What Does Over Under Mean in Basketball?

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Are you new to the betting world and need a bit of assistance?  Are you wondering what does over under mean in basketball? You have come to the right place.

We will help you understand what an over/under bet is and the types of over/under bets you can make.  We will also provide you with guidance on making your first bet and some helpful information to consider. 

What are you waiting for? All you have to do is keep reading to find some of the best information on over/under basketball today. 

What are Over Under BetsWhat are Over Under Bets?

An over/under bet allows betters to place wagers on the total number of points scored in a game. This is one reason that it is often referred to as totals betting. This is a popular form of gambling that has been embraced in several different sports. Essentially you are predicting how much over or under a certain threshold the final score will be. If you are correct, you win, and if you are incorrect in your guess, you, of course, lose. This type of bet can consider several sports, including baseball, basketball, and several others. 

How Does Over Under Work in BasketballHow Does Over Under Work in Basketball?

Now that you understand what an over/under bet is, it’s essential to understand how it works in basketball. One thing that the better does not participate in is the making of the totals.  Several factors go into this number and depend significantly on the sport.  These factors can include efficiency in offense and defense, weather, and several others.  There are different average totals for the sport.  For the NBA, the average total number of points is 222.

How Does Over Under Work in Basketball

On your betting service of choice, like Fan Duel or Sports bet, the provider will determine how many points they anticipate the teams scoring in the upcoming game. This will be the baseline for the over or under-bet. It’s important to remember that this number may be slightly different depending on the app or service that you choose to use. 

You also never have to worry about other betters having the upper hand as basketball players cannot participate in any bets in NBA games or on themselves.  This should give you the relief you need in knowing that players can’t purposely sway a game’s results.   There is no particular basketball over/under formula. It all comes down to how the teams play.

If you are still slightly confused about how over/under betting works, here is an example of a reasonably simple over-under bet.  Imagine that the Golden State Warriors are playing the Los Angeles Lakers in a game tonight, and you would like to place a bet before it begins.  Your betting provider sets the over/under at 205. You will then have the ability to bet over or under this threshold.  

Let’s say hypothetially you choose to bet under. After the game ends, it is determined that The Golden State Warriors win 100 to 98. Since this is a total point bet, the full amount would be 100 plus 98, giving us a total of 198 points. This means that you win your bet since the total points scored in the game are under the 205 thresholds.  

There are several different types of over/under bets that you can do outside of the traditional. These types will be further explored in the following sections. 

Time Specific Over/Under Bets

If you are not feeling confident in your ability to estimate the score for the entire game, never fear; you can do it in increments as well. Several betting sites will also allow individuals to make partial bets. These partial bets will enable an individual to place a bet on halves of the game. In our case, the first two quarters would encompass quarters one and two. The second half would contain the third and the fourth quarter.

Time Specific OverUnder Bets

In using the same example as above, during the first half of the Warriors and Lakers game, the betting service might provide a baseline score of 85. This is the combined total for both teams. You would then make your bet based on if you thought both teams would score over or under that amount. Hypothetically, you place a bet of under. 

Once the second quarter ends, the score is 34 to 42. This provides a combined score of 76. This places the total score under the threshold, and you win the bet. Over/Under betting is fairly simple and does not require a substantial amount of betting knowledge.  This is perfect for a newbie. 

Over/Under by Individual Player

There is another type of over/under bet which can be set. This bet can be made on individual players rather than on the entire game itself. This takes into account a player’s scoring.  This bet focuses on the number of points that a player scores in a single game. 

The same concept applies when betting on players. In keeping with our same example, let’s say you want to bet on your favorite players. Like the total scoring bets, you will see a player’s name along with a baseline that they may go over or under.  For example, let’s say you decide to bet on Anthony Davis. His projected number of points is 25; you will need to determine if you believe he will score over or under that threshold.

Player betting may not be as straightforward as team total bets. This is because this may require you to have some prior knowledge of the player. This is the knowledge you likely will not have unless you have an affinity for the player or the team. Several factors must be considered when betting on individual players. 

OverUnder by Individual Player

Though they may average the same amount of points each game, external factors may affect a single player’s performance. This may include mental distractions, injuries, or several factors affecting how they play the game. 

Does Overtime Count in Over Under Basketball?

One question that individuals may be wondering about when betting on basketball is if your bet will include overtime. This is a legitimate concern, and we are here to put your anxiety to rest.  Yes, over/under bets do include basketball overtime.  There are not many times where overtime will be excluded except when betting on time-specific bets. 

However, regardless of whether your game goes into overtime or not, if the score ends up tied, this will result in a push. When a push happens, all bets are refunded. 

How to Place Over Under Bets in BasketballHow to Place Over Under Bets in Basketball?

There are several ways to begin to place your first over/under bet and several services that will allow you to do so. To get started, all you need to do is create an account with one of your favorite sports betting sites or apps. If you are new to sports betting, many mobile phone apps allow you to place bets from the comfort of your home. 

It is important to remember that different states have different rules concerning betting. Your state will also restrict the apps which you can use based on your home state. Several sites and apps will allow you to place over/under bets in basketball and several other sports.  Some of these sites and services include the following options:

  • Caesars Sportsbook
  • Points Bet
  • Betrivers
  • Unibet
  • FanDuel 

These are only a few options; however, there may be several others depending on your state. Many of these sites contain sign-on bonuses, live betting, and even the mobile app. 

After choosing the best option for you, you must enter all of your information correctly and accurately.  Using dummy data or incorrect information may result in you not adding or removing funds from your betting account. Before withdrawing any funds from the account, you will need to validate your identity.  Once you have successfully signed up for the site, you will need to fund your account.  This means adding money to use to place your bet.  Once your account is fully funded, you are ready to place your first bet.

3 Factors that Affect Over Under in Basketball

Your bets can also be made in person; however, when making bets in person, make sure that you tell the cashier clearly and accurately what you are attempting to do to ensure your bet is correct. However, you will confirm before handing over your funds. If you do bet in person, you will likely need to come back to the establishment to pick up the winnings if you do win. 

Once you have signed up for the site, the next thing you will need to do is make your picks. Games will show on the app or service which are upcoming.  It’s important to remember that when placing an over/under bet, the total point baselines may differ on each app or service.

After determining if you would like to make a total money bet, you will need to decide what type of total bet you want. This could be a player bet, a half-game bet, or a full-game bet. After selecting the type of bet you will make, you must choose an amount to bid. Many sites will not have a minimum; however others you encounter may have one. You will then need to determine which direction the bet will go in. After you have placed your bet, the only thing left to do is wait for the results. Overall, placing an over/under bet is extremely easy. 

3 Factors that Affect Over Under in Basketball3 Factors that Affect Over Under in Basketball

Betting is not something that you should walk into blindly. It would help if you attempted to understand as much as possible, especially when gambling with your hard-earned money. Several different factors may affect an over/under bet, and often, these are not things your can control.  

The Game’s pace – One thing you will need to pay attention to is how the game is progressing. A lot of things can happen within the span of a basketball game. When thinking about the total points a player or team can score, you will need to consider how specific teams react to others.  High-scoring teams may play differently than slower or teams that do not hold a place in the spotlight.  

A Team’s Schedule – Knowing a team’s schedule may also help predict if a team will score over or under a threshold. If a team has been heavily pushed or have played several games in a short span, that may cause them to play slower, resulting in fewer points per game. These are all things that should be considered when placing a bet. 

A Team’s Reputation – A team’s reputation should also be considered, especially if the team’s makeup remains the same. Many teams have a style of play that is unique to them. If you understand this style, you may be able to help predict how gameplay is affected. 

Wrapping Things Up: What Does Over Under Mean in Basketball?

We hope we were able to provide you with under/over betting tips that help to make things easy for you. Over/under betting is an easy way to introduce yourself to betting. It is suitable for beginners and individuals who are more seasoned in betting. 

There are several types of over-under bets you can make. This includes total points bets, time-specific bets, and even player bets. Several different factors will affect your bet based on the player or the team’s performance. This can include conditions in the stadium or even team fatigue. Overall, we hope this information has helped you embark on your betting journey; good luck!

Did you enjoy this post? Then you’ll love the other basketball FAQ articles. Check them out below:

> What is a 3-Way Bet in Basketball?

> What is a Money Line Bet in Basketball?

> What is a Point Spread in Basketball?

Hoops Addict
Hoops Addict

Hoops Addict was created to help basketball fans of all ages learn more about the sport and find the best basketball gear to improve their ability to hoop. He has been a huge basketball fan for decades, watching thousands of basketball games through the years to learn the ins and outs of the game.

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