The NBA is returning to its old format for the NBA All-Star Game in 2024. The league announced in late October that the 2024 NBA All-Star Game will go back to playing the Eastern Conference against the Western Conference.
From 2020 to 2023, the All-Star Game was different. Each team had a captain, and the rest of the team was drafted by the captain.
While there was still voting for starters and still the same amount of Eastern and Western Conference players, both leagues had players on the same team, depending on who each captain drafted.
Thus, it was hard at the NBA betting sites to bet on the All-Star Game until the league’s draft, which was held very close to the actual game.
This year, in 2024, we won’t have to worry about that. We’ll know the teams once players get announced into the All-Star Game because they’re back with the old format.
The 2024 All-Star Game also won’t have an Elam ending, meaning there won’t be a final score target to win the game. It’ll just be a standard four-12-minute quarter-game between the two conferences.
Voting For Players in the NBA All-Star Game
The voting accounts for 50% of fan voting, 25% of players voting, and 25% of the media voting. This allows the league to bring in the very best players into the All-Star Game.
Some fans might vote for older players who aren’t recording big numbers. But it’ll all balance out when the players and media, who pay attention more, make their selections.
Before 2013, fans were only able to select two forwards and a center. Now, they’re able to select frontcourt players as a whole.
Why Did the All-Star Game Format Change?
The NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, felt like it was time to change the format back to the overall theme of “back to basketball” this season.
He acknowledged that the fans weren’t feeling the new format that was used from 2020-2023 and wanted to bring back the classic format for those fans who were passionately upset about the switch in 2020.
Silver also agreed that the NBA was disappointed with the game in 2023. He wasn’t proud of it and knows most of the NBA was embarrassed by the game.
He wanted to restore the NBA and make it more classic. The NBPA and Rick Carlisle, who is the head of the coaches’ association, agreed to change the format back to its original way.
How To Bet on the NBA All-Star Game
Betting on the NBA All-Star Game was a headache last season. The captains didn’t pick their teams until minutes before the game, leaving some of the main sportsbooks scrambling to get odds up and earn action from the public.
Oddsmakers were able to put up odds before the teams were drafted just based on the captains and the previous success they had in drafting players to win games. But sports bettors didn’t even know who would be on each team until the final minutes before tip-off.
While the NBA doesn’t want to admit it, that’s also another reason why the NBA decided to change the format. Knowing the teams in advance is massive for the NBA and its fans looking to bet on the game.
Therefore, it’ll be much easier to bet on the NBA All-Star Game this season.
We don’t need to worry about a target number or more minutes on the clock because of the Elam Ending. It’s just your standard 12-minute quarter-basketball game.
Once the rosters are announced, most sportsbooks will put up lines for the game. These sportsbooks typically have a tab to click on for the NBA All-Star Game. From there, you can bet against the spread, on the moneyline, or bet on the total for the game.
Some sportsbooks will even have player props that include points, rebounds, and assists. If you think you have an edge, click on the bet with the odds that you like and wager some cash on the bet.
Beyond that, you can also bet on futures, including betting on the All-Star Game MVP. The MVP for this game is typically a starter and a ballhandler.
The guys who finish out the game are also mostly starters, so keep that in mind if you’re looking to bet a player prop.
