NBA Betting Canada: Best NBA Betting Sites in 2024

The NBA is the world’s biggest basketball league with tons of fans and bettors. BettingTop10 is here to help those looking for the top betting sites find them by researching, comparing, and sharing key details.

Dr. James Naismith's vision of a sport in which you toss a ball into a hoop has grown into a global phenomenon. The National Basketball Association (NBA) began with 11 teams in the United States and has progressed into 30 teams across two countries. The NBA is one of the biggest sports leagues on the planet and is a popular sport to wager on for bettors. 

30 teams divided equally into Eastern and Western Conferences make up the NBA. After a grueling 82-game regular season, the top 20 teams (10 in each conference) make the NBA postseason. However, teams ranked 7 through 10 will have to officially qualify for the NBA playoffs, competing in a play-in tournament. From there, 8 teams from each conference (16 in total) compete for a shot at the NBA championship. 

The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics each have a whopping 17 NBA titles, which are the most in league history. Between the two teams, they have combined for a total of 54 NBA Finals' appearances. Some of the league's top players include LeBron James (LA Lakers),  Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors), Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks) and Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics).

Every betting site is different and specializes in differing areas. Some sites are better than others for certain sports, and there are sportsbooks that truly know how to give gamblers the best of NBA betting.

Let’s take a look at the best NBA betting sites.

There is a ton of information in regard to betting on the NBA. We’ve broken down how to read odds, the different betting markets and strategies for betting so you can feel comfortable placing NBA bets! 

Odds can be displayed differently between bookmakers. Below are the common odds found on NBA betting sites and how to read them.

• American: American odds are the most common kind you’d find on a Canadian sportsbook. American odds are based around the number 100. For + odds in American, the number represents what you would get in profit if you bet $100. For example, if the odds are +150, for a $100 bet, you’d receive $150 of profit and your $100 bet back. For – odds, the line represents how much you’d need to bet to make a $100 profit. For example, if the line is -200, you’d need to bet $200 to receive a $100 payout.
• Decimal: Decimal odds are more common in British sportsbooks, but if you prefer them, you can find them everywhere. Decimal odds represent how much total you’d receive if you bet $1, not just the profit. For example, if the odds are 1.8, you’d receive $1.80, including your $1 bet, if the bet pays out.

Betting markets are the bread and butter of NBA betting sites. Without betting markets, bettors will have nothing to wager on! We broke down some of the most popular markets NBA bettors will hit when wagering on professional basketball.

• Moneyline: Moneyline betting is when you choose the winner straight up. Choose the correct winner and you win your bet.
• Spread: The spread is used to balance out the favourite and underdog. Basically, the underdog is awarded points while the favourite has points taken away from them. The underdog must win the game outright or lose by the designated line, while the favourite cannot lose the game and must win by the designated total.
• Total: Also known as the over/under, totals usually refers to the final score. You are wagering if there will be more (over) or fewer (under) points scored in the game. A typical line will look like this: O/U 205.
• Futures: Futures bets are as they sound. You are wagering on an event in the future and is normally not decided by one game. Futures bets are typically bet on the outright winner of a championship or tournament, or award winner.
• Game/Player Props: An interesting market, player props or game props are not directly tied to the outcome of the game. These bets usually revolve around stats, such as total points for a player or team fouls. The possibilities are endless when it comes to player/game props.

Having a good strategy is the key to successful betting. Here are a couple of tips and strategies that should help you win big with your NBA betting.

• Follow injuries and resting –  Unlike many leagues, NBA players don’t necessarily have to be injured to sit out a game. A lot of the top teams will give their players load management breaks, which completely change the team’s outlook for specific games. Make sure you’re tracking who is playing and not playing before you make a bet.
• Don’t hammer an underdog just because you like the payout –  This rule holds firm to all sports, not just basketball. A big underdog can result in a big payday, but they’re typically big underdogs for a reason. In the NBA, the best teams tend to bully the worst. Don’t get suckered into a bad bet.
• Careful with the parlays – Parlays are a lot of fun and result in massive payouts if you hit a big one. But be advised: be careful. You’re not going to hit many longshot parlay bets, so don’t become one of those gamblers throwing big money on a 10-team parlay because it’s a great way to empty your account.
• Home court doesn’t mean as much as you think – The public tends to throw big money at home court teams, which pushes the line even further in their favor. The smart bettor targets road underdogs that are being undervalued due to the public being obsessed with home-court advantage.

• Sports Interaction: Great overall experience for NBA bettors with a pitch-perfect website
• Unibet: The biggest variety of betting options, with tons of fun NBA props
• PointBet: Amazing mobile and several great NBA markets offered
• Bwin: A website design that has all the NBA bets the typical bettor would seek out
• 888Sport: A reliable and loved sportsbook with several features that make it stand out from the pack
• BetMGM: American top online sportsbooks with a huge choice of NBA markets
• Betway: The biggest range of NBA markets and one of the top betting apps
• Royal Panda: A new player in the sports betting industry with a gigantic welcome bonus
• PowerPlay: A user-friendly website where they put the customer first
• LeoVegas: A popular operator that is constantly adding new fun ways to gamble

While NBA bettors are joining the site and apps to bet on basketball (and potentially other sports), it’s nice to have freebies once in a while. New players will get the welcome bonus to take advantage but veteran bettors will have options as well. Certain promotions or bonuses such as free bets and bet boosters are welcomed by users as they can give you free wagers or better odds! 

Operators will offer promotions for NBA betting before and during the season. These promotions could be for specific matchups or events, like the NBA Finals. Remember, when using a promotion or bonus, ensure you gloss over the Terms and Conditions of the site!

👉 Read here for more information about Betting bonuses

Betway – Best Overall NBA Offers

As we mentioned, Betway is one of the best betting sites for NBA plays and sports betting in general. New users and veterans alike turn to Betway thanks to its variety of promotions, betting markets and reliability.

Betway is constantly running promotions for the NBA season, such as boosted odds, bet builders, money-back plays and free bets. The combination of betting markets and promotions makes them a top bookmaker for Canadian sports bettors. Daily props, same-game parlays and other goodies are used to attract bettors to their site.

They have a revolving door of bonuses and promotions to feast upon. This is great news because the same promos aren’t used; variety is expected and appreciated. Betway is a trusted betting site for basketball betting and throughout the NBA season, you’ll see why.

👉Click to See Betway Welcome Offer

Betting apps are an amazing part of a sports betting journey and wagering on NBA games from your phone is an experience beloved by Canadians across the country.

Getting started with your basketball betting experience is something that shouldn't take long and will provide you with a lot of enjoyment. Below, we'll break down some quick and easy steps to getting an NBA betting app downloaded onto your phone.

1. Step One: Do Your Research. Before you download anything, it is important to do your research. Look at the different sports betting apps that are available, and find one that has all the features and basketball coverage you need. Read their reviews, and decide whether you want to proceed.
2. Step Two: Visit the App or Google Play Store. Depending on the device you are using, visit the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Search the name of the app, and tap download.
3. Step Three: Create an Account. You will need to register on the app and create your account. This requires personal details like your contact information and address.
4. Step Four: Deposit in Your Account. Once you’ve created your account, you’ll need to deposit into it to have funds for betting.
5. Step Five: Begin Betting. You should now be ready to wager on NBA and NCAA action from your phone!

Every betting operator follows rules that decide how they return the money to bettors. Certain circumstances can alter a bet, and understanding the general betting rules for the sport you are betting on will go a long way to ensuring you don’t make any foolish decisions.

Not every betting operator follows the same rules, but there are rules that are pretty typical to the industry overall. It is always best practice to check the rules of the operator you are choosing to bet with. Here are some must-know rules that are consistent across operators.

• All pre-game bets include overtime unless otherwise stated
• Players bet on must see the court for a bet to count as action
• Teams must complete 80 games for the season-long bets on them to count as action
• There must be five minutes or less of scheduled game time remaining for a bet to count as action unless a specific outcome is already determined
• For a series bet, the bet is void if the statutory number of games isn’t played in full
• If there is a bet on a quarter or a half, the quarter or half must be played in full for the bet to count as action unless the outcome is already determined

❔ How does Overtime Work with NBA betting?

Unless you are wagering on bets that are finalized in regulation, overtime directly impacts NBA betting. If you are wagering total score, then the line also includes any potential overtime points. Certain bookmakers offer bets strictly for regulation play but unless stated, all bets will include any statistics obtained in overtime.

❔ Does being aware of NBA betting trends help me?

Staying informed of the latest NBA betting trends will certainly help you. When making NBA bets, you want to be well informed of what’s happening around the league. While not every game will directly reflect the trends, they are a great tool when researching your bets. These trends are indicative of the general direction a player or team is leaning, so learning these tendencies is a great step.

❔ How can parlays help by NBA betting strategy?

Parlays are an interesting aspect of NBA betting. They offer better profits than single wagers but at increased risk. However, if you can strategically place two or three wagers (or more) into a single bet, your profit margin will be higher! Parlays are tricky to hit, however. But they can be a great strategy if you find discrepancies between trends and what the bookmakers are offering!

❔ Are player props profitable?

Bettors will always need to weigh the risks and rewards of a wager. Player props can be profitable since you are wagering on certain stats. However, the bookie knows which stats are heavily bet on and certain players’ numbers against matchups and teams. Monitoring player trends is a great way to see how a prop looks but that doesn’t necessarily tell the entire story. NBA bettors will see certain trends, such as Luka Doncic’s streak of games with 20+ points scored. But again, bookmakers will have odds that reflect these scenarios. In conclusion, they can be profitable but you need to look for the latest trends!

❔ Is there a competitive advantage to live betting?

There isn’t necessarily a competitive advantage to live betting.  Live bets are great because bettors can see how the game is unfolding and the current trends. The odds directly reflect the game and you can place bets based on certain situations. Injuries, streaks and other factors can impact a game and that’s where live bettors could make their money. There isn’t a competitive advantage to live betting, but more experienced bettors might recognize certain factors that could impact the outcome of the game. Bettors who placed wagers before tip-off wouldn’t have this luxury.