A Guide to NBA Draft Betting in 2025: Understanding NBA Draft Betting Odds

NBA Draft betting is all about spotting basketball’s next iconic superstars, with one bold pick turning a hunch into a massive payout. The trick here is spotting diamonds in the rough that others miss: Think Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a steal at No. 11 in 2018, or Zaccharie Risacher coming up as the No.1 pick in 2024. Unlike the NFL’s endless draft, the NBA’s two rounds, 58 picks, and nonstop trades make it a high-speed chase where you’ve got to stay on your toes.

We’ve highlighted the best betting sites to bet on the NBA Draft. These sites are accessible to all residents of the US. They stand out with competitive NBA Draft odds betting, juicy bonuses, and deep betting markets. This guide also presents practical tips and strategies for making valuable bets on the NBA Draft.

Best NBA Draft Betting Sites 2025

List of the Best NBA Draft Betting Sites

Here are our favorite sites for betting on the NBA Draft. They are all offshore sportsbooks, so they can be used even in states where sports betting is not regulated. These sites are safe to play at, and no one has been prosecuted for wagering there.

• BetOnline – Best Overall NBA Draft Betting Site in 2025
• BetUS – Expert NBA Show with Detailed Analysis and Free Predictions on Matchups
• BetWhale – NBA Draft Betting Sportsbook with Support for VIsa Payouts
• Bovada – Create Custom Wagers on the NBA Draft using #WhatsYaWager on X.com
• CoinCasino – Bet on the NBA Draft Directly From Telegram
• MyBookie – Bet Boosts on the NBA Draft
• TG.Casino – Mobile-Friendly Sportsbook with Downloadable App and Telegram Integration
• Everygame – Beginner-Friendly Sportsbook with Wagering Trend Statistics
• SportsBetting.ag – Multiple Sports-Targeted Bonuses and Promotions
• XBet – Competitive Odds on the NBA Draft

Best NBA Draft Betting Sites 2025 Review

What sets our ranked betting sites apart from the rest? Below, we review our top five NBA Draft betting sites, highlighting available betting markets, bonuses, payment methods, and key factors to consider.

BetOnline – Best Overall NBA Draft Betting Site in 2025

• Established In: 1991
• Licensed In: Panama
• Accepted Payment Methods: Cards, Wire Transfer, Crypto, Person2Person, Check
• Number of Sports: 25+
• NBA Draft Betting/Live Betting: ✅/✅

📍Overview

BetOnline, licensed and regulated by the Panama Gaming Commission, is our number one pick for NBA Draft betting in the US. You can create an account to play in three easy steps.

🏀 NBA Draft Betting Options

You can find several Draft betting options on BetOnline. Some of them include the No.1 overall pick, No. 2-5 picks, and betting options on several other draft positions. There are also specials, such as “Who Will Draft Cooper Flagg?” You may even customize your NBA betting experience by sending a betting line request email to bookmybet@betonline.ag.

💵 Banking Methods

BetOnline supports cards, money orders, Person-to-Person, and up to 16 cryptocurrency tokens. However, cards are not available for withdrawals. The minimum deposit for crypto tokens like BTC and LTC ($10) is low, making it an excellent option for low-rollers. There are no extra charges on crypto deposits, but you may incur some processing fees when using cards or money orders.

💰 Promotions

BetOnline offers a variety of bonuses and promotions, including a welcome bonus.

• Welcome Promotion: 50% up to $250 (free bets) + 100 free spins
• Wagering Requirement: None
• Minimum Deposit: $50
• Expiration: 30 days
• Additional Details: Can be claimed using the promo code “FREE250”

💡 Special Features

BetOnline has a Book My Bet feature that allows you to suggest non-standard bets you wish were available. The sportsbook team reviews your suggestion and publishes it if they like your idea.

BetUS – Expert NBA Show with Detailed Analysis and Free Predictions on Matchups

• Established In: 1994
• Licensed In: Mwali, Union of Comoros
• Accepted Payment Methods: Wire transfer, Debit/Credit cards, Crypto
• Number of Sports: 25+
• NBA Draft Betting/Live Betting: ✅/✅

📍Overview

This 30+ years old sportsbook is a stand-out option for bettors looking to lock in early on value betting odds for the NBA Draft.

🏀 NBA Draft Betting Options

BetUS was one of the only few sportsbooks offering team-to-player NBA Draft props at the time of writing. It offers competitive betting odds on markets like Team to Draft Airious Bailey, Team to Draft Cooper Flagg, and Team to Draft Dylan Harper.

Available team props include 1st Pick Overall, 2nd Pick Overall, and Team to Draft VJ Edgecombe. There are free contests to join, too, if you want to test your prediction skills against other bettors. Some of them include Sharpshooter, $25,000 Court King, and Courtside seats.

💵 Banking Methods

You can credit your BetUS account using credit cards, cash transfers, bank wires, or crypto. The maximum daily limit on crypto is the highest at $50,000 compared to others, which are capped at $2,499. BetUS payouts are free, with daily limits ranging from $100 to $3,000.

💰 Promotions

BetUS has no NBA Draft betting-targeted bonus at the time of writing. However, it has a decent number of promotions you can apply to your NBA Draft bets. They include a 100% sports welcome bonus up to $2,000, a 150% bonus up to $1,500 for crypto sports betting, and a $10 cash bonus.

• Welcome Promotion: 100% sign-up bonus up to $2,000
• Wagering Requirement: 14x
• Minimum Deposit: $100
• Expiration: 7 days
• Additional Details: Bonus is not transferable

💡 Special Features

BetUS has an NBA Show where its team of four betting experts discuss everything NBA. The YouTube show, which streams every weekday, focuses on discussing betting insights, free picks, and expert predictions. It breaks down matchups, offering analysis on spreads, moneylines, and totals.

BetWhale – NBA Draft Betting Sportsbook with Support for Visa Payouts

• Established in: 2023
• Licensed in: Anjouan
• Accepted Payment Methods: Cards, Crypto
• Number of Sports: 20+
• NBA Draft Betting/Live Betting: ✅/✅

📍Overview

BetWhale is one of the best NBA Draft betting sportsbooks on the market with convenient payout options, including a Visa card. With its integrated Twitch live streams, you can watch games live and bet in one place.

🏀 NBA Draft Betting Options

BetWhale does not have the richest bet options on the NBA Draft, but its odds are very competitive. You can find betting odds on ‘Who will Draft Cooper Flag’ on BetWhale, but that’s about it. We expect to see more betting options on the draft as the date approaches.

💵 Banking Methods

Cards are not as widely accepted as cryptocurrencies for withdrawals at most sportsbooks, which can be a limitation for players who only have credit or debit cards available to them. BetWhale is one of the elite few NBA Draft betting sites with support for Visa payouts. The Anjouan-licensed sportsbook also supports gift cards, such as Flexepin and Neosurf, which are great options for anonymous players who are not yet familiar with cryptocurrency.

💰 Promotions

BetWhale has a decent welcome bonus offer of a 125% matched deposit bonus up to $1,250 for all sports bets. It has a competitive wagering requirement of 10x, and the minimum deposit amount is $50. There’s no limit on how much you can withdraw from winnings made from the bonus cash (No max. CO).

• Welcome Promotion: 125% up to $1,250
• Wagering Requirement: 10x
• Minimum Deposit: $50
• Expiration: 30 days
• Additional Details: No max cashout limit till wagering requirement is met

💡 Special Features

Deposits are quick and fast with BetWhale. This sportsbook processes card, e-wallet, and gift card deposits instantly. There is also no limit on its crypto deposits, which makes it an excellent option for high rollers.

Bovada – Create Custom wagers on the NBA Draft Using #WhatsYaWager on X.com

• Established In: 2011
• Licensed In: Union of the Comoros
• Accepted Payment Methods: Cards, Crypto, Bank transfer, Vouchers
• Number of Sports: 20+
• NBA Draft Betting/Live Betting: ✅/✅

📍Overview

Bovada is one of the most popular offshore sportsbooks in the US. The betting site holds two gaming licenses: one from the island of Anjouan and one from Curacao.

🏀 NBA Draft Betting Options

While Bovada is yet to list its odds on the NBA Draft, it’s previously proven itself as one of the best spots to bet on the NBA Draft. We expect to see full coverage of the NBA Draft soon.

In previous seasons, it listed market-leading odds on the No. 1 overall pick, players to come off the board in the top 5, 10, and 20 draft position wagers, among others. Most importantly, you can request a custom bet using #WhatsYaWager on X.com if your preferred betting option isn’t listed.

💵 Banking Methods

You can fund your Bovada betting account using Visa, Mastercard, American Express, gift cards, or cryptocurrencies like BTC and ETH. Sadly, it does not support e-wallets, which is significantly restricting for people who prefer to play with wallets like PayPal, Skrill, or Neteller.

💰 Promotions

Like most Bovada alternatives, the sportsbook lacks NBA Draft-targeted promotions; however, there are a couple of bonuses that newcomers can claim to boost their betting bankrolls. It has a welcome bonus of 50% up to $250 for fiat deposits and 75% up to $750 for crypto users.

• Welcome Promotion: 50% up to $250 for fiat deposits; 75% up to $750 for crypto deposits
• Wagering Requirement: 5x
• Minimum Deposit: $20
• Expiration: 6 months
• Additional Details: Does not require a promo code

💡 Special Features

With its comprehensive prop builder, you can stack prop bet options on the NBA Draft. You may also find odds boosts on some of the bet options, which increase your payout if your bet wins.

CoinCasino – Bet on the NBA Draft Directly From Telegram

• Established In: 2017
• Licensed In: Curacao
• Accepted Payment Methods: Crypto
• Number of Sports: 20+
• NBA Draft Betting/Live Betting: ✅/✅

📍Overview

CoinCasino is a market-leading gambling site with dedicated casino and sports lobbies. Its sports lobby is as rich as its casino, with deep betting markets on 20+ sports, including esports with options such as eTennis, eFighting, and eBasketball.

🏀 NBA Draft Betting Options

There are currently no NBA Draft betting lines on CoinCasino, but we expect to see some soon when the markets open. Given its rich offerings in other sports, including NBA and NCAA college basketball betting, we expect it to provide numerous betting options with competitive odds on the draft.

💵 Banking Methods

CoinCasino is a crypto-only platform, which should make it less ideal for non-crypto players. However, the platform offers a third-party app, WalletConnect, which enables you to buy crypto instantly using your card, e-wallet, or any other convenient banking option. It supports over 20 crypto options, including less popular ones such as POPC and BRET.

💰 Promotions

New sign-ups on CoinCasino receive a 200% welcome bonus of up to $30,000. Further details about this bonus are provided below:

• Welcome Promotion: 200% welcome bonus up to $30,000
• Wagering Requirement: 60x
• Minimum Deposit: $10
• Expiration: 14 days
• Additional Details: Free spins expire after 7 days

💡 Special Features

CoinCasino features a bet builder, which allows you to create custom team and player prop parlays. It also features a Telegram integration, allowing users to sign up, deposit, and play games directly within Telegram.

Best NBA Draft Betting Site Promotions

Below is a highlight of the welcome promotions available at each of our recommended NBA Draft betting sportsbooks.

Sportsbook	Welcome Promotion
BetOnline	50% up to $250 in free bets
BetUS	100% up to $2,000
BetWhale	125% up to $1,250
Bovada	50% up to $250
CoinCasino	200% up to $3,000
MyBookie	100% up to $1,000
TG.Casino	200% Rakeback bonus up to 10 ETH
Everygame	50% up to $250
Sportsbetting.ag	50% up to $250 in free bets
XBet	50% up to $200 in bonus bets

How We Select the Best Sportsbooks for NBA Draft Betting

Safety & Security

We take personal and financial data privacy seriously and thus recommend only sites with strict data policies. Our ranked sportsbooks utilize SSL encryption and two-factor authentication (2FA) to ensure that payments and data exchanges are communicated securely between their systems and web servers. They are also licensed and regulated by reputable gaming commissions.

NBA Draft Betting Markets

We hand-picked sites with extensive NBA Draft markets. These sportsbooks offer a diverse range of NBA draft props and specials. Some markets you’d expect to see are Overall Pick and Player Draft Position.

NBA Draft Betting Odds

We rated sites based on their competitiveness in NBA Draft odds betting. Our recommended NBA Draft betting sites offer competitive odds on different betting lines and markets. Some also have odds boosts to enhance your payout potential.

Welcome Bonus & Targeted Promotions

Our featured sportsbooks provide a good number of promotions to boost your bankroll. All offer welcome and ongoing bonuses, including reload offers, free bets, cashback, refer-a-friend promos, and several offer VIP programs.

Banking Options

We also considered banking options when rating these sportsbooks. We prioritize those with both traditional and modern payment options. A crypto-only site must provide a payment gateway that allows users to buy crypto using regular credit or debit cards.

Mobile Optimization and/or Betting App

Our ranked sites are mobile-optimized and have clutter-free, fast, responsive web pages. Sites like Coin Casino, in addition, have a downloadable app, while others, like TG.Casino, has a Telegram betting bot that allows users to place sports bets using commands and buttons within Telegram.

Live NBA Draft Betting

Live betting markets are non-negotiable. Only sites with live NBA Draft Betting markets made our list. Some, like BetOnline, even provide live streams.

Customer Support

We exclusively recommend licensed and regulated betting sites with reliable customer support. We verified and confirmed that their customer support is available 24/7 to provide helpful responses to all queries.

What is the NBA Draft?

The NBA Draft is an annual event held in June, during which NBA teams select players from a list of eligible college and international players to join their rosters. To be eligible, you must be at least 19 years old and have been out of high school for at least one year.

Since its start in 1947, the draft has launched legends like Magic Johnson (1979) and LeBron James (2003). It evolved with the 1985 lottery to give struggling teams a shot at top talents.

Each of the 30 professional NBA teams picks 60 players across two rounds. The order in which teams select players is decided at the draft lottery. The 14 lowest-ranking teams from the previous season comprise the lottery, allowing the worst-performing teams to access the best incoming talent. After the 15 teams have selected players, the remaining 16 teams take turns making their picks, with the better-performing teams choosing last.

What is the NBA Draft Lottery and How Does It Work?

The NBA Draft Lottery is a yearly event that determines the order of the top 14 picks in the NBA Draft for teams that miss the playoffs in the previous season. The 2025 edition is scheduled for May 12, 2025, in Chicago. The lottery’s participants include all 14 teams that failed to make the playoffs.

The lottery uses a random drawing system to assign the top four picks (1-4). Regular-season records determine the remaining picks.

Fourteen balls, numbered 1 to 14, are placed in a machine. Four balls are drawn out of 14 to form a combination. There are 1,001 possible combinations, and 1,000 are assigned to the 14 participating lottery teams.

All 14 balls are mixed for 20 seconds, and the first is removed. The 13 remaining balls are remixed for 10 seconds, and the second ball is drawn. The process continues two more times till a four-number combination is obtained.

The team with that combination receives the No. 1 pick, and the process is repeated for the second through the fourth picks. If the same team comes up more than once, the result is discarded, and another four-ball combination is selected.

The remaining 10 lottery teams are selected in positions five through 14 in inverse order of the previous season’s regular records.

The drawing is conducted privately before the televised announcement, and the results are verified by NBA officials and Ernst & Young auditors to ensure fairness.

What is the Order for the 2025 NBA Draft?

The 2025 NBA Draft order has not yet been decided. The order of picks 1-4 is determined by the NBA Draft Lottery, which hasn’t been held at the time of writing. We will update this section with the order when the draws have been done. However, pre-lottery odds show that the Jazz, Wizards, and Hornets have the best shot at landing the No.1 pick.

Is it Legal to Bet on the NBA Draft in the US?

The legality of NBA Draft betting differs from state to state. The 2018 Supreme Court’s repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) granted individual U.S. states autonomy to legalize sports betting within their borders.

As of [Cur_Year], 30 U.S. states plus Washington, D.C., have legalized wagering on sports, including on the NBA Draft. You can only wager at retail sportsbooks in states like Nebraska and Mississippi, while online and retail sports betting are available in other states like Nevada and Michigan.

Below is a list of all legal sports betting states, along with their status on NBA Draft betting.

State	Legal Online NBA Draft Betting	In-Person NBA Draft Betting Only
Arizona	✅	✅
Arkansas	✅	✅
Colorado	✅	✅
Connecticut	✅	✅
Delaware	✅	✅
Florida	✅	✅
Illinois	✅	✅
Indiana	✅	✅
Iowa	✅	✅
Kansas	✅	✅
Kentucky	✅	✅
Louisiana	✅	✅
Maine	✅	❌
Maryland	✅	✅
Massachusetts	✅	✅
Michigan	✅	✅
Mississippi	❌	✅
Montana	❌	✅
Nebraska sports betting	❌	✅
Nevada	✅	✅
New Hampshire	✅	✅
New Jersey	✅	✅
New Mexico	❌	✅
New York	✅	✅
North Carolina	✅	✅
North Dakota	❌	✅
Ohio	✅	✅
Oregon	✅	✅
Pennsylvania	✅	✅
Puerto Rico	✅	❌
Rhode Island	✅	✅
South Dakota	❌	✅
Tennessee	✅	❌
Vermont	✅	❌
Virginia	✅	✅
Washington	✅	✅
Washington D.C.	✅	✅
West Virginia	✅	✅
Wisconsin	✅	✅
Wyoming	✅	❌

Other State Restrictions

In some states, NBA Draft betting is legal but limited. Let’s examine these states and their regulations on NBA Draft betting.

• Arizona – Live betting is not allowed on the NBA Draft
• Iowa – Bets less than 24 hours before the draft starts are not allowed
• Nevada – Specific wagers like betting on a particular player to be selected at a specific draft position must be placed at least 24 hours before Round 1 starts
• West Virginia – Bets cannot be placed the night before the draft

In states such as Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, and Tennessee, users must submit pre-draft wagers before the draft begins. Wagers on rounds must also be placed before the round begins, while bets on specific picks must be placed two picks before.

NBA Draft 2025 Betting Overview

The NBA Draft offers exciting betting opportunities for odds value hunters to explore. The event unfolds over two days, each with distinct dynamics and betting markets that make it a spectacle for strategic bettors.

Day 1

Teams select their most coveted prospects from the top 30 picks (1-30) on Day 1. Each team has up to five minutes to decide on the player they will be going with. Teams are allowed to trade picks and players, which adds some unpredictability to the mix. Cooper Flagg is this year’s No. 1 overall pick favorite.

Day 2

Day 2 covers the second round, which comprises 30 picks (positions 31-59). However, there will be only 29 picks this year as the New York Knicks forfeited their 2025 second-round pick due to a 2022 free agency violation.

The second round is critical for teams seeking role players, developmental prospects, or hidden gems who can outperform their draft slot. Players like Nikola Jokić (No. 41 in 2014) highlight the round’s potential.

NBA Draft	Info
Day 1 (June 25, 2025)	8:00 PM Eastern Time
Day 2 (June 26, 2025)	8:00 PM Eastern Time

Understanding NBA Draft Betting Odds

Understanding how NBA Draft odds betting work can help you better spot value when betting on the draft. The odds visually represent the chances of an outcome and potential payout.

Positive odds are used for outcomes that bookmakers think are less likely to occur. They yield higher payouts if your luck is in. On the other hand, negative odds show an outcome is less favored, and will pay out less if your bet is successful. The higher the value of the negative odds of an outcome, the less likely the sportsbook fancies the chances of it happening.

Consider the above example showing the 1st pick overall betting odds for the NBA Draft 2025. With -20000, Cooper Flagg is the overwhelming favorite to be 1st pick. If your prediction is accurate, you must wager $20,000 on the Duke freshman to make a $100 profit.

Meanwhile, Tre Johnson, priced at +6000 odds, is the least favored by BetUS. However, if you bet on the Texas guard and he defies the odds, you could make a $6,000 profit.

Popular NBA Draft Betting Lines

These are some of our featured sports betting apps‘ most popular NBA Draft betting lines.

No. 1 Overall Pick

This betting line, the most popular of all, involves predicting which player will be selected in the first round of the draft.

Selected in the Top 5

Here, you are backing players you think will make second, third, fourth, or fifth picks.

Selected in the Top 10

Again, you are betting on players to be selected from fifth to tenth.

NBA Draft Props and Specials

Most top sportsbooks also offer specials. You can find specials like ‘Team to Draft VJ EdgeCombe’ on BetUS and ‘Team to Draft Cooper Flagg’ on BetOnline.

NBA Draft Betting Apps & Mobile Wagering

Up to 30 states have fully legalized online sports betting, and mobile gaming leads the charge in these states. The best sportsbooks prioritize a great mobile user experience by developing mobile-optimized websites and dedicated apps.

Our recommended platforms provide mobile-optimized sportsbooks rather than standalone apps. However, these sites are designed to match app performance in functionality, speed, and convenience. They are as effective as apps, with their responsive design for any device, fast load times, real-time updates, and full-feature access, all without requiring download or storage.

NBA Draft Betting Promotions for 2025

Snagging a bonus can give your bankroll a lift. Here are some bonuses you can find on our recommended NBA Draft betting sites.

Deposit Match Welcome Promotion

A deposit match welcome promotion boosts your initial deposit with bonus funds by matching a percentage of this deposit up to a certain amount. BetUS offers a 100% sports bonus up to $2,000. You’ll receive an additional $100 in bonus funds if you credit your account with $100.

Reload Bonus

A reload bonus rewards existing customers with bonus funds for additional deposits made beyond the initial one. They are typically smaller than welcome bonuses. BetUS offers a 10% reload bonus cash + 20% casino bonus up to $2500.

No-Sweat Bet

No-sweat bets, also known as insurance bets, refund your stake as bonus bets if your wager loses. This is the perfect bonus to use for bold NBA Draft betting predictions. Most of our recommended sportsbooks offer no-sweat or insurance bets.

Odds Boosts

Odds boosts enhance odds and potential payouts on specific NBA Draft markets. BetOnline, BetUS, and Bovada all boost odds on select NBA Draft props and outright bets.

Cash Rebates

Cash rebates return a portion of losses or wagers as cash or bonus bets under specific conditions. An example is BetOnline’s Red Card Refund, which returns your initial stake up to $50 if the team you wager on has a player sent off due to a red card and your wager loses.

How to Bet on the NBA Draft in 2025

Ready to bet on the NBA Draft? Below is a simple step-by-step guide to signing up at a sportsbook, claiming the site’s welcome bonus, and placing NBA Draft bets. We will use BetOnline as a case study.

Go to BetOnline

Visit betonline.ag on your browser and select the ‘JOIN’ button at the top-right corner of your screen. A registration form will pop up.

Create Account

Fill out the sign-up form with the requested personal information. Then, select ‘Create Account’ to set up your betting account.

Credit Account and Claim Bonus

Log in to your account, and you will be redirected to the cashier page to make a deposit. Select your preferred banking option and enter the amount you want to deposit. To claim BetOnline’s welcome bonus, deposit at least $50, and enter the promo code “FREE 250” in the provided field. Now, select “Continue Deposit.”

Your account should be credited within minutes, depending on your payment method. You will also receive $250 in free sports bets plus 100 free spins to spend at the casino.

Start Betting

From BetOnline’s home page, navigate to and select ‘Sports’ at the top left corner of your screen. Go to the basketball tab and select ‘NBA Draft. ‘ Make your selections, enter a wager amount, and click ‘Place Bet.’

Free NBA Draft Betting Tips

Successful betting on the NBA Draft involves more strategy than luck. While most bettors are focused on markets like the No. 1 pick, you can find value in other markets, especially on day 2. These five tips, grounded in draft history, can help you make better draft betting decisions in 2025.

1. Closely Monitor the NBA Draft Lottery

This is our number one pro tip. The draft lottery determines the order of the top 10 picks, significantly influencing the betting markets for the No.1 pick. Typically, teams such as the Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz, which have the worst regular-season records, each have a 14% chance of winning the top pick. However, upsets sometimes happen. An example is Atlanta winning in 2024, despite having a 3% chance before the lottery.

Monitoring lottery results can help you know how to adjust bets like Team to Select Cooper Flagg post-lottery, as odds shift based on team needs. Take 2023, for instance, the Spurs won the lottery and selected Victor Wembanyama. The odds shifted from around +600 pre-lottery to minus odds post-lottery.

2. Bet Early on Longshot Value for the No.1 Pick

The betting odds for the NBA Draft on BetUS show Cooper Flagg (-20000) is a near-lock for No.1 pick in 2025. If long shots are your thing, consider taking an early bet on other contenders like Dylan Harper (+1600) or Airious Bailey (+3000).

These types of bets can yield high returns if unexpected outcomes occur. Longshots occasionally hit. In 2021, an early bet on Cade Cunningham paid off as the point guard overtook Jalen Green as the No.1 pick.

3. Focus on Second-Round Value Bets

Surveys show that most bettors focus on day 1. However, day 2 of the draft offers many undervalued betting opportunities that you might be overlooking. This is the perfect time to explore markets like over/under guards drafted (positional totals) and specific player props.

Second-round picks often feature sleepers with a high upside. An example is Nikola Jokic, who was a No. 41 pick. He was relatively unknown, playing as a center in the Adriatic League, but he has since won two MVP awards and a Championship.

4. Pay Attention to Mock Drafts

We do not recommend solely relying on mock drafts when betting on the NBA Draft. However, we recognize how clutch they can be when referencing them for your draft betting decisions.

For example, in 2024, ESPN’s mock drafts correctly predicted Risacher’s rise to No.1. An early bet on the Hawks player, on seeing the mock drafts, could help you to a larger payout.

5. Analyze Team Draft History

Spot patterns in a team’s past draft history. While some teams focus on potential, others tend to pay more attention to proven performances.

Data from 2015-2024 drafts, for example, shows that the Oklahoma City Thunder often drafts for potential, whereas the Miami Heat prioritizes tried-and-tested performances. Under GM Sam Presti, the Thunder emphasizes athleticism, length, and youth over immediate impacts.

Last 10 No.1 Overall Picks at the NBA Draft

For many NBA teams, securing the No. 1 overall pick is a grand chance to rebuild and rebrand with a game-changing player. The top picks of the last decade, from Towns to Risacher, demonstrate how teams approach this selection. While some prioritize star power and positional need, others look for long-term potential. These are the No. 1 overall picks at the NBA Draft over the last decade.

• 2024 – Zaccharie Risacher (Atlanta Hawks)
• 2023 – Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)
• 2022 – Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic)
• 2021 – Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons)
• 2020 – Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)
• 2019 – Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans)
• 2018 – Deandre Ayton (Phoenix Suns)
• 2017 – Markelle Fultz (Philadelphia 76ers)
• 2016 – Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers)
• 2015 – Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves)

NBA Draft Betting in 2025 – Conclusion

The NBA Draft is an exciting part of the basketball calendar, and for bettors, it’s a prime opportunity to call dibs on undervalued prospects. Calling it early on sleepers can help you secure bigger payouts than typical NBA regular-season wagers. Check out our tips again for practical examples on approaching the draft before placing your bets.

BetOnline is a premier destination for NBA Draft betting, thanks to its range of betting markets and generous bonuses. It’s an NBA Draft sportsbook that offers competitive odds on all draft markets and a diverse array of basketball betting options, covering everything from the EuroLeague to NBA2K, March Madness, and the NBA Draft.

NBA Draft Betting – FAQ

Responsible Gambling

When gambling, it’s always best to take responsible gambling measures, such as setting personal limits and avoiding chasing your losses. The best NBA Draft sportsbooks have you covered and provide responsible gambling tools such as deposit limits and self-exclusion tools.

In addition to the tools accessible via the sportsbooks themselves, if you’re struggling with problem gambling, there are several non-profit organizations on hand to assist. These include:

• National Council for Problem Gambling
• Gamblers Anonymous
• 1800Gambler.net