The Philippines is an exciting and colorful destination when it comes to sports, sports betting (like PBA betting for example), and casino games entertainment. The country is one of the few locations in the region that offers a ‘friendly environment’ for betting online. Offshore casinos and sportsbooks rely on accommodating policies to deliver the games for foreign players. There is a growing market now for licensed Philippine Offshore Gambling Operators which makes the Philippines an exciting destination for both operators and developers alike.
Top Bookmakers in the Philippines for 2023
Although there seems to be a focus on foreign players only, it doesn’t mean that local players can’t enjoy the same services afforded to offshore companies and foreign players. On the contrary, you can also find specific rules that allow Filipinos to play casino games and bet on sports.
A perfect example of this is betting on basketball and the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). If you’re a fan or simply want to bet on outcomes for its sheer excitement and the winnings, then we highly recommend that you learn first a few things about the game, the industry, and the legality of PBA betting.
Is Basketball and PBA betting legal?
When it comes to the laws in gambling, the government is clear on its objectives. Licensed offshore gambling platforms are not allowed to accept real money bets from players based in the Philippines. And if you check out some of the leading casinos and top online sportsbooks, you’ll notice that the country is always part of the list of restricted countries.
However, there are instances when locals are allowed to participate in games particularly PBA betting. You can only take part in betting on the PBA if the service provider and the products offered to you have complied with the regulations and policies set forth by PAGCOR. And in the Philippines, the most popular sportsbook that accepts PBA betting and related sports is MSW. Owned by Orient Capital Ventures Inc of Makati City, the company offers MSW betting PBA services. And these services are being delivered within the parameters set forth by PAGCOR. Also, you’ll find other sportsbooks that are accessible in the region. For example, the PBA Bet365 website and services are accessible from the Philippines.
Why Bet on PBA
Basketball is a passion for millions of Filipinos. If you happen to travel and visit the majority of towns and cities in the country, you will surely discover basketball courts everywhere. Games and tournaments are hosted during festivities, and colleges and universities invest in their teams. You can also find dozens of leagues in the country which help promote and market the sports.
Of the different leagues in the country, the Philippine Basketball Association or PBA is the most popular and influential. It’s the premier basketball league in Asia and helped grow the careers of popular players like Alvin Patrimonio, Allan Caidic, and Robert Jaworski. Its popularity spawned several related leagues, boost sports in the country, and help popularize PBA betting. Today, no PBA game or championship is complete without the exciting PBA betting service that bettors and enthusiasts enjoy online and offline.
How PBA Betting Works for the League
PBA betting has been around since the start of the league. Before the popularity of the internet, casinos, and PBA online betting, fans of different teams are already engaged in betting. An early version of PBA betting is called ‘ending’ or even the ‘last 2’. Under this arrangement, you will bet on the last digits of the scores of the two PBA teams competing. This is an informal betting experience and has been part of the culture and lifestyle of millions of fans across the country. Also, bettors can also bet on the margin of scores. In this informal PBA betting, you bet on the potential margin between two teams. The person who can predict it the closest (or exactly) wins the bet.
However, with the introduction of new gambling policies and laws, these informal approaches to betting are no longer allowed. Sure, you can still find friends and families participating in this type of betting but on paper, these are no longer allowed. If you want to participate in PBA betting and enjoy its services the legal way, then you need to place your wager in a fully licensed and regulated PBA betting site or a licensed offshore casino and sportsbook.
Examples of Bets You Can Make
Before you can place your bets online, we highly recommend that you should know first the different types of bets that you can make. In PBA basketball betting, the most popular bet types are the Head to Head, Outright Bet, and the Over/Under.
Also known as the Money Line, the Head to Head requires you to make a bet on what team you think will end up as the winner. In this PBA betting arrangement, you’re not concerned about the point spread. You win the bet even if your team wins by a point or by 30 points. The Outright Bet or Win Market requires the bettor to place a bet on the outcome of the entire league instead of predicting the results of the individual games. For example, you can bet on which team will win the championship this season. In short, in this online betting Philippines PBA arrangement, you need to file before the start of the season or conference.
Finally, you can also play the Over/Under Bet. This PBA betting arrangement is also called the total game score where you bet whether the combined scores of the teams will go over or under the set total. It is the website, say Bet365, that will nominate the PBA odds and target score.
Where to Bet on PBA
Aside from the different types of bets, you also need to understand how online sports betting odds work. The PBA betting odds refer to the probability that an event is going to happen. When it comes to the available PBA betting odds, you can find at least three types: the fractional, decimal, and the American or money line odds. These are three different ways of presenting the odds and they don’t offer a difference in terms of the winnings that you can collect. All these PBA betting odds arrangements will just inform you about the probability of an event happening.
In many online sportsbooks that accept players from the Philippines, the most popularly used odd display is the decimal. For example, San Miguel Beermen will get odds of 3.00 and Ginebra will get 11.00. The great thing about this odds display is that you can easily discover which team is the underdog and the favorite to win the game. The number will only represent the amount the player can win for a bet of $1. This means that if you will bet $100 on San Miguel Beermen, you can make a total return of $300. If you want to take betting seriously, then you need to pay attention to how the odds are displayed and their meaning.
PBA Schedule
As a player, you should know the schedule of PBA games. Your bets for your favorite teams will go to waste if you are not aware of the game schedules. Before you bet on a team, make sure you check the latest schedule. The league is now on its 45th year and based on the schedule released by the management, the PBA basketball season will open this March 1, 2020, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. As of the latest records, there will be 12 teams competing for the championship and the majority of the games will be hosted at the Smart Araneta.
Other PBA Betting Tips
Your success in PBA betting will also depend on your knowledge and grasp of the statistics and other team information. The enthusiasts and the experienced bettors in the business will always look at the ATS or the Against the Spread record of the PBA teams. These records will show how often the teams have met the handicap set by the sportsbook. Also, you can rely on the Over/Under records when you want to get a full mastery of PBA betting. Furthermore, your success in following the PBA Philippine Cup will depend on your understanding of the history and the rivalries of teams.
The beauty of PBA betting is that the results often depend on the history of rivalries and the colorful antics of players on the court. For example, during the 1990s, betting on the games that involve San Miguel and Purefoods in the All Filipino Cup was tricky. Placing bets on Ginebra also requires an understanding of the psyche of the team and the crowd. There are instances where the Ginebra team still manages to win even if down by a dozen points due to the noise and cheers of the crowd. In short, you should also know the fan mechanics and history of teams if you want to be successful. And that’s the beauty of betting with PBA; the results can become unpredictable and understanding the PBA betting odds is just the start!
FAQ
?? Is it legal to bet on the PBA in the Philippines?
Yes, it is legal to bet on the PBA in the Philippines. You have to register with an offshore bookmaker and make an initial deposit and you are good to go.
?? Can I make a living from Betting on the PBA?
It is possible to make money but it is not a guarantee. You have to make a lot of research and follow the news surrounding the teams you are betting on.
? Is it difficult to bet on basketball?
No, it is quite straight forward. If you are following basketball or at least some kind of sport the bets are almost identical. You can bet on a winner of the game, or the highest scorer, etc.
