Legal PBA Betting Guide

Philippine basketballThe PBA – or Philippine Basketball Association – is the top level of professional basketball in the Philippines. The islands are well-known for their love of basketball, and the PBA was founded in 1975 as the culmination of the many different pro hoops leagues that have come before. There are 12 teams in the PBA, and you can wager on all their games at all the best legal PBA betting sites.

For legal online betting in the Philippines, all you need is a membership to a top online sportsbook that is operating outside of US jurisdiction and holds a legitimate bookmaking credentials in its home country. The outlets we recommend here are the best basketball betting sites in the world, and they’ve each withstood the test of time so you can trust that your wagers will be honored and you’ll be paid out on time.

Read on to learn more about the PBA and why it’s one of the most fun international basketball organizations for both fans and bettors.

Is It Legal To Bet On The PBA Online In The USA?

Yes! If you live in the United States, you have two ways to bet on the Philippine Basketball Association: domestically at state-based sportsbooks in states with legal sports betting (online and/or brick-and-mortar) or via overseas sportsbooks legally operating outside of US jurisdiction such as the ones on this page. 

IS IT LEGAL TO BET ON PBA GAMES ONLINE IN THE PHILIPPINES?

Yes, as long a the bets are placed at a reputable offshore sportsbook.  Philippines gambling laws prohibit residents from betting on basketball via locally operated online sportsbooks.  However, the Philippines government has declared that offshore betting options are perfectly legal for Filipinos. All of the sportsbooks on this page are legally sanctioned sportsbooks for Filipinos seeking legitimate online PBA betting options. 

Best Online Sportsbook For Legal PBA Betting

BetOnline Sportsbook
#1 Rated Online Sportsbook For PBA Bettors

BetOnline is one of the best basketball sportsbooks in the industry and has been in constant operation since the early 1990s. While some USA online sportsbooks have many international restrictions, BetOnline accepts PBA betting fans from both the US and the Philippines at 18+, and the site offers a host of Philippine betting lines, including the latest PBA odds!

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Compability

Betonline Logo

Site Rating

Pros
  • Most trusted site – Operational since 1992!

  • US + international players welcome (18+)

  • Supports AVAX coin + many more crypto betting options

  • Enhanced bonuses for Avalanche crypto gambling deposits

  • Guaranteed same-day payouts + no added fees with Bitcoin/altcoins

Cons
  • Restricted state: New Jersey

  • BetOnline bonuses/promotions have 30-day time limit

  • No P2P app or eWallet betting banking options

Best Online Sportsbooks Offering PBA Odds

SiteReviewBonus OfferUSAVisit
Betonline LogoRead Review50% Max $1,000Play now
mybookie logoRead Review50% Max $1,000Play now
Bookmaker LogoRead Review20% Max $500Play now
Sportsbetting LogoRead Review50% Max $1,000Play now
Xbet Sportsbook logoRead Review50% Max $500Play now

Is Betting on PBA Basketball Legal in the Philippines?

Yes, it is.  Locally regulated brick and mortar betting outlets in the Philippines support wagering for PBA games.  In addition, the Philippines government has declared that offshore betting is legal for Filipino residents, therefore bettors on the island nation can enjoy any of the sportsbooks listed on this page without violating any Philippines gambling laws.

Philippine Cup Odds - 08/10

  • Point Spread: Meralco Bolts +7.0, San Miguel Beermen -7.0
  • Moneyline: Meralco Bolts +230, San Miguel Beermen -330
  • Total Points: 195.0

Philippine Cup Odds - 08/10

  • Point Spread: TNT Tropang Giga -2.5, Magnolia Hotshots +2.5
  • Moneyline: TNT Tropang Giga -155, Magnolia Hotshots
  • Total Points: 186.5

More odds available at BetOnline

Philippine Basketball Association League Format

Unlike NBA basketball or NCAA basketball, the PBA season is structured around three different tournaments or “conferences.” These are called the Philippine Cup, the Commissioner’s Cup, and the Governors’ Cup. These are played in succession, with each basketball tournament crowning a single champion.

The different legs of the PBA season also have slightly different rules that sports bettors should be aware of. That said, they are all structured the same way, each starting with an 11-game seeding tournament followed by a quarterfinal series, a semifinal series, and a championship series.

Philippine CupPhilippine Cup

The Philippine Cup is the first tournament or “conference” of the three-conference PBA season, and it is nationally the most prestigious portion of the PBA year.

The Philippine Cup is limited to native-born Filipinos, making it the pride of the season among local Philippine bettors. However, because the Philippine Cup is restricted to native players alone, it is less wagered on by the international audience.

The Philippine Cup consists of 11 games in the first round, followed by an eight-team quarterfinal, a four-team semifinal, and the Philippine Cup championship round.

2022 Philippine Cup Schedule: June 5, 2022, through September

Commissioners CupCommissioner’s Cup

The Commissioner’s Cup is the second leg of the PBA season, and each team is allowed to employ one foreign-born or naturalized citizen player on its roster. These “import” players have a height limitation of 6’10”, which is something bettors must consider.

Additionally, because these imported players allow the PBA to garner more well-known international talent, it opens the door to more international familiarity and generates a higher betting handle than the Philippine Cup.

The Commissioner’s Cup is structured identically to the Philippine Cup, with an 11-game round-robin that seeds the quarterfinals. Then a semifinal and final are contested to determine the Commissioner’s Cup champion.

2022 Commissioner's Cup Schedule: October 2, 2022, though January 25, 2023

PBA Governors CupGovernors’ Cup

The Governors’ Cup is the third leg of the PBA season. This conference also allows each team to hire a single foreign “import” player, though the height limit is reduced to 6’5” for greater parity.

As with the Commissioner’s Cup, the inclusion of foreign players garners this portion of the PBA season a bigger betting audience and wider international television reach.

The length of the leg – 11 games followed by an eight-team quarterfinals, semifinals, and Governors’ Cup championship series – is the same as the previous two legs of the PBA campaign.

2022 Governors' Cup Schedule: February 2023 through May 10, 2023

2022 PBA Season Preview

So far for 2022, only two legs of the PBA season have been contested: the 2022 Philippine Cup and the 2022 Governors' Cup. The 2022 Commissioner's Cup, which is usually the second leg of the season, has yet to receive a start date but once is expected soon.

While TNT Magnolia is the defending Philippine Cup champion, the favorites to win this year are the San Miguel Beermen, largely because superstar June Mar Fajardo is on their roster. Fajardo is the most popular player in the league and is a perennial MVP, and he's largely considered the greatest Filipino basketball player in history.

The 2022 Philippine Cup tipped off on June 5th, 2022, and all the best online sportsbooks already have odds posted for the initial slate of games.

2022 PBA Teams

Philippine Basketball Association teams are all corporate-owned, and the team names may occasionally change to reflect new products or services that these national companies are promoting year-to-year. The current 2022 PBA teams include the following:

  • Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
  • Blackwater Bossing
  • Converge FiberXers
  • Magnolia Hotshots
  • Meralco Bolts
  • NLEX Road Warriors
  • NorthPort Batang Pier
  • Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters
  • Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
  • San Miguel Beermen
  • Terrafirma Dyip
  • TNT Tropang Giga

2021 PBA Season - Recap

The 2021 PBA season was thrown into turmoil due to additional coronavirus outbreaks in the Philippines.

The PBA was finally approved for a restart though only the Philippine Cup and Governors Cup were contested, with the Commissioners Cup still awaiting its post-COVID rebirth.

The 2021 Philippine Cup was won by TNT Tropang Giga and the 2021 Governors’ Cup was hoisted by Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

2020 PBA Philippine Cup Bubble Format

The 2020 Philippine Cup officially started on March 8 with the season-opening game between the San Miguel Beermen and the Magnolia Hotshots. The Beermen – as defending Philippine Cup champions – were clearly still drunk on power, beating the Hotshots by a final score of 94-78. No other games were played before the coronavirus lockdown.

Seven months later, the PBA Philippine Cup resumed (October 11), with all 2020 Philippine Cup games played in a “bubble format.” The PBA bubble was located at the Angeles University Foundation Gym (Angeles, Pampanga), and players, coaches, and team personnel underwent regular swab testing for the duration of the tournament.

Bettors had to take these conditions under consideration to make informed wagers, as the lack of a home-team advantage for any club – in addition to the lack of fans in the stands – had tangible effects on scoring and team play. The 2021 Philippine Cup should represent something of a return to normalcy, as there will be no bubble. However, like last season, there will be no fans in the stands, which could have an effect on home team momentum.

Types Of Legal PBA Bets

When you bet on PBA action, you’ll get access to all the typical sports betting odds and lines you’re used to in NBA basketball games and other sporting contests. These include the following kinds of sports bets:

  • PBA Straight Bets (aka Moneyline Bets)
  • PBA Point Spread Bets
  • PBA Totals Bets (Over/Under Bets)
  • PBA Player Prop Bets
  • PBA Team Prop Bets
  • PBA Futures Bets
  • PBA Special Bets
  • PBA In-Game Bets

PBA Live Betting

Live basketball betting is one of the most popular ways to gamble on the sport. With basketball in particular being a game about streaks, surges, and lulls, live betting allows PBA gamblers to put money on different betting lines that shift in accordance with the pace of play on the court.

All of the best online sportsbooks offer live, in-game betting on the Philippine Basketball Association, but you have to pay attention to the game and the odds boards, as these wagers come and go in just seconds or minutes.

If you hesitate even for a moment, that pump fake might fake you out of pumping up your bankroll. With live PBA betting, when you see a line you like, you need to take your shot ASAP.

PBA Mobile Betting

No PBA sportsbook would be worth an inbound pass if it didn’t offer a full mobile betting experience. Fortunately, all the operators we recommend have total mobile compatibility via their web app portals.

This means that regardless of the device you use, you’ll get a custom betting interface with responsive design elements that conform to your individual screen, allowing for one-tap betting and easy, intuitive PBA odds browsing.

Best of all, with mobile sports betting, you can bet on the go from anywhere in the USA or the Philippines. All you need is a relatively recent iPhone, iPad, Android device (or any other network-connected device with a modern web browser), and you can gamble on the PBA for real money with real convenience.

There are no iPhone betting apps or Android betting apps to install or update, either, so you never have to deal with the App Store or Google Play – Just visit any of the sites listed here using your mobile device, sign up, deposit, and bet!

BetOnline Mobile App Screenshot

PBA Rules

The Philippine Basketball Association uses a mix of rules based on NBA and FIBA international basketball guidelines. These include the following basics, which all sports bettors should be aware of, particularly if they’ve never bet on FIBA basketball or Asian basketball before:

  • Games: Four 12-minute quarters
  • 3-point line: 6.75m (22.1 feet)
  • New players: Must play in D-League before being PBA Draft eligible
  • Zone defense allowed
  • Trent Tucker Rule enforced
  • Foreign players: One per team (Commissioner’s Cup and Governors’ Cup only)
  • Height limits for foreign players: 6’10” (Commissioner’s Cup), 6’5” (Governors’ Cup)
  • Coaches: Must be natural born Filipinos or naturalized citizens

For basketball bettors, the most important rules to keep in mind are the Trent Tucker rule and the height limits on import players. These have serious on-court ramifications that make the PBA league unique and add greater nuance to how basketball prop bets should be considered.