Can you bet on the NBA All-Star Game? Legal betting landscape
Published:
Feb 11, 2025
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06:26 p.m.
ET
Key Points
New Format: The 2025 NBA All-Star Game introduces a four-team mini-tournament, with the first team to 40 points winning.
Sports betting on All-Star events is legal in select states (not simply the ones that offer legal sports betting), and restrictions apply to exhibition and judged contests.
Offshore sportsbooks and bookies pose financial and security risks. Stick to regulated apps for safe NBA All-Star Weekend betting.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Birches Health is a specialized provider of gambling addiction treatment nationwide. Care is available virtually from the comfort of home and is covered by insurance. Knowing how to bet responsibly is critical in aiming to reduce the chances of developing a gambling problem. The goal of this article is to help potential bettors do so in a legal, sustainable and healthy manner if they choose to wager on the event.
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NBA All-Star Weekend is almost here. When Thursday’s five-game slate wraps up, with some teams reaching 55 of 82 games played, it will officially be NBA All-Star Weekend. The festivities take place in San Francisco from February 14-16, with three consecutive nights of action.
This marks the 74th edition of the NBA All-Star Game, but with a brand-new format. Instead of the traditional East vs West showdown, the NBA has introduced a four-team mini-tournament, with honorary managers and a unique challenge from the league’s Rising Stars team. Unlike a full-on, four-quarter basketball game, the team that scores 40 points first is now crowned the winner of each contest.
Superstars will be split across four teams:
Team Shaq, led by LeBron James and fellow Team USA stars Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Jayson Tatum and James Harden. Damian Lillard, Jaylen Brown and Anthony Davis round out the squad.
Team Chuck: An international-led squad featuring Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo (Trae Young replacing Giannis for injury), Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Pascal Siakam, Karl-Anthony Towns, Alperen Sengun and Donovan Mitchell.
Team Kenny: Represents the league’s next generation, including Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jalen Williams, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Tyler Herro.
Team Candace: The WNBA legend will manage the winning team that emerges from the four-team Rising Stars Challenge.
Key Events Schedule:
Friday, February 14
NBA All-Star Celebrity Game – 7 PM ET, ESPN
Rising Stars Challenge – 9 PM ET, TNT & TruTV
Rising Stars Semi-finals & Championship
Saturday, February 15 (All-Star Saturday Night)
The evening’s events begin at 7 PM ET
Skills Challenge
Three-Point Contest
Slam Dunk Contest
Sunday, February 16
NBA All-Star Tournament – 8 PM ET, TNT & TruTV
Semifinal 1: 8:20 PM
Semifinal 2: 9:10 PM
Championship Game: 10 PM
Which states allow sports betting for the NBA All-Star Game?
As of 2025, 38 states - plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico - have legalized and launched sports betting in some form. Missouri has also legalized sports betting but will not be operational until mid-2025. Specific to events within NBA All-Star Weekend, not all states that permit sports betting allow wagering on exhibition games or contests. Some states impose restrictions on betting for non-competitive or entertainment-based sporting events.
2025 NBA All-Star Weekend has available odds for wagering on at least one event in the following locations:
CT, IL, LA, MI, NH, NJ, OR, WY, WA, KS, MD, OH, MA, KY, ME, VT, NC, and D.C.
Can you bet on the Slam Dunk Contest? 3-Point Contest? Skills Competition?
The NBA All-Star Game gets its own set of markets, but All-Star Weekend contests fall under a separate umbrella, with Slam Dunk Contest, 3-Point Contest and Skills Competition odds availability varying by state.
Slam Dunk Contest
The Slam Dunk Contest has been a stylish favorite since 1984, although the contest has lost some of its luster in the last decade due to many established stars declining the event. The 2025 contest features defending champion Mac McLung, along with newcomers Matas Buzelis, Andre Jackson Jr. and Stephon Castle. Some states restrict betting on judged events, as the outcome is not purely competition-based. Check with your state’s regulations before placing a bet.
Three-Point Contest
The Three-Point Contest has been part of NBA All-Star Weekend since 1986. Players shoot from five stations behind the arc, with the maximum possible score being 40 points. Top betting picks at FanDuel include two-time winner Damian Lillard, 2020 winner Buddy Hield, Tyler Herro and Jalen Brunson. Betting options include outright winners, first round scores, final round qualifiers and head-to-head matchups.
Skills Challenge
This event tests passing, dribbling and shooting abilities across three rounds. The competition includes a relay, passing drill and shooting challenge, with the winner earning 200 points. Betting markets in some select states are expected to include overall winners and head-to-head matchups.
Book an appointment, call 833-483-3838, or email help@bircheshealth.com
Bettors beware: Avoid offshore sportsbooks and bookies
As the name implies, offshore sportsbooks operate outside of state laws, providing betting options that may not be available in regulated markets. These platforms come with significant risks because you can’t count on any consumer protection. Winnings may not be paid out reliably, personal and financial information is vulnerable, so there are security risks, and legal issues may arise when wagering on unregulated sites.
Similarly, bookies and their commonly used pay-per-head sites are also unregulated options that come with significant risks. With bookies, there is no oversight. It is common for a bookie to “ghost” bettors who are looking to get paid out their winnings. Tax evasion is another concern. Although the IRS has taken measures to regulate digital payment services, many bookies use digital payments to facilitate transferring funds from their illegal bookmaking operations. If you or they were found to have illegally earned income without reporting it, those involved could be charged with tax evasion.
If you’re going to bet, it’s important to do so responsibly and with licensed, regulated sportsbooks to ensure a fair and secure betting experience within your state’s legal framework.
Guide to betting on NBA All-Star Weekend RESPONSIBLY
Speaking of responsible sports betting, here are a few tips to ensure All-Star Weekend betting is kept as casual and fun as the events on TV.
Establish an allotted amount specific to NBA All-Star Weekend bets, and stick to it.
With contests like the ones part of NBA All-Star Weekend, you are mostly choosing the event’s winner, so knowing the implied probability before placing a bet can be helpful.
Use sportsbook apps’ Responsible Gaming tools like deposit and time limits, which can act as an extra set of guardrails to ensure that you don’t overextend with too much risk.
Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose. Accept losses as part of the game, and never “chase” your losses.
Problem gambling resources and support
Increased accessibility to sports betting has sadly led to increases in gambling addiction. If betting starts to feel out of control, there are specialized resources and support available to help:
Birches Health offers specialized treatment, covered by insurance and available nationwide virtually from the comfort of home. There are multiple options for how to connect with Birches:
Call 833-483-3838
Email help@bircheshealth.com
