Legally Betting On NBA Playoff Odds

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The NBA Playoffs occur when pro basketball betting action heats up after the end of each regular season, delivering some of the most exciting lines for betting on NBA basketball. 16 teams enter the playoff bracket with hopes of reaching the NBA Finals. Ultimately, only one team will walk away with the NBA championship and hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy. 

The playoffs and finals are the most popular times for basketball betting, where fans can bet on point spreads, the money line, over/under, prop bets, futures, and play for money via live and mobile betting. Here you’ll find our list of the best online sportsbooks to use during the NBA postseason and info on the legality of betting on the playoffs, along with a breakdown of the matchups and schedule for the NBA Playoffs and NBA Finals.

Is Betting On The NBA Playoffs Legal In The US?

Yes, betting on the NBA playoffs is legal and USA gamblers have two options. They can wager with a domestic sportsbook located regionally, or they can visit an online sportsbook operating legally outside of the United States. There is no law at the state or federal level that prohibits fans from betting on the NBA playoffs at legitimate online sportsbooks in all 50 states. 

Washington has passed laws that do not allow those within their borders to gamble online, even though reputable sportsbooks do accept them as customers. We've yet to hear of any arrests occurring in this state for online betting, as these restrictions are not enforced. However, you are advised to follow all local laws and gamble online only at your own risk. 

The Best NBA Playoffs Betting Site

Bovada Sportsbook
#1 Rated Online Sportsbook For USA Players

Bovada LV is the top-rated online basketball betting site in America, and US players have literally thousands of NBA Playoff odds to choose from. The site also hosts NBA futures year-round, and you can even make your own NBA Playoffs prop bets using the custom Bovada Prop Builder tool.

Site Rating

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Compability

Bovada Sportsbook And Casino
Pros
  • US Friendly - Most US States Accepted

  • Most reputable name in online sports betting

  • Licensed by Curacao - Operates within Costa Rica

  • Generous 50% bonus up to $1,000 for new members

  • Easy deposits using credit cards or Bitcoin/crypto

  • Fast and reliable payouts guaranteed

Cons
  • Only US, Mexico and Brazil players accepted

  • Excluded States: CO, CT, DC, DE, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NV, NY, OH, PA, WV

  • Limited deposit options compared to other sites

Best Online Sportsbooks With NBA Playoff Odds

SiteReviewBonus OfferUSAVisit
Bovada Sportsbook And CasinoRead Review50% Max $1,000Play now
mybookie logoRead Review100% Max $1,000Play now
Betonline LogoRead Review50% Max $1,000Play now
Sportsbetting LogoRead Review50% Max $500Play now
BetUS BrandRead Review100% Max $2,500Play now
Bookmaker LogoRead Review25% Max $500Play now
Xbet Sportsbook logoRead Review50% Max $200Play now

The Latest NBA Playoff Odds

2024-25 NBA PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

  • Season Begins: October 22, 2024
  • All-Star Weekend: February 14-16, 2025 (San Francisco, CA)
  • Season Ends: April 13, 2025
  • Play-In Tournament: April 15, 2025
  • First Round of Playoffs: April 19, 2025
  • NBA Finals: June 5, 2025

How To Bet On NBA Playoff Games - Types of NBA Playoff Bets

When betting on the NBA Playoffs, Christmas games, NBA All-star odds, or betting on the NBA Finals you're going to find quite a few bets at most sportsbooks. This is because many experienced handicappers go far beyond simply betting on the outcome of a game or series and instead bet per half, per quarter, make prop bets, bet on futures, etc. In this regard, there is certainly no shortage of betting types or structures you can find with most sportsbooks. Here are a few of the betting types you will likely see:

  • NBA Game Lines: Where you bet on single-game point spreads, money line, over/under totals, etc.
  • NBA 1st/2nd/3rd/4th Period Lines: Betting lines for any individual period of a single game
  • 1st/2nd Half Lines: Betting lines for each half of a single game
  • NBA Props: Any betting line that doesn’t directly impact the game’s outcome
  • NBA Series Price: Odds to win a single best-of-seven series
  • Series Betting: Betting on the series winner, correct series outcome, and total games played over/under
  • Futures: Odds made ahead of time of a game or series that indicates how likely a bet will payout, i.e. odds to win the NBA championship

How The NBA Playoffs Work

10 teams from each Conference make it to the NBA Playoffs each season, but seeds 7 through 10 in the East and West must compete in the play-in tournament. It begins with 7 vs. 10 and 8 vs. 9, where the 7/8 seed can advance to the round of 16 with a win, or the 9/10 seeds can advance with two consecutive wins.

Once the final 16 NBA Playoff teams are set, they are seeded from 1-8 in a fixed bracket. Each round consists of best-of-seven series where the first NBA Playoff team to win 4 games advances. The higher seed holds the home-court advantage in each round of the postseason and tends to hold the edge in the NBA Playoff series odds.

NBA Betting Apps For Playoff Games

The offshore NBA Playoff betting sites we endorse here at LBO deliver their services over iPhones, iPads, and other portable web-ready devices. These mobile sports betting apps deliver NBA Playoff odds over mobile web browsers, alleviating the need to download any software to your Apple or Android smartphone or tablet.

Just use your phone or tablet to click on any of the NBA betting site links we've included above and your phone will gain instant access from anywhere in the USA to all the latest NBA Playoff odds and championship futures. Don't take our word for it - click on any and all of them right now to see what each has to offer for NBA Playoffs betting.

Where To Bet On The NBA Playoffs

We demand that all readers visit our top NBA Playoff betting sites above to see what they've got available for betting on this year's pro basketball postseason. While each state differs in what they offer for legal sports betting, our top online NBA Playoff sportsbooks accept members at 18 years old across the entire USA for maximum convenience.

We've done business with these premiere NBA sportsbooks for years and find them to be the most trustworthy options for online basketball betting in operation today. Not only do they feature way more NBA betting options than domestic books, but they also allow for cryptocurrency payouts and Bitcoin deposits for rapid and secure transactions.

Can You Bet On NBA Playoff Series?

Yes. Whether you want to bet on NBA Playoff games within a best-of-seven series, or if you intend to gamble on the overall winner of the round, odds, lines, and futures are available at the offshore sportsbook sites we list within this guide.

There are also NBA prop bets offered for each round and game of the playoffs each year, and they escalate as the postseason moves along toward the NBA Finals.