How to Bet on Basketball in Zambia? Beginner Guide for 2024

Basketball betting is a popular choice at sportsbooks for Zambian players today. If you are new to betting on basketball and need some tips to get started, check out this beginner guide.

How to Bet on Basketball?

Before you start betting on your favourite basketball teams and leagues, you must complete some steps.

Currently, you cannot place a basketball wager without a valid account at an online betting site. Here you can follow a step-by-step guide on how to place your first bets on basketball.

Join a Bookmaker

First, you must join an online betting site to place any sports wager. However, not all betting brands are the same and some offer different services and features.

Therefore, before you commit to a site, consider what you want from your online brand.

Do you favour live betting, college basketball options, NBA markets or the best betting apps? Consider these questions and your preferences.

Then, once you have selected a basketball betting site, you must register. T

o sign up, fill in the provider’s registration form with some personal details. Often, these include your name, mobile number, email address and password.

Deposit Funds

Second, after you have completed your registration in full, you must deposit funds into your account. Presently, you can browse betting sites for free.

But to place bets on NBA odds and other markets, you must send monetary funds to your account.

Simply head to your account, select your preferred payment method and fill in the details. Generally, Zambian betting sites complete deposits instantly.

However, be aware that many online betting sites offer different payment methods. Not all Zambian brands will have a vast range of deposit and withdrawal options.

Head to the Sportsbook

Next, you will find basketball odds and other markets like point spreads and prop bets on the brand’s sportsbook.

In addition, this is where you will find more details about the odds for your favoured teams and leagues. Also, if you struggle to find the basketball odds, locate the search bar and type in your favoured league or competition.

Select Your Bets

Once you have browsed the basketball betting section, you can choose your favoured markets and odds.

To place a bet, click the games you want to wager on. Then click your preferred odds and a virtual betslip will load on the screen.

Set Your Stake

Lastly, to complete your basketball bet, you will need to input your stake amount. A stake is how much you are wagering against the bookmaker’s odds.

Often, brands will have minimum stakes for NBA odds and other markets so pay attention to these before confirming your bet.

Best Basketball Betting Sites

Currently, the best betting sites for basketball will have a range of markets and additional functions like streaming, odds boosts and promos. Review the pros and cons of each Zambian provider before you sign up with a betting provider.

Basketball Betting Odds

In sports betting, it is likely you will encounter three different types of odds. Here you can find an overview of the various odds used for basketball games.

Fraction

Fractional odds show bettors how much their stake will increase if a bet is successful.

For example, one selection in the NBA season might have the Lakers win the western conference at 4/ 5. This means for every 4ZMW you place, you will give five back in return.

Decimal

Recently, decimal odds have become the most common and easiest to understand for bettors. As a result, they are a good choice for players that are new to basketball, betting.

Decimal odds show the increase you could receive from a winning bet. For example, if you placed 1ZMW on the New York Knicks to win at odds of 1.9, you would receive 1.9x your stake.

American Odds

American odds are often used for line betting on match winners in individual games. These odds show the favourite and underdog of a match by using the plus and minus symbols.

The number after the plus or minus shows how much you would have to stake to make $100 from the wager. For instance, if the Denver Nuggets were -125 to win a game, you would have to stake $125 to win an additional $100 from the bookmaker.

Basketball Betting Markets

As you become more familiar with basketball betting, you will notice different markets available.

In each section below, you can find an explanation of some of the most common basketball selections.

Moneylines

Moneyline betting is when you choose one team to win a game outright. Players select their line – which team they think will win – and place a wager on this team.

In a line bet, the final score is irrelevant as the market only depends on a team winning the match outright. Generally, American odds are used to show the line and value of a team winning an upcoming contest.

An example of money-line betting would be if the Milwaukee Bucks were about to play the Orlando Magic. It is likely the Bucks will be considered the favourites and Magic as the underdogs.

Therefore, the Bucks might have -150 odds, while Magic could have +150. You could then select a Bucks win and would have to stake the equivalent of $150 to make $100 on the winning bet.

Point Spreads

Second, punters can bet on teams to cover a spread in basketball wagers. Here, the favourite is given a starting handicap in the game and they then have to cover this to win the bet.

For example, if the LA Lakers are playing the San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers might be the favourites.

Then the bookmaker could offer a point spreads option at -6 points. To win the wager, the Lakers would have to win by six clear points in the game.

Future Bets

Also, rather than betting on individual games throughout the season, bettors can wager on future events.

Often, punters like to select a wager on the NBA playoffs winners or the individual player MVP before the season begins.

However, bettors can still select future bets as the season is in progress. But the odds are likely to decrease and increase hugely once the campaign begins.

Prop Bets

Basketball is a game with lots of player statistics. As a result, bettors can select various NBA prop bets, where you wager on an individual to produce a specific outcome in a game.

Some of the most popular prop bets in NBA games are total points, turnovers, steals, three-pointers made and blocks.

In addition, bettors can select under/over options for prop bets. For example, you could select Jimmy Butler to make under or over 30 points in an individual NBA game.

Basketball Betting Tips

Before you start committing to bets and start placing wagers on basketball events, consider using some strategies.

Generally, there is an element of luck when wagering on all sports. However, you can often use statistics, news, previews and information to your advantage.

Ultimately, just picking one or two basketball strategies can help you make more informed betting choices.

Look at Team Form

Firstly, look at the competing teams’ form before you bet on NBA games or other leagues.

Even by looking at the last three to five final score results, you can see patterns and trends in results. Also, you can check head-to-head results between the competitors for a more in-depth review.

For example, one team might have lost heavily in their last two matches, while their opponent might have won their last two. Therefore, the second team is likely to have a slight advantage.

Check the League Table

Currently, bettors can browse the NBA Western or Eastern conference to see how well a team is performing across the campaign. Often, even a quick glance can reveal the number of wins and losses in addition to home and away form.

This information provides you with a snapshot of how a team is doing across the current season. As a result, you can adapt your betting process and selections based on the league table information.

Check Pre-Match News

Usually, several online news outlets, as well as some betting sites, provide basketball match previews. These pre-match previews provide bettors with some vital information, including key player injuries, coach changes and team form.

All of the information can impact betting decisions. For instance, if the Golden State Warriors were going to face the Boston Celtics again in the NBA playoffs and the Celtics had three key players out, the advantage could swing in the Warriors’ favour.

Keep a Betting Journal

Lastly, an effective long-term betting strategy for basketball is to keep a betting journal. Here, you can note the number of bets you place throughout the season.

But you can also track which markets were interesting for bettors, which were not and the teams and players that produced for you.

Some bettors might prefer a basic journal, which tracks line winners and future bets. However, others can go further and reveal how a bet impacted a bankroll or how an alternative selection might have worked better.

Basketball Betting Review

Once you are confident with how to bet on basketball, you can join a bookmaker and start placing wagers. The same applies to how to bet on football.

Also, with an online betting account, you can access several basketball markets and promos.

However, remember to use at least one or two betting strategies before you bet on the NBA finals and other events.

In addition, consider researching your preferred bookmaker before you join. It is important you find the services and features you want from your basketball betting site before you commit.

How to bet on basketball in Zambia – FAQ

To complete this betting guide on basketball, Zambian bettors can view answers to common questions on the topic below.