My foray into the world of sports betting was as a punter, primarily following the ups and downs (well, mostly downs…) of my local team as they battled against the ever-present threat of relegation. Over time, I began to become more and more interested in the ins and outs of various strategies and became adept at spotting a good operator.
My day job was, at the time, writing and editing for a local newspaper, so turning my professional skills to my interest in sports betting followed naturally. I started writing about sports betting as a hobby initially with my own blog, analysing odds and providing betting tips where I thought I could find value. Eventually, I was headhunted to write the same content for a betting firm, which resulted in me leaving my local paper job behind and turning my professional interests solely to sports betting writing by 2017. Since then, I have been proud of the body of work I have been able to produce.
Using my interest in all aspects of the sports and gambling world to guide me, I now write for Betting.net, compiling operator reviews, bonus reviews, and sharing the tips and tricks across our various sports betting guides. When I’m not at my keyboard, I am an avid rock climber, with an ultimate goal of eventually ascending the Seven Peaks — if I can fit it in between penning the latest bookmaker review, that is!
Best Strategies for PBA
Our team at Betting.net is a force to reckon with when it comes to the provision of accurate and useful online sports betting information. We also explore foreign betting opportunities and have loads of PBA strategies.
In our quest to conquer these outer-space betting opportunities, we’ll first provide basic training. We’ll then blast further into the different betting options before finally landing on the different strategies you can use to win PBA bets.
Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) betting basics
Basketball is one of America’s go-to sports. In fact, the US has the most popular league in the world—the NBA. However, basketball has also been an attraction in other nations. On the island of the Philippines, basketball has been ingrained in the local culture for over a hundred years. In the 1970s the Philippines established its own league, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Today, 12 teams compete in three different tournaments, which they refer to as conferences. For the resourceful punter, the PBA provides equally entertaining betting opportunities. In this guide, we will discuss some really useful PBA strategies that gamblers can take advantage of.
Just like with the NBA and College leagues, you can bet on more than one market such as point spreads and Moneyline bets. However, the PBA is structured differently from American leagues. As a bettor, you’ll need a good understanding of sports betting strategies that work for the PBA betting markets available. To help you navigate through the maze you can make use of some of our expertly selected PBA strategies. So, read on as we get into all the finer details.
You may already understand different PBA strategies, but take a moment to also understand the league. Basketball has become part of Philippine culture. The sport has become the most popular on the island. Although Basketball was introduced to the Philippines more than 100 years ago, the Philippine Basketball Association was established in 1975. The league consists of 3 tournaments or conferences, which are the Philippine, The Commissioner’s, and the Governor’s Cups. Unlike with the NBA, there are no season champions but each conference has a trophy. 12 teams clash for a chance to win in each of the three conferences. Some of the most popular teams in the league include Magnolia Hotshots, Meralco Bolts, and San Miguel Beermen.
Exploring all the available bet types
Predicting the outcome of sporting events will always be great fun. However, you do need to understand how sportsbook betting lines work. Then, by implementing good PBA strategies, you can enjoy the standard bets, as well as several other bet types. The idea is to pick the most appealing option at any given time, and not use one method every time. These are some of the most popular markets for PBA.
Moneyline
The moneyline bet is simple. You only need to predict which team will win a match. Here, it is important to know which team is better. The odds will show you which team is the favorite and which is the underdog. The underdog will have higher odds than the favorite. This is the most basic form of betting but it may not always be appealing or profitable.
Totals – Over/Under
Over under in betting means that you must predict the total number of points that will be scored by both teams by the end of the match. However, you won’t have to predict the actual figure. The bookmaker sets an estimated total then gives you the chance to pick over or under. For example, if the bookie sets the estimate at 172.5, an Over bet wins if the teams score 173 or more, and an Under bet wins if the total is 172 or less.
Points spread
This bet type is a bit more on the complicated side. However, you must alter your PBA strategies from time to time in search of the right opportunities. To set odds, the sportsbook anticipates that an underdog will lose by a certain goal difference. So, you can back an underdog team, not to win, but to lose by the set margin. If you back the favorite, it must also win by the specified goal difference. The point spread is a negative value for the favorite (such as -3.5 for Magnolia Hotshots) and a positive for the underdog (such as +3.5 for Phoenix Fuel Masters).
Futures
This bet type is suitable for betting enthusiasts who are extremely patient. Punters will forecast the outcome of the PBA conferences. You have to place the bet before the tournament starts and wait until the end, for the winner to be announced. For example, who will win the Commissioner’s cup. PBA strategies such as this will require a significant amount of research and accuracy.
Proposition bets
The prop or proposition bets are based on particular aspects of PBA games that do not necessarily affect the outcome of the match. That said, props can also form a useful part of an inplay betting strategy if you pick the right bets. A prop bet can be about predicting an individual player’s total points in the particular match or the team that will commit the most fouls.
For any of the PBA strategies to work, you will need to understand the importance of value. Whenever you spend your hard-earned cash on anything, you really want to feel the value. You want to feel that the product you bought is worth it. Well-established and skillful bettors feel the same way. In sports betting, a value bet is when you realize that the probability of a particular occurrence is higher than the bookmakers’ odds.
For example, we know that the odds of getting heads in a coin toss is 2.0. How do we know this? A coin only has two sides and this means that the probability of the coin landing on either side is 1 – 1. In decimal odds, 1-1 is 2.0. If the bookmaker sets the odds at 2.1, this is a value bet. It means that, on average, you stand to win more money when you win than what you lose when your bet doesn’t pan out. However, in reality, calculating value bets will not be as clear-cut as our example. You will have to take into consideration the bookmaker’s margin, which is a fee that sportsbooks must charge to make a profit. You must also factor in betting bias and market efficiency.
Strategies to improve your PBA betting wins
Having the right kind of information will only make you a better punter no matter what the sport. Whether you’re a horse bettor making selections for a Pick 3 betting strategy, or looking for the best odds on the next PBA match, you need to be fully familiar with the ins and outs of the sport. Before you can start using PBA strategies to predict any of the matches, there are some aspects you will need to understand to make accurate predictions.
Understand PBA betting lines and odds
Basketball is not only a professional sport. In the Philippines, the game has become part of the culture. For you to take full advantage of the potentially lucrative PBA betting opportunities, you must understand how bookmakers put together the odds they offer across different markets. You have to know how to identify value bets and act on them. Understanding the odds helps you decide when to back a particular team in a particular conference. This way, your PBA strategies come together nicely.
Understand the differences between Filipino and US games
In numerous ways, the PBA is similar to the NBA but the tactics you use for the NBA may not work for PBA. It is therefore important that punters understand the differences between American and Filipino games. The NBA has a league championship that awards a trophy to the winner at the end of a season. However, with the Filipino format, the 12 teams compete for three different trophies, The Philippine Cup, The Commissioner’s Cup, and the Governor’s Cup. These differences mean that Filipino players are motivated differently and their playing styles will be different from those in American.
Know who got injured
Injuries dramatically affect PBA strategies. Basketball is a very physical sport and as such, several players get injured during training and gameplay each season. Always watch sports news and follow up on the players who are either missing in action or recovering from recent injuries. A player may be allowed to return to the court after an injury. However, injuries inhibit player’s performance and, therefore, affect the match outcome. Injuries are most detrimental when they affect key players.
Learn about the history of the league
The Philippine Basketball Association has been running since 1975. It pays, literally, to understand the history of the tournament and which teams were the first to join. You can also find out how much each tournament is worth. Some teams perform better during the Philippine Cup, which is the most important of the three events. More useful information is which team has the most titles. The history has a very critical statistical value which punters must factor into their PBA strategies.
Home advantage
The home advantage significantly affects the outcome of events and you can apply it to your PBA strategies. It is highly likely that when a team is playing at its home court, it is more likely to win than when it’s away. Therefore, when determining your predictions, you should factor in 2 to 2.5 points for the home team when you are determining the odds.
Conclusion
To come up with fully functional PBA strategies for betting, gamblers need to take some time and learn all about the PBA, its history, and how teams have performed in the past. PBA hosts three tournaments or, as they call them, conferences. The league has a membership of 12 teams each rallying to clinch one of the three league cups. To enjoy interstellar betting expeditions, punters must also understand how PBA odds work and how to determine value bets. Check out Betting.net guides to make sure that you won’t miss out on the action. We have unlimited tips and tricks to help you find your way as an ultimate pro bettor.
When the online gaming industry came to life, several betting options were introduced. Within the Philippines, it is illegal to bet on PBA online but bettors are allowed to wager in person at land-based outlets. US bettors can also wager online on PBA events. The search for the best odds can be really tricky but you will need to be vigilant. Finding the right bookmaker is all about value. Browse through our pages and find out more about our PBA strategies on how to find the best bookmaker.
💰 What is the most profitable betting market in PBA?
The PBA presents a myriad of betting opportunities, some with massive potential returns. However, it all comes down to the punter being able to take advantage of the odds. The PBA season has three different tournaments and so this gives you ample time to cash in on all the great deals. However, you must be able to work out and find decent odds. A lot of punters have many preferences and sometimes forget to apply sound PBA strategies while betting. Different types of betting markets have a variety of advantages and disadvantages. You can find out more information in our guides.
🏀 Can you win real money online betting on PBA?
Sportsbooks or odds makers provide sports gambling services all over the world. The industry has recently become more profitable, especially online. When you decide to play at an online sportsbook, be sure to read the terms and conditions and make sure that the payment methods are reliable and that the sportsbook is legitimate. Make sure you never wager amounts that you’re not willing to spend. Just have fun but also try out some PBA strategies for wagering.
