As one of the most popular sports in Canada, basketball gets a lot of attention from bettors. From NBA betting to international tournaments and competitions, the best basketball betting sites come packed with daily action. Canadian bettors can pick reputable providers from this page, where they can enjoy pre-match and live betting on the most exciting basketball leagues around the world.
Our detailed rankings and sports betting app reviews will give you an overview of the best possible basketball sportsbooks. Joining these platforms is quick and straightforward, allowing you to jump into the action. Make your pick from the top betting sites with basketball below, bet on your favourite teams, or place exciting prop bets.
Ranking Criteria for the Top Basketball Online Betting Sites
Our rankings are accurately positioned after an extensive review of their features. The team works hard to meet the expectations of our readers, who are looking for an honest assessment of the best basketball online betting sites.
In short, we take a deeper look into the nooks and crannies of each sportsbook in Canada, starting with the licence all the way up to the customer support and service. We’ll cover the most important criteria below.
Licence and User Opinions
We always begin the testing process by checking out the licence of the best betting sites for basketball in Canada. They must possess a licence from leading authorities, and real bettor opinions online must be overwhelmingly positive. If these opinions align with our own and the licence is OK, the bookie gets a pass.
Basketball Market Coverage and Odds
Our responsibility is to provide you with a list of basketball sports betting sites with proper market coverage. The NBA is the most popular league to bet on in Canada, but there are many other competitions as well. We always ensure that bettors have a wide range of markets to pick from in addition to competitive odds.
Live Betting and Other Features
The baseline for modern basketball betting sites is having innovative features in addition to top-notch security measures. In short, Canadian bettors value bookies with live betting and streaming. Our rankings reflect this, with online sportsbooks that offer live betting and streaming appearing higher up the list.
User Experience
Online betting can significantly benefit from a modern and user-friendly interface. This is why we rate bookies that get this right higher on this page. Bettors should find navigation easy and simple, and the same goes for placing bets. Only a user-friendly interface can offer such a level of simplicity.
Bonus Variety
All the recommended basketball online sportsbooks on this page feature generous bonuses and promotions. Some of the offers include welcome bonuses, free bets, and different types of promotions for returning customers, all with fair terms and conditions for the best experience.
How to Bet on Basketball Online
The best basketball online betting sites have made the process of placing bets in these markets straightforward. Convenience and simplicity are the rules they go by, and this extends to the actual betting process. Similar to other betting markets, betting on basketball is as simple as clicking on the odds.
Whether it’s a pre-match or live betting market, the process is the same. The steps include signing up at an online sports betting site or logging in, then choosing the National Basketball Association or tournament markets. You can click on your preferred odds to place a bet as soon as they appear.
Modern basketball sports betting sites usually keep the betting slip on the right side. This allows for an easy overview of the placed NBA bet types and the possible returns. The system calculates the money NBA bettors may win when they enter a bet.
Basketball Betting Odds Explained
Before jumping into the betting action, bettors should first learn more about NBA odds. There’s nothing too complex about the odds, but they might be presented in different ways.
The odds for an NBA game are usually displayed in the American format, also known as moneyline. These sports betting odds are accompanied by + or – signs. The former is assigned to the event outcome with a lower probability, while the latter is assigned to the favourite.
Decimal odds are represented in decimals. They show the amount bettors might win for every $1 they wager.
Fractional or British odds are displayed as a fraction (e.g., 3/1). They represent the ratio of an event outcome, in this case three-to-one.
The best Canadian basketball betting sites allow bettors to switch between the three main odds types. This way, bettors can choose the format they feel the most comfortable with.
Common Basketball Betting Markets
Betting platforms typically have a wide range of markets to place wagers on. Those will include the regular moneyline and point spreads. But to attract different bettors, other markets are also needed.
If you’re not into moneyline betting or spreads, here are some other single-game sports betting markets to wager on.
Moneyline: Most punters bet on basketball by placing moneyline bets. It’s the default market where bettors predict the outcome of a game. The odds for this market are heavily affected by any team injuries, missing players, and current form. It’s similar to 1×2 betting, except you can only bet on the winner.
Spread Betting: Spread betting is second to none among the markets at the top basketball betting sites. The spread is the expected final score difference between the two teams. It’s represented by a positive and negative symbol. The team with the negative number is the favourite, while the team with the plus symbol is the underdog. The favourite must cover the spread—win by the specified number of points, while the underdog can lose by the point spread and make you a winner.
Total Points (Over/Under): The totals or over/under market refers to the total points scored in a basketball match. Sports betting sites will set a point line for an NBA game, and bettors can wager if the total number of points goes over or under it.
Player Props: Player props or proposition bets, refer to betting on a player’s statistic rather than the game’s final outcome. For example, you can bet on the total points scored by a player, such as LeBron James having at least 20 or Steph Curry scoring 5 3-pointers.
Team Props: Team props are similar to player props. This time, they refer to team stats, such as total number of rebounds, blocks, players in double figures, or something similar.
Live Betting: The best betting sites for basketball offer live markets in addition to pre-match bets. Basketball is a fast-paced sport, and these markets allow you to bet on matches in play. Live betting markets include everything from moneylines to quarter or half points or various team and player prop bets.
Winning Margins: The top NBA betting sites in Canada may also feature a winning margin market. In this market, bettors are wagering on the precise winning margin for a team in a basketball game.
Quarter Bets: Instead of betting on the outcome of a basketball match, you can place bets on the totals or winners by quarter. This allows for more betting opportunities since you can bet on all four quarters. The odds in this market are dynamic and will change depending on the previous quarter.
Most Popular Basketball Events to Bet On
Wagering on professional basketball is more than just the NBA. While most basketball sports betting sites focus on NBA markets, other events make betting on the sport exciting. Besides the NBA, betting is also available on the best European leagues and international tournaments. Read on to learn more and choose the competition that best suits your betting style.
The National Basketball Association (NBA)
The NBA is the most popular basketball league in the world. It’s also the most expensive one. Therefore, it’s attractive for the world’s best players.
There’s a total of 30 teams in the NBA—29 from the USA and one from Canada (Toronto Raptors). Each team plays 82 matches during the regular NBA season, aiming to qualify for the playoffs and compete for the NBA Championship.
The season begins in October and usually concludes with the NBA Finals that extend into June. The top bookmakers cover all the nightly action, with a special focus on the playoffs and the finals. There’s a huge range of betting options for the NBA on the best betting sites for basketball.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
The NCAA offers betting on college basketball, which is especially popular in the USA and Canada. Once the March Madness tournament is underway, most online sportsbooks feature a slew of NCAA betting options with dynamically updated odds.
NCAA betting is popular because it’s a massive tournament with hundreds of colleges aiming for the trophy. The best basketball players in the tournament often end up in the NBA after college, making it a significant tournament from a betting perspective. You’ll find the top NCAA odds featured on the front page of the best college basketball betting sites in Canada.
European Basketball Leagues
The top European basketball leagues, including the Liga ACB in Spain, the Turkish Basketball Super League, and France’s LNB Elite, are also in the focus of the best basketball online betting sites in Canada. In addition, tournaments such as the EuroLeague and the EuroCup are on offer with a range of betting promos.
The EuroLeague is the second most-watched basketball tournament after the NBA. It features Europe’s top teams, coaches and players, who compete for the prestigious trophy between September and May. The best sportsbooks in Canada cover all the action in these tournaments with the latest odds.
International Basketball Tournaments
The World Cup in basketball and the European Championships are always in focus on the top Canadian basketball betting sites. These events are held every four years, with anticipation among bettors building up in between.
Top basketball World Cup betting sites will feature a range of odds and markets, including pre-match and live betting options for the group stages and the knockout rounds. It’s always enjoyable to see the top basketball nations competing against each other, especially in matches between the USA, Serbia, Spain, and France.
Basketball Betting Promos and Bonuses
Similar to football, basketball betting markets are often enhanced with a slew of bonuses and promotions. These promos include a welcome bonus for new bettors, as well as free bets and other special promos designed to keep returning members happy.
Bonus Type
Explanation
Example
Welcome bonus
A sign up offer for new players—usually a match deposit bonus
100% bonus up to $100 upon the first deposit
Free bet
A bet that includes an amount that’s partially or wholly free
$20 free bet on NBA markets
Odds boost
A better potential payout on specific basketball events
2.5 odds on Lakers to win, up from 2
Risk-free bet
A free bet that returns your stake in full if the bet loses
$10 risk-free bet on NBA certain markets
Free credit
Similar to free bets, it provides a small cash amount to use on basketball events
$20 in free credit for basketball betting
Parlay insurance
Offers a partial refund if you lose a parlay by one leg
$25 refund on a parlay if it loses by one leg
Cashback
Covers a portion of your losses in a predetermined period
30% cashback on weekly NBA betting losses
Halftime specials
Enhanced bets on halftime
Boosted odds on underdogs at halftime
Online Basketball Betting Tips
Before starting to bet on basketball, it’s important to think about a good strategy. Betting on any sport without a strategy or proper research usually leads to failure. If you want to increase your chances, you can follow the tips below.
Shop for Odds
Bettors—especially new ones—should understand that the odds for NBA or basketball betting in general aren’t always the same. They differ from one betting platform to another. Furthermore, there are significant differences between the odds for different basketball betting markets. If you want to get the most out of your bets, you should always compare odds.
By shopping for odds, we mean checking out different basketball betting sites. Some might have sharper odds than others, and the bonuses and promotions will be different. Choose an online sportsbook that suits your betting style and make sure the odds are competitive at least.
Stay Updated with Injuries and Stats
Follow blogs and expert tips to learn more about any injuries and recent forms of the players and teams involved. Conducting thorough research can assist you in identifying favourable odds and promising opportunities on the top basketball online betting sites, thereby providing you with a competitive edge. For example, if a star player like LeBron James is injured, it could significantly impact his team’s performance, altering the odds.
Consider the Home-Court Advantage
Teams playing at home often perform better due to familiar surroundings, supportive fans, and reduced travel fatigue. For example, the Golden State Warriors have been known for their dominant home performance at the Chase Center, while teams like the Los Angeles Lakers may show a stronger presence at home games in the Staples Center.
Researching how a team performs on their home court versus away games can provide valuable insights and help you assess potential betting opportunities more effectively.
Keep Up with Rivalry Between Certain Teams
Rivalry games in basketball are often unpredictable and can bring out the best—or worst—in teams. These matchups tend to be more intense, with heightened emotions and fierce competition. For example, the Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers rivalry is legendary, with both teams bringing extra energy to these games.
Similarly, Miami Heat and Orlando Magic games are known for their fierce rivalry in Florida. Keeping track of these rivalries can help you understand the dynamics and make more informed bets, as the intensity often leads to unexpected results.
Understand Basic Basketball Strategies
This is essential for making informed bets. Teams often employ different tactics based on their strengths. For example, the Golden State Warriors are known for their three-point shooting and fast-paced offence, while teams like the Miami Heat focus on strong defence and physicality.
Knowing whether a team prefers a fast-break style or a more methodical, half-court offence can give you insight into potential outcomes. By recognizing these strategies, you can predict how a team might approach a game, helping you identify favourable betting opportunities based on their style of play.
Bet on Basketball Like a Pro on Canada’s Best Sites
If you want to start betting but don’t know where to start, we are here to help. We’ve covered everything you need to know about popular basketball betting sites in Canada. We’ve also covered top events in the sport, markets, bonuses, and features.
Basketball offers much faster action than football or most other sports, making it more exciting than any other betting market. With a range of pre-match and live betting options on the top basketball betting sites, bettors are sure to have fun. Join one of our recommended basketball sports betting sites and have fun betting on your favourite teams and players.
Basketball Betting Sites in Canada FAQs
Moneyline is the most popular basketball betting market online. It allows you to pick the winner in a match. The moneyline odds display the favourite with a – symbol, while the underdog is represented by a +. The – and + symbols indicate the amount you must bet to win $100 and the potential winnings on a $100 bet, respectively.
Spread lines show the expected point difference in a basketball match. They are usually displayed in a moneyline format. Once again, the favourite is represented with a – symbol, while the underdog is represented by the +. Spread betting lines, akin to handicaps, assign a handicap to either side, thereby leveling the playing field.
Signing up with those bookmakers is straightforward. The process usually involves clicking the registration/sign-up button and following the on-screen instructions. You can complete it within a few minutes.
All you need to do is keep adding stakes to your betting slip. It doesn’t matter whether you’re betting on the NBA or another competition. Modern betting sites don’t need any extra steps for parlays, so adding more than two selections on the slip automatically counts as a parlay bet.
The best online basketball betting sites offer a range of promotions, including free bets and other offers for basketball. You can usually find free bets as welcome offers or weekly reload bonuses.
The best basketball betting sites offer a variety of in-play markets for most basketball events. They differ from pre-match markets since they allow betting on events in play.
It depends on the sportsbook. The best basketball sports betting sites offer live streams of the most popular events, such as the NBA Finals. Further, most sites also feature live stats updated in real time.
