Betting NBA Futures: Cash More Bets With These Tips

One of the main ways of turning good profits on sports is with futures bets and we will be focusing on the best tips for NBA futures. 

Bettors should capitalize on a multitude of different methods if they want to become successful. Sure, it’s always fun to focus on one particular game and place a wager on the moneyline, spread or total. 

However, if you aren’t betting NBA futures, then you are missing out. If you want to learn more about this type of basketball betting, be sure to read our article below with our best tricks and tips! 

What Are NBA Futures? 

When betting on NBA futures, you are placing a wager on the outcome of an event at a later date. That means your bet won’t be settled that day or week, but it will be determined later on during the season. 

For example, typical NBA futures bets will be placed on markets such as: 

• to win the NBA championship
• to win the conference
• to reach the playoffs 
• to win the division

You can also place bets on player futures such as MVP, Rookie of the Year, Clutch Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player. 

Bettors can decide to place their futures bets at the start of the season. However, you can also make your wagers later on during the campaign. The key difference between futures and standard bets is that you are aiming to predict a result in the long-term. 

Betting on futures is a common method across a host of different sports. Find out how to bet on NFL Futures here. You can also find our more basic guides on how to bet on basketball and NBA Odds. 

Why should you bet on NBA futures? 

One of the main reasons as to why you should bet on NBA futures is that it can offer much larger payouts than gameday bets. Even the shortest favorites across the different markets will start at plus-money. 

Of course, they are also more difficult to win, hence why the odds are a lot longer. Since the bet is determined over a long period, there are many different factors that can influence the bet. 

Let’s take a look at an example: 

Say you want to place a $100 wager on the Boston Celtics to win the NBA Championship at a preseason price of +450. 

You will be risking $100 in the hope of winning $450 if they go on and become champions at the end of the campaign. However, if they don’t win the championship, you will lose your $100. 

A lot can happen over the course of the season. Key players can receive season-ending injuries and teams can make significant trades throughout the season. Equally, teams may not live up to the preseason hype. 

However, if you can gain an insight into how a team may perform, they draft well and have assimilated a strong roster with good depth, there’s no reason why they can’t perform well over the entirety of the season. Therefore, NBA futures can offer some excellent value and give bettors lucrative payouts. 

The Best Tips & Tricks

So, we’ve covered the basics of what NBA futures are and why you should bet on them. However, what we really want to know is the best tips and tricks to cash more bets. 

We will be providing you with the best strategies when it comes to betting NBA futures. One of the most common plans that you should follow to win more bets in general is line shopping. 

Bookmakers will always offer a host of different odds and markets. Therefore, if you want to turn more profits, you will be analyzing the different sportsbooks to find the best odds. That way, you can find the best value for your picks. 

Insider Knowledge 

As stated above, there are a ton of different factors that can influence the long-term outcomes of NBA bets. As a result, it is a lot harder for the bookmakers to accurately price the odds. 

Say that you know your favorite team inside out. You have the most up to date knowledge on injuries, potential trades, how the organization is run and the overall chances of success for your franchise. Furthermore, you may have scrutinized a team’s entire preseason and have highlighted a player who is going under the radar. 

This knowledge can give you an upper hand over casual bettors and the oddsmakers. The more you know about a particular team, the easier it is for you to assess the odds and see if they have been overrated or undervalued. 

Recent History 

Just like when you are examining the recent form of a given team before deciding your wager on the game, you can apply the same logic when it comes to NBA futures. 

Teams who have a recent history of winning championships will have shorter odds. However, this is for a reason – the franchise has a winning culture, built for long-term success. 

As a result, it’s a good idea to take a look at the recent NBA champions, for example, if you are betting on who will win the championship. Here’s a list of the last ten NBA champs: 

• 2014: San Antonio Spurs 
• 2015: Golden State Warriors 
• 2016: Cleveland Cavaliers
• 2017: Golden State Warriors
• 2018: Golden State Warriors 
• 2019: Toronto Raptors 
• 2020: Los Angeles Lakers
• 2021: Milwaukee Bucks
• 2022: Golden State Warriors 
• 2023: Denver Nuggets

The Golden State Warriors are a great example who have created a dynasty for success. They have won the NBA finals four times in the last ten seasons. Although they failed to win three years in a row from 2019-2021, they won the championship again in 2022. 

Of course, you always need to analyze the season in question since a lot can change from year-to-year. However, a team like the Warriors have been set up for success now for some time, meaning they are always a good shout to win the championship. 

Another team to consider is the Miami Heat. Despite not becoming champs since 2013, they have managed to reach the finals three times in the ten seasons since. Clearly, they have a history of success, and are likely to win a championship again soon. Equally, they could also be a good contender for other futures such as the conference winner or division winner. 

How Does The Trade Deadline Influence NBA Futures? 

The NBA trade deadline is one of the key dates that bettors should always consider when making their NBA futures bets. That’s because a lot can happen at this point as franchises prepare to either tank or go for success. 

As a result, a host of trades will often be made that will have a huge say on the outcomes of teams come the end of the season. These trades will make a big impact on the odds that the bookmakers set. 

A team who has been pretty mediocre for the first half of the season may decide to go all out and make a number of significant trades to bolster their roster, drastically improving their chances of winning the NBA championship. 

As a result, it’s always essential to stay up to date with all of the latest transactions that are influencing a franchise’s roster. The more you know about a team’s roster, the more informed you are when making your futures bets. 

Timing Is Crucial

Following on from the section above, timing is key when it comes to making your NBA futures bets. It’s easy to get ahead of yourself before the season starts. However, the longer you leave it to place your wagers, the more information you can gather. 

You need to balance when the time is right. If you back a team to win a futures bet when they are just coming off of a hot streak, you may not get the best value odds. 

However, for example, you notice that star player LeBron James is injured for the next five games for the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are then more likely to struggle in their next run, and they end up losing three of those five. As a result, their odds to win the finals gets longer. 

This may be a good time to place your futures bet because you know that LA is more than likely to bounce back once LeBron returns. 

You can still find excellent value on NBA futures midway through the season, and you have a much better idea of how it will play out at this point. There’s also less time for key players to pick up injuries. 

Once the trade deadline closes, rosters become a lot more settled. A good tip is to wait to place your wagers, gather as much information as you can, and find the right time to strike.