You’ve been following the action all year, and it has all come down to this moment — the NBA playoffs betting in Maryland. If you’re looking to get a little piece of the action yourself and don’t know where to start, here’s your guide to everything you need to know about how to bet on Maryland NBA playoffs sportsbooks, betting odds, types of bets, and more.
Best sportsbooks for the NBA Playoffs in Maryland 2024
How to bet on the NBA Playoffs in Maryland: All sites are 100% legal & licensed by the state.
| Company | Bonus | Pros | Visit |
 | Caesars Sportsbook Up to $1,250 bonus |
| Bet now Caesars Maryland promo code |
 | BetRivers Sportsbook Up to $500 in bonus bets |
| Bet now BetRivers promo code MD |
 | DraftKings Sportsbook Bet $5, get $150 in bonus bets |
| Bet now DraftKings promo code MD |
 | Betfred Sportsbook Get up to $1,111 in Fred Bets |
| Bet now Betfred Maryland promo code |
 | BetMGM Sportsbook Up to $1,000 in bonus bets |
| Bet now BetMGM Maryland bonus code |
 | FanDuel Sportsbook Bet $5 get $200 in bonus bets |
| Bet now FanDuel Maryland promo code |
 | PointsBet Sportsbook Five Second Chance Bets Up To $100 Each |
| Bet now PointsBet MD review |
 | Crab Sports Up to $250 in bonus bets |
| Bet now Crab Sports promo code |
Time needed: 15 minutes
With sports betting in Maryland legalized in May 2021, residents are now free to bet through a wide range of sportsbooks operating in the state. Your first step? Picking the best sportsbook for you.
Though all major, reputable sportsbooks offer basketball betting — especially on the NBA playoffs and finals — no two sportsbooks are the same.
- Explore available sportsbooks
You’ll want to take some time navigating through Maryland’s legal sportsbooks, taking note of the standout characteristics of each. Do they offer a wide range of options for NBA betting? For example, how many types of playoff odds are they showcasing?
Once you’ve located the different odds and betting options, compare and contrast among the sportsbooks. The odds lines for specific games or the overall championship may be more favorable on a sportsbook that focuses on the more than other sports.
Review the special features of each sportsbook. For example, do they offer live betting on the NBA playoffs in Maryland, meaning you can place bets as the games are played? Are they promoting several betting bonuses tied to the NBA playoffs that can sweeten your pot?
- Find a web design that’s comfortable
It shouldn’t be a chore to navigate through a Maryland sportsbook, especially if you’re a first-time bettor. Sportsbook web platforms should be intuitive and well-designed.
You should be able to easily locate drop-down menus for types of sports to bet on, available odds, upcoming big sports events — and especially the location of your virtual betting slip. The best MD sportsbooks will make online betting a pleasure — not a chore.
- Ensure your security
An important reminder: You’re betting with real money, and that money is yours. You need to be sure that your money will be safe. Reputable sportsbooks go to great lengths to protect the personal information you must submit when registering.
That information typically includes your physical address, email address, and often your personal banking information if you chose to use it to make deposits and withdrawals. Sportsbooks should be transparent about their security measures, outlining their systems for secure deposits and payments.
They should be multiple ways to protect your data, including transport security layer (TSL) or secure sockets layer (SSL) protocols and other digital encryption measures.
- Review your financial options
Once you figure out if a sportsbook has the proper security measures in place, take a look at the options each has for making both deposits and withdrawals. If there are only options that come with high fees to make deposits and withdrawals, it’s not worth it. Instead, charges should be minimal or nonexistent.
The deposit and withdrawal methods should include options you’re familiar with. Generally, deposit methods include credit and debit cards, ACH e-check, prepaid cards, e-wallet options such as PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller, as well as PayNearMe.
The most common withdrawal methods include ACH e-check, e-wallet platforms, physical check, and prepaid cards. Also, something to look out for: The minimum amount in your sportsbooks wallet you need to meet.
Before you make a deposit or a withdrawal (there are also often minimums needed to make bets). These vary from sportsbook to sportsbook but should not be too high.
- Check on the support system
Even the most seasoned sports bettor can make mistakes or feel confused by a sportsbook. The good news is that the best sportsbooks offer wide-ranging and consistent customer service.
Be sure to look for a sportsbook’s customer service section — it’s usually under a “Help” header — and see if they are forthcoming with their contact info, especially an email address or phone number. Some even offer live chats for assistance in real-time. If a sportsbook does not feature any of the above, it’s a giant red flag to stay away.
- Look for bonuses at the MD NBA Playoffs
Sportsbooks in Maryland are competing for your business — and that means you can find some real rewards if you play smartly and often. Many bonuses come from simply registering with a sportsbook online or through their mobile apps.
These are called welcome bonuses or sign-on bonuses and can be lucrative — coming in the form of free or risk-free bets, deposit matches, or reloads that add more money to your account when you make new deposits or bets.
Best NBA Playoffs Sites In Maryland
We have a few favorites of our own to consider, which all offer event betting in Maryland.
BetMGM
Backed by parent company MGM Resorts International, BetMGM is known for its above-par betting odds and a constantly rotating lineup of bonuses and promotions. It’s also highly regarded for its live-streaming betting options for a range of sports, including big games. You’ll find several options for betting at BetMGM Maryland, including traditional over/under and bets on the performance of individual players.
Pointsbet
Those looking for a new way to enjoy sports betting will likely embrace Pointsbet Maryland. It combines traditional bets with “points betting,” a unique system that factors in points that multiply earnings and losses.
Beyond its betting options, Pointsbet is generous with bonuses, especially welcome bonuses, and boasts a fantastic mobile app. Though it was launched in Australia, the is a big presence here, and you can usually find daily promotions tied to the NBA playoffs and finals.
Draftkings
Wildly popular among online sportsbooks, Draftkings offers bettors some of the best odds in the business and an industry standard-setting app.
Its welcome and deposit matching bonuses are comparatively high, and DraftKings Maryland promo code and moneylines for new users, especially for the playoffs, are enticing. Promotions in the past have offered the chance to win $150 on a bet of $1 on the finals, as well as winning $100 on a $1 bet for the playoffs.
Fanduel
Another extremely popular Maryland sportsbook, Fanduel, comes with a lightning-fast app and quick payouts.
There are also free bet bonuses that pay both the profit and the bet (unlike some other sportsbooks that just pay the profit) and a long list of games with live wagering options. FanDuel Maryland promo codes also offer bonuses, and enhanced odds for the playoffs and tied specifically to the finals.
Barstool Sportsbook
If you are a fan of Barstool’s sports blog, you’ll like its sportsbooks. Personality is king here, with Barstool’s popular talking heads recommending and creating certain odds and betting options.
Its welcome bonus ($1,000 in a risk-free bet) is stellar, and its app is intuitive and fun to use. Barstool Sportsbook Maryland, and its page includes live betting and clear and concise statistical information covering the entire season.
Types Of Bets At The NBA Playoffs
Once you’ve picked your sportsbook — or several sportsbooks — of choice, it’s time to master the types of bets you’ll be making on the finals and beyond.
Moneyline at the NBA Playoffs
Looking for a simple bet to test the sports betting waters? A moneyline bet is as straightforward as it gets. Through moneyline bets, you picking a team to win and wagering on them to win outright.
Typically a moneyline wager works through the oddsmakers choosing favorites and underdogs. A favorite is indicated by a minus sign and a number. The underdog is marked with a plus sign and a number. For example, you may see NBA playoffs betting in Maryland game’s moneyline odds set as:
- Phoenix Suns (-200)
- Milwaukee Bucks (+150)
In this scenario, Phoenix is the favorite. To win $100, you need to wager the amount listed, in this case, $200. If Phoenix wins, you’ll take home the stake and the win — $300. If you are betting on the underdog, the Bucks, you’ll have to wager $100 to win $150. An underdog pays out more money than the bettors’ original wager.
Points Spread
Points spread wagers take Moneyline bets a step further, with the oddsmakers setting odds on not just which team will win, but how many points they will win by.
The point spread indicates the number of points. Similar to a moneyline bet, the favorites are written with a minus sign and the underdogs by a plus sign. To win your points spread bet, your team has to win and also win by an amount that’s greater than the spread.
For example, a -10 favorite covers the spread by winning the game by at least 11 points. A +10 underdog either needs to win the game or lose by less than 10 points for your underdog points spread bet to win.
Futures at the Basketball Playoffs
Futures bets are particularly popular for playoffs betting in Maryland, especially for big events such as the playoffs or the championship. With futures, you’re betting on a future outcome, say, the team that will win the championship title.
All you need to do is pick a team, make a bet and sit back and wait for the outcome. Futures use moneyline odds. You may see an +1000 next to the Brooklyn Nets to win the championship. If you bet $100 on the Nets to win the who shebang, you could win $1,000.
Over/Under
Also known as point totals betting, with over/under, you’re wagering on whether the final combined score of a game will be higher or lower than the number set by an oddsmaker.
Let’s say the Bucks play the Suns in the finals. An over/under total may be set at 150.5. If you think the teams together will score more than 150.5 points, you should bet on the “over.” If you think their combined score will be lower, you will wager on the “under.”
Parlays at the Basketball Playoffs
More experienced bettors like to take advantage of parlay betting, where you’re making several bets on individual games and combining them together into one big wager.
The payoffs can be big with parlays, but each of your individual bets must win in order for you to win the parlay and get any type of payout. Parlays exemplify the “high risk, high reward” approach to sports betting.
Prop bets at the Basketball Playoffs
How’s this for a little fun? Prop bets are individual bets on a wide variety of circumstances or player performances. You can bet on everything from which team will gain possession after the tip-off, how many points a player will make, or even, on some sportsbooks, which celebrities will be in the crowd matching a game. Your payout with prop bets depends on the moneyline odds attached.
Bottom Line
As we head into the playoffs, it’s an exciting time for the hoops-fans and even more so for the fans in Maryland eager to place their bets. Maryland sports betting doesn’t have to be intimidating, even for the betting newbie. If you do your research on sportsbooks, make smart wagers, and make sure you understand the ins and outs of odds, you’ll be good to go.
