How to Bet on The Washington Wizards in Maryland

Legal online sports betting in Maryland has arrived. For NBA fans, this means they can bet on all kinds of action, from the regular season all the way through the NBA Finals. However, many bettors will choose to bet on the Washington Wizards, the closest thing to a hometown team for most residents in Maryland.

The Wizards have a long history in the NBA. Their glory years were back in the 60s and 70s, winning their lone title in 1978. The 80s, 90s, and 2000s were pretty lean, with Washington only advancing past the first round of the playoffs twice in the span. Since then, the Wizards have been an up-and-down franchise, wavering between a solid playoff team and one hoping to win the Draft Lottery.

Maryland bettors who want to wager on the Wizards to turn their luck around—even if just for one regular-season game—can read our guide for how to bet on the Washington Wizards below.

Best Sportsbook Apps For Betting On The Wizards

Maryland’s legalized sports betting industry went live last year with retail sportsbooks. Now, Maryland bettors have mobile betting available after the November 2022 launch.

Included among the online options in Maryland are DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel, BetRivers, and PointsBet. Each app offers sign-up bonuses for new players and a range of NBA betting options.

The most popular betting options include the spread, the moneyline, and game totals, commonly known as over/under. Sites will also likely include futures bets on things like overall wins, division and NBA champions, and more.

• DraftKings and FanDuel are daily fantasy sports powerhouses that have successfully implemented sports betting into their platforms. They both have an established reputation and are among the first sportsbook apps to launch in the state.
• BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook are among the largest and most reputable sportsbooks both in the US and across the world. Caesars Sportsbook in particular is a partner in the first physical sportsbook located inside a US professional sports venue. That venue happens to be Capital One Arena, home of the Wizards.
• BetRivers and PointsBet are also worth watching. BetRivers is operated by an affiliate of Rush Street Gaming, which operates several successful land-based casinos. PointsBet offers a unique format that differs from other traditional wagering platforms. On this app, you are rewarded with higher payouts for betting accuracy.

How To Bet On The Washington Wizards

With the launch of online sports betting, it’s never been more convenient to place a bet in Maryland. For those who prefer a more traditional approach, legal sports betting is also available at retails casinos like Caesars Sportsbook at Horseshoe Casino Baltimore. Bettors can also travel to Capital One Arena to place a wager:

• Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill is located in the Capital One Arena, home of the Wizards, and is accepting wagers at their pop-up windows.
• There are at least five casinos in Maryland that offer retail wagering locations.

Additionally, seven sports betting operators have launched apps for Maryland users. Another 14 may go live in the coming months.

Betting On The NBA Finals In Maryland

Placing a wager on the NBA Finals is one of the most popular ways to bet on pro basketball. Maryland bettors can bet on the Wizards making it to the Finals or can bet on any other team.

Odds and sign-up bonuses typically differ slightly across sports betting sites. This variety attempts to attract new players and overall action to each site. Wagering options will come in all shapes and sizes. Examples of popular options include:

• Game and series traditional bets
  • Exact results of any single game (spread or moneyline)
  • Exact results of the series (who will win)
  • Over/under point totals in any single quarter, half, or game

• Game and series proposition bets
  • Which player will score the first basket in Game 1?
  • Which team will make more three-pointers in Game 2?
  • Will player “X” score over or under 100 total points in the series?

The NBA Finals is a premier professional sporting event. With a series of games, there are several ways to engage in a wide variety of wagers. Whether the Wizards are in the series or not, there are countless ways to bet on the NBA Finals.

How NBA Betting Odds Are Calculated

Sportsbooks create betting odds for NBA games based on a variety of factors. These include recent trends, player injuries, time zones and travel, and the public profile of the teams. Visiting teams and teams with player injuries often have a more difficult time competing in or winning games. Teams from large media markets like Los Angeles or New York often attract a higher number of bets. Sportsbooks will consider all these variables when determining the odds for any game.

For example, the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat played in the 2020 NBA Finals. The series was 2-0 in favor of LA. Game 3 was scheduled for Miami, and the Heat’s best player was out with an injury. Even though the game was in Miami, the Lakers had already won two games, and the Heat lineup was less than full strength.

Oddsmakers favored Los Angeles. The Lakers were favored by a “point spread” difference of 5. You would have placed a bet on Los Angeles at -5. If they won by 6 or more points, you won your bet. If they won by 4 or fewer points or lost the game outright, you lost your bet. If they won by exactly 5 points, it was a “push,” and you got your wager back.

Popular Ways To Bet On The Wizards

There are a variety of bets that can be placed on NBA games including the point spread, money line, totals (over/under), parlays, futures, and propositions.

• Point Spread: You bet on whether a team will cover a point spread. The favorite must win by more than the set number of points, and the underdog must win or lose by less than the spread.
• Moneyline: You pick a winner. The moneyline will be designated by a negative or positive number. The team with odds that have a negative number is the favorite, and the positive number is the underdog. If a team is -150 on the moneyline, you would have to bet $150 to get $100 in winnings. For a +150 underdog, a bet of $100 would return you $150 in winnings.
• Totals (Over/Under): You bet on whether the combined score of both teams falls under or goes over the total set by the sportsbook.
• Parlay: Parlay betting means combining multiple bets on a single ticket in exchange for an increased payout. The more bets placed on the ticket, the higher the risk and the higher the reward.

NBA Futures Bets

With this wager, you bet on future team or individual outcomes. Popular team futures bets include how many games a team will win in a season and odds to win the division, conference, or even NBA championship.

Popular individual NBA futures bets include who will lead the league in scoring, who will be named to the All-Star game, and who will win the league MVP award. Odds are always shifting, so you can often place a futures bet at almost any time of the season. Futures bets on the Wizards can even be placed before the season starts.

How To Place Prop Bets On The Wizards

Prop bets are usually a yes-or-no bet. Proposition bets are available for single games. Examples include whether a specific player will score at least 25 points or pull down at least 10 rebounds. Proposition bets are also available for a playoff series or even the entire season. Examples include who will win the NBA Finals MVP or which team will make the most 3-pointers in the season. There are even exotic proposition bets like how long it will take to sing the national anthem.

Washington Wizards Sports Betting FAQs