The NBA was formed in 1949, after the merger of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL), becoming the world’s elite basketball competition. It is structured into two conferences (Eastern and Western), each with three divisions of five teams.
The league hosts 30 teams per season and is home to teams like Oklahoma City Thunder, the Indiana Pacers, the Boston Celtics, the Golden State Warriors, and the Denver Nuggets. For outright markets on Division, Conference, and Championship winners and live NBA betting, team up with Betsson for the latest NBA betting odds.
About the NBA
The Boston Celtics and LA Lakers are the only two franchises to reach double figures in title victories. They were tied at 17 before the Celtics pulled ahead with their 2024 win. The Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, and Miami Heat have been some of the more dominant teams in the NBA since the turn of the century.
A regular NBA season typically runs from October to April. After the regular season, each conference produces its top eight teams to enter the playoff tournament. The regular season consists of four rounds and the results determine playoff seeding:
- The First Round
- Conference Semifinals
- Conference Finals
- The NBA Finals
2025/26 Preview
The 2025/26 NBA season began on October 21, 2025, with many exciting contests ahead. The league will have a different look, unlike the previous season, featuring players’ debuts, significant absentees due to injuries, and a couple of rookies looking to make an impact.
Some key dates of the season include:
- November 28, 2025: End of the Emirates NBA Cup group stage
- December, 25, 2025: Start of the five-game Christmas Day schedule
- February 5, 2026: The trade deadline
- February 13th to 15th: The 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles
- April 14, 2026: The NBA Playoffs begin
New NBA Rules
The 2025/26 NBA season introduces two major rule changes:
- “Heave” Rule: It states that unsuccessful long-range attempts at the end of quarters will be recorded as a team’s missed field goal attempt. For a shot to count, it must originate from the backcourt and launch not less than 36 feet (~11m) away. The rule encourages players to take more daring, long-distance shots as it won’t affect their shooting percentage stats.
- “High Five” Rule: Defenders are banned from making contact with the shooters hands or arms after they release the ball, protecting the shooters from obstruction on their follow-through. A "delayed contact” foul will be given if such happens.
Betting On the NBA
The NBA features 30 teams battling for a place in the playoffs. Each team plays 82 regular-season matches. The big outright markets for betting odds are the ‘NBA Championship Winner’, ‘Conference Winner’, ‘Division Winner’, and ‘Season MVP’.
Other popular outrights to bet on NBA are:
- Winning Conference
- Winning Division
- Rookie of the Year
- Winning State
- To Make Playoffs
- Team Regular Season Wins
To progress, the teams that reach the playoffs must grind through the Best-of-Seven Series. That’s big for NBA betting, as punters can turn attention to predictions like the ‘Series Correct Score’ or ‘Series Handicap’.
The mid-season NBA Cup, introduced in 2023, is another popular area for NBA betting odds, along with NBA Draft betting, where rising stars of the game are in focus. The NBA finals are the highlight of the season—the showdown between the Eastern and Western Conference champions.
Markets for NBA Betting
Click on any listed basketball match page, not only from the NBA but for any event like 3x3 basketball betting, and find a wide variety of options.
- Match Result: Predicting the outcome of the match, either in a two-way or three-way market with a draw
- Spread: A handicap bet of how many virtual points a team must win or not lose by
- Totals: An over/under bet on NBA for how many points will be scored in the match
Variations of the above markets, like ‘Team Total Points’ and ‘Total Points Quarter 1’, can be found. There are further options with live NBA odds, too, covering everything from the ‘Winning Margin’ to the ‘Halftime Result’ and player prop bets as a match is happening.
2025/26 NBA Betting Odds
Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference and Eastern Conference teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks are favourites in our basketball odds predictions to bet NBA for the 2024/25 season. Strong campaigns are also expected from Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Orlando Magic. Watch the Betsson blog for insights and NBA betting tips.
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