NBA All-Star Weekend Betting Guide

Learn with our NBA All Star weekend betting guide, FAQs included

The NBA All Star weekend betting is a highlight of the NBA calendar. It generates more excitement for both fans and bettors than any other event in the league, giving the NFL Super Bowl and the NCAA March Madness some competition. 

The league’s midseason showcase, which has been an annual tradition since 1951, is now a must-attend event that features:

• celebrity games
• skills contests
• Hall of Fame announcements

Main Attraction of the Weekend

While the All-Star Game remains the main attraction of the weekend:

• Rising Stars Challenge and Skills Challenge
• Slam Dunk Competition
• Three-Point Contest

Are all great opportunities to capture some memorable moments.  Sportsbooks are now allowing fans to participate in NBA All Star weekend betting, betting on all of the events, and capitalizing on the excitement generated by All-Star Weekend.

As a result, it’s important that new sports bettors understand everything they can about the big event. 

The Basics Behind the NBA All-Star Game

The format of the NBA All-Star Game changed in 2018. That year, it began to include two teams drafted by the most popular players from each conference.

We now see exciting matchups like “Team LeBron” and “Team Giannis,” but the names can change from one year to the next. 

New Format for Competitive

In 2020, the NBA introduced a new format for competitive play as it sought to increase interest and reduce potential injuries.

Now, the two teams face one another quarter-by-quarter. Each quarter features a mini-game, with a winner receiving prize money for charity.

After a special conclusion to the game in honor of Kobe Bryant, an overall NBA All-Star Game winner will be crowned.

Betting on the NBA All-Star Game

Bettors will find unique odds for each NBA All-Star format thanks to the smaller “games inside the game.” They will be able to wager on the normal options – totals, point spreads, and moneylines – for the entire game or each quarter. 

Each Quarter in Sports Betting

To win each quarter in sports betting, or take the overall game, bettors can choose to either pick Team A or Bb on the moneyline or spread (In 2021, the teams were Team Durant and Team LeBron).

Bettors will also see the total scores for each quarter and complete game. This allows them to calculate the over/under on each mini-game or the cumulative score.

NBA All-Star Game

The NBA All-Star Game has been fast-paced and high-scoring since its inception. The 2019 edition had a remarkable 342 points, as opposed to the average score of 211 during regular-season games.

The new format created in 2020 will only increase the intensity of the scoring process as the scoreboard resets at each quarter’s end.

This frenetic pace should be kept in mind when handicapping totals, and points spread lines, whether on a game-long or quarterly basis.

Focus on Each Quarter

One way to lessen the volatility of a game that is certain to be unpredictable in NBA betting is to focus on each quarter. If you have the opportunity to wager live, this is especially true.

For example, one side might retaliate for a bad quarter by launching a counterattack.

One team might be able to relax in the third quarter after a very successful first and second quarter, which will allow it to save energy for the fourth quarter. The leading team must score 24 points in the fourth quarter to win the game.

Fourth-quarter Total of 84 Points

A fourth-quarter total of 84 points would mean that the trailing team would have a significant deficit in their cumulative score after the third quarter. Will make a strong comeback attempt at the end.

Remember that the total score of all quarters counts towards the final-quarter result when betting on the entire game.

The scoring frenzy that is expected to dominate the All-Star Game will accelerate in the fourth quarter. However, you can still place complete game wagers just like regular season NBA games.

Don’t Forget The Props

The All-Star game can be used as an exhibition game and offers the opportunity to wager on props. You will also find a variety of player-specific options for sports betting. Keep an eye out for lines that indicate which team or player will score first in each quarter.

It’s also possible to predict the final score needed to win the game, which is a very interesting prop. To predict the cumulative score for the leading team, you will need to add 24 to the total after three quarters. 

Additional Betting Opportunities

Apart from the All-Star Game, there are plenty of other options to attract bettors’ attention. Each has a unique approach, but a real opportunity to earn a substantial return. 

NBA Slam Dunk Contest

The Slam Dunk Contest is a chance for players to show off their gravity-defying skills. Each competitor gets two dunks during the first round.

The final round will see the two highest combined scores advance to the finals, where they each throw down two more. The winner is the player with the highest combined score.

How to Bet On?

To bet on the Slam Dunk Contest, select one player field you believe will win. Sportsbooks assign odds to players based on their popularity and chances of winning the event.

It is important to remember that odds for the Slam Dunk Contest, like any sports bet, must be considered objectively. 

The Slam Dunk Contest is not like the All-Star Game, where every player is a starter for a high-profile team – sometimes, they can be benchwarmers.

As a result, it can be difficult to choose a winner due to the relative anonymity of contestants.

Three-Point Contest

The Three-Point Contest has been an annual tradition since 1986. Players have one minute to take 25 shots at five spots behind the arc. The player with the most shots made wins.

To place a wager on the event, study the players and choose who you think has the best shot. Sportsbooks assign odds to players based on their popularity and chances of winning the event. 

The Three-Point Contest is another event that is considerably hard to predict. It is often won by the shooter who finds his rhythm at just the right moment. 

NBA All-Star Weekend’s Basketball Games

While you should expect the unexpected when you bet on the NBA All-Star Weekend’s basketball games, there are key indicators that you need to look out for when handicapping the three-point contest. First, mechanics are important.

A player who uses a simple jumping motion and has a consistent stroke will perform better than traditional jump shooters. 

Past Performances

In addition, consider past performances in the contest. The best predictor of future events is past performance.

Consider players who have reached the final round in the past, as well as which shooter is the most skilled when entering the competition.

Look at the monthly splits to see which competitor has the highest percentage of three-pointers made in January and February.

Rising Stars Rise to the Challenge

The Rising Stars Challenge wasn’t held in 2021, but did make a return in 2022. This is a fast-paced, intense 48-minute match where the top first- and second-year American players face off against the best second-year players around the world.

MVP Award

The Rising Stars Challenge involves placing wagers on the most valuable player; therefore, choose the Rising Stars Challenge player you believe will win the MVP award.

Sportsbooks assign odds to players based on their popularity and chances of winning the event. 

The Rising Stars Challenge has seen a number of changes over the years. It follows the original Rookie Challenge, which was created in 1994 and only featured first-year players.

However, in 2000, the NBA changed the format to include rookies and sophomores. In 2015, the format was changed to include the best foreign-born first- and second-year players, as well.

Skills Challenge

The Skills Challenge was introduced in 2003 and tests players’ passing, dribbling and three-point shooting skills. However, it’s all meant to test them under pressure and under limits. 

If you’re going to wager on the Skills Challenge, select one player you believe will win. The best online sportsbook assigns odds to players based on their popularity and chances of winning the event, which allows them to attract more betting action. 

Top Performers in the League

The Skills Challenge was once reserved for only the top performers in the league, but this changed in 2016. That year, the tournament’s frontcourt players participated in a bracket-style tournament. 

Many laughed at the idea of seven-foot giants dribbling around pylons or lofting threes. But, someone in the NBA’s creative department saw something others didn’t, and the Skills Challenge has become a huge success. 

Although it is easy to dismiss big men winning once as a fluke and two wins in a row is not an uncommon occurrence, when deciding on who to place a bet in the Skills Challenge, keep your eyes open and consider the pivots. They are not limited to their strength and size.

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