is to go to the game you are looking for. The NBA section of your sportsbook is a good place to start and click the area marker “+” with a number beside it. This will take you to all of that game’s props and the alternative spreads should be prominently displayed within.
NBA Alternative Spread Betting Strategy:
A big part of betting on the NBA is rest and when a team is tired, that can be a great time to deploy the alternative point spread for betting. Look for a team playing their third in four nights or second in three nights, or a travel back to back even. Teams have been known to struggle in these situations and if things get out of hand early, you could see a coach decide to rest some key players. This is a great blowout opportunity and a time to go for the alternative.
A lot of people use alternative point spreads to bet on underdogs. So if a team is a +4 underdog, they will bet them as a +8 underdog to give themselves a leg up on the point spread. If you think this will be a close game, feel free to go ahead and do that. That said, you have to be careful with this because if you are paying -200 to bet something like this then you will need to win twice as much as you win. Personally, I prefer to go for the favorites laying a bigger number and getting the positive odds.
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