Zion-mania is about to run wild at the NBA Summer League. And while there is much-anticipation for Zion Williamson’s debut game (which just so happens to be against former college teammate R.J. Barrett), the question is – should you bet on this game? Should you bet on any of these games?
Like most of life’s deep questions, this one has pros and cons. Here’s a few of them.
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Pro: Beatable Lines
Sports betting lines are based on a bookmaker’s research, and then are adjusted/tightened by where gamblers are putting their money. These are two things that NBA Summer League games do not have.
There is as lack of information due to mostly unknown players filling out the rosters, all of whom have never (or barely ever) played together, coached by someone who normally doesn’t coach them. There’s no guarantee who’ll get minutes, what system the team will run, or even if a team will try to win or will instead be more interested in giving certain players a look on the court.
Then to compound this issue, fewer people bet on Summer League than regular season or playoff games, taking away the chance to tighten up any incorrect lines. So, if you do your homework, you might find some lines out there that you can beat.
Con: Lack of Information
The pro is also the con – lack of information. If you do your homework, you might find some lines you can beat. But doing your homework can be tough, due to the reasons listed above (unknown players, unknown goals of the team, etc.).
It’s hard to feel secure in your bets if you don’t have confidence in your intel.
Pro: Over/Under
While you may not know who is going to play, or what style a team will play, or how motivated they might be to win, you can be fairly certain as to what range the final score of the game will be.
Check out last year’s boxscores, or wait a few games into this season, and bet on the point totals for games rather on which team will win.
Con: The Games Don’t Matter
While the NBA Summer League has made things more legit with a playoffs and a champion crowned each summer, the league is still not much more than a bunch of glamorized exhibition games. Do you really want to invest your money on the outcome of games whose participants might not care if they win or lose? Summer league is more about developing young players and/or checking out prospects in action than winning at any cost.
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