Streetball — a form of basketball betting that applies to 3×3 (three-on-three) basketball games. This format is played on half-courts, features fewer players, and typically has shorter match durations, but the same types of bets (such as totals, handicaps, and winner markets) can be placed as in traditional basketball.
Today, streetball has become an official sport, and betting is accepted in most bookmakers. However, streetball betting has a number of features that deserve special attention in this article.
What is Streetball?
The first semi-professional streetball teams and competitions began appearing in major American cities in the middle of the last century.
Yard basketball was especially popular in neighborhoods with a predominantly African-American population. Lacking opportunities to break into mainstream basketball competitions, they organized their own games at the local level.
Gradually, this grassroots activity evolved into a serious, organized movement. Today, over one and a half hundred countries are part of the FIBA 3×3 association. Prestigious tournaments with large prize pools are held around the world.
Before you start betting on streetball, make sure you understand the basic rules:
- The ball and hoop are standard, but play takes place on one half of a basketball court and into a single basket;
- After a turnover, the ball must be taken beyond the “three-point line” before starting a new attack;
- A “three-pointer” here counts as two points since close-range shots are worth one point, and shots from behind the arc are worth two;
- Each team consists of three players;
- After four personal fouls, a player is disqualified;
- Team free throws begin after seven fouls;
- The game time for one period is 10 minutes (clean time);
- Each attack is limited to just 12 seconds, significantly increasing the pace of the game.
Important! The game may not last the full allotted time, as it stops when one team reaches 21 points. In betting, this has a major impact on totals and handicaps.
As in standard basketball, 3×3 games can go into overtime, but the extra period lasts not five minutes — it continues until one team scores two successful baskets.
Many rules are borrowed from basketball. For example, double dribble, traveling, and the two-step rule still apply, but the dynamics and tactical principles of play differ greatly. Therefore, it’s essential to watch many matches yourself and understand the nuances of streetball before betting on it.
Finally, popular basketball betting strategies based on progression systems do not fit streetball for a simple reason: there are no quarters, so bets for those intervals are not available.
Main 3×3 Basketball Tournaments
To evaluate the top streetball tournaments, look at the World Championships for men, women, and youth teams. There’s also the European Championship.
In the USA, the interesting DIG3 league was founded in 2017, featuring retired NBA stars. The annual FIBA 3×3 World Tour Masters series is also very popular among fans worldwide. Other well-known leagues and tournaments include:
- Queen of the Rock;
- Entertainers Basketball Classic;
- Moscow Open;
- Quai 54 and others.
In countries with active national streetball federations, regional, pro, and even city-level tournaments are widely held.
Betting on such regional tournaments is extremely risky due to the high number of “strange” results.
Types of Streetball Bets
The specifics of streetball matches lead to a limited range of betting markets. Even at major events, bookmakers usually offer only:
- win for either side, draw, or double chance in regulation time;
- whether overtime will occur;
- totals — general and individual team totals;
- player performance;
- handicap.
Live betting on 3×3 basketball features an even narrower line due to the fast-paced nature of many matches.
How to Choose Streetball Bets?
Although 3×3 basketball is a team sport, individual skill plays a significant role in the outcome.
- Monitor the form, fitness, and mental condition of key players to properly assess their team’s chances of winning.
- Secondly, in regional and city leagues, do not rely on team ratings or status. Unexpected results in streetball happen very often. In a short match, an underdog can easily catch momentum and beat a clear favorite. In lower-tier competitions, it makes more sense to focus on totals rather than the 1X2 market.
At major championships and qualifiers, favorites usually play at full strength, but tournament motivation still matters. A strong team may deliberately lose a game if it already has enough points to advance.
Which Bookmakers Offer Streetball Bets?
Finding a bookmaker for streetball betting is not that easy. Domestic licensed bookmakers pay little attention to expanding lines for this sport, which still belongs to the exotic category. Keep an eye out for promotions offered by different bookmakers related to 3×3 basketball during major tournaments. Such campaigns indicate that the bookmaker is targeting a younger audience and will likely focus more on streetball in the future.
Pros and Cons of Streetball Betting
Streetball betting is currently suitable only for true fans and experts. By understanding team strength and key players, there’s a good chance to find value odds. However, long-term strategies are difficult to apply. Firstly, bookmakers offer limited betting markets, and many tournaments are not even included in the line.
Secondly, the margin on streetball matches remains high — on average, 10–15% pre-match. These drawbacks are typical for all “exotic” sports. Hopefully, over time, 3×3 basketball betting will become more popular, prompting bookmakers to respond accordingly.
