Canadian born Dr. James Naismith invented basketball; Naismith was a physical educator at the YMCA, he invented the game as an extra activity that could occupy his gym class on any rainy day.
The inception of basketball saw a peach basket pinned to a height of ten feet or more precisely, three metres. The original games net retained the ball, which had to be manually retrieved after every basket. Punters opting for basketball betting will be interested to know that the game was originally played with a soccer ball, sewn up and laced for improved grip.
The Modern Games Structure
From its early origins to modern day leagues and formal television broadcasts, basketball as a sport has not changed all that much. The basic premise of the game remains the same, what has changed is the structure, which now allows for more flow in game play.
The game is played on a rectangular court that is separated into two clear halves, featuring a hoop and net on either end. Two teams consisting of five players take to the court with one purpose, to shoot the ball through the opposing teams net and earn the most points.
Punters should be aware that there are lined markings in and around each teams hoop, which form a box and boundary to the box. Points in basketball can be scored in the box, outside of the box, from behind the three-point line and during free throw shots, which result from a penalty.
Top Basketball Leagues
Basketball has become a worldwide phenomenon, with major leagues and top star athletes scattered around the globe, basketball is one of the highest paying professional sports. This and the allure of the game itself makes basketball fiercely competitive and teams spend small fortunes buying players in order to improve their star line up and increase their chances at winning major championships.
Punters opting for basketball betting will be delighted to know that there are a number of tournaments and leagues that run throughout the year.
The most popular basketball league in the world, attracting the majority of basketballs viewers is the American NBA. Other leagues include but are not limited to the Euro-league and the Australian NBL. With an assortment of leagues in various countries, punters opting for basketball betting will be spoiled for choice.
Basketball Betting Types
There are numerous bet types within basketball. Punters looking to get into the basketball betting market effectively should consider starting with the most basic and common basketball online betting types, which most bookmakers offer on numerous leagues and International competitions.
Points Spreading
One of the most common bet types within basketball is a point-spread bet. Functioning like any typical totals bet, punters must predict the team to win on a certain handicap.
Over Or Under
Over or under bets are simple and straightforward. In over or under betting, the bookmaker will set a figure or total number of points that will be scored within the game. Punters should be aware that these points are for both teams combined score. You simply need to predict whether the total will be higher or lower than the bookmaker’s prediction.
Money Lines
Money Line bets can be used instead of point spread bets. Money line bets simply reflect the likely odds that each team has at winning the game. For example a team at a –150 money line tells you that you need to bet $150 to win $100.
Parlay Bets
Parlay betting is slightly more advanced, yet it is easy to understand and should you have advanced knowledge on a few basketball teams, parlays have the potential to reward lucratively. In parlay bets, punters choose two or more teams to win their games. In parlay bets all selected teams must win for the bet to pay out.