NBA playoffs betting totals are sometimes ignored as the public loves to bet sides far more than totals. Let’s look at what a total is in NBA betting and how they might differ in terms of NBA playoffs odds. NBA betting totals are also referred to as over/unders. That means you are looking at the total amount of points scored in the game. Here is a typical example of NBA playoffs odds.
301 Boston Celtics 193
303 Cleveland Cavaliers -2
In this example the total on the game is 193. You can wager over or under that amount of points in the traditional $110 for $100 or 11/10 way. Totals are not quite as popular as betting sides in NBA betting for either gamblers or for sportsbooks. Let’s see why that is the case.
Sportsbooks usually lose money on NBA betting totals. The reason for this is two fold. First, the NBA playoffs odds are weak. The firm in Las Vegas that supplies NBA totals to sportsbooks has done a poor job of making the numbers and professional bettors make better numbers and continually attack the weak NBA playoffs odds. Second, the public doesn’t play many NBA betting totals and that makes for one sided action for the sportsbooks and most of the action is from the professional bettor. That is not good news for the sportsbook.
If you are going to bet totals in NBA betting then you need to be aware of a few things. First, the NBA playoffs betting numbers at sportsbooks are weak and that means the number will move after the pros bet it. It oftentimes can move a lot. It is not that unusual to see a huge line move on an NBA betting total. There have been many instances where the line will move more than just a few points. That rarely happens in any other sport and it just shows the weakness of the NBA playoffs betting numbers in terms of the total made by oddsmakers. Always look at the line movement before wagering on NBA playoffs betting totals and be very careful about going against it.