How to Find the Best NBA Moneyline Odds and Maximize Your Winnings

When I first started betting on NBA moneylines, I made the classic rookie mistake of just picking my favorite teams and hoping for the best. After losing more money than I'd care to admit during the 2022 playoffs, I realized I needed a system. Finding the best NBA moneyline odds isn't about luck—it's about strategy, research, and understanding when to hold back just like in those classic Contra games I used to play. Remember how in Contra, getting hit once would downgrade your weapon, and fully dying would cost you the weapon altogether? That's exactly what happens when you place bets without proper research—you gradually lose your betting arsenal until you're left with nothing.

The first thing I do every morning during basketball season is check at least three different sportsbooks. Personally, I use DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM as my primary sources, though sometimes I'll check Caesars if I'm feeling particularly thorough. Just yesterday, I found a perfect example—the Warriors were playing the Grizzlies, and while most books had Golden State at -140, one had them at -125. That 15-point difference might not seem like much, but on a $100 bet, that's an extra $10-15 in potential winnings. I've created a spreadsheet where I track these differences daily, and over the past season alone, shopping for the best lines has netted me approximately $427 in extra winnings that I would have otherwise left on the table.

What many beginners don't realize is that timing matters almost as much as the line itself. I've noticed that odds tend to be most favorable either right after they're initially posted or right before tip-off when the public money comes in. Last month, I waited until 30 minutes before the Celtics-Heat game and snagged Miami at +210 when they'd been sitting at +180 all day. The Heat ended up winning outright, and that patience earned me an extra $30 on my bet. It's tempting to place your bets early when you're confident, but sometimes waiting pays off—literally.

Now, here's where that Contra analogy really hits home. The weapons in Contra feel rewarding and powerful, but losing them makes you feel vulnerable. Similarly, when you're on a winning streak with your bets, you feel unstoppable—but one bad bet can downgrade your confidence, and a full losing streak can wipe out your entire bankroll. I learned this the hard way during the 2023 regular season when I went all-in on the Suns against the Spurs, ignoring the fact that Devin Booker was questionable with a hamstring issue. The Suns lost outright as +120 favorites, and I lost my entire betting unit for that week. This experience taught me to always check injury reports, rest situations, and recent performance trends before placing any moneyline bet.

Bankroll management is where most bettors fail, and I was no exception early on. My rule now—which has saved me countless times—is to never risk more than 2-3% of my total bankroll on a single NBA moneyline bet. When I started with $1,000, that meant my typical bet was $20-30. This approach has allowed me to weather losing streaks without that panicked feeling of watching my entire strategy crumble. It's the betting equivalent of playing Contra with the life bar option—you can take a few hits without completely losing your weapon.

I've also developed what I call the "contrarian approach" to NBA moneylines. While the public tends to bet on big-name teams regardless of the situation, I often find value in betting against the crowd. For instance, when a team like the Lakers is on a back-to-back traveling from the East Coast to the West Coast, their chances of winning decrease by approximately 18% according to my tracking. The public still bets them heavily, which creates better odds for their opponents. Just last week, I took the Hornets at +380 against the tired Lakers and cashed in nicely.

The key to maximizing your winnings with NBA moneylines ultimately comes down to treating it like a strategic game rather than random gambling. Much like how Contra encourages you to think and fight somewhat strategically or potentially contend with difficult fights without an upgraded arsenal, successful betting requires you to approach each wager with a plan and the discipline to stick to it. After implementing these strategies consistently, my winning percentage has climbed from around 52% to nearly 58% over the past two seasons. Finding the best NBA moneyline odds isn't just about making money—it's about the satisfaction of outsmarting the books and winning through knowledge rather than luck.

By Heather Schnese S’12, content specialist

2025-11-11 09:00