How to Bet on NBA From Texas

The National Basketball Association and the National Football League are by far the most gambled on sports leagues in the U.S. This is particularly true in Texas, which itself is home to three well-known and successful NBA teams: the Dallas Mavericks, the Houston Rockets, and the San Antonio Spurs. NBA betting specifically is increasing at an incredible rate each year, especially in Texas.

The Legality of Sports Betting

It is not possible to legally run a sportsbook in the state of Texas at this time. Having said that, it is not against the law for residents of Texas to join and place bets through an offshore gambling service that is situated, licensed, and regulated in a country other than the United States of America. 

This is important to know as the question is sports betting legal in Texas arises quite often amongst bettors in Texas. Antigua, where Bovada holds a license and is subject to regulation, is the jurisdiction that grants the company the authority to offer its services to customers in Texas and in the majority of other states in the United States.

Have a look at our Texas sports gambling section for more information on the betting landscape that exists within the state legally.

Type of NBA Bets

There are three big bets that are placed on every NBA game, and they account for the great majority of the action. These are the chances for winning based on the point spread, money line, and over/under for the totals.

Point Spread

The goal of the point spread is to make the game more balanced by awarding a predetermined amount of points to the team that is considered to be the underdog (the spread).

If you bet on the favorite to cover the spread, then they need to win by a score that is greater than the number of points the spread is. In order for the underdog team you are wagering on to “beat the spread,” they then must win the match outright or fail by fewer goals than the spread indicates they should before the end of the game.

Here is an instance from a game between the Spurs and the Clippers. The Clippers are 9.5-point favorites over the Spurs in the game, as indicated by the 9.5 next to their name, while the +9.5 next to San Antonio’s name indicates that the Spurs are 9.5-point underdogs. 

The Clippers would need to win the match by a margin of at least 10 points for a spread bet placed on them to be successful. The Spurs +9.5 bet is a victory if either team wins the game outright or the margin of victory for the Clippers is nine points or smaller.

Money Line

You can also place a bet on the outcome of the game by just picking the winning side, with no spread involved. The money line odds are determined by taking into account how likely each team is to emerge victorious from the contest. A wager placed on the team that is favored to win will provide a lower payoff than one placed on the side that is the underdog.

There is a one in 440 chance that the Clippers will win the match outright. This indicates that you would need to place a wager of $440 in order to earn $100 if you bet on the Clippers. On the other hand, a bettor who places $100 on the Spurs stands to win $320 if they are successful in pulling off the upset.

Totals (Over / Under)

A wager that is placed on the total amount of points that will be scored in a match is referred to as an “over/under” bet. The oddsmaker will set a “total,” and you will have the opportunity to bet if there will be higher points scored than the total or fewer points scored than the total.

How To Bet on NBA from Texas

If you want to put bets on NBA games from Texas, you may do it online by following these three steps;

• Open an account with a trustworthy sportsbook
• Deposit money into your account
• Place your NBA bets

Future of Gambling in Texas

Many Texans can’t gamble on their favorite sports teams or games since sports betting is outlawed. A new bill could soon pass the Texas legislature. Texas’ divided politics extend to the push to legalize sports betting. 

Dan Patrick received the GOP nomination for Texas Lt. Governor in March 2022. Patrick is an established anti-gambling activist, so it’s unlikely that Texas would legalize sports betting soon. Beto O’Rourke, the Democratic nominee for Texas governor, said in April he would legalize sports gambling and casino gambling.

The Texas Sports Betting Bill’s survival rests on the governorship and midterm elections. If pro-betting lawmakers are elected, sports betting may not be legalized until 2023, thus keen bettors and gamblers must be patient.