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2024-25 NBA Season Picks & Predictions - Basketball Betting Odds

The start of the 2024-25 NBA season is almost upon us. The NBA offseason always seems to be filled with surprising trades and high-profile players changing teams in free agency. This gets fans excited about the new season and finding out how all of the pieces on each team fit together.

Stake Sportsbook provides an excellent platform for NBA betting action once the season begins. Of course, a new season means a fresh start for fans, regardless of whether they’re experienced bettors or online sports betting beginners. That’s why we put together a betting guide for the 2024-25 NBA season.

NBA History & Previous Winners

The NBA dates back to 1946. In the decades since the league was founded, over 20 different franchises have won an NBA title. Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Boston Celtics are the reigning champions. Last season’s title was Boston’s 18th in franchise history, breaking a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers, who now rank second with 17 NBA championships. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors are a distant third with 7 NBA championships. The Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs are also noteworthy with 6 and 5 NBA titles, respectively.

2024-25 NBA Season Picks & Expert Predictions

The 2024-25 NBA regular season will begin on October 22 with the final regular-season games being played on April 13, 2025. Don’t forget that the NBA cup will be played again this season in November and December with select regular-season games counting in the cup and the normal standings. The play-in tournament will be held from April 15 to 18 with the NBA playoffs starting on April 19. Between now and then, there will be no shortage of storylines to watch closely.

Heading into the season, all eyes are on the Celtics, who are the reigning champs and the clear betting favorites to win the 2025 NBA title. However, they will surely face competition from the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks. The Sixers believe a healthy Joel Embiid and the addition of Paul George can put them over the top. Meanwhile, the Knicks have similar thoughts about the offseason addition of Mikal Bridges while also hoping that Julius Randle can come back healthy after missing last season’s playoff run.

In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder is the betting favorite despite a premature playoff exit last season. The Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves aren’t far behind after both put together sensational 2023-24 campaigns. Of course, the Dallas Mavericks also have their sights set on a return trip to the NBA Finals after the offseason addition of Klay Thompson, who joins Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in a dynamic backcourt. Finally, LeBron James is still around and ready to make the Los Angeles Lakers a factor in the Western Conference playoff race this season.

NBA Betting Tips, Odds & Preview

Betting on the NBA or any other sport doesn’t have to require relying on expert picks. However, it’s important to have a clear betting strategy that you stick to at all times. It doesn’t matter if it’s the regular season, the in-season basketball tournament, or the playoffs, always have a strategy and follow it.

With 30 NBA teams, there is a lot to track. It’s important to know any betting trends for each team. For instance, is one team great at home but struggles on the road? Is one team in the midst of a hot streak? The amount of rest a team has before a game can also play a big role in NBA games. Look for betting trends that involve how a team performs when they play on back-to-back nights or have less rest than their opponent.

Understanding each team’s personnel also matters. Star power goes a long way in determining NBA games. But it’s also important to look at how each team’s strengths and weaknesses match up against one another. It’s also crucial to track injuries because if a key player is going to miss a game, it can change the outlook for that game.

Finally, the best advice for betting on the NBA is to use your head and not your heart. Don’t get on something just because you hope it happens. Look closely at a game and bet what you think will happen. Above all else, betting requires objectivity. It’s equally important to bet what you know, so don’t bet on games if you’re not familiar with the 2 teams playing. Instead, stick with teams you follow closely.

Types of Basketball Bets & How to Bet on NBA

From handicap betting to outrights, Stake Sportsbook offers a wide range of bets on every NBA game. The most popular types of bets include:

  • Point Spread (Spread) - Betting against the spread is among the most popular bet types for NBA fans. With spread bets, the favored team must win by a certain margin in order to win the bet. If that team doesn’t win by a margin that’s greater than the spread for the game, the losing team wins the bet just by keeping it close.

  • Moneyline (Outright) - Making moneyline picks is a little simpler than betting against the spread. This bet only requires betting on the outright winner of the game. The catch is that the odds and payout won’t be the same for each team. The payout is smaller if you take the moneyline of the favored team and larger for the underdog.

  • Total (Over/Under) - Rather than betting on winners and losers, a total bet is concerned with the combined points of both teams. There is an over/under for every game with bettors placing a wager on whether the total points in that game will be higher or lower than that total.

  • Parlays & Multibets - A parlay is a great way to increase the payout of a bet. It ties multiple bets into a larger bet, increasing the payout more than a series of single bets. However, if just 1 bet loses, the entire parlay loses, so it’s the ultimate example of a high-risk, high-reward bet.

  • Proposition Bets (Player Props) - Player props are hugely popular among NBA fans. These prop bets are typically based on the number of points, rebounds, or assists a player has in a game. There are also prop bets that are based on certain events in a game, including whether a team will lead at halftime and win the game.

  • Live Betting (In Play) - Even after a game begins, there are betting lines available, allowing fans to make live bets in the middle of a game. This allows fans to watch the start of an NBA game and then make a bet on how the game will end. Just keep in mind that live betting is a little different from pre-game betting. The spread, over/under, and moneyline odds all change throughout the game so you can’t get on the pre-game odds once the game begins.

Check our our comprehensive sports betting guide for more tips and tricks when forming your basketball betting slip !

Live Stream NBA Online & Live Betting Markets

At Stake, you can watch a live stream of any NBA game after placing a bet on it. There is no extra cost or subscription for this. Just look at a list of upcoming games , and if you place a bet on any of those games, you’ll be able to watch a live stream of that game on the Stake platform once the game begins. This is because we want you to be able to track your bets. Plus, by live streaming NBA games , it’ll be much easier to see how games unfold and place live bets on that game.

Bet on NBA & Basketball Games with Best Odds on Stake Sportsbook

There are several reasons why Stake is an elite online sportsbook when it comes to betting on the NBA and other forms of sports betting. It begins with a wide array of bonus opportunities and promotions . Whether it’s a welcome bonus for new users, a reload bonus for returning customers, or rakeback bonus , a weekly raffle , as well as various casino challenges open to everyone.

The bottom line is that Stake always wants customers to get the most out of their winning bets. Plus, with Stake news , we make sure that our customers have access to the latest news and information they need to place well-informed bets.

For some of our most loyal and active users, Stake also has a VIP club . We want all of our users to ask questions about what makes our VIP club so special and the various levels of the VIP club . There is also a customer support guide that can tell you everything you need to know about using the platform and what VIP benefits Stake offers . We also offer a wide range of sports and betting markets so there is something for everyone.

Whether you’re a VIP member or not, Stake wants everyone using the platform to get a first-class experience. This includes giving everyone a wide array of options for depositing and withdrawing funds . Deposit methods include everything from traditional banking methods to today’s most popular cryptocurrencies . We also want our customers to have safe and secure withdrawals when it’s time to collect their winnings. This is why we utilise the Stake Vault to protect your funds when you use Stake Sportsbook.

Last but not least, we always urge our customers to bet responsibly on our platform. This is why we offer everyone resources like Stake responsible gambling guide & tips . These types of resources give our customers the tools to make good choices so that while they have fun while betting, they are also practicing safe gambling habits at all times.