Basketball is a hugely popular sport in Canada, with avid followers watching leagues from around the world – including, of course, the NBA, which features a Canadian team in the Toronto Raptors. Many don’t just like to watch the game – they also love basketball betting, which adds drama to even the most boring of encounters.

But where should you bet on basketball in Canada? And what types of basketball bets will you be able to make? We’ll answer both these questions, as well as a huge amount more, on this page all about betting on basketball in Canada.

List of the Best Basketball Betting Sites for 2024

Let’s jump straight in and take a quick look at the best online basketball betting sites you’ll find in Canada. Our basketball betting experts have come up with the following list.

1. Bodog – The best sportsbook in Canada for basketball betting
2. Stake.com – Giant range of basketball betting options
3. BetOnline – Great choice for cryptocurrency users
4. XBet – Consistently high odds for basketball betting
5. MyBookie – Superb live basketball betting experience
6. Everygame – Great array of sports betting bonuses
7. BetNow – Great sportsbook for parlay betting
8. BUSR – Fantastic selection of prop bets
9. Sportsbetting.ag – Great for betting on NCAAB
10. PowBet – Exciting betting tournaments offered

Reviews of the Best Basketball Sportsbooks

Now you’ve seen our list of the top basketball betting sites in Canada, let’s take a deeper dive and really look at why they’ve made it into our top six sportsbooks for betting on basketball.

1. Bodog – The Best Sportsbook in Canada for Basketball Betting

Our number one choice for basketball betting is Bodog – unless you live in Quebec, where Bodog is unavailable. Quebecois should skip this entry and head to our number two basketball betting site instead. We love Bodog for many reasons, but the huge range of basketball betting markets and the fair odds on nearly all basketball bets are the two main reasons to head there.

You’ll also find that Bodog offers a nice range of betting bonuses, including a rewarding welcome bonus and bonuses for Bitcoin users. The Bodog Rewards scheme is also great, rewarding customers for their loyalty to the site. Bodog also looks and feels great, both on desktop and mobile, plus the live betting platform is one of the best around.

2. Stake.com – Giant Range of Basketball Betting Options

If you’re looking for a huge range of basketball betting options, look no further than Stake.com. Not only do they cover the NBA in huge detail, but they also offer markets on basketball leagues from around the world, including the EuroLeague. Betting on college basketball is also offered. What’s more, loads of basketball games are offered on the live betting platform.

Stake.com also has several other selling points, including the site’s superb design, which not only looks great, but also ensures the site is simple to use. The mobile site is also impressive, plus there are some really nice bonuses – although there’s no welcome bonus available. Several cryptocurrencies can be used for depositing, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin.

3. BetOnline – Great Choice for Cryptocurrency Users

Cryptocurrency is exceptionally popular with Canadian gamblers, and you’ll find a huge selection of cryptos accepted at BetOnline. Popular cryptos such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum are offered, plus several lesser used cryptos are also available, including Polygon and Solana. There are also a couple of great bonuses specifically for those depositing with crypto.

There are many other reasons to choose BetOnline for betting on basketball, including the wide range of basketball betting options and the superb live betting platform, which is incredibly simple to use. BetOnline also regularly offers nice bonuses to customers, plus it often offers generous odds on basketball betting markets.

4. XBet – Consistently High Odds for Basketball Betting

If your primary reason for betting on basketball is to win money, you should head straight over to XBet, where they consistently offer the highest odds around. This is the case for both pre-game and live markets. XBet also have a fantastic range of basketball betting markets, covering the NBA in detail and offering markets from around the world.

But why else is XBet on our list of top basketball betting sites? Well, it gives customers a superb experience by offering a website that’s simple to use – although it’s certainly not the most attractive site around. In terms of bonuses, there are some impressive ones, including a decent welcome bonus, plus contests are often held.

5. MyBookie – Superb Live Basketball Betting Experience

There’s no better way to boost the excitement of a game than live betting, and for the best live basketball betting experience in Canada, make your way to MyBookie. The MyBookie live betting platform is exceptionally simple to use, making it easy to place bets quickly, plus it covers a huge range of basketball games from around the world.

Another reason to head over to MyBookie for betting on basketball is the nice range of promotions available, which includes a great welcome bonus. There’s also a nice VIP scheme, which rewards everyone, not just big spenders, plus contests with impressive prizes are regularly held. The biggest downside is the lack of depositing options – we’d particularly like to see more crypto available.

6. Everygame – Great Array of Sports Betting Bonuses

For many, bonuses are a vital aspect to betting online. If you’re a fan of sportsbooks with loads of bonuses, head over to Everygame, where they have one of the best selections around. These can include deposit match bonuses, free bets, giveaways and more, plus most bonuses at Everygame have fair terms and conditions.

Everygame is also a fantastic choice if you’re looking for a wide range of basketball betting options, as they offer markets from around the world. The desktop site is undeniably simple, but it works well, while the mobile site is optimised nicely, ensuring a great experience regardless of the device you use.

7. BetNow – Great Sportsbook for Parlay Betting

Canadians can now bet on more than just parlays, but for many, parlays are still the best bet type. If you’re a fan of parlay betting, you should make your way to BetNow, as they boast of offering the best parlay odds in the industry. What’s more, their range of basketball parlays is great, plus it couldn’t be easier to create parlay bets.

Prefer other bet types? Don’t worry, as BetNow offers them too, with the same impressive odds. They also have a simple live betting platform – it’s certainly not the fanciest, but does its job well. The welcome bonus is also an impressive one, giving new customers a great start to their time at the site. On the downside, the selection of depositing options is rather small.

8. BUSR – Fantastic Selection of Prop Bets

If you’re a fan of prop betting, you should head over to BUSR, where they offer plenty of them – including several basketball prop bets. What’s more, the odds they offer on their prop bets – as well as most other bet types – are highly competitive. Prop bets can be made pre-game or using the live betting platform while a game is in-play.

There are several other reasons to pick BUSR for basketball betting, not least their selection of promotions, which usually includes a big welcome bonus and bonuses for those betting using cryptocurrency. The range of cryptos they accept could be increased – currently, they only accept deposits using Bitcoin, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Ethereum.

9. SportsBetting.ag – Great for Betting on NCAAB

The NBA is the most popular basketball betting market, but many Canadians also like to bet on college basketball. If you’re one of them, head over to Sportsbetting.ag, which has a fantastic array of NCAAB betting options. What’s more, it covers many NCAAB games live on its impressive live betting platform.

Sportsbetting.ag also has several other great features, including the fact they usually offer fair odds and also have some nice bonuses and promotions. Perhaps the biggest downside to the site is the poor design – it looks exceptionally dated and the cluttered layout will look confusing to those new to online betting.

10. PowBet – Exciting Betting Tournaments Offered

Betting is already exciting, but you can add an extra layer of excitement by taking part in the betting tournaments at PowBet. These see you going up against other betting enthusiasts, with the best competitors winning some impressive prizes. You’ll also find weekly challenges at PowBet, which only boost enjoyment further.

PowBet is also an exceptionally good-looking website, plus the way it’s been designed makes betting there a breeze. Odds at PowBet also generally compare well with the competition, plus they have some really good bonuses and promotions, along with a nice loyalty scheme. It’s not possible to make big withdrawals, as the maximum withdrawal amount is somewhat low.

FAQs About Basketball Betting

How do you bet in basketball?

Basketball betting is exceptionally simple. Assuming you’ve signed up with a sportsbook and deposited money, you need to head to the basketball section, before then choosing your bet. Click the bet to add it to the betslip, choose how much to wager, and submit the bet. Now just sit back and wait to see if your bet is a winner.

What does plus/minus mean in basketball?

The plus and minus numbers signify the spread. Teams with a negative number are the favorites and have points deducted from their score, while teams with a positive number are the underdogs and have points added to their score. To win a spread bet, you must pick the winning team after one of these alterations has been factored in.

What does +1.5 mean in basketball betting?

This means that a team is given an extra 1.5 points, as something of a headstart. If you bet on them, your bet will be a winner if they don’t lose by more than 1.5 points. For example, the Hornets might have +1.5 against the Nets. If the game finished 72-73 in favour of the Nets, the Hornets would still win, as the extra 1.5 points takes their score to 73.5 – higher than the Nets’ score of 73.

Where can I bet on basketball?

Regardless of where you are, you can bet at a variety of offshore betting sites, which are perfectly reputable and include names like Bodog and Stake.com. It’s also possible to bet in-person on basketball in some provinces.

What is the best bet in basketball?

The best bet is the one that combines the highest chances of winning with the most attractive odds. This could be a straight moneyline bet, a spread bet, or something totally different. Become familiar with all basketball bet types, so you can always take advantage of the best bets being offered at a sportsbook.

What is the safest basketball betting strategy?

There is no betting strategy that’s completely safe – there is always the chance you’ll lose money. The best strategy to remember is bankroll management, meaning you only risk a small portion of your bankroll. This allows luck to even out over time and also means you won’t be constantly topping up your betting balance.

What does made threes mean in basketball?

This is a type of totals bet. Quite simply, you need to predict whether or not a player will go over a specific three-point total. For example, the sportsbook might say Steph Curry will make 4.5 three pointers in a game. You need to say whether he will make more or less than this number.

Comparing the Best Basketball Betting Sites

Looking to compare various important aspects of the best basketball betting sites in Canada? If so, check out the handy table we’ve created below.

Are Offshore Betting Sites Legal?

There’s some confusion in Canada regarding the legality of offshore gambling sites. So, here’s the definitive answer: there is nothing illegal about betting at offshore sportsbooks. They are based outside Canada, so don’t fall under any rules applicable to gambling businesses based in the country, so are therefore free to offer betting without being licenced by a national or provincial authority.

It’s this subject of licencing that differentiates offshore sites from so-called ‘legal’ sites. Offshore sites have no regulation within Canada, while the legal sites are regulated from within Canada. The fact that offshore sites are regulated abroad – or sometimes not at all – concerns some, but you don’t have to worry about the sites we’ve recommended, as they’re all well-trusted names.

Is Basketball Betting Legal in Canada?

The simple answer to this question is: yes, basketball betting is legal in Canada. If you’re betting in Ontario, you’ll now have regulated sports betting. If you live in any other part of the country, you’ll be able to play at offshore sportsbooks. Both are completely legal and most sites – including the ones listed on this page – can be trusted entirely.

When it comes to basketball betting specifically, you’ll be able to place a wide variety of bet types. It used to be the case that only parlay bets were legal, but this has now changed, and Canadians have access to the same betting options as those in other countries with liberal gambling laws, such as the UK.

It is also legal to bet on basketball in-person in all Canadian provinces, but there’s a problem: many provinces haven’t rolled out in-person betting, so there are no venues to place a wager. Other provinces allow in-person betting in places like convenience stores. While legal, betting in-person is rarely convenient, which is why most Canadians opt to bet online.

Advantages of Offshore Betting Sites

Wondering why you should select offshore sportsbooks for basketball betting over legal sportsbooks? Well, there are several reasons, the most important of which we’ve listed below.

• Better odds. Offshore sportsbooks have a huge amount of competition, so they often offer high odds to attract new customers. There’s not much competition at all for legal sites, so they can keep their prices lower.
• More depositing options. You’ll find that offshore sportsbooks usually offer loads of depositing options, often including several cryptocurrencies. Legal sportsbooks only usually offer a handful of depositing options.
• Extra features. Offshore sportsbooks are continually innovating, in a bid to make themselves stand out from the crowd. This means they often have new and exciting features. Legal sportsbooks are far less innovative, as they’ve got limited competition.
• More sports. You’ll find that legal sportsbooks only really target Canada, meaning that they focus on sports popular in the country. Offshore sportsbooks need to appeal to all nationalities, meaning they feature a greater variety of sports.
• Bigger and better bonuses. Offshore sportsbooks are known for offering some huge bonuses, as they look to stand out from the crowd. Legal sportsbooks don’t offer big bonuses, and some offer no bonuses at all, as they have no competition.

Our Criteria for Choosing a Top Basketball Betting Site

We take an exceptional amount of time betting at and evaluating Canadian online basketball betting sites. We look at a range of factors when reviewing basketball betting sites, and we’ve detailed some of the more important ones below.

Range of Basketball Bets

We want to see a large range of different basketball betting options. This means you should be able to place moneyline, spread, and totals bets, along with prop bets. This should be the case for all basketball games, and not just the major NBA ones. We also expect live basketball betting to be available for all encounters.

Choice of Basketball Events

The most popular league with basketball betting enthusiasts is the NBA, but just offering NBA markets isn’t enough. We also expect to see leagues from other countries offered, plus international basketball games should also be covered.

Bonus & Promotions

We want to see a sportsbook offer as many bonuses and promotions as possible, such as welcome bonuses, reload bonuses, and free bet bonuses. We also expect the wagering requirements of the bonuses to be fair, giving customers the chance to withdraw any money they win.

Safety & Security

We won’t budge on safety and security. If we think a site isn’t safe, we simply won’t recommend it. For a site to be considered safe, we need to see that it has a great reputation and that it uses SSL encryption to protect all transactions. We also like to see that a sportsbook is licenced and regulated by a government agency.

Payment Options

Every good online sportsbook should offer a range of payment options to customers, including credit/debit card, Interac, and eWallets. We also like to see cryptocurrency being offered – although none of our recommended sites currently accept crypto for deposits.

Customer Support

Great customer support is vital, and we expect every top Canadian sportsbook to offer several contact options, including live chat and email. Replies to queries and complaints should be prompt and useful. There should also be an FAQ or help section, so customers can search for their own answers, instead of spending time contacting customer support.

How to Sign Up and Bet on Basketball

If you’ve never signed up and placed bets online, the process might seem daunting, but in actual fast, it’s incredibly simple. Just follow the step-by-step instructions and you’ll be betting on basketball in no time. We’ve used Bodog as an example, but all sites follow a similar process.

Head to Bodog

Firstly, you’ll need to make your way over to the Bodog website, using either your desktop or mobile browser. You then need to choose the option to join the site.

Complete All Required Details

Now you’ll need to enter your details, including your name and email address. Your details will be securely stored by Bodog, so there’s no need to worry about handing them over. When you’ve filled everything out, you can submit the form. You now have an account with Bodog.

Make a Deposit

You now need to deposit some money. Head to the cashier, choose your preferred depositing option, and fill out all required details – remembering to include any bonus code you might have. Once you’ve confirmed the deposit, the money should be transferred quickly.

Select Your Bet

You can now head to the basketball betting section and look through all the available basketball bets. When you see one you like the look of, click it to add it to your betslip.

Chose How Much to Bet

Finally, enter how much money you want to wager. Once you’ve done this, you can confirm the bet and wait to see if it’s a winner. If you do win, your winnings will be automatically paid into your betting account.

 

How Basketball Betting Works

Basketball betting works in exactly the same way as betting on other sports. Head to the sportsbook, find the basketball bet you want to make, choose how much to wager, and place the bet. That’s all there is to it – the process can take just a few seconds, if you know the exact basketball bet you want to make.

But how do you work out the amount of money you will win if your bet is successful? Well, you need to consider two things: your stake and the odds. At Canadian sportsbooks, the odds are displayed as a decimal, and to work out your potential winnings, you just multiply the odds by your bet. The result is the total amount of money you’ll receive, including both winnings and your initial stake.

Here’s an example: imagine you place a $10 bet on the Lakers to beat the Warriors and you receive odds of 2.20. To work out how much you’ll receive back if you win, multiply $10 by 2.20 – the answer is $22. Of this $22, $12 will be your winnings and $10 will be your initial stake being returned.

Single-Game Basketball Betting Explained

For many in Canada, single-game betting is a new concept. This is because, until recently, the only legal bet type was the parlay bet. As you might imagine, this seriously restricted the betting options for Canadians. This is now no longer the case, as single-game betting was legalized recently, allowing gamblers to place single bets on all manner of sports, including basketball.

But what is single-game betting? Well, it’s betting on just one selection. For example, you might want to bet on the Knicks beating the Nets, or on the Lakers becoming NBA champions. Previously, you needed to combine these selections with at least one more bet, but now you can simply place straight bets.

It should be noted that single-game betting has only recently been introduced at regulated sportsbooks in Canada. Offshore sportsbooks have been offering single-game betting for many years, as they weren’t bound to Canadian law.

Popular Types of Basketball Betting Markets

You’ll find a huge array of basketball betting options at all the sportsbooks we’ve recommended on this page. But what exactly are they? And how do they work? We’ve produced a rundown of the most popular basketball bets, which you can see below.

Moneyline Bets

This is the most basic of all basketball bets, as you’re just predicting which team will win a game, without any spread being added. You’ll be able to place moneyline bets on nearly all basketball games covered by betting sites.

Spread Betting

This is like moneyline betting, except a spread is applied, which levels the playing field. The underdogs will be given extra points or the favorites will have points deducted. Your bet will be a winner if the team you pick wins once the spread has been taken into account.

Totals

Totals betting, also called under/over betting, is another exceptionally simple type of betting. The sportsbook makes a prediction, usually on the total points in a game, and you must decide whether the reality will be higher or lower. The prediction is usually set to ensure both under and over have similar odds.

Prop Bets

These bets, also known as exotics, are bets on anything that doesn’t directly affect the final outcome of the game. Examples include betting on whether a player will score over a specific number of points and whether a player will record over a certain number of blocks.

Futures

Bets of this type are wagers on something that won’t be resolved for many weeks, months, or even years. For example, you could bet on the NBA champions before the regular season even starts. Futures can have high odds, but you’ll need to be patient, as it’ll be a while before you see if one is a winner.

Parlays

All previous bet types we’ve mentioned have been single bets, but parlays are different. These are bets that comprise of two or more single bets, and for the parlay to win, all constituent bets must be winners. Parlay bets can offer huge odds, but the higher the odds, the less chance there is of one being a winner. Here’s an example of a parlay bet:

• LA Lakers to beat Golden State Warriors @ 3.00
• Detroit Pistons to beat Orlando Magic @ 1.50
• Denver Nuggets to beat Utah Jazz @ 1.30

When these three bets are rolled into a parlay, the odds are 5.85. These odds are undoubtedly appealing, but each selection must be a winner for the parlay to win – if just one selection is incorrect, you’ll win nothing.

Live Basketball Betting

All top online betting sites now offer live basketball betting, which allows you to bet on a game as it’s being played. All bet types mentioned above, apart from futures, can be found at a live betting platform. Odds will change constantly to reflect the state of the game, so you must bet intelligently to get the best possible price.

Live basketball betting is a favorite among those with real knowledge of the game, as they can read the situation and make accurate predictions on what will happen next. Live betting is also a fantastic way to make even the most boring games entertaining.

Basketball Betting Strategies & Systems

There are many basketball betting strategies and systems out there, and most of them are completely pointless, but there are some that are worth considering – such as the three basketball betting strategies we detail below.

Bankroll Management

Without doubt the most important strategy for betting on basketball is bankroll management. This is used by every betting expert on basketball to ensure their bankroll stays intact. Make sure you only spend around 5% of your bankroll in a session – if you lose this money, walk away, and come back another day.

By doing this, you’re going to be able to make many smaller bets, which will allow your luck to even out over time – spend all your money on one big bet and a piece of bad luck could see your entire bankroll obliterated. Also, bankroll management stops you from having to constantly top up your sportsbook account with more money.

Dutching

Another tactic you can use when betting on basketball is dutching. This is the process of betting on two different outcomes for the same market, such as betting on both the Celtics and the Warriors to win the NBA Championship. You don’t need to be a betting expert on basketball to use this tactic – you just need to be able to accurately weigh up risk versus reward.

There are two reasons for dutching. The first is to guarantee you make money, which can happen when both possible selections have odds of over evens. The other is to simply improve your chances of nailing a win. For example, betting on two teams to win the NBA Championship doubles your chances of picking a winner – although it also doubles the risk.

Betting Against the Public

Another basketball betting tactic that can work is fading the public, which is when you deliberately bet against the crowd. It might sound counter-productive, but there’s logic behind it: as more people bet on one team, their odds go down. At the same time, the odds on their opponents go up – often to levels that are higher than deserved.

So, by betting against the crowd, you’re grabbing yourself the best possible odds. You won’t always be a winner, but the theory is that you’ll make money over time. If you want to try this basketball betting tactic, you need to be watching the odds like a hawk, ready to pounce when you see the odds for a team jump significantly.

Our Top 5 Tips for Betting on Basketball

There are many great basketball betting tips out there, all of which can boost your chances of picking a winner. We’ve listed five of the best basketball betting tips below.

Listen to the Experts

There are loads of experts out there, so you need to find a betting expert on basketball and really listen to what they have to say. Better still, find several experts and listen to them all, so you can make the most educated bets possible. You’ll find many basketball betting experts in newspapers, on social media, and on YouTube, among other places.

Think About Injuries

It’s important to evaluate every aspect of an encounter, but it’s particularly vital to look at injuries. Just one missing player can give the opposition the edge, especially if they’ve got the necessary weapons to capitalize on the player’s absence. Also, if betting live, keep a close eye on whether any players have picked up minor niggles that could affect their performance.

Capitalise on Favourable Scheduling

It’s an inescapable part of the sport: some teams will have more favourable schedules than others. You should look at a team’s schedule and understand how it could impact them. For example, is one team playing several games in a tight window? If so, players could be tired, giving them a disadvantage. Or has one team had to do lots of travelling before a game?

Shop Around for Odds

The next of our basketball betting tips is to always shop around for the best odds. You should never accept the first odds you find, as the prices at different sites can vary wildly. By finding the site with the best odds for your bet, you could be boosting your potential returns by hundreds of dollars, and possibly even more.

Understand All Basketball Bet Types

Many gamblers only understand a few types of basketball bets, but a betting expert on basketball will understand all bet types. Don’t just stick to simple basketball bets like moneyline, spreads, and totals – also make the effort to understand more complex basketball bet types, including prop bets and parlays.

Biggest Basketball Leagues to Bet On

Basketball is a game played throughout the world, meaning that there’s nearly always a basketball game to bet on. Take a look below to find out about three major basketball leagues from around the world, which are usually covered at basketball betting sites.

NBA

The NBA is the biggest basketball league in the world, by some distance. All teams bar one are from the US – the sole team from outside the borders is Canada’s own Toronto Raptors – and the regular season usually runs from October to April. It’s then followed by the play-offs, which are contested by the eight top teams from each conference. The top two then contest the NBA Finals.

NCAA

College basketball is a huge deal in the US and is also followed by many basketball fans in Canada. There are hundreds of NCAA basketball teams and the NCAA Division I season runs from November to March. The top teams then contest the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, commonly referred to as March Madness, which culminates in the championship game.

EuroLeague

Basketball is also big in many European countries, and the EuroLeague showcases the best European teams. It features 18 teams, which come from countries including Spain, Germany, and Greece. The regular season starts in October and finishes in March. The playoffs then take place, before the exciting Final Four happens, where the EuroLeague champions are crowned.

Canadian Basketball Teams to Bet On

There are various leagues in Canada, including the National Basketball League of Canada, but most sportsbooks do not cover them. Don’t let this worry you, as many other leagues are covered in detail, and there’s one team from Canada that competes in the NBA – the Toronto Raptors.

Toronto Raptors

The Toronto Raptors are the only Canadian NBA team. They’ve been around since 1995 and play their home games at the Scotiabank Arena, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL. The Raptors play in the Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. They have won seven division championships, one conference title, and one championship, which was won in 2019.

Bonuses for Basketball Betting Online

One of the biggest aspects of online sports betting is the selection of bonuses you’ll find, which reward players for depositing and betting. There are some basketball bet types that are more common than others, and we’ve provided a rundown of the most commonly seen bonuses below.

Matched Deposit Sign Up Bonuses

The main bonus you’ll find at most basketball betting sites is the sign up bonus. This is usually a matched deposit bonus, meaning that the site will match a percentage of your first deposit up to a certain amount. For example, they might add an extra 100% to your deposit, meaning more money for you to spend on basketball betting predictions.

No Deposit Bonus

As the name suggests, this is a bonus given without you needing to make a deposit. You’ll simply get some bonus money added to your account, and you can then use the bonus money to make bets. As the bonus is a free one, it’s not usually very large, plus the wagering requirements can be quite high. If you see a bonus of this type, make sure you claim it straight away.

Free Bets

Free bets are just like no deposit bonuses, except they come in a form of one free bet, which can’t be broken into smaller bets – no deposit bonuses are bonus money that you can use to place as many bets as you want. As with no deposit bonuses, free bets aren’t usually worth much. They’re often offered as an incentive to sign up with a sportsbook.

Bitcoin & Crypto Bonuses

Sportsbooks really like players to deposit using Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, as they don’t have to pay high fees when they do. To encourage this, many sportsbooks offer bonuses specifically for crypto depositors. They’re usually sign up bonuses or reload bonuses, and they’re often worth a considerable amount.

Reload or Top-Up Bonuses

Reload bonuses, also sometimes called top-up bonuses, are match bonuses given to those depositing once their welcome bonus has been used. They are usually smaller than welcome bonuses, often adding around 50% extra to a deposit. They’re given by sportsbooks in an effort to retain players and stop them heading to another site and claiming their welcome bonus.

Risk-Free Bets

Risk free bets are a promotion type that sees you given a free bet if your real money bet loses. Despite their name, they’re not actually risk-free, as you’ll have to spend your own money initially, which you could end up losing if both your initial bet and free bet are losing ones. They’re often offered during big sporting events, such as the NBA Finals.

The Best Payment Methods for Basketball Betting

Before you can start making your basketball betting predictions, you’ll need to deposit some money. There are many ways to do this at the top Canadian basketball betting sites, including the popular methods we’ve described below.

Crypto Betting Options

Cryptocurrency is now very popular with online gamblers. Many different cryptos are now accepted in the gambling world, including Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and Bitcoin Cash. None charge significant fees, plus crypto deposits generally take less than 10 minutes to be credited to your account.

There is one major part of cryptocurrency that prevents many from using it, and that’s its volatility. The value of crypto can fall dramatically over the course of just one day, and many people aren’t prepared to risk the value of their crypto plummeting. Of course, the value of crypto can also rise quickly as well.

eWallet Betting Options

eWallets are an exceptionally popular way to deposit at Canadian online sportsbooks. There are loads of them around, but the three big names are PayPal, Neteller, and Skrill. They’re hugely well-known and can be trusted implicitly, plus they offer exceptionally fast deposits – the money will usually be transferred almost instantly.

While there are many plus points, there is a big problem with eWallets and it’s this: the fees. They can often be considerable and are charged for spending money, receiving money, or sometimes both. This means that those depositing using eWallets spend a small chunk of their money before they ever start betting.

Traditional Payment Methods

Traditional payment methods are usually credit and debit cards, but in Canada, Interac also has to be thrown into the mix. Payment methods of this type are exceptionally convenient because most people already have a bank account, so there’s no need to open anything new in order to make deposits at sportsbooks.

Credit and debit cards are completely free to deposit with, which is a huge plus point to them, but there are some who don’t like entering their card details online. This is solved by using Interac, which acts as a middleman. Interac does have some fees attached to it, but they are very small, and many people are happy to pay them for the security using Interac brings.

Basketball Apps & Mobile Betting

Many people now like to make their basketball betting predictions using a mobile device, and all major sportsbooks – including all those listed on this page – have fantastic mobile optimized websites. These will adapt to fit the size of any screen and can be navigated using a touchscreen, plus they have the same bets and odds as their respective desktop sites.

Many online sportsbooks also offer the chance to bet using an app. These can be downloaded for free from the App Store and Google Play. Never pay for a betting app, as it almost certainly won’t be legitimate. None of our recommended sites currently offer an app to customers.

2022 Basketball Schedule

Ensure you don’t miss out on any chances to bet on basketball in 2022 by taking a look through this schedule of the year’s major events.

Basketball Betting Terms

• Accumulator – Another name for a parlay bet.
• American Odds – The odds used in the US. Negative odds show how much to bet to win $100, while positive odds show how much you’ll win if you bet $100.
• Bookmaker – A person or organization that takes bets.
• Buck – A bet worth $100.
• Decimal Odds – The odds used in Canada. They are expressed as a number, such as 3.50. Multiply the odds by your stake to see your overall winnings.
• Dime Bet – A bet worth $1,000.
• Favorite – The team regarded as most likely to win.
• First Half Betting – A bet type where you bet on the first half’s action only.
• Fractional Odds – The odds mainly used in the UK and Ireland. The numerator shows how much you’ll win for every bet worth the denominator placed.
• Futures – Bets placed on something that won’t happen for a long time, such as betting on the March Madness winners before the tournament starts.
• Juice – Another name for the vigorish.
• Live Betting – Placing bets on a game while it’s being played.
• Moneyline – A bet on which team will win a game, without any spread.
• Parlay – A bet containing several selections, all of which must be winners for the overall parlay to be a winner.
• Prop Bets – These are bets that aren’t concerned with the overall score or result of a game.
• Punter – A name for anyone placing a bet.
• Push – A bet that’s not won be either the gambler or the sportsbook.
• Second Half Betting – A bet type where you bet on the second half’s action only.
• Spread – The difference between the scores of two teams predicted by the sportsbook.
• Spread Betting – Betting on a game when the favorite has had points deducted or the underdog has had points added, in order to level the playing field.
• Tipsters – Experts who make predictions on the most probable outcome of a game.
• True Odds – The odds of an event before the bookmaker adds commission.
• Vigorish – The charge levied by a bookmaker on bets.
• Underdog – The team regarded as less likely to win.
• Wager – Another name for a bet.

Betting on Basketball Near Me

Are you looking to bet on basketball at a retail location near you? If so, whether you’ll be able to do so depends on the province you’re in. All have legal retail betting, but the extent to which it’s offered varies wildly from province to province.

In some provinces, such as Alberta, you’ll be able to place bets at places like convenience stores, while in other provinces, such as British Columbia, there are no retail betting locations, despite it being legal. You won’t find any dedicated retail sportsbooks anywhere in the country.

The fact that retail betting in Canada is not convenient for most means that they instead turn to online sportsbooks, such as the ones on this page. You’ll find that all the sportsbooks we recommend accept customers from throughout Canada, except Bodog, which isn’t available to those betting in Quebec.

The Best Basketball Betting Site in Canada

After much consideration, we’ve decided that the number one place to bet on basketball online is Bodog. If you’re in Quebec, where Bodog is not offered, make your way over to Stake.com instead. Both sites offer a huge array of basketball betting options, as well as competitive odds.

You’ll also find that both recommended sites have fantastic live betting platforms, which offer lots of basketball betting, plus they have several nice bonuses and promotions. So, why not head over to Bodog or Stake.com and start betting on basketball today?