NBA Betting Odds in Tennessee

Memphis and — indeed — the entire state of Tennessee, has enjoyed a love affair with the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies since the team moved to town almost 20 years ago.

NBA betting became huge in the Volunteer State after Tennessee online sportsbooks went live in 2021. Being able to bet on the NBA from your laptop or iPhone from anywhere within TN state lines is a big reason why. Here’s what you’ll need to know to bet on the NBA online in Tennessee — including live NBA odds direct from TN online sportsbooks.

Live NBA Point Spreads, Moneylines

Keep an eye on our feed below for next season’s NBA point spreads, moneylines and totals at TN online sportsbooks. Click on any game odds to go directly to the sportsbook, claim your bonus and lock in your bet. As soon as they become available, you’ll be able to find 2024 NBA Finals futures odds and more from TN online sportsbooks in the second tab below. Click on any odds to go directly to the sportsbook and claim your bonus.

How to bet on NBA games in Tennessee

The TN sports betting market is an all-digital one. That means there are no retail sportsbooks you can stroll into to put down NBA bets. This also means that you can enjoy the convenience of betting on the NBA with an online sportsbook from anywhere inside TN borders.

draftkings tn appBetting on the NBA online in Tennessee is a simple process that involves:

  1. Signing up for an account with a sportsbook
  2. Downloading the sportsbook app (if you choose)
  3. Depositing funds into your account (or using your bonus bets)
  4. Filling out a bet slip
  5. Confirming your bet

Create a sportsbook account

The first thing you need to do is sign up for an account with the online sportsbook of your choice. Sportsbooks make this very easy. Use any of the links on this page to be redirected to a sportsbook and begin the registration process.

Once you’ve completed that, you can securely download the sportsbook app directly to your phone from the sportsbook website.

To create your new betting account, simply provide any required personal and account information on the sign-up page. This won’t include more than your:

  1. Name
  2. Email address
  3. Physical address
  4. Date of birth
  5. Phone number
  6. Social Security number (last four digits only)
  7. Account name
  8. Password

Depending on the sportsbook, you might also see a field where you can enter a promo or bonus code. You can find such codes here on this page, which will grant you the new-player bonuses or bonus bets available from that sportsbook.

Finally, complete the process by checking off the boxes to accept any terms and conditions and submit all your info to the sportsbook. Tennessee sportsbooks will verify your age and location, but you should be registered almost instantly.

Make a deposit

TN sportsbooks offer multiple deposit methods for getting money into your betting account. Look for the “deposit” or “cashier” tab on the online sportsbook or app interface.

Then, choose the most convenient method for you. Most allow you to deposit cash at various retail locations like a Dollar General or CVS, use a debit card, or use online banking or online payment processors like PayPal or Skrill.

Next, enter your payment details, follow the instructions on the screen, and confirm the deposit. The money should appear in your account almost immediately, and you’ll be ready to start betting.

Whether you use the online sportsbook or the phone app, all of your transactions are securely encrypted and 100% safe. Because legal sportsbooks are regulated and licensed by the state gambling board, all proper protocols are in place, and this is as safe as any online shopping transaction.

Make a bet

Once you decide on a bet to place, you’ll need to select a wager amount and confirm it within your bet slip.

nba online bettingTo see what NBA betting markets are available on your online sportsbook, click or tap on the NBA tab at the top of the screen or use the A-Z menu to find the basketball tab. This will open up all of the current NBA game lines plus offer specific tabs to bet on NBA futures for either teams or players.

Whenever you see odds for a bet you like or want to make, you simply click on the bet, and it will automatically populate your betting slip on the right side of the page. You can then enter the amount you want to bet, and the potential payout based on the current odds will be displayed on your betting slip.

You can also add other single bets to the same slip, or turn the bet slip into a parlay bet. A parlay bet is a single wager that involves two or more athletes or teams involved in a sporting event.

Finally, review everything on the bet slip to make sure it is what you’re after. Then, click or tap the “confirm” button at the bottom of the bet slip to confirm and place the bet.

Understanding NBA lines & odds

The betting lines posted for a typical NBA game will look something like this:

  • Memphis Grizzlies                  +3.5 (-110)      +155    O 203.5 (-110)
  • New Orleans Pelicans             -3.5 (-110)       -175     U 203.5 (-110)

The first set of numbers is the point spread, with the odds in brackets. Above, you’ll see the Grizzlies are 3.5-point underdogs, indicated by the plus sign. In other words, Grizzlies spread bets will pay off if the Grizzlies win outright or lose by three points or fewer. The odds indicate how much you’ll have to bet to win $100 plus your bet back.

The second number is the moneyline. As mentioned, positive moneyline odds indicate the underdog and represent how much you stand to win for every $100 you bet. You also get your bet back if you’re a winner. Negative moneyline odds indicate the favorite and represent how much you have to bet to win $100 plus your bet back.

The third number is for totals bets (over/unders), with the odds in brackets. You bet whether the total combined score by both teams will land over or under that line. The odds indicate how much you’ll have to bet to win $100 plus your bet back.

NBA prop bets 

NBA prop bets are bets within the game, like whether a player or team will reach a statistical milestone. This might include an over/under on Ja Morant’s assists or points, for example, or which player will score the first basket.

NBA futures bets 

Futures bets, as mentioned above, mean you can bet on the Grizzlies or any other team to win the NBA Finals, the division or conference, or bet the over/under on the total number of regular season games they’ll win. Lock in the bet at currently posted odds. Odds are available all year long but change based on a team’s chances and performance throughout the season.

Notable NBA futures markets you can bet on in Tennessee:

  • Conference and division winners: Pick the Grizzlies or any other team to win its division or conference.
  • Win totals: Pick the Grizzlies or any other team to win more or fewer total regular season games than a line set by oddsmakers.
  • Player awards: Bet on who will win MVP, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year or Most Improved Player.
  • Playoffs: Pick the Grizzlies or any other team to make or miss the postseason.
  • Draft: Bet on who’ll be selected first overall or whom the Grizzlies or any other team will select.
  • Lottery: Bet on which team will win the NBA draft lottery and the first pick in the NBA Draft.
  • Free agency: Bet on who will sign where.

NBA live betting

You can bet in the middle of an NBA game at odds that are adjusted with the action. The speed of live betting makes it perfectly suited to online and mobile betting, where you can get bets down fast before the odds change again. Live betting gives you the chance to hedge bets, pile on winnings, or possibly make up for pregame mistakes.

Live betting also opens up some different NBA prop betting markets. That could mean betting on whether the Grizzlies will have the first-quarter lead over the Jazz at odds that change with every basket.

It also could mean picking whether Ja Morant will outscore LeBron James in a Grizzlies/Lakers game at odds that will be adjusted every time either scores.

Live betting can also mean betting on things like halftime totals, quarter winners and almost every other detail involved in a basketball game at odds that are seemingly always in flux.

NBA odds comparison: Vegas odds vs. online odds

The odds you’ll find posted for NBA games at TN online sportsbooks will frequently start out the same as the lines posted at traditional Las Vegas sportsbooks. Differences occur when the betting starts and different sportsbooks move their lines.

All sportsbooks, from retail operations in Vegas to online sportsbooks in Tennessee, aim to create equal betting on either side of a line and earn a profit from what’s called the juice or the vig. If there’s heavy betting on one side or the other, they’ll move the line to even the betting out.

The lines in Tennessee may move differently from the ones in Vegas because of the different market sizes and distinct local betting patterns.

The NBA in Tennessee

The Memphis Grizzlies started out as a Canadian NBA expansion team in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia. They began playing in the 1995-96 NBA season and moved to Memphis ahead of the 2001-02 season.

Grizzlies nba oddsThe Grizzlies play in the Southwest Division of the NBA’s Western Conference. They are the only major pro sports franchise based in Memphis and the only NBA team in the state.

The “Grit and Grind” Grizzlies represent the team’s best years, from 2010-17, behind the play of star center Marc Gasol, power forward Zach Randolph and small forward Tony Allen. During these years, the team won its first home playoff game, first playoff series, and made the Western Conference Finals for the first time.

With an aging core, the team’s decline was pretty swift after that, but the Grizzlies rebounded in the 2019-20 season after selecting Ja Morant second overall in the 2019 NBA Draft.

  • Home games: FedEx Forum in Memphis
  • Founded: 1995
  • NBA titles: None
  • Playoff appearances: 10, last in 2017
  • Top players: Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jonas Valanciunas, Dillon Brooks, Brandon Clarke, Grayson Allen

NBA power rankings

The NBA.com website releases something it calls the “NBA Power Rankings” every Monday during the NBA season. There’s also a midsummer NBA Power Rankings normally put out at the end of July, following all the league’s free agent action.

NBA beat writer John Schuhmann puts together the NBA.com rankings, so it isn’t much more than his opinion. However, he’s often right, and you can use the NBA Power Rankings to guide your NBA betting.

2024 NBA Power Rankings can be found here.

Quick NBA betting tips

  • Good teams win: There aren’t very many upsets in the NBA. The best team generally wins, particularly at home.
  • It’s a superstars’ league: MVP candidates in the NBA can practically win games all on their own. The team with the best player generally wins a playoff series, as well. Conversely, that means injuries to key players are huge, and you should check NBA injury reports before betting on anything or anyone.
  • The mystique of the Boston Garden was real: There’s a palpable home-court advantage in the NBA, making home favorites a good bet, even if the Boston Garden is no more.
  • Research is key: There’s no substitute for good research when it comes to NBA betting. Read all about it, watch games, and give your win rate a potential boost.
  • Never chase losses: Stick to your betting strategy and practice conservative bankroll management. Things will turn around eventually, unless you’re already broke because you increased your betting and bet sizes during a losing streak.
  • Use your head, not your heart: Everyone in Memphis loves the Grizzlies, but smart sports bettors don’t let that guide their betting. Use properly researched data to guide your picks instead.

NBA Betting FAQ

The NBA public betting consensus tracks whom bettors are backing in the league. It is put together by oddsmakers and expressed in percentages representing how much money is being bet on each team.

You can use it to see where the general public is betting. Oddsmakers use it to move lines to keep the betting equal on both sides.

You can bet on the NBA second half line the same way you bet on NBA games. The difference is, these bets are solely concerned with the second half of the game.

Think of it like they’re starting at 0-0 when the third quarter begins. Many bettors like to bet the NBA second half line on teams down big after the first half, wagering they’ll close the gap before the game is over.

Oddsmakers set the NBA lines at TN sportsbooks based on a variety of factors. They look at the teams: who’s playing better and who holds home court. They look at the players: who’s playing better and who might be injured.

They set the lines trying to attract an equal amount of betting on each side. That way, they can earn a tidy profit from the vig and not have to sweat the outcome of the game.

That means big odds on big underdogs and heavy favorites laying a large amount of points in an effort to even things out.

Here’s a look at the top three NBA players to come out of Tennessee:

Oscar Robertson

The Big O is from Charlotte, Tennessee. He was a 12-time All-Star and an 11-time choice for the All-NBA Team. He won an MVP award and was the first ever to average a triple-double for an entire season.

Lou Williams

“Sweet” Lou is from Memphis. He’s been named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year three times and is the NBA’s career leader in points off the bench. Williams is still filling it up off the bench for the Los Angeles Clippers.

Anfernee Hardaway

Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway is from Memphis. Following a 14-season NBA career, where he made the NBA All-Star team four times and the All-NBA First Team twice, Hardaway came back to Memphis. He’s now the head coach for the Memphis Tigers, where he played college ball.