NBA Futures Betting Odds
Key Dates for 2023-24 NBA Season
October 24th: Start of the 2023–24 NBA Regular Season
November 3rd: NBA In-Season Tournament begins
December 9th: NBA In-Season Tournament Championship
January 11th: NBA Paris Game, Brooklyn Nets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
February 8th: NBA Trade Deadline
February 8th: 16-21: NBA All-Star break
April 14th: The NBA Regular Season ends
April 16-19rd: NBA Play-In Tournament
May 12th: 2024 NBA Draft Lottery
June 6th: 2024 NBA Finals begin
June 27th: 2024 NBA Draft
NBA Lines Legend
- The “magic number” of sports betting, and why it’s so important.
- Use multiple sportsbooks to your advantage to secure the best value.
- Overview of why the odds change before and during a game.
- How to interpret changes in odds when it comes to sports betting.
What Are NBA Futures?
NBA futures are a type of wager where you’ll bet on specific NBA events that have yet to occur – futures betting within the NBA is very popular for both novice and professional bettors, especially in the United States. For example, one of the most popular options available allows NBA fans to wager on which team will win the NBA Championship. While those NBA Championship futures take in the most volume of bets and money at sportsbooks online, there are plenty of other opportunities in the NBA to select a future winner.
Betting on NBA futures also allows basketball fans to wager on which teams will win their respective divisions, with options for the Eastern and Western conference champions as well. There are a bunch of other fun prop bets within NBA futures wagering, such as which player will win NBA MVP, be Rookie of the Year, or who win individual awards like Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man, and Most Improved.
NBA Championship Futures
The NBA championship is typically decided every June in a best-of-seven series also known as the NBA Finals. Odds for potential title winners are released at the end of the current NBA season and will move up and down following relevant NBA news or developments. If the Milwaukee Bucks are tearing it up and sitting near the top of the power rankings, their odds will improve – failing teams will see the reverse, with their odds dropping. There are also trades to take into consideration, as well as free-agent signings, coaching changes and off-the-court issues.
For example, the 2015 Golden State Warriors, who went on to win the NBA Finals, started the season at +2800 – a $100 bet before the regular season would have earned you $28000 after their victory. As the season went along, however, bettors noticed their greatness and their odds fell to standing at +225 by the playoffs. A $100 bet would only net you $225 at this point, showcasing the opportunity of betting early.
Line movement in the NBA is constant, and there are always new storylines to follow, so be sure to get your NBA futures bet placed when the odds are at their best. Our odds calculator helps you determine how much money you could win, based on the betting odds and amount of money wagered – pair that with our guide on futures betting to make an informed wager this season.
NBA Conference Futures
The Eastern and Western Conference finals are the culmination of the NBA playoffs for each respective half of the league. In the same vein as futures for the NBA Championship, a futures bet here indicates your choice of who’s going to win each conference.
Whether you’re a rookie or a vet, conference futures bets are a fantastic wager for any NBA fan. At the end of the day, the winners will be just as unpredictable as the NBA Finals – this gives you room to go with your gut and experiment. You can make a safe wager on the favourite or go for a potential payday on underdogs, maybe even both.
NBA Conference Odds
The strength of each conference varies year by year, which is why you’ll see a difference between NBA Western Conference odds and NBA Eastern Conference odds in your sportsbook.
For example, during the four years, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors faced off in the NBA Finals, each team’s odds were far lower than other conference members thanks to their successful track record. If the Cavs hadn’t been so dominant, the Warriors would have kept their low odds and the Eastern Conference’s futures odds would have been more spread out.
Regardless, when you’re wagering on the overall winner of a conference, there will usually be a small number of teams with lower odds because they stand the best chance of making it through. With the introduction of the play-in tournament, lower-seeded teams will have even higher odds thanks to the extra steps needed to even be in the playoffs.
Eastern Conference Divisions
The NBA is split into two conferences, with the East holding 15 teams spread across three divisions - the Atlantic, the Central, and the Southeast. Historically, this conference has won 40 NBA Finals trophies.
NBA Atlantic Division Odds
NBA Southeast Division Odds
Western Conference Divisions
The second of the NBA’s two-conference system, the West has 15 teams spread across three divisions as well - the Northwest, the Pacific, and the Southwest. Historically, this conference has won 37 NBA Finals trophies.
NBA Northwest Division Odds
NBA Pacific Division Odds
NBA Southwest Division Odds
NBA Player Awards
Overall winners are exciting, but they require you to “buy in” to an entire team. If you’d like to get a little more personal with your bets – maybe with a player you’re a fan of or a breakout rookie candidate – betting on NBA player awards is the perfect path.
You can select any category of award, with popular options being honors like MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player of the Year - options for Coach of the Year and regular season stat leaders are also available.
The awards are voted on by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters from across the NBA media – players must appear in 65 regular season games (between 15 - 20 minutes each game) to be eligible for awards.
NBA Draft
One of the more unique options when it comes to betting on NBA futures is wagering on the NBA draft. Every draft is different and comes with unpredictable moments like a top-ranked player dropping, or a team taking a gamble on an under-the-radar prospect. Most sportsbooks will allow you to wager on various NBA draft props such as who will be the first overall pick, the order of the top three draft picks, or the over/under on how many selections will come from powerhouse NCAAB schools like Duke or Kentucky.
To learn more about betting on the NBA draft, check out our Draft Betting Guide for an analysis of the current favorites and strategies to hit the jackpot on draft day futures.
How to read NBA Futures
Like any future bet you’ll see, every option for NBA futures will begin with the favorited, low-odd options before making a massive jump to the more unlikely winners. Teams will see their odds increase and decrease depending on their performance or following any relevant NBA news like trades, injuries and other changes.
As for payouts, the same rules apply as other bets – a +375 favorite would net you $375 on a $100 bet, whereas a major underdog could earn you $10,000 on the same bet at +10000. It’s not uncommon for pre-season odds to be relatively high, as anything can happen leading up to the first weeks of the regular season.
NBA Futures Line Movement
You’ll see futures odds rise and fall at the drop of a hat – with every outcome of a game, oddsmakers determine how to adjust the odds accordingly. Important events include trades, player injuries, losing streaks, blowout wins and off-the-court news. Because futures tie up your bankroll for the length of the season, it’s vital to do some research and select a trustworthy option that can deal with any of the above.
Movement is usually more intense toward the beginning of the season, levelling out as sportsbooks get a better sense of each team’s potential further into the season. It’s important to keep up to date on NBA news to snag a bet at the perfect value; just because the favorite got off to a rocky start doesn’t mean they’re out of contention, which means you might see their odds rise to a level you think is worth it.