Fans often complain that the NBA regular season is long and lacks drama. To remedy the situation, some Michiganders find that games are more entertaining when playing fantasy sports or joining one of the many legal online sportsbooks.
Responsible betting can make any game more interesting, especially when catching a random Monday matchup between the Pistons and the Nuggets.
If you want to bet on NBA games online in Michigan, we will show you what kind of bets you can make and where you can make wagers from your couch.
What Bets Can I Make on NBA Games in Michigan?
The two most common wagers gamblers make are single games and future bets. We will also briefly discuss parlays and live bets.
Single Games
Betting on a single game at its most basic is picking the winner. But there are several ways to wager money on one game. You can bet with or against the spread or choose to pick a winner straight up with a Moneyline.
The spread is the amount a certain team is favored over another, and casinos do this to give themselves an edge, especially in matchups between unequal teams. For instance, in a game between the powerhouse Golden State Warriors and the struggling Orlando Magic, the Warriors may be favored by 13 points.
Casinos write this difference as -13. If you were to bet on the Warriors to win with the spread, they need to beat the Magic by more than 13 points. Alternatively, betting on the Magic with the spread means that the Magic are not required to win for you to win your wager; they just have to avoid losing by more than 13.
A Moneyline means you are picking a team to win straight up, with no cushion from the spread. In our example from above, the favored Warriors may have a Moneyline of -650. This means you are required to bet $650 to win $100 back. The Magic may have a Moneyline of +550, meaning if you wagered $100 and won, you would get back $550.
Besides betting on the game’s outcome, you can also bet on player props. For instance, you may wager that Pistons star Cade Cunningham will score more than 24.5 points in a game. Or you could take Jaden Ivey to record more than 4.5 assists.
Every game has many options, and smart gamblers know where to get the best edge.
Futures
Futures are bets that cover an entire season of the NBA. For example, if you think the Pistons are in for a bounceback season this year, you may wager they will hit a certain win threshold. You can also bet on teams to win their division, make the playoffs, or win the championship.
Gamblers can also bet on an individual player meeting certain milestones or winning an award. If you like Jaden Ivey to win Rookie of the Year, you can put money down on it. Or if you think Killian Hayes could win Defensive Player of the Year, most sportsbooks will have odds for it.
Parlays
Parlays are combinations of multiple bets into one bet slip. If all of your bets hit, you will receive a higher payout than normal.
For instance, you may combine a bet that the Pistons will cover at +7.5, the Bulls will win by three, and Steph Curry will hit five three-pointers. If all these remain true, you receive a big payout. But if just one of them is wrong, you won’t take home anything.
Live Bets
Try a live bet if you think a team may make a comeback after halftime. A live wager allows you to bet on the game while it is ongoing. The odds will constantly change as the game proceeds, but experienced gamblers can find opportunities to get an advantage in contests they see turning down the stretch.
What Sites Are Available for NBA Betting in Michigan?
You can place wagers at many online sportsbooks in Michigan, and we have collected a few for you to try here. You must sign up and pass an identification test before you can wager money, and you must be over 21 to participate.
Most online sportsbooks offer new users bonuses, so research these options and sign up for multiple to take advantage of them.
The best gamblers often shop for odds at different sportsbooks to try and get the best advantage. The difference between half a point may not seem like much, but it could be the difference between winning or losing a bet.
DraftKings
DraftKings is one of the most popular sites and offers several sign-on bonuses. They originally began life as a Daily Fantasy Football company before transitioning to being primarily a sportsbook.
BetMGM
The company that controls the MGM Grand in Las Vegas runs BetMGM. They are newer to the online market.
PointsBet
PointsBet is an Australian company that has innovated a unique betting system. The PointsBetting system allows you to get paid out or lose on a sliding scale. PointsBetting is risky but can lead to sizable wins.
BetRivers
BetRivers is the online sportsbook of the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh. But you can still make bets on NBA games online in Michigan.
Is It Legal To Bet on Sports in Michigan?
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer legalized gambling and sports betting at the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020 with a series of laws. The two laws that opened up legal online gambling were the Lawful Sports Betting Act and the Lawful Internet Gaming Act.
Following the gubernatorial signing of these two bills, it is now legal for any Michigan resident over 21 to legally place wagers on NBA games.
Conclusion
If you love the NBA and want to make games even more thrilling, we recommend trying out any of these online sportsbooks to bet on NBA games online in Michigan. Responsible gambling can turn a drab game in the middle of January into something with the drama of the NBA Finals.
While you may not always win, placing a few legal wagers will give you new reasons to cheer on your Detroit Pistons or whichever team you cheer on.