While buying points in football is definitely more popular, it’s also really common in the NBA. Since the scoring increments in basketball are two and three points, and it’s such a high-scoring sport, point spreads and key numbers are tricky.

In this section, we’ll give you some guidelines for how to buy point profitable whne betting on NBA basketball.

NBA Key Numbers

In 2018, the worst NFL team was -12.21 points per game on average, while the best was +12.5 points per game. In the NBA, the worst team had -11.7 points while the best team was up +9.8 points per game.

It’s interesting to look at this from a point differential perspective because even though there are more than three times as many points scored in an NBA game, the point margins in the NBA aren’t drastically different from the NFL.

That said, the most common margins of victory are way more similar in the NBA than in the NFL since points are scored with two and three-pointers instead of file dgoals and touchdowns.

Here are some of the most common point differentials in the NBA, as of the 2016 NBA season.

• 5 points (6.99%)
• 3 points (6.91%)
• 6 points (6.91%)
• 9 points (6.01%)
• 4 points (6.01%)

As you can see, key numbers are way less useful in basketball. The most common and the tenth-most-common margins are just 2% apart in the NBA compared to over 14% in the NFL.

If that’s confusing, don’t owrry. It just means that key numebrs are less useful in guiding our bets on the NBA compared to the NFL. Sp what do we use to decide how to buy points in the NBA?

Strategies for Buying points in the NBA

Let’s start by being blunt and honest: strategies for buying points in the NBA are rarely effective. In a game with so many points scored, being able to predict a win within a half point or even a point within the margin of victory is a tall order.

With a large seperation in talent in the NBA today, there tends to be larger point spreads when good teams play bad teams. That might be something for you to lconsider, but the frequenct of points being scored in the NBA makes it terribly difficult to accurately predict buying points on a team.

That said, some of the same concepts we explained for buying points in the NFL can be applied to the NBA too.

Examples of Buying Points in the NBA

Avoiding the Push

While avoiding the push is the main reason why people buy points, there’s an argument to be made that it is perhaps the only reason the buy points in the NBA. Take this game for example:

• Sacramento Kings +3 (+110)
• Chicago Bulls -3 (-110)

If you want the Bulls to win but think it will be close and are scared of a push, you could buy a half-point on the Bulls to make the line -2.5, usually for an extra 10 cents (-120 overall).

Betting on the Favourite

If you’re buying points on the favorite, it’s because you think the spread is too big for them to overcome.

If the Oklahoma City Thunder -5.5 (-110) are favored over the Utah Jazz at +5.5 (-110), but you don’t like the line, consider buying a full point to close the gap and avoid the spread. It will probably cost you an additional 20 cents to bring the line down to -4.5 on Oklahoma City.

Betting on the Underdog

Buying points on the underdog gives you wiggle room on the other side of the spectrum. If you like the underdog but want some breathing room, consider buying points to widen the gap.

Say you have the Los Angeles Lakers at +5.5 and +110 as underdogs to the Los Angeles Clippers at -5.5 and -110. By buying a full point on the Lakers (moving it to 6.5), you would still win if you bet on the Lakers as long as they win, or lose by six points or less.

Decide If Buying Points Is Right For You

Now that you’ve read and seen different examples for buying points in the NBA and the NFL, you just have one question to ask yourself: is it worth it? If you can’t find an answer on your own, there is some historical data on the validity of buying points in the NFL.

In the NBA, it’s generally not considered good practice to buy points, although avoiding the push can be the exception to the rule under the right circumstances.

Experts have looked into buying points on different scores in the NFL and again, the general consensus is that it’s usually not a winning strategy. There are exceptions, howevver.

Buying points on a margin of victory that includes 3 or 7 points can be profitable, even though it costs more to make that bet. Since those point differentials are common, it can make sense to pony up and pay extra to move the spread off of those key numbers.

Buying points on a margin of victory that includes 3 or 7 points can be profitable, even though it costs more to make that bet. Since those point differentials are common, it can make sense to pony up and pay extra to move the spread off of those key numbers.

If sports betting is legal where you live, browse our expert reviews to find the best online sportsbook in your state and start experimenting with buying points in the NFL and NBA now.