The following NBA betting trends are a collection of analytical data, betting systems and strength ratings featured on VSiN and qualified for the NBA games on Tuesday, October 27. This report is meant to emulate the process that Steve Makinen and other members of the VSiN Analytics team undergo when handicapping each day’s NBA board.

AJ’s Angles

These are the top NBA betting trends and systems for today’s NBA games, handpicked by VSiN Analyst AJ Makinen.

* Favorites are 8-1 SU and ATS in the last nine games of the Trail Blazers-Lakers series
Trend Match (PLAY): LA LAKERS (-2.5 vs POR)

* DETROIT is 14-5 SU and 15-4 ATS (78.9%) as an underdog since the start of last season
Trend Match (PLAY): DETROIT (+3.5 at NYK)

* NBA home teams coming off any game in which they beat the point spread by 20 points or more are 53-81-1 ATS (39.6%) in their last 135 divisional games.
System Match (FADE ATS): BOSTON (-11.5 vs BKN)

Schedule Situations Crucial for NBA Handicapping

The following is an expanded version of the article published in this year’s VSiN NBA Betting Guide, detailing scheduling situations in which teams have shown definitive patterns over the last few seasons. Typically, there are reasons that teams perform at varying levels based upon their schedules, whether that be from the amount of rest they’ve gotten before a game, how fatigued they are from a string of games, or how they deal with injuries/workloads based upon the schedule pressures.

* NBA teams playing in the b2b game scenario were 27-37 SU and 24-40 ATS vs. teams playing a 3rd in 4 Days game last season
Trend Match (FADE): BOSTON (-11.5 vs BKN)

* NBA teams playing in the 3rd in 4 Days  game scenario are 166-245 SU and 186-216 ATS vs. teams playing a 3rd Straight Home game over the last four seasons
Trend Match (FADE): BROOKLYN (+11.5 at BOS)

* NEW YORK is 153-82 SU and 131-100 ATS playing with One Day Rest since November 2022
Trend Match (PLAY): NEW YORK (-3.5 vs DET)

* DETROIT is 14-5 SU and 15-4 ATS (78.9%) as an underdog since the start of last season
Trend Match (PLAY): DETROIT (+3.5 at NYK)

* NBA teams playing in the One Day Rest game scenario are 16-32 SU and 14-33 ATS vs. teams playing a 3+ Days Rest game over the last four seasons
* LA LAKERS are 102-62 SU and 97-66 ATS playing with One Day Rest since November 2023
System/Trend Match: 1 PLAY, 1 FADE of LA LAKERS (-2.5 vs POR)

Here are the top head-to-head series NBA betting trends in play for all of today’s games:

(535) DETROIT at (536) NEW YORK
* DETROIT is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 visits to Madison Square Garden
Trend Match (PLAY): DETROIT (+3.5 at NYK)

(537) SACRAMENTO at (538) SAN ANTONIO
* Over the total is 9-2 in the last 11 of the Kings-Spurs set
Trend Match (PLAY OVER): SAC-SAS (o/u at 231.5)

* Favorites are on a 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS run in overall series as well
Trend Match (PLAY): SAN ANTONIO (-17.5 vs SAC)

(539) PORTLAND at (540) LA LAKERS
* Favorites are 8-1 SU and ATS in the last nine of the Trail Blazers-Lakers series
Trend Match (PLAY): LA LAKERS (-2.5 vs POR)

NBA Team Strength Systems

The following handicapping information details betting systems for teams based upon some various team strength indicator or line scenarios. Unless noted, these are from the last six NBA seasons.

NBA Team Strength Betting System #7:
Double-digit NBA games have produced some definitive results on totals over the last five seasons, depending on what type of matchup it was. In divisional games featuring double-digit lines, Under the total has gone 146-127 (53.5%). And finally, in non-divisional conference games, Over the total was 369-300 (55.2%).
System Matches (PLAY ALL): OVER – SAC-SAS (spread SAS -17.5, o/u at 231.5)
UNDER – BKN-BOS (spread BOS -11.5, o/u at 223.5)

NBA Extreme Stats Next Game Systems

These systems search for extreme statistical performances in NBA games and detail the results of the follow-up game for the teams. These systems are from the last six seasons unless noted.

Early season large wins lead to Unders
NBA teams that won their previous game by 25+ points have gone Under the total at a 31-14-1 (68.9%) rate in games 2-5 of the season in the last 46 tries.
System Match (PLAY UNDER): BKN-BOS (o/u at 223.5)

Rout wins are a warning sign for next contest for hosts
NBA home teams coming off any game in which they beat the point spread by 20 points or more are 53-81-1 ATS (39.6%) in their last 135 divisional contests.
System Match (FADE ATS): BOSTON (-11.5 vs BKN)

Unusual shooting performance systems
NBA teams off a game in which they were granted 35 or more free throw attempts trended Under the total the next game, 424-364 (53.8%) since 2021.
System Matches (PLAY UNDER ALL): BKN-BOS (o/u at 223.5), POR-LAL (o/u at 233.5)

Strategies Using NBA DraftKings Betting Splits Data

One of the most touted features on the VSiN.com website, and a feature that we believe to be a fantastic resource for bettors, is the betting splits pages. These are the pages that we have built utilizing the data that DraftKings so graciously provides to us, detailing the breakdowns of the money & ticket splits for point spreads, money lines, and totals. 

In an article published on the VSiN.com website on opening day, Steve Makinen outlined 14 different systematic strategies for successfully using the DK Betting Splits Data that were developed in the last three seasons. Here are the systems and qualifying plays for today’s games as of 11:45 a.m. ET. These can and will change, so continue to track and qualify the systems up until tip-off for best usage.

Looking back at the DK betting splits data for the full 2025-26 NBA regular season, there were 1322 games played for the sample. To summarize the overall findings, the side categories are almost identical to the 2024-25 season results, meaning, we should be continuing to see great results for all or most of the systems we’ve continued to track. The total numbers were much worse, indicating the public’s successes in the 2024-25 season may have been a fluke occurrence. In all, four of the six categories showed losses worse than -7% ROI. These were the results:

– Majority handle on point spreads: 653-652 ATS (50%), -64.2 units – ROI: -4.9%
– Majority number of bets on point spreads: 625-652 ATS (48.9%), -92.2 units – ROI: -7.2%
– Majority handle on money lines: 847-458 (64.8%). -131.65 units – ROI: -10.1%
– Majority number of bets on money lines: 894-424 (67.8%). -104.3 units – ROI: -7.9%
– Majority handle on totals: 650-643 (50.3%). -57.3 units – ROI: -4.4%
– Majority number of bets on totals: 636-667 (48.8%), -97.7 units – ROI: -7.5%

DK NBA Betting Splits system #1: When 63% or more of the handle was on the side of a home team playing as a four-point favorite or less (or as an underdog) on ATS wager, this “super” majority group has gone 235-205 ATS (53.4%) over the last four seasons, good for +9.5 units of profit and a ROI of 2.2%. This is fairly a profitable system that the public seems to get right consistently.
System Matches (PLAY ALL): NEW YORK (-3.5 vs DET), LA LAKERS (-2.5 vs POR)

DK NBA Betting Splits system #2: When 59% or more of the handle has been on the road side of an ATS wager, this “super” majority group has gone 976-890 ATS (52.3%) over the last four seasons. This has produced -3.0 units and a ROI of -0.2%. When a good portion of the overall money is on a road team in the NBA, it wins more often than not.
System Match (PLAY): SACRAMENTO (+18.5 at SAS)

DK NBA Betting Splits system #4: In another somewhat rare situation, but when there was a majority handle backing the team with fewer wins on the season in the NBA over the last 3+ seasons, that group produced a 565-511 ATS record (52.5%), good for +2.9 units of profit and a ROI of 0.2%.
System Matches (PLAY ALL): NEW YORK (-3.5 vs DET), SACRAMENTO (+18.5 at SAS)

DK NBA Betting Splits system #7: The number 63% or higher has been a key super-majority number in non-divisional conference games over the last 3+ seasons, with handle groups of that size boasting a 676-597 ATS record, good for 53.1%. This is about a 3% improvement on the overall majority figures and has netted +19.3 units of profit and an ROI of +1.5%.
System Matches (PLAY ALL): NEW YORK (-3.5 vs DET), SACRAMENTO (+18.5 at SAS), LA LAKERS (-2.5 vs POR)

DK NBA Betting Splits system #9: There has been a massive disparity of success levels for majority groups on handle when they back the home or road team on money line wagers. On home teams, these majorities have gone 1738-779 over the last three seasons but for -315.86 units and an ROI of -12.5%. On road teams, these majorities have gone 1,329-878 but for just -54.25 units and an ROI of -2.5%. This 10%+ disparity warrants fading ML majorities on home teams consistently.
System Matches (FADE ALL): NEW YORK ML (-155 vs DET), LA LAKERS ML (-135 vs POR)

DK NBA Betting Splits system #11: One of the best, simplest, and most frequent angles I have been able to uncover is when a majority of handle bettors were backing the Under in an NBA game. When any majority number has favored the Under option over the last four seasons, the results have been strong, with Under the total on these games going 554-461, good for 54.6%, +46.9 units, and an ROI of +4.6% since January 2023.
System Match (PLAY UNDER): BKN-BOS (o/u at 223.5)

DK NBA Betting Splits system #12: The average NBA game total since January of 2023 has been a bit over 228. In NBA games with “low” totals, or those less than 220, majority handle bettors have gone an impressive 487-422 (53.6%), while majority number of bets groups are a bit less at 480-438 (52.3%).
System Match (PLAY): OVER – DET-NYK (o/u at 218.5)

Today’s NBA Strength Ratings

The following NBA betting trends are taken from today’s MAKINEN DAILY RATINGS page under the NBA tab on VSiN.com. Listed by team, current line, and difference between rating and current line (in parentheses).

Today’s UNDERPRICED UNDERDOGS according to the Makinen POWER RATINGS projections:
Ratings Matches:
1. SACRAMENTO +18.5 (+2.8)
2. DETROIT +3.5 (+1.5)

Today’s UNDERPRICED FAVORITES according to the Makinen POWER RATINGS projections:
Ratings Matches:
1. BOSTON -11.5 (+1.8)
2. LA LAKERS -2.5 (+1.7)

Today’s UNDERPRICED UNDERDOGS according to the Makinen EFFECTIVE STRENGTH RATINGS projections:
Ratings Matches:
1. SACRAMENTO +18.5 (+2.8)
2. BROOKLYN +11.5 (+1.0)
3. DETROIT +3.5 (+0.3)

Today’s UNDERPRICED FAVORITE according to the Makinen EFFECTIVE STRENGTH RATINGS projections:
Ratings Match: LA LAKERS -2.5 (+1.3)

Today’s TOTAL PROJECTION FAVORING OVER according to the Makinen EFFECTIVE STRENGTH RATINGS projections:
Ratings Match: DET-NYK OVER 218.5 (+1.0)

Today’s TOTAL PROJECTIONS FAVORING UNDER according to the Makinen EFFECTIVE STRENGTH RATINGS projections:
Ratings Matches:
1. BKN-BOS UNDER 223.5 (-2.0)
2. SAC-SAS UNDER 231.5 (-1.0)
3. POR-LAL UNDER 233.5 (-0.4)

Today’s UNDERPRICED UNDERDOGS according to the Makinen BETTORS RATINGS projections:
Ratings Matches:
1. SACRAMENTO +18.5 (+1.7)
2. DETROIT +3.5 (+1.5)

Today’s UNDERPRICED FAVORITES according to the Makinen BETTORS RATINGS projections:
Ratings Matches:
1. BOSTON -11.5 (+2.0)
2. LA LAKERS -2.5 (+1.4)

Today’s TOTAL PROJECTIONS FAVORING OVER according to the Makinen BETTORS RATINGS projections:
Ratings Matches:
1. SAC-SAS OVER 231.5 (+2.5)
2. DET-NYK OVER 218.5 (+1.9)
3. POR-LAL OVER 233.5 (+0.3)

Today’s TOTAL PROJECTION FAVORING UNDER according to the Makinen BETTORS RATINGS projections:
Ratings Match: BKN-BOS UNDER 223.5 (-2.8)

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