After Football, Basketball is the most popular sport in Nigeria. First invented by Canadian P.E Instructor, Dr. James Naismith in 1891, Basketball began as a game between two teams where each tried to throw a Football into an opposing team’s peach basket with much of the same rules we still have today.

The sport quickly caught on, and soon spread to first, the rest of North America, and soon, the rest of the world. 1936 is seen as the year the sport became truly global as that was the year it became an Olympic Sport. This newfound popularity led to the founding of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) in 1946 and the merger with the National Basketball League (NBL) to become the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1949.

Many individuals have contributed to Basketball’s popularity, but arguably none as much as the 1992 U.S.A “Dream Team” that consisted of superstars like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, Scottie Pippen, John Stockton, Clyde Drexler and Patrick Ewing, and many other notable players.

Today, basketball is played, watched, and bet on by millions of people around the world. The NBA remains the most prominent professional league, featuring some of the best players from various countries including African superstars like Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Pascal Siakam and Nigerian point guard, Gabe Vincent.

Basketball Betting in Nigeria

One of the quickest ways for a sport to gain mainstream appeal is superstars, and Basketball has a ton of those. Stephen Curry, Greek-Nigerian, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and of course, LeBron James, are the best basketball players around and their popularity has made the sport popular in Nigeria.

To bet on Basketball with BetKing, pick any current or future basketball game under the ‘basketball’ tab of the BetKing homepage and you’re good to go.

How to bet on basketball and win

As with any other kind of bet, you need to understand the sport thoroughly if you want to bet on it and win. You can also get Basketball predictions on the BetKing blog.

Basketball Tournaments to bet on

There are several Basketball Tournaments that you can bet on, such as:

International Games: There are several international games, all under FIBA, the international governing body of sport. You can bet on international tournaments like the Olympics, FIBA tournaments and regional Basketball tournaments like the Euro, Asia, and African tournaments with BetKing. Notable International sides include the U.S.A and its limitless list of superstars. Nikola Jokic leads the Serbian National side while Luka Doncic is Slovenia’s lynchpin and France with Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama; the #1 pick in the NBA draft, has joined the San Antonio Spurs.

Club basketball: Club Basketball is the most prestigious level of the sport, with the NBA at the very top of the sport. You can bet on NBA regular season games, preseason games, summer league games and the NBA Playoffs. You can also bet on Euroleague Basketball where teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Olympiakos reign supreme.

Basketball superstars to bet on

Superstars elevate Basketball perhaps more than any other sport as Leagues go out of their way to ensure that superstars get the most favorable calls. Here are some of the most notable Basketball superstars and the teams they play for:

Why you should bet on Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors: Steph Curry has literally changed Basketball. That’s not a claim many players can make. His mere presence elevates the Golden State Warriors, who will be title favorites again next season, despite their 2nd round exit this season if they put the right pieces around Curry. The GSW superstar also plays for the USA national team, but it’s unlikely he’ll be going to any more international tournaments.

Why you should bet on LeBron James and the L.A Lakers: Despite being swept by the Denver Nuggets, LeBron James acquitted himself well, registering 40 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists with limited support from costar, Anthony Davis. At 38, LeBron is on the downslope of what has been a distinguished career but is still one of the biggest difference makers in the NBA. As long as LeBron is on the Lakers, they will always have a chance.

Why you should bet on Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets: After leading the Denver Nuggets to their first NBA title win, Nikola Jokic’s place in the list of NBA royalty is already guaranteed. In addition to his NBA dominance, he’s a strong option to lead the Serbian National team to victory at their next tournament.

In addition to these three superstars, there are several more that elevate the quality of their teams by their mere presence on the floor such as Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Damian Lillard, Jimmy Butler, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Ja Morant, Anthony Edwards, and many others.

How to get started with Basketball betting on BetKing

To get started with Basketball betting (and winning), follow these simple steps:

Types of basketball bets

Basketball bets include outright wins, Handicaps, overs/unders, Half time/ Full time results, Margin bets etc. Basketball live bets are also available on BetKing.

Basketball leagues to bet on

In addition to NBA games and FIBA tournaments, you can bet on NCAA basketball, EuroCup, VTB League, and the Euroleague, etc.

Special basketball odds

Just like you have on football, you can also bet on Basketball’s special odds such as ‘daily specials’, odd boosts, and ‘basketball player specials’, etc.

Online Sports Betting with BetKing | Top Sports to Bet on

As always, you can choose to bet on only Basketball games or mix them with sports like Football, Rugby, Ice Hockey, Volleyball, Darts, Floorball, Snooker, and many other sports. Bet now with Nigeria’s best online sports betting site. Enjoy our free betting tips today including NBA betting tips.