NBA Playoffs Betting Guide
The regular season is coming to an end. As with each year, the league has been a rollercoaster of emotions and surprises, most especially in terms of which teams have successfully managed to qualify for the playoffs and those that, sadly, did not. American basketball is classified as one of the most popular sports globally; continue reading this article to find out why.
Table of Content:
- How To Bet On The NBA Playoffs:
- What Are the Best NBA Playoff Betting Strategies?
- Regular Season - Western Conference
- Regular Season - Eastern Conference
- How The NBA Playoffs Work
- Most notable NBA Playoff Moments
- NBA Playoffs Appearances, Wins, and Defeats (All-Time)
- NBA Playoff FAQ
How To Bet On The NBA Playoffs:
There’s no better time to bet on the NBA than during the playoffs! With LeoVegas, we are providing a simple guide to betting on the NBA playoffs below - using the Milwaukee Bucks v Golden State Warriors as an example.
1.Enter the LeoVegas Sportsbook via our app or desktop.
2.Games within the NBA Playoffs can be found via the 'Live' tab if a game is ongoing. If the playoff game is scheduled to start soon, you could find the game in the 'Upcoming' tab. There’s also the option to use our dynamic search function. Simply type ‘NBA’ into the search bar and you’ll find hundreds of markets waiting for you.
3.Simply select the playoff game you would like to wager on, in this instance, the Milwaukee Bucks v Golden State Warriors.
4.Once you click on the game, you can select whichever market you'd like to bet on. You can cover everything from Moneyline to Over/Under with LeoVegas.
5.Once your selection is added to the betslip, select your wager, and make your best bet!
NBA Playoff Betting Markets
LeoVegas’ expansive sportsbook provides hundreds of markets for the NBA playoffs - you can choose the market for you. Here are some of our favourites:
Championship Winner
This bet means that you will choose who will be lifting the championship at the end of the playoffs. You simply have to select the team from the playoff bracket that you think is going to be NBA Champion.
Moneyline bets
You can bet on the moneyline throughout the entire NBA playoffs. This market is when you simply bet on who will win the individual game - this is not the same as betting on who wins the series.
Player specific markets
Do you have a feeling that a player will have a big night in the playoffs? Well, bet on them to have the most rebounds, most assists, or most points with our player specific markets.
Point Spread
Another popular market within the LeoVegas sportsbook is the point spread. This market creates a deficit/advantage for one of the teams. If a team is favored, they may be set as a -3.5 against the spread, this means the specific team would have to win by 4+ points to be successful. Similarly, if a team is placed at +3.5, they'd have to lose by 3 or less.
Series Winner
As mentioned above, you can place a bet on who you will win individual games. However, you can also bet on which team you think will advance in the series and progress to the next round of the playoffs.
What Are the Best NBA Playoff Betting Strategies?
Here are a few useful tips when it comes to betting on the following markets:
Championship Winner
When looking at the championship winner market, it is important to consider both the team's performance throughout the regular season and their current form going into the playoffs. Additionally, pay attention to any key injuries or roster changes that may affect a team's chances of winning.
Moneyline Bets
Moneyline bets are one of the simplest forms of betting in basketball, where you simply choose which team will win the game. In the postseason, it is crucial to consider home-court advantage and any potential momentum swings that may occur during a series.
Player Specific Markets
Player specific markets such as points, rebounds, and assists can be highly profitable if you do your research. Take into account a player's historical performance in the playoffs, their matchups against opposing teams, and any potential injuries that may impact their performance.
Point Spread
The point spread market involves predicting whether a team will win or lose by a certain number of points. In the postseason, it is important to carefully analyze each team's defensive and offensive capabilities, as well as their head-to-head record, to make an informed decision.
Series Winner
In a best-of-seven series, the series winner market can be challenging to predict. Look for any patterns or trends in past playoff matchups between the two teams and consider factors such as team chemistry and coaching strategies that may impact the outcome of the series.
How The NBA Playoffs Work
The NBA playoffs determine the winning team in the NBA championship. During the playoffs, the strongest teams in the East and West are also decided in the finals.
Play-In Tournament
The teams on the two sides are sorted by win-loss at the end of the regular season. The top 6 with the highest win-loss record qualify directly, while the teams placed between 7th and 10th place compete for the last four positions available (2 for the teams in the East and 2 in the West) in a Play-in tournament.
Whoever ends the regular season in seventh place will host the team in eighth place; at the same time, the team that finishes the regular season in ninth place will host the team in tenth place. The winners of these matches earn their positions as the seventh and eighth, respectively, in the Playoffs.
The Current Format Of The NBA Playoffs
Regarding the Playoffs format, we can say that it will be the same as in previous years. All rounds are a best-of-seven series, so whoever wins four games will move on to the next round, and so on, until the last round - the NBA Finals.
As already mentioned, the 12 teams with the highest record of wins-losses (6 in the East and 6 in the West) go directly to the postseason tournament, together with the four winners of the two Play-In tournaments.
Specifically, in the first round, which can be considered the quarter-finals, the team in the 1st seed will compete against the 8th, the 2nd against the 7th, the 3rd against the 6th, and the 4th against the 5th. The team in the highest position will be able to take advantage of the home factor as they will start the series at home.
The two winners between the 1st vs 8st and 4th vs 5th, and the 2 winners between the 2nd vs 7th and 3rd vs 6th will play the next round, i.e. the Conference Semifinals.
The last two franchises will compete in the penultimate series, the Conference Finals, which decrees the champion team in the East and the one in the West. The two winning teams will compete in the NBA Finals' last series.
Most notable NBA Playoff Moments
Because there’s nothing like a bit of reminiscing, here are some memorable moments from NBA playoff history:
Reggie Miller's 8-Point Turnaround
In one of the shortest but most memorable sporting surges in modern history, Miller bagged eight points in just nine seconds against the New York Knicks to turn game one of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on its head on May 7, 1995.
Damian Lillard's Buzzer-Beating Series Winner
It’s the fifth game in the first round of the playoffs between the Trail Blazers and the Thunder on April 23, 2019, and with the scores tied at 115-115, Lillard plays out the last ten seconds, waiting for his time to strike. Just before the buzzer, he lets go of an incredible three-pointer, breaking Thunder hearts.
Kawhi Leonard Breaks the Tie
During game seven of an amazing series between the Raptors and the 76ers, the Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard let go of a two-point effort from the corner with the score tied at 90-90. The ball agonisingly balances on the rim before dropping in, sparking scenes of chaos.
Pistons Upset Stacked Lakers
In 2004, despite boasting a roster brimming with the most recognisable names in the sport, the Lakers perished 4-1 to the Pistons in one of the most surprising upsets in NBA Finals history. The likes of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal were humbled.
Michael Jordan's "The Shot" against the Cavaliers
During the 1989 playoff game between the Bulls and the Cavaliers, Michael Jordan received an inbound pass before beating the buzzer with an outrageous shot to secure a 101–100 win and series victory. It was a classic moment in a classic match that saw no fewer than six lead changes in the final minute.
NBA Playoffs Appearances, Wins, and Defeats (All-Time)
| Team | Appearances | Wins | Defeats | Winning percentage |
| Atlanta Hawks | 36 | 17 | 19 | .472 |
| Boston Celtics | 63 | 32 | 31 | .508 |
| Brooklyn Nets | 22 | 10 | 12 | .455 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 10 | 5 | 5 | .500 |
| Chicago Bulls | 36 | 15 | 21 | .417 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 21 | 10 | 11 | .476 |
| Detroit Pistons | 31 | 13 | 18 | .419 |
| Golden State Warriors | 41 | 21 | 20 | .512 |
| Houston Rockets | 31 | 15 | 16 | .484 |
| Indiana Pacers | 25 | 12 | 13 | .480 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 16 | 8 | 8 | .500 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 63 | 32 | 31 | .508 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 13 | 5 | 8 | .385 |
| Miami Heat | 25 | 14 | 11 | .560 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 35 | 15 | 20 | .371 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 10 | 4 | 6 | .400 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 7 | 3 | 4 | .429 |
| New York Knicks | 49 | 20 | 29 | .408 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 21 | 11 | 10 | .524 |
| Orlando Magic | 15 | 6 | 9 | .400 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 52 | 25 | 27 | .481 |
| Phoenix Suns | 30 | 14 | 16 | .467 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 34 | 18 | 16 | .529 |
| Sacramento Kings | 16 | 7 | 9 | .438 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 53 | 29 | 24 | .547 |
| Toronto Raptors | 11 | 7 | 4 | .636 |
| Utah Jazz | 31 | 14 | 17 | .452 |
| Washington Wizards | 27 | 10 | 17 | .370 |
NBA Playoff FAQ
Can you bet on the NBA playoffs?
Yes, you can bet on the NBA playoffs with LeoVegas - we offer thousands of markets and betting opportunities, pre-match and in-play.
Who is favoured in 2024 NBA playoffs?
Currently, the Boston Celtics are the team most fancied by the bookies to win the Championship.
How do you bet on the NBA game series?
To bet on an NBA game series, you can place wagers on individual games or overall series outcomes such as the series winner or total points scored.
How many NBA teams go to the playoffs?
Sixteen teams, the best eight from the East and the best eight from the West, will advance to the NBA playoffs.
What NBA teams are in the playoffs in 2024?
This list is yet to be finalized.
Who is the youngest NBA Finals MVP?
Magic Johnson was just 20 years old when he won the NBA Finals accolade in his rookie season.
How do NBA playoffs work in 2024?
The NBA playoffs in 2024 will feature 16 teams, with eight teams from each conference (Eastern and Western) competing for the championship.
Who won the NBA finals in 2022?
The 2022 NBA Champions are the Golden State Warriors.
Who won the NBA finals in 2023?
The Denver Nuggets won the NBA Finals in 2023. They defeated the Miami Heat in five games, with a final series score of 4-1. The decisive Game 5 was played on June 12, 2023, and the Nuggets scored 94-89.
How do the NBA playoffs work?
The NBA playoffs begin with the play-in tournament - this is where the 7th and 8th seed need to win ONE game to advance to the playoffs. As for the 9th and 10th seed, they have to win TWO-straight games to be in the playoffs.
After the play-in, the traditional 16-team playoff format begins. Eight teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences compete in the postseason. They face four rounds of playoff action, each round consisting of a seven-game series, and the last team remaining is world champion.
How many wins do you need for the NBA playoffs?
The amount of wins required depends on the stage you enter the bracket. For a 9th/10th seed, they’ll have to win 18 games to lift the trophy, a 7th/8th seed needs 17 wins, and a team that enters the playoffs in the first round has to win 16 games (four wins in each best-of-seven series).
What is the difference between NBA playoffs and finals?
The NBA Finals decides the winner of the NBA title. Like the playoffs, the winner is decided via a best-of-seven series, however, the winner is crowned World Champion.
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