Best Basketball Betting Sites in Canada

Basketball bettors should have specific set of demands that need to be met when choosing an online sportsbook. Of course, everyone is different, but we feel these are the most important features a betting site should deliver for its players, and why we chose to highlight the sites we did on this page. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Coverage of leagues & tournaments
• Betting markets
• Features
• Live Betting
• Bonuses & Promos 

Of course, we want a site that will deliver great odds and fair lines for each and every game as well. That’s why you need to shop around to make sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck at each of Canada’s sports books.

For those looking to elevate the excitement, betting on the game's outcomes has become a popular pursuit. But where should a Canadian hoop enthusiast place their bets? In this section, we'll delve deep into the best sportsbooks tailored for basketball betting in the Great White North.

Many Canadian sports betting sites don’t offer a mobile app, no matter if you use iOS or Android. Instead, they deliver a “mobile friendly” website experience which tend to range from great to so-so.

However, Betway, Sports Interaction and 888Sport both offer its players an independent, dedicated app. This makes betting on basketball easier on mobile devices, no matter if you wager pre-game or with live betting.

We highly recommend players betting on-the-go to download and experience both Betway, 888sport and Sports Interaction app on their device of choice.

Every Canadian bookmaker delivers different features to its players. Not all are suited for every type of bettor, but some of the best features offered to basketball bettors are universally offered.

• Basketball Live Betting: One of the biggest advancements in online basketball betting is allowing you to bet once the game tips-off. You can bet on specific results within the quarter and/or half, including the outcome and totals. This is great to use to keep up with the action, or possibly take advantage of if you see an injury or a player get in foul trouble.
• Cash Out: Many sports books now offer players the chance to cash out their bet prior to the game officially ending. This can save you from any sort of “bad beat” imaginable. If you don’t like the comeback the opposing team is mounting, using the cash out feature can save you from heartache when your winning bet becomes a loser on a last second shot.
• Parlays: Parlay bets are when you combine two or more wagers (moneyline, point spread, totals, etc.) into one bet. This increases the odds as well as the potential payout if you win; however, you must win every “leg” of your parlay to cash out a winner. One loss within your bet makes it a loser. But hitting a parlay can quickly increase your bankroll.
• Props: Perhaps no sport is better suited for prop betting than basketball. Some basketball betting sites will allow you to bet on individual player’s stats for the game: total points, total rebounds, etc. They may also offer total team outcomes in such statistical categories, too. Sometimes in live betting, you can even find the ability to bet on whether the next basket will be a two- or three-pointer. The availability of these type of bets is certainly worth seeking out.

Every Canadian sports betting site will offer new players a welcome bonus. This is a given. However, not all will offer players specific basketball betting offers or promotions like the following sports books do:

• Betway offers players a “3-point refund” on select NBA games. If your bet loses and the last score is a 3-pointer, you can get up to $25 back in the form of a free bet.
• Bodog offers “NBA daily specials” which are special prop bets which feature boost odds. These can get pretty interesting and come with high odds.
• Fezbet has a special “$1 for every 3-pointer” promo which will give you $1 back for every 3-pointer made in the game should your NBA bet at 1.50 or higher lose.
• 888Sport as well as other basketball betting sites offer daily “boosted odds” on NBA and other basketball games.

Many of these offers are limited time specials, and you should always visit your favorite operator’s “promotions” page to see what is available. Certain NCAA or EuroLeague promos and offers are only offered during March Madness or the EuroLeague playoffs and Finals.

Perhaps the best basketball betting tips we can give you are the following:

• Bet within your limits.
• Don’t chase your losses.
• Information is power. Know everything – odds, injuries, etc. – before making your bet.
• Shop around to get the best numbers for your bet.
• Have fun, and don’t take sports betting too seriously.

New as well as established basketball bettors can benefit from these simple lessons. 

Basketball Betting Markets, Bet Types & Odds

There are three main betting markets available to basketball bettors. These are:

• Moneyline: This is the simplest bet to place. Pick which team you think will win the game with the odds offered on that outcome. Careful, though, as a heavily favored team can have terrible odds given the on-the-court mismatch.
• Point Spread: Sometimes called “handicap” or “Asian handicap,” the point spread was originated to level each team for betting purposes. As the bettor, you must decide whether to “take” or “give” the points offered for each team when making your bet with the associated odds. Often, you get better odds here than if betting the moneyline.
• Totals: Often referred to as the “under/over,” a totals bet is a wager on the number of points scored by both teams for the entire game. You can either bet that the final score will end “under” or “over” the number set by the sports book at the given odds.

Other types of bets you can make in basketball include:

• Futures: A futures bet is just as it sounds: a bet on a future outcome. This can be anything from which team will win its division or the NBA Finals. Some basketball betting sites will offer odds on which player will win MVP or lead the league in scoring or win the NBA Slam Dunk contest. Dig around to see which sports book offers the best futures for basketball.
• Props: Prop bets are usually bets on smaller in-game events. Many sports book will let you bet on individual players within the game, with odds offered on the number of points or rebounds or assists a player will have in a particular game. Some sports book will even have prop bets pitting one player against another, allowing you to bet on which player you think will have the better performance in a game. As you can tell, these are some of the most fun wagers to place.
• Parlay: Parlays are a combination of all of the other bets listed above. You can parlay two or more bets together to increase you odds, but you must win every bet within the parlay to cash out a winner. Just one loss wrecks your parlay. So, choose wisely, and if you think you have multiple winners line up, don’t hesitate to turn those bets into a parlay.

When looking to place any of these bets, online basketball betting sites will display the associated odds mainly in one of three formats. 

• Decimal: Decimal odds are the most common odds format in Canadian sports books. If the odds on a game were posted as 2.10, a $10 wager would win $21 -- $11 plus your original $10. To determine what you would win on any bet, simply multiply the amount of your wager by the decimal number to get the result.
• American: American odds are expressed in one of two ways: + or -. A $10 bet on a team at +110 would win $21 – $11 plus your original $10 – just like the decimal example of a bet at 2.10. If the team were listed as -110, a $10 bet would result in a win of $19.10 – $9.10 plus your original $10. To win $10 on a -110 bet, you must wager $11.
• Fractional: Fractional odds are most commonly seen in North America for horse races However, they are common in Europe for sports. If a team were listed with 11/10 odds on a match, it would be the same as if the team were posted at +110 or 2.10. A $10 bet would result in a $21 payout – $11 plus your original $10 – if you win. 

Basketball Betting Rules

As in any activity you engage in, it’s best to know the rules before you begin. With basketball betting, each sports book may have different ways of doing things such as settling your bets. Most will share common traits, but it would be wise to check your favorite operator’s terms and conditions regarding betting outcomes before you bet with them. In case the of basketball betting, the following are common rules the best sports books often share.

• All competitions/leagues (except the NBA) must go at least 35 minutes of game time for action. NBA games must go at least 43 minutes to officially count.
• For wagers on periods (quarters and halfs), the minimum time is considered to be the duration of the entire period. Should the entire game not be completed, wagers on quarters and halfs will still have action if the relevant period was completed.
• Any wager on the second half will include overtime should it occur; however, any specific wager on the fourth quarter will not include overtime in its result.
• In a prop bet offered prior to an NBA game (not for live betting in-game) related to an individual player's total points, rebounds, assists, blocked shots, or any other statistic, the specific player must start the game for action.
• Statistics provided by the official score provider or the official website of the relevant competition or league will be used to settle all wagers.

Top Leagues and Tournaments

• NBA: Every Canadian sports bettor should have some familiarity with the National Basketball Association (NBA). The NBA attracts the best basketball talent in the world and features an 82-game season followed by an extensive playoffs schedule. The best live betting and prop betting options can be found for NBA games.
• WNBA: The women’s version of the NBA, the WNBA has seen a dramatic increase in attention and popularity in recent years. With this rise in its reputation, basketball bettors have taken a keen interest in what the WNBA has to offer. The 12-team league typically plays 36 games per season with eight teams reaching the playoffs.
• EuroLeague: Europe’s top-tier basketball league, EuroLeague has been in existence for over 60 years. Featuring a talent level which can nearly match the NBA, its current format has 18 teams play a 34-game season with the eight best teams advancing to the playoffs. The EuroLeague regular season runs from the end of September through early April.
• NCAA March Madness: The United States is the only country in the world with a collegiate sports system like the NCAA. The NCAA Division I men's basketball season typically runs from November through March with most teams playing between 35 and 40 games. This culminates with its famous “March Madness” tournament of 64 teams playing single elimination matches to determine the national champion.