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Basketball has won its way into the hearts and minds of the Australian psyche thanks to the superstars of the NBA like Lebron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, carrying on the legacy of the Michael Jordans and Magic Johnsons.

And with that love for the game comes a will for punters to back themselves to pick a winner.

The brilliant Golden State Warriors are on the verge of dynasty, managing to convince Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant to join their star-studded cast of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

The Surround Stakes is the second Group 1 on the program at Randwick on Saturday as a capacity field of fillies step out with $500,000 on the line.Randwick specialist Dame Giselle heads the bettin.

But the reigning champion Cleveland Cavaliers will have plenty of say again with Lebron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love going round again.

From huge slams, delicious dimes and three pointers from the carpark, there is no doubt the NBA has something for every one.

Here is our guide to navigating the punting landscape of the NBA and hopefully finding a few winners.

Online bookmakers betting on NBA

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So you think your team is a slam dunk to in the NBA title? Or perhaps they are just money to claim a big victory on their home court.

If you want to have a bet on the NBA, you need to find a bookmaker that provides the best odds on a wide range of markets.

Well, guess what, you don’t have to look any further than FreeBets.net.au.

We’ve trawled the web, reviewed all the best bookies and come up with a list that stands above.

Open an account with one or more of these little beauties and you’ll be guaranteed to find the bet you’re looking for, along with a great list of promotions, bonus bets and free punts, just for signing up.

Popular NBA betting markets

Head to head: This bet means exactly what it says. Two teams go head to head in a game, one will emerge victorious. You need to pick which one that will be, correctly, in order to get a return on your betting dollar. Also known as money line.

Line bets: This gets a little more complex. Also known as handicap betting, this involves the bookmaker assigning a points differential value to each team. The favoured side will receive a handicap in the minus, meaning that for your bet to win, the team must win by at least the figure it is assigned. Conversely the outsider in the game will receive a + line, meaning that it can still lose, provided it is by less than the figure assigned.

For example, Golden State is favourite to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves and is assigned a -9.5 point line, with the Wolves given +9.5. That means the Warriors must win the game by at least 10 points for your bet to salute. If you take the Wolves, they can still lose the game, so long as it is by less than nine.

Margin bets: This bet provides four options, two for each team, usually in the format of Team by 1-10 and Team by 11+ Because there are four possibilities in this bet, the odds tend to be enhanced, so you need to pick the team that wins and whether they will win by either 1-10 points, or by 11 or more. Sounds easy, right?

Total game score: This bet involves picking how many points the two teams will score combined in the game. The bookie will do its research here and assign odds based on teams offensive and defensive capabilities. It can be tough, but usually you will get to choose from two options, an under and an over. For example, take the Warriors and Wolves example, both teams have some offensive firepower, so the line might be over 211.5 or under 211.5. If you take the overs, the total game score must be 212 or more, and if you take the unders, it has to be less 211 or less.

Future bets: This is the fun bit. Here you can ride the highs and lows of your ball club as it works its way through the season, hopefully on its way to an NBA title. Future odds tend to be posted almost the minute after the current season’s NBA title is decided, so you can get a bet just about all year round. Other key future bets include NBA Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year. Some bookies also provide markets on scoring title and other statistical races.

Player props bets: These are complex bets that either pit players against each other, or against themselves. Can Steph Curry score over 30 points or will he fall short? Who will score more points, LaMarcus Aldridge or Anthony Davis? Sometimes the players will have a handicap against each other, depending not on their abilities.

Handy tips for betting on the NBA

Bet responsibly: This one is a no-brainer. Before you lay down your bets, remember you have obligations. If you can’t afford to pay the bills or put food on the table, it’s probably not the best idea to go and splurge on an NBA game, right?

Bet on the big guns: There are plenty of great players in the NBA, but there are three or four who stand alone at the pinnacle of the game. When in doubt, back in the likes of Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and Lebron James. They are winners of the highest order.

Go with the form: Like most American sports, it’s all about the streaks. Although a team on a hot run is always one bad night away from losing, these guys are all about confidence. If the Warriors are on a winning run, stick with them, it’s probably going to be long.

When in doubt, stick with the home team: As with most sports, the NBA has pronounced home town advantage for most teams. If you’re tossing up about your bet, go with the team that is playing on its home court. They tend to grow a leg in front of their home crowd.

Know your stats: This is also a no-brainer. Don’t bet with your heart. Make sure you know how your team is going and what their record is like against the team they are playing. Check the offensive and defensive stats and makes sure you know who is injured, who is playing and who is not. All these factors have a huge bearing on the end result of the game and, when it comes to your hard earned money, you don’t want to be caught out.

2016/17 NBA betting markets

NBA title winner

Golden State Warriors ($1.85)

Cleveland Cavaliers ($4.50)

San Antonio Spurs ($7.50)

Boston Celtics ($15)

LA Clippers ($19)

Oklahoma City Thunder ($21)

Toronto Raptors ($26)

Miami Heat ($31)

Atlanta Hawks ($34)

Minnesota Timberwolves ($41)

Chicago Bulls ($41)

New York Knicks ($51)

Houston Rockets ($51)

Utah Jazz ($51)

Indiana Pacers ($67)

Dallas Mavericks ($67)

Memphis Grizzlies ($67)

New Orleans Pelicans ($67)

Washington Wizards ($81)

Portland Trail Blazers ($81)

Charlotte Hornets ($101)

Detroit Pistons ($101)

Milwaukee Bucks ($101)

Orlando Magic ($126)

LA Lakers ($151)

Denver Nuggets ($151)

Sacramento Kings ($201)

Brooklyn Nets ($251)

Phoenix Suns ($251)

Philadelphia 76ers ($251)

Odds provided by CrownBet.com.au

NBA Most Valuable Player

Stephen Curry ($3.50)

Russell Westbrook ($4)

LeBron James ($5)

Kevin Durant ($8)

Anthony Davis ($13)

Kawhi Leonard ($15)

James Harden ($15)

Paul George ($21)

Blake Griffin ($21)

Damian Lillard ($26)

Kyrie Irving ($31)

Carmelo Anthony ($31)

DeMarcus Cousins ($31)

Chris Paul ($31)

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($35)

Karl Anthony Towns ($41)

Draymond Green ($41)

John Wall ($41)

Odds provided by sportsbet.com.au

NBA Rookie of the Year

Ben Simmons ($2.75)

Brandon Ingram ($6.50)

Kris Dunn ($7.50)

Buddy Hield ($9)

Joel Embiid ($9)

Dario Saric ($11)

Denzel Valentine ($17)

Jaylen Brown ($19)

Jamal Murray ($21)

Thon Maker ($23)

Taurean Prince ($23)

Wade Baldwin ($34)

Marquese Chriss ($34)

Brice Johnson ($34)

Jakob Poeltl ($34)

Domantas Sabonis ($34)

Dragan Bender ($51)

Odds provided by WIlliamHill.com.au

Aussies in the NBA

Ben Simmons

Thon Maker

Andrew Bogut

Matthew Dellavedova

Patty Mills

Joe Ingles

Dante Exum

Aron Baynes

Old School

Luc Longley

Andrew Gaze

Shane Heal

David Andersen

Mark Bradtke

Chris Anstey

Nathan Jawai

Luke Schenscher

Cameron Bairstow

The Surround Stakes is the second Group 1 on the program at Randwick on Saturday as a capacity field of fillies step out with $500,000 on the line.

Randwick specialist Dame Giselle heads the betting for Team Snowden, while the Freedman stable looks a strong chance at winning the race for a second time with both La Mexicana and Forbidden Love.

All eyes will be on superstar three-year-old Away Game following a float mishap earlier in the week that has left her close to double figures.

Chris Waller, meanwhile, will be hoping Frankel filly Hungry Heart can add to her second-up record with a big run under James McDonald.

This is easily the most wide-open race of the day, and with a capacity field to choose from, you can find our 2021 Surround Stakes runner-by-runner guide below.

Montefilia

Dual Group 1 winner Montefilia returns to Randwick on Saturday, the site of her Flight Stakes and Spring Champion Stakes glory during the Spring.

David Payne’s filly was no match in the VRC Oaks ridden closer to the speed, but she does have a win on the board over this distance on debut at Newcastle last year.

She doesn’t discriminate on firm or rain-affected tracks, and providing Hugh Bowman can take her back nice and early from the wide gate, she should show her class in the closing stages.

Away Game

After opening a $7.00 chance, Away Game has drifted all the way out to $8.50, the longest price we’ve seen about the star filly in quite some time.

Her three runs to date have been fair finishing second in Listed company at Doomben, third in the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas on the Gold Coast and third again in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes a fortnight ago at Randwick.

The wide barrier largely explains the current price, but she is worth monitoring after suffering an abrasion to her off-side hip following a float mishap earlier in the week.

Providing she pulls up okay, Glen Boss looks likely to settle just off the speed, and with even luck, her typical turn of foot should have her finishing close.

Dame Giselle

Dame Giselle comes out of a fast-run race first-up at Randwick that saw the star Snowden filly finish 1.5L fourth to Rocketing By in the Inglis Sprint.

Unbeaten second-up, the daughter of I Am Invincible is no doubt the horse to beat on Saturday as she slots in from an identical draw.

The three-year-old was simply sensational during the Spring scoring a hat-trick of Group 2 victories in the Shadow Stakes, Furious Stakes, and Tea Rose Stakes at Randwick.

She wasn’t disgraced concluding her prep with a fourth to Montefilia in the Flight Stakes and maps to get a perfect run off the speed under Tommy Berry.

After finishing off strongly in similar company fresh, she should be doing her best work late.

Every Rose

Every Rose has drawn the car park, although that didn’t stop her from leading all the way to take out the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes as a $21 chance a fortnight ago.

She’ll likely head straight to the front again with Tom Sherry replacing Josh Parr in the saddle, but whether she sees out the 1400m remains the big query.

The three-year-old saw off a late challenge from Never Talk in the Light Fingers, but she’s about to meet even tougher opposition this time around with the fast-finishing Montefilia and Dame Giselle in the field.

Her speed should have her in the mix, but as the price suggests, she’s an each-way chance at best.

Key Stat: Nakeeta Jane became the fifth horse to complete the Light Fingers – Surround Stakes double back in 2019.

Hungry Heart

Hungry Heart has fitness on her side as she looks to make amends for a luckless run when resuming in the Light Fingers.

The filly by Frankel was caught four wide the trip without cover before finishing off for seventh.

Another wide gate makes life tricky for James McDonald, but there is definite improvement to come based on her second-up record alone.

She won’t want it too wet, but the 1400m is a big tick.

Forbidden Love

Forbidden Love has been freshened following a luckless first-up run at the Gold Coast in the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas.

The daughter of All Too Hard was caught four-wide at the turn and struggled for running room behind a wall of horses down the straight.

She’s worth forgiving on that effort and looks a strong bounce-back bet at odds after drawing a gate.

Never Talk

Never Talk has been the early market-mover with Ladbrokes following an impressive finish for second in the Light Fingers Stakes behind Every Rose.

Kris Lees’ three-year-old clocked an exceptional time over the final 400m and is indicating that she’ll see out the 1400m just fine on Saturday.

Lees won this race seven years ago with Thump, and he looks to have another live chance here with this lightly-raced filly.

She’s done some of her best racing on rain-affected going and rates highly as one of the key back-markers.

Vangelic

Vangelic settled on the speed first-up in the Light Fingers but failed to produce her usual turn of foot in the dying stages.

She’ll only be better for that effort though, especially out to the 1400m where she ran on to place third in the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes last year behind Dame Giselle and Hungry Heart.

Well worth a though in exotics.

La Mexicana

La Mexicana has come up a treat this time in work winning first-up at Caulfield over the 1100m before adding a Group 3 win to her resume in the Kevin Hayes Stakes.

Unlike a few others, she’s got a run under her belt over this trip after narrowly missing out on another win at Sandown three runs back in the Listed Twilight Glow Stakes.

Losing long-time hoop Jamie Kah is of slight concern, but she’s fit, and most importantly, handles wet tracks.

Thermosphere

Thermosphere went forward second-up in the Light Fingers and only weakened out of it in the late stages to run sixth.

She had plenty of work to do from the wide gate, so it will be interesting to see where she lands on Saturday from a much softer draw under apprentice Rachel King.

The promising Godolphin three-year-old strips fitter for two runs back from a spell and has done plenty of racing on wet going to suggest she can figure here at odds.

Elizabeel

Elizabeel is worth forgiving on her first-up run that saw her bumped around in the early stages to run fourth in the Light Fingers.

She failed to let down in the late stages of that race but does look suited here rising to the 1400m after finishing only half-a-length third to Forbidden Love at Listed level during the Spring.

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Her second-up record is equally as impressive, and providing the track isn’t too wet, she’s worth including in your numbers.

Joviality

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Joviality was no match first-up in the Light Fingers after settling three-wide the trip.

She was competitive against some of her rivals when fifth to Montefilia in the Flight Stakes during the Spring, but is tough to have based on recent efforts.

Philizzy

Philizzy stormed home for ninth first-up in the Light Fingers, but it was a case of too little too late for the Snitzel filly.

Her first-up run saw her only 1.5L fourth to Rocketing By, but this still looks a little beyond her.

Love Sensation

Love Sensation mixes her form, but she does look capable of running a race here despite what the odds suggest.

The Kevin Corstens-trained filly finished only a length fourth to Yulong Command at Moonee Valley first-up and was denied by a similar margin when fifth to Every Rose in the Light Fingers Stakes.

She wasn’t far away over this trip at Caulfield during the Spring finishing fifth to Instant Celebrity in the Thousand Guineas Prelude, and although she’d need to produce something special to win, a place certainly isn’t out of the question.

Miravalle

Miravalle won first-up over this trip at Warwick Farm in the Spring and appeared in good order during a recent trial at Randwick last week.

Barrier 6 should see her box-seat behind the leaders, and if the speed is on down the straight, she might be thereabouts.

Eight Diamonds

Eight Diamonds has made only the four starts to date and looks well out of her depth in a race of this quality.

She won her maiden well two runs back at Canterbury and then went on to miss the start in a Benchmark 72 at Kensington. Cannot have.

Pippali

Pippali remains the first emergency in the 2021 Surround Stakes field.

Surround Stakes Tip

Montefilia at $11.00