Tuesday: NBA Bets

Okay, I'm a big sports fan but I have never been a gambler. Can someone please explain this to me? I mean, I know what an over/under is, but I don't get what this plus/minus 3.5 @ whoever stuff means...but as I type, logic's kicking in and I'm assuming this:

New Orleans -3.5 @ Orlando

Means that the Hornets' score minus 3.5 equals the Magic's score. Which would mean that N.O. is a 3.5-point favorite, but Washington's an 11-point underdog at Dallas.

With that out of the way, what do you mean by your plays? Do you mean that you think those two underdogs are gonna win or just cover that point differential? And if you were in a sports casino, what would your options on those bets be? Oh, and is there such thing as online gambling?

Here's what I think:

Toronto will beat Philly.
NO will beat Orlando.
Milwaukee will beat Atlanta.
Dallas will beat Washington by more than 11.
Cleveland will lose, but not by 6.5 to Denver.

How does any of that translate into betting lingo and what are the best moneymakers out of any of those predictions?

 

With his plays he mean that they will cover, or else I doubt he would have quoted the spread.

Options for bets usually include betting for winners, betting with spreads and betting with and over/under. Betting with spreads or over/under usually pay about 1.9 times your bet (or in other terms you'd have to bet 110 to earn 100). Betting on outright winners the payback will differ with how big a favorite (or non-favorite) you are betting on.

Checking my online bookie they pay 2.89 times the money you bet for a Toronto win (meaning if you bet 100 you get back 289 earning 189). You could also bet on Toronto to cover with their 6 pt headstart and that only pays 1.9x as I mentioned earlier. To give an example for a fav, you mentioned Dallas to cover the 11 they were down (would pay 1.9x). If you just wanted to bet on Dallas to win my bookie pays 1.13 times the money put down on that game.

Translating your bets:
Toronto will beat Philly = Toronto (to win) 2.89
NO will beat Orlando = NO (to win) 1.61
Milwaukee will beat Atlanta = Milwaukee (to win) 2.38
Dallas will beat Washington by more than 11. = Dallas (to cover -11) 1.90
Cleveland will lose, but not by 6.5 to Denver. = Cleveland (to cover +6.5) 1.90

For these you could do several things. You could bet on each game like I think crow are doing, and then each game will be counted seperatly. You can also combine bets in any way you want. Say you combine Toronto to win, with Milwaukee to win. Then you need both to win to get any money back, but if they do you will also get back 6.878 times what you bet (2.89*2.38). If you combine them all they pay 39.977, but alas then you would have to have a perfect record on all 5 to get anything back so there is drawbacks as well to parlaying.

And I guess with my reference to my online bookie that I already answered your last question.

 

here is my triple play special of the night.

New Orleans
Milwaukee
Over on Denver/Cleveland

 

Bucks to win
Hornets to cover (-3.5)
Cavs to cover (+7.0)

Bucks to win
Hornets to cover (-3.5)

McGrady over Baron Davis for points
Lebron over Carmelo for points


Those are my bets for tonight

 

man all these posts are going to get me hooked on online sports booking again.

milwaukee and denver look good

 

(=ka-ching=)



The other bet where this was combined with Cavs is also looking good at the moment.