Basketball Betting Tips and Strategies for the Winner in You

Sports plays a key part in a lot of people's lives. Some grow up and grow old playing it, others content themselves watching it. Some use it as a stepping stone for realizing better lives for themselves, whether through college education scholarships or professional contracts. Still others use it to make money in some other ways, namely through wagers. If this latter activity interests you, then read on for top tips on basketball betting.

To start with, do not be intimidated by the number of choices in teams (30 - count'em!) and the number of times each one plays in a week. As with all things, it can be learned and expertise acquired. Proof is that the National Basketball Association (NBA) is second only to the National Football League in terms of number of bettors attracted to it. Basketball betting can be made easier and lucrative as long as you keep the following in mind:

The outcome of a game is heavily determined by momentum. It is unlikely that any team, no matter how good, will be able to keep up a run the entire time. It is thus imperative for you, as a bettor, to notice what allows a team to extend its run, cut short the opponent's run, and/or shift the run to its favor - whether it be foul issues or a particular line-up.

Know the physical condition of the players. Each team normally has just a certain number of players to field, and, this being a very physical sport, each injury is relevant and possibly game-changing. Know who is the understudy for each main team member, and whether any substitution will significantly change the team dynamics.

Home court advantage is real, and it matters. This is reality, and it holds whether the team is top tier or a cellar dweller. Interestingly, winning percentages for basketball teams seem to be higher versus other pro sports. More interesting is that teams gunning for the championship are likely to win over half of their away games, compared to the lower-ranking teams.

Finally, teams are made up of humans, and not super heroes, after all, so you have to factor in fatigue as well in looking at a season made up of 82 games. Consecutive games are not surprising, and may be norm, so know when a team may not be at its physical peak.

When done properly, basketball betting can bring as much excitement and rewards as any other sport.