2023 NBA playoffs betting preview: Odds, picks, and betting tips for US players

The US Sun

07 June 2023

2023 NBA playoffs betting preview: Odds, picks, and betting tips for US players

THE NBA season is reaching it's conclusion, and is more exciting than ever. To add to that, there are numerous ways you can get in on the action with NBA playoff betting.

The 2023 NBA Playoffs have been nothing short of exciting. From the Milwaukee Bucks getting swept in the first round, to the Golden State Warriors losing to the Los Angeles Lakers, to the Lakers getting swept by the Denver Nuggets, and the Miami Heat going up 3-0 on the Boston Celtics, only for them to come back, tie the series at 3-3, and the Heat to win Game 7, you couldn’t ask for a better postseason.

Right now, Nuggets and Heat are headed to Game 3 of the NBA Finals on June 7, and the series is tied 1-1.

Below, we’ll look at all things NBA playoffs betting, including the top NBA sportsbooks, best odds, which team is favored to win the finals, and more.

Top US sportsbooks for 2023 NBA playoffs betting.

DraftKings(Available in: AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MD, MA, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, and WY)
BetMGM (Available in: AZ, CO, IN, IA, MI, MS, NY, LA, PA, TN, VA, WA, WV, WY)
BetRivers(Available in: AZ, IL, IN, IA, MI, PA, VA, NY, LA, OH)
Wynnbet(Available in: CO, MI, AZ, IN, NY, TN, VA)
Unibet (Available in: AZ, IN, PN, VA)
Desert Diamond Sports (Available in: AZ)

Is it legal to bet on the NBA playoffs in the US?

Yes, betting on the NBA, the playoffs, and basketball, in general, is legal in the United States. As of June 2023, there are nearly 30 states where sports betting is actively legal or pending launch.

Best 2023 NBA playoff betting odds

As seen above, there are six online sportsbooks we highly recommend for betting on the NBA Finals.

Below, we have compared the odds for each outcome at all the available bookmakers, providing you with the best possible odds:

Denver Nuggets -275 at BetMGM

How long is the NBA playoff series?

An NBA playoff series, whether it’s the opening round, conference semi-finals, conference finals, or NBA Finals, all series are best-of-seven, meaning the first team to win four games wins the series.

Which team is the favorite to become the 2023 NBA Finals Champion?

As seen by the odds above, the Nuggets are the favorite to win the series, staying at around -275. The Heat’s Game 2 win shrunk the odds mightly. Heading into the series, the Nuggets were -400, then went to -700 after their Game 1 win.

Game 3 will be played in Miami. If the Heat can earn a home win, the odds for the finals will get much closer between these teams. The Heat winnings the finals would be one of the larger upsets in the NBA playoffs and finals. Gamblers with accurate predictions would have excellent value on successful Heat wagers.

The standout player from this series so far has been Nuggets center Nikola Jokic who discord 27 points in Game 1 and more than 40 in Game 2.

What is the format of the NBA playoffs?

The NBA Playoffs still feature eight teams from the Eastern and Western Conference Finals, but arriving at the final two seeds has changed.

In 2020, the first iteration of the Play-In Tournament was introduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic shortening the season.

Today, it works like this:

7th and 8th seed from each conference matches up. The winner becomes the No. 7 seed. The loser takes on the winner of the 9th and 10th seed matchup. Then, the winner of the 9/10 Winner and 7/8 Loser becomes the No. 8 seed.

Once this is settled, here’s how the rest of the NBA Playoffs shake out:

First Round: This includes the following seeding matchups—1 vs. 8; 2 vs. 7; 3 vs. 6; and 4 vs. 5. These are best-of-seven series.
Conference Semi-Finals: The winner of 1 vs. 8 plays the winner of 4 vs. 5; the winner of 2 vs. 7 plays 3 vs. 6. These are also best-of-seven series.
Conference Finals: The winners from each of the remaining matchups take one another in a best-of-seven series to determine who goes to the NBA Finals.
NBA Finals: This features the winning team from each conference and is also a best-of-seven series.

What were the NBA playoff matchups in the 2023 series?

Eastern Conference

First Round

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Miami Heat
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Brooklyn Nets
Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks

Conference Semi-Finals

Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics

Conference Finals

Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics

Western Conference

First Round

Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Conference Semi-Finals

Denver Nuggets vs. Phoenix Suns
Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Conference Finals

Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers

What teams made it to the 2023 NBA finals?

After several rounds of the NBA playoffs, the Miami Heat made the NBA Finals from the Eastern Conference, and the Denver Nuggets did from the Western Conference.

As of June 6, 2023, the Nuggets and Heat are tied in the series 1-1.

What bets can I make on the NBA playoffs?

In addition to betting on NBA odds for the winner of the final, there are playoff odds available for numerous betting markets. Below, we’ll look at some ways to bet on the NBA.

Spread NBA playoff betting

The point spread is a number used to illustrate the gap in power between two teams. When betting, you’ll determine if you think a team will win by a certain amount, win outright, or lose by less than a certain amount.

First, if you see a point spread that has “-” next to it, this means that the team is favored. The Nuggets are -2.5 heading into Game 3, meaning that if you bet this, you’ll need them to win by three points or more.

The playoff odds for NBA point spreads are always at or around -110, meaning you need to wager $110 to win $100.

The point spread will be the same for the underdog, only they’ll have a “+,” meaning they’ll cover the spread if they win the game outright or lose by two points or less.

Totals NBA playoff betting

Totals, also known as over/under betting, involve wagering on the combined point total for the game. The NBA playoff odds on these wagers are like the point spread—at or around -110.

For example, if the total is 214.5 points, and the Heat score 110 and the Nuggets score 115, this combines for 215 points meaning that if you bet the “over,” you’d win the wager.

Props NBA playoff betting

The NBA Finals is a massive source for NBA playoffs odds and betting, so there are many ways to bet, especially on props.

The most popular prop bets include player props, which allow you to wager on the statistical performance of individual players.

These include points scored, rebounds, assists, three-pointers, steals, and more.

All player props are listed like totals wager, meaning you’ll bet whether the play will exceed (over) or fall short (under) the line listed.

For example, Jokic has a point total of 28.5. With this wager, you’ll bet whether he scores more or less than that.

NBA Finals Champion betting

We mentioned it above, but there are betting markets available for betting on the winner of the Finals. This can change daily and especially after games are played until the winner of the final is crowned.

NBA Finals Moneyline betting

The online wager is the most simple bet in sports—you’re simply choosing who you think wins the game.

How do NBA playoff props odds work?

Like totals or the point spread, NBA playoff prop odds tend to gravitate closer to -110, but they can certainly go beyond that. The prop odds are determined by a player’s recent performance, injury status, projected minutes played, and many other factors that could influence the outcome of a statistical performance.

With player props, if you’re getting odds of -130, there’s still value.

Who is the MVP favorite for the 2023 NBA playoffs?

Depending on which sportsbook you look, the odds may vary slightly. Still, the runaway favorite is Nuggets center Nikola Jokic at -265—these odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook.

As mentioned, Jokic is borderline unstoppable, scoring 27 in Game 1, more than 40 in Game 2, a triple-double in Game 1, and a line that included 11 rebounds and four assists in Game 2.

He’s easily the best player on the court. If the Nuggets win the Finals, he’ll be the MVP, unquestionably.

What is the best US sportsbook for NBA playoffs betting?

DraftKings does a great job of reinforcing the “Kings” in their sportsbook name - they’re simply unmatched.

On top of an excellent mobile app that’s incredibly easy to navigate, the NBA Finals and NBA Playoffs betting markets are superior to any other sportsbook. There’s a wide variety of player props available for each game, favorable odds on moneyline/point spread/totals wagers, and more futures betting opportunities than anywhere else.

Runner-up: BetMGM

BetMGM comes in just behind DraftKings but still has plenty to offer. As a new player, you’ll receive a welcome bonus that includes a bonus bet of up to $1,000—this is determined after you first wager as the bonus bet you get back is in the amount of your first wager, but only if it loses.

If you’re interested in Same Game Parlay wagers for the NBA Finals, BetMGM offers up several pre-build options for you to choose from if you’re having trouble making your own.

Honorable mention:BetRivers

BetRivers deserves a mention here as it comes with a fantastic live betting interface. If you decide to bet on the NBA Finals games as they’re actively happening, the live betting interface at BetRivers not only as numerous betting options to choose from.

It also provides live updates on the game and also has information about the stats that have been recorded in the game, providing some insight into how players are performing which could assist in making betting decisions.

Can I make future bets on the NBA?

Yes. Right now, the only futures markets available are:

The NBA Finals winner.
MVP.
Series outcome (predicting how the series ends and how many games).

There are plenty of others throughout the regular season, including win totals, player awards, and other accolades.

Our top 2023 NBA playoff betting tips

Establish a budget and stick to it. Betting on the NBA Finals should be considered entertainment. While it can be enticing to wager money, we recommend only wagering what you can afford. If you want to bet on each game in the series, set aside a budget and plan for an amount you’re comfortable with betting each game.
Bet the over on Jokic points props. Heading into Game 3, Jokic has a points prop of 28.5. He’s fallen short of 29 points just seven times this entire playoffs, and three of those games include performances of 27 or 28 points.
Bet on Jokic to win MVP before Game 3. Jokic’s odds to win MVP are already losing value, but if the Nuggets win Game 3, the odds will lose all remaining value. The Heat performed well in Game 2, but this is the Nuggets’ series to lose.
Bet the under at 214 or 214.5 points. The Nuggets and Heat have yet to combine for this amount in the series. The Heat have been performing well offensively during this postseason, but they’ve failed to score 100 points in two of the last five games.
Bet the Nuggets to win the series. It was surprising to see the Heat win Game 2, and while they’re headed into Miami for Game 3, it will be difficult to stop the Nuggets for all seven games. The Heat will need to play incredible defense on everyone except Jokic all series long to have a chance, which could be hard to maintain despite their overall defensive prowess. You could hope for a Heat Game 3 win to boost the odds, but that’s a gamble.