While Iowa may not have an NBA team to call its own, there’s plenty of passion for basketball for regional teams. The Minnesota Timberwolves, Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls all have fanbases in the Hawkeye State.
There’s also a strong hoops legacy from the major college programs Iowa and Iowa State have immensely contributed to the game while producing bona fide NBA stalwarts, such as Jeff Hornacek and Fred Hoiberg.
The NBA season action began in December with a 72-game, regular-season schedule, followed by playoffs in July 2021. The futures market is already abuzz as bettors look to pick out the next winner of the NBA Finals.
Now that we can legally and safely bet on the NBA in Iowa, pro basketball will be even more exciting. Our complete guide to NBA betting will cover all you need to know wager at Iowa sportsbooks and the latest lines.
For each docket of games on the NBA calendar, the odds board will keep moving from the initial release up until tipoff. It can be tough to stay on top of games as a result, but our live odds feed has you covered with the latest lines. We pull together real-time data from multiple IA online sportsbooks, and you can customize the feed to the odds you want.
Below find updated odds (spreads, moneylines, totals) on all upcoming NBA games. Use the drop-down menu to switch your odds board. If you’d rather bet on prospective NBA Finals or individual NBA award winners (eg. MVP), you can do so via the futures market (Tab 2). Click on any odds to go right to the sportsbook, claim your bonus and bet.
You can bet on the NBA from anywhere in Iowa. Leading sportsbooks offer great online and mobile platforms. You can register and start betting in only a couple of minutes.
The best place to start is with one of our recommended books. These are the top online sportsbooks in Iowa, and they all offer fantastic sign-up bonuses for our readers. To gain access, click one of our links to create an account.
To create an account, you’ll need to enter a few basic details, such as name and date of birth. Once you have everything entered, you’ll check off a couple of boxes and click the submit button to create your account.
You’ll gain access to the site right away. Be sure to take the time to download the app for your device from the sportsbook’s website. Log in on the app, and you’ll now have a legal sportsbook at your fingertips wherever you go.
After you get a feel for how the online and mobile experience works, it’s time to make a deposit and place some bets. These functions are simple, whether you’re on the website or app.
There are a number of funding options available, and placing a bet is as simple as clicking on your choice to add it to the slip, entering your bet amount, verifying everything looks good, and clicking on “Submit.” You can be all set and betting on basketball online in a few minutes.
If you’re getting ready to sign up at a sportsbook, you should know what’s in it for you. The Iowa sports betting market is competitive, so leading sportsbooks offer some great bonus offers for new players in a bid to attract attention.
Be sure to take advantage of them, as they can help get your bankroll started or even provide free or risk-free bets. We’ve assembled the best possible offers in the state right here.
To gain access, all you need to do is click one of our sportsbook links to create an account. It’s that simple. Here’s a look at the exclusive offers available.
With live betting, you can bet along in real-time as NBA games play out on the court. As you can imagine, this market moves fast.
You’ll see updated odds and lines on the game outcome, various player props and chances to bet on smaller game segments. There’s a lot to choose from for each game on the docket, but staying on top of what’s going on is key.
Sportsbook apps from the leading brands in the state offer live betting. You can watch the game on the TV while looking at the odds on your phone. You bets quickly and easily, and the settlement of winning wagers happens nearly instantaneously.
Sportsbooks will post odds for NBA games either the night before or the morning of the contest. After the initial release, the lines can and will move in response to the public betting action. We’ll explain why that happens in a bit.
The main listing for NBA games will show you the latest odds for moneyline, spread and totals bets. On a moneyline bet, you only have to pick the winner. For spreads, the side you choose has to cover the listed number. Totals are wagers on the combined points both teams score in a game, with bettors choosing over or under a projected number. A standard listing that includes the three types of wagers may look like this:
Los Angeles Clippers | +2.5 (-110) | +135 | O 209.5 (-110) |
Milwaukee Bucks | -2.5 (-110) | -105 | U 209.5 (-110) |
For this game, the Milwaukee Bucks are favored by 2.5 points. They’re also favored on the moneyline for a game with a projected total of 209.5 points. If you want to bet on this contest, it’s a matter of clicking the box that corresponding to your choice.
Negative numbers for spreads and moneylines mean those teams are favored, while positive numbers indicate underdogs. A big spread or huge difference on the moneyline indicates a strong favorite, while a lower spread or tight moneyline means the books anticipate a close game.
In addition to the listed spread and total, there will also be odds for each choice. For our example, we’ve used the standard of -110, but keep in mind that there will be some movement in response to betting action.
The odds from Las Vegas have been the standard for sports betting for decades. While the numbers from Sin City still carry weight, you’ll be able to find comparable odds and lines in Iowa.
That doesn’t mean that you’ll find the same numbers on every game, but it does mean that Iowa sportsbooks are on point in relation to the overall betting market. As always, you should be shopping around to compare prices before you place your bets.
As part of your research, there’s nothing wrong with checking on the Vegas numbers. Once you’re ready to wager, you should know that the odds you find at Iowa sportsbooks are going to be similar but potentially better or worse in some spots based on market action.
As mentioned earlier, sportsbooks may adjust betting odds after the initial release. So, why does that happen? It’s a direct response to market action. When wagers start coming in, a clear preference may emerge among the betting public.
That leads to the sportsbook being off-kilter toward one side or the other, which is a situation it wants to avoid. In an attempt to even things out, it may make the side that’s not seeing as many bets more attractive.
This can continue until tipoff, and it’s not uncommon to see multiple shifts in the lines. You can always shop around for the best numbers. Our live odds feed can be a tremendous asset as we pull together the latest real-time odds from multiple shops.
Sports betting was officially legalized in May 2019. The first legal bet was in August 2019. As part of the sports betting legislation, the state has specific rules to follow. Here’s what you need to know:
Sportsbooks use what’s known as geolocation tracking, which is built into the software, to determine your location. You’re only tracked for the purposes of placing bets. You can manage your account elsewhere, but you have to physically be within state lines to wager.
While legal IA sports betting is available, there remains a black market for sports betting. There are offshore sportsbooks and illegal bookies that will be more than happy to take your money, but it doesn’t mean you should give it to them.
Sportsbooks that have permission to set up shop in the state go through a lengthy application process. They invest substantially in the market and are committed to its growth. If any problems come up, there’s a clear path to resolution for consumers to pursue.
That’s not the case with offshore books. Customer service can be nonexistent, and there are simply no guarantees that your funds will be safe. When you want to bet on sports, be sure to stick with legal and regulated sportsbooks.
It can take some time to get up to speed with NBA betting, but you should also remember that there’s no need to try to master everything all at once. When starting out, it’s good to keep it simple and build out your skills from there. Here’s a trio of solid bet types to get you started:
It’s important to remember that you can always expand your reach as skills improve. The same holds true for your betting amounts. You can start small with a budget that makes sense for you and work toward increasing your bank roll and wager amounts as you progress.
The 2020-21 NBA season is scheduled to get underway on Dec. 22, 2020. This is later than normal for the league, but the condensed 2019-20 campaign just wrapped up in October. This year will be a little shorter than normal, as well. Here’s what you need to know:
The defending champion Los Angeles Lakers are the current favorites in the NBA Finals futures market, followed by the Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers. Based on what we saw in the postseason bubble, we should be in line for another incredibly exciting season of basketball.
It’s tough to beat the convenience of betting online or via an app, but there’s also a lot to be said for the retail sports betting experience. It’s lots of fun visiting a retail sportsbook, and the locations generally have good deal of amenities as you soak in the action and root on your selections. Here’s a list of the retail spots to check out in Iowa along with addresses and any online partners:
While there’s no NBA team located in Iowa, the state still regularly attracts plenty of talent to its major college programs. Additionally, several players born in the Hawkeye State have gone on to lengthy careers at the pro level. Here’s a look at the top five in games played.