NBA Prop Betting Guide
The NBA is one of the best leagues for prop betting. With so many star players, and even more games per season, it’s a great opportunity to make money with prop wagers.
The best NBA props are backed up by historical and statistical data, all of which you have at your fingertips. You just need to know how to pick and choose props for the greatest chance of success.
In this betting guide, we’ll take a look at how to find NBA prop value, the kinds of wagers you should be placing, as well as some vital tips for making money on prop betting.
How to Find the Best NBA Props
Are you struggling to sort through all the NBA wagers out there to find the best props bets? Do you have a hard time betting on NBA props with confidence? Well, don’t fret! Many bettors struggle to find wagers that will be profitable, but there are plenty of resources available to help you make more informed wagers.
Here’s how you can start picking NBA props to bet on today:
Keep Up With NBA News and Stats
If you’re thinking about placing NBA props, then you’re probably already invested in the season and watching all the games. But, you should also be keeping track of what’s happening off the court. Is your favorite player feuding with the competition on social media? Did they get injured in the gym? Watching out for these things will help you make more informed wagers.
And of course, keep up with the stats. The official NBA website has comprehensive data on all players and teams, which you can use to your advantage. For example, if you wanted to bet an over/under total points from Luka Doncic, you could make an informed guess based on his average points per game (PPG).

Identify Opportunities and Look for Similarities
One of the best ways to find prop betting value is to see what wagers won previously and look for similarities in current games. This is where historical stats can help you determine if you’re making an informed wager.
For example, if an over/under assists wager for Kyrie Irving made the over during a game against the Celtics, look for similar wagers in upcoming games against the Celtics or similar teams. We know that every game is different, but if you can identify an opportunity that showed previous success, you’re more likely to walk away with a profit.
Read Professional Picks
Not all of us have hours of time to dedicate to pouring over stats and analyzing each NBA game, so that’s where we can rely on the professionals. People bet on sports for a living, handicapping each game and handing out picks for opportunists like you.
If you’re trying to find props without devoting your life to the pursuit, we’d recommend following a few handicappers on social media or signing up for their newsletters. Many sites even offer free NBA prop picks that you can use to place informed wagers. But, you can see even more value if you invest a bit of your gambling budget in a professional handicapping service.
Use an NBA Prop Analyzer
In addition to using a handicapping service, you can also use an NBA prop analyzer. These tools compile player and team stats as well as the current odds on certain props from big sportsbooks into one easy-to-use platform. It takes some of the guesswork out of looking at just stats or just wagers.
However, these services come with a fee, and you have to fit it into your betting budget. But the value you receive is often worth the price, especially when you’re betting props with 75% or more expected success, managing your bankroll appropriately, and avoiding betting without info to back up your choice.
Futures Bets
When it comes to the ability to make predictions, there is no greater test than futures bets. As the name suggests, futures bets allow you to wager on an outcome long before it happens.
For example, many bettors like to place their bets on the future Super Bowl winner before the season even begins. While this is extremely difficult to predict, even the favorites to win the big game offer profitable odds. If you’re feeling confident about this pick, it can be a great way to make money.
Aside from just the Super Bowl winner, you can also make futures bets on the following:
- League MVP
- Rookie of the Year
- Coach of the Year
- Division Winners
Parlays
If your ultimate goal is to put yourself in the position for the highest possible payout, then look no further than parlay bets. Parlay bets are the hardest to win, but offer extremely attractive odds the more legs you add to it.
When building a parlay bet, you are rolling multiple bets into one. While this dramatically lowers your odds of winning and boosts your potential earnings, but you must hit every leg of your parlay in order to win.
For example, let’s say that you place a three-leg parlay that includes the moneyline for the game, the point spread, and the first player to score a touchdown. If you accurately predicted the moneyline and point spread but were wrong about the first player to score, then you lose your bet and your wager.
It’s important to keep track of your parlays during the game. If you have a parlay that is hitting all its legs, the sportsbook will offer you a payout to withdraw your bet in an attempt to avoid losing more money. This is a risk, of course, as choosing to accept the payout could cost you in the long run. On the other hand, declining the payout could lead to your losing your entire bet and getting no return for it. Be sure to do plenty of research when placing an NFL parlay bet, as they are not intended for casual fans and bettors.
Best NBA Props Today
Types of NBA Prop Bets
There are a few different types of prop bets you can choose from when you’re betting on the NBA. Team and game props are popular, but player props far outpace them. You can also place futures props on the Championship, MVP award recipient, and many other events.
Here are more details about the kind of props NBA bettors can place:
NBA Team Props
Team props are, as the name suggests, focused on a specific team during matchups or throughout the whole season. Most of the popular team props don’t care whether the team wins or loses because the wagers are on more specific outcomes. Some typical team props include:
- Over/under assists
- Over/under rebounds
- Over/under free throw points
- Total fouls
Even if the team you’re betting on loses, you can still win some of your props if you’re making informed wagers.
NBA Player Props
Player props for the NBA are particularly robust because there are so many star players. People like Luka Doncic, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant often have loads of player props on them, simply because they are some of the most important players.
Common player props often include:
- Over/under points scored
- Over/under assists
- Over/under rebounds
- Over/under free throw points
- Points + Assists + Rebounds
- First/Last basket scored
If you’re looking to get in on the betting action, player props are a great way to start. It’s easy to identify good wagers by comparing them with a player’s stats, and many handicappers will specifically focus on a few NBA stars, so you will always have a wealth of information about them.
NBA Game Props
Game props aren’t particularly focused on which team wins the match, instead focusing on overall benchmarks within the game. For example, some popular props could be:
- Will the game go into overtime?
- Odd or even final score
- Total points scored in the game (by both teams)
- Margin of victory
Game props are some of the most objective wagers you can place because they don’t rely on any one team to win the game. You’re simply betting on the overall outcome, which can help reduce the stress if your favorite team is losing badly.
As with other props, it’s always good to look at historical data about the two teams that are playing. If the Lakers and Knicks are going at it, you should see what the total scores look like from some of their past games to determine what wagers are worth taking.
NBA Future Props
Futures props are probably some of the riskiest wagers you can make, simply because many of them are season-long and a lot can change in that time. Most NBA futures bets are focused on a few key things:
- Over/under on total wins from a specific team
- Championship winner
- Division winner
- Conference winner
- Which players lead in stats like points, rebounds, assists, etc.
But, you can also place wagers on awards and draft picks, too. You can bet on the MVP, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year, and many more. Plus, you can bet which NCAAB players will be the first pick in the NBA Draft, as well as which team they’ll be drafted to.
These wagers are even harder to predict since your player might get injured or have a poor season, so we recommend exercising caution when looking at futures props.
Tips for Betting on NBA Props
Prop betting the NBA is a bit riskier than wagering moneylines or point spreads, simply because there are so many external factors at play. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t place successful props. Here are a few tips to keep in mind while looking for NBA props:
Keep a Personal Betting Record
As we mentioned earlier, reading player and game stats is a great way to find profitable NBA props. But, did you know that keeping your own betting record can also be useful?
Start a spreadsheet or notebook and record the type of wager, the odds, and the outcome, as well as how much you bet and how much you won (or lost). After doing this for a while, you’ll have some data to analyze about your betting habits. Does anything stand out to you? Do your winning wagers follow a pattern? Even though this is a bit more work, having this information at your fingertips can help you place more informed bets and identify opportunities in the future.
Stick to a Budget
This is one of the quintessential betting rules, no matter if you’re laying down $5 per prop or $500. The best punters have a set amount they are willing to gamble with and don’t exceed their limits. Not only does this help them avoid making dumb wagers, but it will also boost their potential for success later.
Analyze your funds, and pick an amount you’re going to deposit. This amount should have a timeframe associated with it. For example, you could deposit $200 to use during the entirety of the NFL season. Having a set budget will help you backtrack to calculate how much you want to spend. If you want to wager on your team throughout the season, you will have around $11.70 to bet per game ($200 divided by 17 games per season). From there, you can determine how many props you can place per game with that money.
Have Multiple Sportsbooks
Another classic betting tip. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. If you’re hunting for value, using only one sportsbook will severely limit you. Instead, download a few betting apps and sign up with each. Then, when you find a wager that you’re interested in, you can check between all the betting sites to find which has the best odds.
For example, at the time of writing this, BetUS has the Boston Celtics at +300 to win the NBA finals in 2025, while DraftKings has the same wager listed for +290. If you were going to place this bet, you’d want to pick BetUS, since you’d get more return should your bet hit.
Don’t Bet Your Favorites
While it might be tempting to bet your team to come out on top every game, it’s simply improbable and will lose you money. Avoid placing bets that you want to come to fruition, and instead use data and research to place bets you think will come true.
For example, if you were a big KD fan, then this wager might irk you a little.

But, seeing as how the favored answer here is No with significantly higher odds, you should avoid placing this wager. Or, you can bank on the favorite, and bet Yes for a better chance at profit.
Look for Underdog Value
We all love a good comeback story, and NBA prop betting is no different. Some of the best wagers are underdog bets, making them all the sweeter when they bring home the bacon.
But, you should be careful because sometimes players or teams are underdogs for a reason. You have to do your due diligence to verify if a wager is truly worth placing. Take a look at historical data and compare the stats of the teams/players. If the odds aren’t super far apart, and the underdog is confident going into a matchup, you could stand to make more betting on them. Just remember to exercise caution because sometimes the favorites are just too good.
See What’s Hoopin’ in the NBA World
NBA Prop Bet Analyzer and Picks
The NBA is one of the best leagues for prop betting because there are so many games (2,460 to be exact) and plenty of star players to wager on. To find the best NBA prop bets to take advantage of, you need to read up on NBA news and stats, follow popular handicappers, and remove emotion from your betting habits.
One of the best ways to be a successful NBA bettor is to sign up for a handicapping or prop analyzing service. You can extract so much value from the data these services provide, and betting with this knowledge will be far more profitable in the long run.
Scores & Stats offers a comprehensive range of betting data, including picks on every single NBA game during the regular season. Our handicappers make money every day from their picks, and you can too! Get started with our NBA props picks today.