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NBA vs EuroLeague – How Do The Two Leagues Compare?

Rules Difference Between the EuroLeague and the NBA

First, the difference between these two large competitions is that the Eurolague follows the FIBA rules. For new basketball fans, FIBA rules are the same ones that apply when the Basketball World Cup is played.

On the other hand, the NBA follows its guidelines, with some minor differences compared to the biggest European competition.

Court Size

The next difference would be the dimensions of the courts when we look at these leagues. When it comes to the EuroLeague, it’s 28m long and 15m wide. Meanwhile, the NBA court is just slightly bigger, with its dimensions being 28.65m long and 15.24m wide.

Game Duration

When we talk about the duration of basketball games, in the NBA, the game is longer than the ones in the EuroLeague, with a total of 48 minutes played. The game is divided into four quarters, each 12 minutes long.

The EuroLeague games are shorter, with 40 minutes total, and divided into four quarters with a 10-minute duration for each quarter.

Personal Fouls

Regarding how many personal fouls players can make, the NBA players are allowed 6, while in the EuroLeague, players can make only 5.

Three-point Line

There’s also a difference in the three-point line. In the EuroLeague, the line is 6.75m at the top of the arc, while the NBA’s is longer, with 7.24m at the top of the arc.

League Formats

The format of the competition is also different when we compare the NBA and the EuroLeague.

In the NBA, there are 30 teams, and they are divided into two major conferences — the Eastern and the Western Conference. Each conference consists of three small divisions. For example, the Eastern division has a Central, Southeast, and Atlantic division, and the Western division has a Southwest, Northwest, and Pacific division.

Starting with the 2019-20 season, the NBA introduced a new Play-in format that brought extra competitiveness into the league. From each conference, six NBA teams automatically advance to the playoffs. Teams from 7 to 10 compete in the Play-In in a 7th seed vs. 8th seed and 9th seed vs. 10th seed format. The winner of the first matchup advances to the playoffs, and the loser plays the winner of the second matchup for the 8th and final playoff spot in the conference.

The NBA Finals are played between the Eastern and Western Conference winners.

Speaking of the EuroLeague, it has only 18 teams compared to the NBA’s 30. The format is quite simple, meaning that each EuroLeague team plays against other teams two times. One game is at homecourt, and the other is the away game. The six most successful teams advance to the playfoss at once.

However, the EuroLeague also introduced the Play-In format starting with the 2023-24 season. It works in an identical format and also includes teams who rank from 7th to 10th place that play additional games. The best two teams out of those four will join the other six teams, making that 8 in the final playoffs.

After these playoffs are done, the final four teams play the semifinals, and the finals are played between the winners of those semifinals.

Revenue and Salary

We also see a major difference in the generated revenue and salary between the NBA and the EuroLeague. Even though the EuroLeague is the best basketball competition in Europe, it still has a long way to reach the NBA since it has fewer funds at its disposal than it does.

The average basketball player in the EuroLeague makes around €500K, and the best players make a few €M.

On the other hand, NBA teams have more funds to pay their players since the infrastructure is much bigger than that of the EuroLeague. Currently, 157 players in the NBA earn $10M or more per year.

Countries Involved in the Competitions

Regarding the EuroLeague, the league consists of teams from many European countries like Greece, Spain, Turkey, Serbia, France, Germany, etc. On the contrary, the NBA has one team from Canada, and the other 29 teams are in the USA.

Talent Level

There are many highly talented players in these major basketball leagues, but there are still differences between them. For instance, many NBA players focus on being good in one aspect of the game, like three-point shooting. On the other side, when we look at EuroLeague players, they like to work on all aspects of the game.

Style of Play

Regarding the style of play, NBA teams like to rely on the offensive prowess of players to score points, and we’ve seen many superstars in the NBA, like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, etc. Meanwhile, the EuroLeague teams focus on moving the ball and playing hard defense.

Different Types of Bets Explained – A Complete Guide With Examples

Delving Deeper Into Types of Bets

If you want your betting experience to become smooth and stress-free, you need to be able to choose the proper type of bet. When you develop that skill, you will boost your chances of winning some big money.

Below, we will give you a breakdown of each betting type, along with helpful examples.

Moneyline or Win Bet

The easiest type of bet to understand is surely the moneyline/win bet. If you’re new to betting, this would be the right bet to begin your sports betting journey.

The term “moneyline” bets are commonly used in the US. Meanwhile, the win bet is the one that’s more accepted worldwide. Another name for the win bet is also called the straight bet.

The win bet is when you place a wager on who’ll win a match, competition, or race. Regarding this bet type, betting on the underdog can get you more money than if you bet on the favorite of a particular sporting event.

Let’s walk you through a couple of examples.

When it comes to the moneyline bet, there is a plus/minus format that you should know. For example, the Boston Celtics are playing against the LA Lakers. The Lakers are favorites at -255 odds, while the Celtics are the underdogs of the game, standing at +235.

Let’s say that you place a wager of $100 in the favor of the Celtics. If they win, you’ll win $235. Meanwhile, if you make a $255 bet in favor of the LA Lakers, you will win $100. Check out our odds guide to better understand the moneyline format.

Another example is let’s assume that football clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid are playing against each other. The favorite is Barcelona, with odds at 1.70. Meanwhile, Real Madrid is the underdog, standing at 2.10. If you bet $100 in favor of Barcelona, you will win $170. On the other hand, if you place a bet of $100 on Real, you will win $210. So, because Real are underdogs, you will win more money. This is the decimal odds format for the curious punters.

Totals and Over/Under Bets

Totals or over/under bets are often used by many sports bettors, mainly because they’re pretty straightforward.

Basically, the main concept of this type of bet is that your sportsbook sets a predicted number of total points that teams or players will score. Then, bettors get to pick whether they will bet over or under the total amount of points. What’s also important to know is that it doesn’t matter which team or player you placed a bet on to get the win.

A few examples will help you to comprehend this betting type better. For those who like to watch and bet on NBA basketball, let’s say that the All-Star game is underway between the East vs.West. The total is 250.5 points, meaning that if you place a bet on under and the game ends with 250 points or less, you’ll win. For you to win, if you place a bet on over, the game would’ve to finish with 251 points or more.

For football fans out there, let’s imagine that the Italian football giants AC Milan and Inter Milan are playing. Let’s say that you place a bet that will be on over 3.5 goals. To clarify, this means that for you to win the bet, the total amount of goals should be 4.

Point Spread Bet

The point spread type of bet is one that is popular among punters who place bets on American sports. This type of bet is known to seasoned betting aficionados, but we’ll simplify it for betting newbies.

A point spread bet is when you place a wager on the margin of victory of your selected team. If you bet on the favorite, you’ll win only if that team wins by more points than the spread. On the other hand, if you bet on the underdog, you’ll win only if the team loses by fewer points than the spread.

For example, an NBA game is played between the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets. The sportsbook determines the following point spread: Knicks (-12.5) vs. Nets (+12.5). If you bet on the favorite, Knicks, you’ll win money if they win with 13 points or more.

On the contrary, if you bet on the underdog, the Nets, you’ll win if this team loses with 12 or fewer points. The most common odds for this type of bet is -110 (moneyline) or 1.91 decimal.

Parlay Bet

A parlay or accumulator bet is when you place multiple wagers on a single betting ticket. To win the parlay, you must win all single bets you’ve put on that ticket. For instance, you place a parlay bet consisting of 3 single bets, but if you win 2, you’ll still lose the parlay.

The parlay is not an easy bet to win, but when all odds add up on your betting ticket, and you win all individual bets, you could potentially win some big money. Sports betting lovers often bet parlays on a single sport but on different matches.

Here’s an example of the parlay bet:

Chelsea vs Liverpool (Chelsea to win) – 1.65
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons (Pistons, -9.5) – 1.90
Lionel Messi will score a goal – 1.80

The total odds of this parlay example are calculated like this: 1.65 x 1.90 x 1.80 = 5.64

If you’ve placed a $10 bet and you’ve won the parlay, you will get $56.4.

There is also a variation of the parlay bet called the same-game parlay. It’s similar to the regular parlay, except in the case of the same-game parlay, where you place multiple bets on one match.

For instance, the Milwaukee Bucks are playing versus the Atlanta Hawks, and you place this same-game parlay bet:

Bucks +7.5 (1.91)
Over 230.5 (1.91)

The accumulated bet is 3.648. So, if you win these two single bets and place a $10 bet, you’ll win $36.48 in total.

Futures or Outright Bets

A futures bet is just how it sounds like. It’s a bet that you place for something that’ll happen in the future. They’re easy to place and really fun.

Bettors who want to place a futures bet, try to foresee who’ll win a particular league, race, tournament, or any sports competition.

Futures bets are basically moneyline bets because you often bet on the winner of a sporting event. For example, if you think the Golden State Warriors will win the next season’s NBA title at 6.00 odds, and you place $100, you will get $600 if they win.

There’s both an advantage and a disadvantage regarding the futures bet. The good thing is that you can get really favorable odds because you bet far into the future compared to when you would bet a few days before the sports event.

On the other hand, what could ruin your future bets are some unexpected problems like the injury of a crucial player.

Prop Bets

A proposition, prop, or special bet is a type of sports bet that has no tie to the final result of a game. This bet is very entertaining since you can bet on practically anything you think could happen in a sporting event.

In most cases, the bet is divided into a prop bet focused on team statistics and a prop bet focused on the players’ statistics.

Regarding the former, you’ll bet on a particular aspect of the game, like which team will first score the goal or which team will have the most three-point shots. Regarding the latter, this means that you place a wager on something one player would do, like how many assists will a basketball player have or how many saves will a goalkeeper have.

Teasers and Pleasers

Teasers and pleasers are mostly offered at US sportsbooks. Rarely you’ll find them anywhere else.

These two types of bets are similar to the previously mentioned parlay bet, but there are couple of notable differences. You can only choose to make totals or point spreads with the pleasers and teasers.

When it comes to teasers, you will make a selection of multiple bets that you would like to place. Then, you can move the point spread to your advantage and boost your chance to win some money. Here’s an example. Let’s say that the sportsbook offered these points spreads on the NBA basketball games you’ll bet on:

Lakers +7,
Cavaliers +3,
Celtics +2,
Hawks -4

So, if you place a five-point teaser, the point spread will go to your advantage.

This is how the point spread will look with the teaser bet after you add five points to each game:

Lakers +12
Cavaliers +8
Celtics +7
Hawks +1

The odds for the teaser are low. Therefore, winning is easier.

Let’s say you place a pleaser bet on the exact same NBA games with five points. In this situation, the spread won’t go to your advantage. This is how the spread will look like when you deduct five points from each game:

Lakers -2
Cavaliers -5
Celtics -3
Hawks -9

Even though the odds for pleasers are high and it’s harder to win, you will get some big money if you get it right.

If and Reverse Bets

The if bet is when you make a series of bets that are placed independently. Let’s say you want to bet on Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal. Each of those clubs have matches on Saturday, but at a different time of the day.

You’ll only place a wager on Liverpool if Manchester United wins. Then, you will only bet on Arsenal if Liverpool wins. Remember that this isn’t a parlay bet, meaning that each bet is independent of the other. What’s great is if the Manchester United bet wins, but the Liverpool one doesn’t, you’ll get the money for the United bet.

The reverse bet is a type of sports bet that will combine bets together and cover any possible combination in any order. Here’s an example. You place bets on teams A and B. If Team A gets the win, cancels, or perhaps ties, then bet on Team B. Then, if team B gets the win, a tie, or cancels the game, then bet on team A.

Full Cover Bets

This type of bet includes multiple betting options in a certain number of selections. In the UK, this is a popular type of bet in sports. These bets vary from the number of all bets you place:

Trixie – four bets
Super Yankee (26 bets)
Goliath (247 bets)

Let’s make an example. For two selections, you have three combinations, so you have to place two single bets alongside a parlay bet. More selections mean more combinations.

Live Betting

Live betting is when you place a wager after the sports event has taken place. This is one of the most fun types of bets since the odds change from minute to minute. You can place many different types of bets and make specific bets like which football team will perform the next corner.

Below, you can see our answers to the most common questions regarding sports betting and its types.

FAQ

What is sports betting?

It’s when you place bets on the outcome of a particular sporting event. A bettor can place wagers on many sports like football, basketball, volleyball, MMA, golf, American football, etc.

What are the most common sports betting types?

The most common types of bets are totals, moneyline, over/under, and parlay. These types are recommended for novice punters.

How to be a responsible sports bettor?

Set an amount you’ll use for betting, and don’t exceed that amount. Consult a trained professional if you have a problem with gambling.

Are there some valuable tips for sports betting beginners?

You should do extensive research on the team or players you bet on, manage your time and money responsibly, and place bets only for fun.

Read Next: Best Sports Betting Systems

The Aftermath of the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline

February 8th, 2024

The New York Knicks received Burks and Bogdanovic from the Detroit Pistons. Meanwhile, the Pistons received two future second-round picks, Flynn, Grimes, Arcidiacono, and Fournier.
The Brooklyn Nets received Schroder and Young from the Toronto Raptors. In return, the Raptors received Dinwiddie.
The Toronto Raptors received Olynyk and Agbaji from the Utah Jazz. In return, Utah received Lewis Jr., Porter Jr., and a 2024 first-round pick.
The Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder exchange picks. The Mavericks received a 2024 first-round pick, while the Thunder received a 2028 first-round pick.
The Philadelphia 76ers received a 2028 second-round pick from the Detroit Pistons. In return, the Pistons received House Jr., a 2024 second-round pick as well as some cash considerations.
The Philadelphia 76ers received Hield from the Indiana Pacers. In return, the Pacers received Korkmaz, Morris, and three future second-round picks.
The Oklahoma City Thunder received Hayward from the Charlotte Hornets. In return, the Hornets received draft compensation for Micic, Mann, and Bertans.
The Dallas Mavericks received Gafford from the Washington Wizards. In return, the Wizards received Holmes and a 2024 first-round pick.
The Indiana Pacers received Joseph from the Golden State Warriors. In return, The Warriors received a second-round pick and cash considerations.
The Boston Celtics received Springer from the Philadelphia 76ers. In return, the 76ers received a second-round pick.
The Portland Trail Blazers received Banton from the Boston Celtics. In return, the Celtics received a second-round pick.
The Milwaukee Bucks will receive cash consideration in exchange for trading Lopez to the Sacramento Kings. Lopez will most likely get waived and become a free agent, per Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Indiana Pacers received McDermott from the San Antonio Spurs. In return, the Spurs received Morris and a 2029 second-round pick (via the Los Angeles Clippers).
The Detroit Pistons released Hayes.
The Milwaukee Bucks received Beverley from the Philadelphia 76ers. In return, the 76ers received Payne and a 2027 second-round pick.
Next is a trade involving the Phoenix Suns, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Brooklyn Nets. The Suns received O’Neale from the Nets and Roddy from the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies received Watanabe from the Nets and a future pick swap as well. The Nets received three future second-round picks, and also salaries for specific players are yet to be determined.
The Dallas Mavericks received P.J. Washington from the Charlotte Hornets. In return, the Hornets received Curry and Williams, as well as a 2027 first-round pick.

February 7th, 2024

The Philadelphia 76ers received Fontecchio from the Utah Jazz. In return, the Jazz received Knox, rights to Gabriele Procida, and a future second-round pick.
The Boston Celtics received Tillman from the Memphis Grizzlies. In return, the Grizzlies received Stevens, a 2027 (via Atlanta Hawks) and a 2030 (via Dallas Mavericks) second-round pick.
The Minnesota Timberwolves received Morris from the Detroit Pistons. In return, the Pistons received Brown, Milton, and a 2030 second-round pick.

Image courtesy of NBA.com