Best betting apps for the NBA Playoffs

The NBA Playoffs are finally here. Basketball fans and bettors alike certainly have strong opinions about how the playoffs will unfold, and those looking to place wagers on any of the games or series can utilize new-user promo codes from the top sportsbooks. 

Here, we’ll break down those promo offers and how to claim them and also dive into the NBA Play-In Tournament format and matchups.  

Sportsbook offers

Here are the top sportsbook promos and bonus codes that are being offered ahead of the NBA Playoffs.

FanDuel, DraftKings and bet365 are offering “bet and get” promotions for their new users where they can earn bonus bets after an initial wager of $5. FanDuel offers the most bonus bets at $250, but your first bet must win in order to receive those funds. DraftKings offers $200 in the form of eight $25 bonus bet tokens, while bet365’s $150 in bonus bets can be wagered as you see fit. 

BetMGM and Fanatics have offers centered around bet insurance. With BetMGM, if your first bet loses, you receive that stake back in the form of bonus bets. The sportsbook matches your first bet up to $1,500. Fanatics covers your first bet of the day for your first 10 days with the sportsbook. Those bets are covered up to $100 each, giving a maximum bonus bet return of $1,000 should you place 10 $100 wagers and all 10 lose. 

Caesars’ offer allows users to double their winnings over 10 bets after placing a first bet of $1. Their next 10 bets receive 100% profit boosts.

NBA Playoffs preview

The 2024-25 playoff field is nearly set after the Magic and Warriors advanced out of the Play-In Tournament. We’re still waiting to see who of the Heat-Hawks and Mavericks-Grizzlies will advance as the No. 8 seed in the two conferences.

Eastern Conference

The Cavaliers earned the No. 1 spot in the East after going 64-18. They face the either the Heat or Hawks in the first round. The Magic beat the Hawks to get the No. 7 seed, and they face the Boston Celtics, who won the title last year and went 61-21 this season. The No. 3 New York Knicks face the No. 6 Detroit Pistons, and the No. 4 Indiana Pacers take on the No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks. 

We don’t yet have odds for the Cavs series since we don’t know who they’ll play, but we have odds courtesy of FanDuel for the other series. 

The Celtics are resounding -7000 money line favorites to beat the Magic in their series, who are +2000 underdogs. Boston is looking to win back-to-back NBA Finals and the 19th in franchise history, while the Magic are looking for their third conference title and first NBA championship. Orlando took two of three games against Boston this season. 

The Knicks are also heavy favorites in their series against the Pistons, with New York priced at -430 to Detroit’s +340. The Pistons took three of four from the Knicks this season and are back in the playoffs for the first time since the 2018-19 season. The Knicks have now made the postseason three seasons in a row and are looking for their first championship since 1973. 

The Pacers (-215) are still looking for their first NBA championship, and they open the playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks (+180), who won it all in 2021. Indiana dropped three of four from Milwaukee in the regular season. 

Western Conference

The Oklahoma City Thunder are the top seed in the West after a dominant 68-14 regular season, and they take on either the Mavericks or Grizzlies. The Rockets are the No. 2 seed in the West and face a Warriors team that beat the Grizzlies to make the playoffs. Rounding out the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers will face the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets will battle the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Despite being the No. 7 seed and needing to get out of the Play-In Tournament, the Warriors are -188 favorites over the Rockets (+158), who had the fourth-best record in the NBA this season. The Warriors are looking for their fifth NBA title under head coach Steve Kerr since 2015, while the Rockets haven’t won the championship since 1995. Golden State took the season series 3-2 over Houston. 

LeBron James’ Lakers are heavy -196 favorites to take the series from the Timberwolves, who are +164 underdogs on the money line. Los Angeles won the 2020-21 title in the NBA Bubble due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and that was James’ fourth championship. These two teams split the season series 2-2. 

The No. 5 Clippers are the favorites at -118 compared to the No. 4 Nuggets at +100. These teams split the season series 2-2, but the Nuggets are in an interesting spot entering the postseason given the franchise fired its head coach and general manager with just three games remaining in the regular season. Denver has had recent championship experience, winning it all in 2022-23, while the Clippers have never competed in the NBA Finals. 

Responsible gaming

Bettors should always adhere to responsible gaming practices and understand their limits. That means betting within your means and not chasing losses. Bettors should also know that there are a number of responsible gaming resources available to them, including from the top sportsbooks. Those sportsbooks offer many resources and tools for their users, such as time and loss limits.

There are also plenty of national resources available for bettors, including The National Council on Problem Gaming, Gamblers Anonymous and calling 1-800-GAMBLER.