12BET Basketball Betting Explained: Odds Formats, Spreads and Tip-Off Times Wherever You Are

Basketball is one of the busiest sports on our sportsbook, with games somewhere in the world almost every day of the year. If you are looking into 12BET basketball betting for the first time, the hard part is rarely the sport itself. It is reading a price in an odds format you have not used, working out when a game starts where you live, and knowing which rules decide your bet. This guide covers all three, wherever you are reading from.

Which competitions does 12BET basketball betting cover?

The NBA is the headline act, from the regular season that opens in late October through the NBA Cup in November and December, the Play-In in mid-April and the playoffs that finish in June. Outside the US, the biggest draws are international tournaments such as the FIBA Basketball World Cup and continental championships, EuroLeague club basketball in Europe, and domestic leagues across Asia and Oceania, such as Australia’s NBL, Japan’s B.League, the KBL in Korea and the PBA in the Philippines.

The mix matters because the calendar never really stops. When the NBA Finals end in June, offseason tournaments and international windows take over, and Asian and Australian leagues start again in the autumn.

We run separate sites for several Asian markets, each with its own currency and language. If you are not sure which site is yours, ask our support; any address our support gives you is ours. Using your own market’s site means your account and promotions match where you live.

How do basketball odds look in decimal, Hong Kong, Malay and Indonesian formats?

You can switch between four formats in your account settings. They describe the same price in different ways, so it is worth picking the one you find easiest and sticking with it.

• Decimal: your total return per unit staked, including the stake. 1.90 on a 100 stake returns 190.
• Hong Kong: profit only, so it is always decimal minus one. 1.90 decimal is 0.90.
• Malay: positive below even money, negative above it. 1.90 decimal is +0.90; 2.20 decimal is -0.83, meaning you risk 0.83 to win 1.
• Indonesian: the mirror image. 2.20 decimal is +1.20; 1.90 decimal is -1.11, meaning you risk 1.11 to win 1.

Basketball handicap and totals lines tend to sit close to even money on both sides, so you will see prices around 1.85 to 1.95 decimal more than anything else. If a Malay or Indonesian price looks wildly different from the other side of the same line, double-check the format before you place the bet.

Moneyline, spread or total: which one answers your question?

Each main market answers a different question about the game, and choosing the right one is half the work.

• “Who wins?” is the moneyline. Basketball has no draw, so there are only two outcomes. Short prices on heavy favourites make this less useful for lopsided games.
• “By how much?” is the point spread, also called the Asian handicap. A team at -6.5 must win by 7 or more; the team at +6.5 covers if it loses by 6 or fewer or wins outright.
• “How many points in total?” is the over/under. A line of 224.5 asks whether the two teams combine for 225 or more.
• “What happens early?” is the half or quarter market. These settle faster and suit you if a game finishes during your working day or overnight.

Player markets, team totals and in-play betting build on the same ideas once you are comfortable.

When do NBA games start in your time zone?

A typical NBA evening game starts at 7:30 pm in New York. Here is what that looks like around the world during US standard time (November to mid-March):

• London: 00:30 the next day
• Dubai: 04:30
• Mumbai: 06:00
• Dhaka: 06:30
• Jakarta, Bangkok and Hanoi: 07:30
• Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Beijing: 08:30
• Tokyo and Seoul: 09:30
• Sydney: 11:30 (Australian daylight time)

From mid-March to early November the US is on daylight saving time, so every Asian time above moves one hour earlier. London and Sydney also change their clocks on their own dates, which is why their gap shifts more than once a year. West Coast home games start three hours later than the times listed, and EuroLeague games, which tip off in the European evening, land in the early hours across Asia.

Which of our rules decide a basketball bet?

Most disputes come from three rules that are easy to skip. Read them once on our sports rules page and you will avoid most surprises.

• Overtime. Full-game moneyline, spread and total include overtime. Fourth-quarter and second-half markets are settled as stated in the market rules.
• Postponed or relocated games. We void bets if a game does not start within the window stated in our rules.
• Player participation. Player markets are void if the player does not take the court.

Also note the closing time of each market. Pre-match lines close at tip-off; in-play prices are suspended briefly after big moments such as free throws or a timeout.

Why basketball matters to us: from Los Angeles to Manila

Our link with basketball goes back a while. On 10 March 2019 we flew members to Los Angeles to see the LA Lakers host the Boston Celtics at the Staples Center, now Crypto.com Arena, with 2 seats for the game and King James leading the home team. The 4 days 3 nights trip added Universal Studios Hollywood, Santa Monica State Beach and Beverly Hills, and members who did not travel received official NBA merchandise.

Earlier member experiences centred on Arsenal and the Russia World Cup. In 2023 we took VIP members to the final of the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Manila. These trips are finished; any message offering you a place on one now should be checked with our support rather than trusted on its own.

Frequently asked questions

• Which odds format should I use for basketball?

Decimal is the easiest to compare across sports. Hong Kong, Malay and Indonesian formats show the same price differently; choose one and keep it.

• Which 12BET site should I use from my country?

Use your local market site if we run one, so currency and support match. Our support can tell you which address to use, and our guide to confirming official 12BET sites explains how to check any link.

• Does 12BET still run NBA trips for members?

The 2019 Los Angeles trip and the 2023 FIBA final trip are over. We announce new activities inside your account and through our support channels.

Is 12BET a long-running sportsbook?

Yes. We have operated since 2007; our overview of 12BET’s 18 years covers the record in more detail.

Set your odds format, note your local tip-off times and read the overtime rule before your first basketball bet. Betting involves risk. Set your limits and only play with money you can afford to lose.

The content of this article is for reference only. Please confirm the actual rules and details with 12BET’s official customer support.