Betting on the NBA G League

The NBA G League, known as the National Basketball Association Development League until the 2017-18 season, is the NBA’s minor league basketball league organization. The league began to play under the name of NBDL in the 2001-2002 season. It was made up of eight founding teams. The league then expanded to 15 teams and it became a true minor league farm system, with each NBA D-League team affiliated with one or more NBA teams in March 2005.

At the conclusion of the 2013-14 NBA season, 33% of NBA players had spent time in the NBA D-League, up from 23% in 2011. As of the 2021-22 season, the league consists of 30 teams, 28 of which are either single-affiliated or owned by an NBA team.

How to Bet on the NBA G League

With a huge number of games taking place, there are no shortage of opportunities to bet on the NBA G-League and here we will take you through the most popular bets to help you get started. 

Outright Bets

This is a bet on who you think will win the league. You can place the bet ahead of the start of the season or once it has begun. However, generally the most favourable odds, even on the favourite team, are found before the season has begun. For example, you could bet on Maine Celtics to win the league this year. If they do win the league, then you win the bet.

You  may also be able to place outright bets on how many games a team will make, on player awards such as the MVP, and on players to be selected for the All-Star Game.

Game Results

This is the simplest type of bet on an individual game. It is simply a bet on which team will win. As there are no draws in basketball, it means you only have two options. For example, if Lakeland Magic and Santa Cruz Warriors play, you can bet on either of the teams. If your chosen team wins, then you win the bet.

Handicap Bets

If one of the teams is expected to win with ease, then the odds on them are likely to be very short. A handicap bet is a way of lengthening the odds on the favourite. The team is given a points handicap that they then need to overcome.

For example, if Rio Grande Valley Vipers play Cleveland Charge, then the Vipers will be the favourites to win. Therefore, you could bet on them with a -10.5 points handicap. For your bet to win, the Vipers would have to win the game by at least 11 points. Alternatively, you could bet on Charge with a +10.5 points handicap and for that bet to win, the team would either have to win or lose by no more than 10 points.

Game Winning Margin

This is simply a bet on how many points a game will be won by. For example, you could bet that Greensboro Swarm would beat the South Bay Lakers by between 5 and 8 points. If the game then ended 80-74, Greensboro Swarm would have won by 6 points and the bet would win.

Half-Time/Full-Time

This bet requires you to pick which team will be ahead at half time and which team will win the game. For example, you could bet on the South Bay Lakers to be ahead at half time and then for Greensboro Swarm to win. Alternatively, you could bet on Swarm to be ahead at half time and to win the game, or any other combination.

Total Points

This s a bet on the total number of points scored in a game. However, you do not need to predict the exact value, you are betting on whether the total will be over or under the value provided by the market, e.g. 151.5. For example, if the Agua Caliente Clippers were playing Capital City Go-Go and the game ended 80-75, if you had bet over 151.5 you would have won as 155 points were scored.

Player & Game Props

These are bets on player achievements and game statistics. For example, you could bet that a specific player will score a 3-pointer or commit a foul. You can also bet on things such as which team will be the first to reach 5 points. Often the prop bets are very varied, so it is always worth taking the time to have a close look at them.

Live Bets

Live bets make watching NBA G League games even more exciting. They allow you to bet on a game as it is taking place. You will find many of the bets explained above and the odds offered will vary depending on what is happening on the court. Therefore, by keeping a close eye on them, you might spot some great opportunities. Alternatively, you can bet on the next thing to happen in a game, such as the next player to score or if there will be points scored in the next minute.