NBA Picks, November 1

How our NBA picks work

Each pick is the moneyline favorite: the team the sportsbooks we compare price as more likely to win. NBA prices move a lot on the day of the game, mostly on injury news and on who is resting, so we show the price we published next to the best price available now. We are building our own team ratings, and once they are live we will post a pick only when our number differs from the market by a set margin.

How to read NBA odds

Moneyline. You bet on the winner. Overtime counts. As of Oct 31, 11:55 PM ET, the Boston Celtics are -238 against the Orlando Magic: you risk $238 to win $100, and the price implies about a 70% chance. A $100 bet on the Orlando Magic at +215 wins $215, about 32%.

Spread. The favorite gives points and the underdog gets them. A 6.5-point favorite covers by winning by 7 or more; the underdog at +6.5 covers by losing by 6 or fewer, or by winning. Many NBA spreads end in .5, so the bet can't land exactly on the number and push. As of Oct 31, 11:55 PM ET the Boston Celtics are -6.5 against the Orlando Magic at MyBookie, Bovada, BetOnline and BetUS: they cover by winning by 7 or more.

Rest and injuries. Teams often rest players on the second night of back-to-back games or late in the season, and a star sitting out can move a spread by several points. Lineups are confirmed shortly before tip-off, which is why prices can still move in the last hour. A pick published in the morning keeps its morning price; the best price now shows where the market went after the news.

Total. You bet on the combined points of both teams. Totals move with pace, and with who is in or out of the lineup: a missing starter can move a total by several points. As of Oct 31, 11:55 PM ET, totals on November 1 run from 219 to 230.5.

Why the price matters

When both sides of a bet are -110, each implies 52.4%, so together they add up to 104.8%. That extra 4.8% is the sportsbook's built-in margin, also called the vig or juice, and it is why you need to win 52.4% of bets at -110 just to break even.

The four sportsbooks we compare prices at don't always agree, and in a long season small differences add up. As of Oct 31, 11:55 PM ET, the Golden State Warriors are -130 at BetOnline and -152 at MyBookie: to win $100 you risk $130 at one and $152 at the other. On the Toronto Raptors +4.5 on the spread, the price is -105 at Bovada and -110 at MyBookie. At -105 you break even at 51.2% instead of 52.4%. Make 50 bets in a season to win $100 each, and -105 instead of -110 means risking $5,250 instead of $5,500 for the same wins.

How we track our record

Every pick is published before tip-off, with its publish time, and is never edited. After the game it is graded won, lost or push. Losing picks stay on this page and in the record. The record starts October 8, 2026, and counts every pick published since then.

NBA picks FAQ

What is the market favorite?

The team with the shorter moneyline price, like -200 against +170. The price reflects how likely the betting market thinks each team is to win.

When are NBA picks posted?

Once one of the four sportsbooks we compare posts a moneyline for the game, and always before tip-off.

Does overtime count?

Yes. NBA moneyline, spread and total bets include overtime, and our picks are graded on the final score.

Why did the price change after you published the pick?

Lines move with injury news, rest decisions and the money being bet. We keep the price we published, never edit it, and show the best price available now beside it.