The Growth In NBA Betting

Over the last few decades or so, the betting industry has evolved rapidly. One of the biggest changes we have experienced is the move to online betting from land based, in-person sportsbooks. This has given millions of us the ability to wager on the NBA from the comfort of our own home with thousands of markets at our fingertips.

The growth in NBA betting has been exponential in recent years. The 2020-21 season saw a big growth in wagers and October 2020 was the first time American bettors wagered more than $3 billion in a single month. 

The move to online has opened up the market for millions more Americans and has also provided much more diversity in the betting markets. Markets at land-based sportsbooks were historically pretty limited, mainly sticking to the more basic lines like the spread, moneyline, total etc. The rise of online betting gave way for plenty more options to this end though and you can now bet on a multitude of expansive markets.

One of the biggest additions with online betting is the ability to bet live on games. If you are not familiar with live betting, it is exactly what it sounds like. You are betting on the game whilst it is live, in-play. This makes for an incredibly exciting way to bet on the NBA, as you can track the ebb and flow of the game whilst you watch and place your bets accordingly. Futures of course remain one of the most popular markets and NBA betting lines currently list the Boston Celtics as +425 favourites to win the NBA Championship.

The NBA has also experienced huge growth in popularity throughout Europe over the last few years. This is especially due to the fact that some of the biggest stars in the league hail from the continent with Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic all setting the league alight for the last few years. The growth in Europe is being fuelled by a 15% increase in NBA League Pass subscriptions internationally. The ability to bet on these games and players makes it all the more exciting for fans

Betting on the NBA has not always been easy, nor even possible for many of us. Up until 2018, Nevada was the only state you could place a legal sports bet. This all changed in May 2018 when a Supreme Court ruling changed the landscape of sports betting in the US forever. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) which had been in place since 1992 was struck down, allowing every state in the US to legalize sports betting as the please. 

Since the ruling, over 30 states have legalized some form of sports betting with more likely to follow in the next couple of years. What differs from state to state is that some allow only in-person betting whilst others extend to online betting. Here are the states where sports betting is legal with DraftKings.

• Arizona: Mobile and online sports betting are legal in Arizona
• Colorado: Retail, mobile, and online sports betting are legal in Colorado. You can easily find online betting sites in Colorado.
• Connecticut: Retail, mobile, and online sports betting are legal in Connecticut.
• Illinois: DraftKings at Casino Queen Sportsbook is now live in the state of Illinois.
• Indiana: Retail, mobile, and online sports betting are legal in Indiana.
• Iowa: Retail, mobile, and online sports betting are legal in Iowa.
• Louisiana: Retail, mobile, and online sports betting is live in Louisiana.
• Michigan: Mobile and online sports betting is now live in the state of Michigan.
• New Hampshire: Retail, mobile, and online sports betting are legal in New Hampshire.
• New Jersey: Retail, mobile, and online sports betting are legal in New Jersey.
• New York: Retail, mobile, and online sports betting are legal in New York.
• Oregon: Mobile and online sports betting are now live in the state of Oregon
• Pennsylvania: Retail, mobile, and online sports betting are legal in Pennsylvania.
• Tennessee: Mobile and online sports betting are now live in the state of Tennessee.
• Virginia: Mobile and online sports betting are now live in the state of Virginia.
• West Virginia: Retail, mobile, and online sports betting are legal in West Virginia.
• Wyoming: Mobile and online sports betting are legal in Wyoming.

The growth in popularity of NBA betting has made the sport all the more exciting for fans. Not only can you watch your favourite team and some of the best talent in the world, but you can wager on their every shot, rebound and assist and in real time too. With more states expected to roll out legalized sports betting in the coming years the popularity is only going to grow even further and millions more American’s are going to be able to add that extra layer of excitement to their NBA gamedays.