2024 Philippine Legal Basketball Betting

Basketball is arguably the most popular sport in the Philippines. However, the domestic brick-and-mortar and online MegaSportsWorld sportsbook usually just offers a small selection of the total typical basketball bets you’ll find at bigger international sportsbooks. So while you can wager on the NBA at MSW, you won’t get nearly the number of bets you’ll get at legit offshore betting sites.

Luckily, you can use licensed offshore sportsbooks to bet on local Philippine players and leagues legally and safely. Additionally, you can wager on the Philippine Men’s National Team and all their tournaments via these same books, as well as international fare from sports all around the world.

This page was created specifically for Philippines basketball betting and has information on how basketball in the islands came about, the legal framework regarding basketball wagering, insight on the best online sportsbooks to use, and more. 

Is Philippines Basketball Betting Legal?

Yes. Residents are allowed to bet on basketball in the Philippines through brick-and-mortar avenues and limited online avenues. PAGCOR, the country’s leading regulator of gambling entertainment, runs multiple retail betting locations under the MegaSportsWorld brand, as well as the MegaSportsWorld online betting app. There are also online services called POGOs, though these are limited to foreign bettors and are off-limits to native Filipinos.

Fortunately, Philippine gambling laws permit offshore online sports betting as long as the books are licensed and regulated in their own home countries. Most residents prefer to use these offshore sites, as they have more options when it comes to sports categories and available wagering types, like PBA betting and other local sporting events.

Top Rated Online Philippines Basketball Betting Sites For 2024

Our team of online basketball betting professionals has compiled a list of the best options for legal offshore sportsbooks accepting Filipino residents. You can find the results of our comprehensive search in the table below.

We’ve tested each one of our recommended brands for features like legal licensing, regulation, betting line selection, fair odds, multiple wager types, live betting, mobile betting capabilities, security standards, customer service, and more.

Each one of these destinations hosts basketball betting options for Filipino leagues like the PBA as well as popular international leagues like the NBA and other European leagues. You can check the best Philippine sportsbooks out by clicking on the links below.

Site NameBonus OfferPayout SpeedPHPlay Link
Online Sportsbooks
Betonline50% Max $1,00024-48 HoursPlay Now
1XBit Casino and SportsbookUp To 7 BTCInstantPlay Now
Sports Betting50% Max $1,00048 HoursPlay Now
MyBookie Logo50% Max $1,00024-48 HoursPlay Now
Xbet Logo50% Max $50024-48 HoursPlay Now

Can I Bet On Basketball At MegaSportsWorld?

Yes, you can.  MSW does offer betting lines on basketball at their multiple retail locations throughout the Philippines.  Those fans who are interested in a domestic option will find that MSW provides basketball betting of all kinds to Filipino bettors.

However, many bettors wish to wager on the PBA and other local fare using offshore sportsbook options. In addition to more sports, a wider selection of betting lines, and more competitive odds and payouts comparable to Vegas books, these operators offer the best bang for the buck across the board, and the convenience of online wagering simply can’t be beat. Plus, MSW betting is restricted to players 21 and older, while offshore sportsbooks take members at just 18 and up.

How Did Basketball Make Its Way To The Philippines?

Basketball was introduced to the Philippines back in the 20th century by US soldiers during American occupation in the country, and Filipino residents quickly fell in love with the imported game.

The Philippines Men’s National Team came to be in the early 1910s and competed in the Far Eastern Championship Games. They were quite successful in winning the majority of gold medals over the first decade of competition. The team later made its Olympic debut in 1936. When the Philippines officially became an independent country in 1946, domestic leagues emerged and basketball continued to rise in popularity.

The Philippines Basketball Association held its inaugural season in 1975, and it’s been an institution ever since. Still, local books do not allow PBA betting to this day, which is why offshore sportsbooks are so popular with Filipino basketball fans.

The Philippines Basketball Association

The Philippines Basketball Association (PBA) is the top domestic league and is made up of 12 teams. Basketball in the country was originally controlled by the Manila Industrial and Commerce Athletic Association located in Manila City, but that organization fell apart and many players moved to the PBA once it launched.

The PBA’s main selling points early on were better player compensation, better league infrastructure, and more standardized rules for the game throughout the country. The PBA is the second oldest basketball league in the world after the NBA.

2024 PBA Teams

  • Alaska Aces  (Alaska Milk Corporation)
  • Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (Ginebra San Miguel, Inc.)
  • Blackwater Bossing (Ever Bilena Cosmetics, Inc.)
  • Magnolia Hotshots (San Miguel Pure Foods Company, Inc.)
  • Meralco Bolts  (Manila Electric Company)
  • NLEX Road Warriors (Metro Pacific Investments Corporation)
  • NorthPort Batang Pier (Sultan 900 Capital, Inc.)
  • Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters (Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc.)
  • Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (Asian Coatings Philippines, Inc.)
  • San Miguel Beermen (San Miguel Brewery, Inc.)
  • Terra Firma Dyip (Terra Firma Realty Development Corporation)
  • TNT Tropang Giga  (Smart Communications)

PBA teams are all sponsored by corporations, something not seen in the NBA. Year to year, some teams may change sponsorships or different teams may emerge to replace poor performers, but this doesn’t happen every single season.

There are three different conferences or “tournaments” that make up the PBA season, and they’re played in the following order:

  1. Philippine Cup
  2. Commissioner’s Cup
  3. Governors’ Cup

If a team wins all three conferences in the season, they are deemed the “Grand Slam” champions, though this is very rare. The PBA player draft is held annually at the end of the Governors’ Cup.

Philippines Men’s National Basketball Team

The Philippines Men’s National Team is currently ranked #31 in the world FIBA rankings. They have been successful, which is not surprising given how popular the sport is in the country. The team has appeared in the following major international tournaments over its history:

  • Olympic Games – 7 (no medals)
  • FIBA World Cup – 6 (1 bronze)
  • Asian Championships – 27 (5 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze)
  • Asian Games – 16 (4 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze)

The Philippines Men’s National Team joined FIBA in 1936 and first competed in the Far Eastern Championship Games in 1913.

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL)

Much like the NBA’s G-League, the MPBL serves the purpose of a minor league division for the MPBL. The league’s 29 teams feature a mix of local talent, potential blue-chippers, former PBA players, and foreigners living in the country. This unique blend of regional on-court chemistry has cause the MPBL to rise into a prominent position in the Philippines.

Part of the popularity is due to the celebrity attachment to the league – Manny Pacquiao is the founder and guided the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League to professional status after just three years in operation.

Locals can wager at legal MPBL betting sites that are based offshore, but we suggest limiting your choices to the books we suggest. the season runs from early spring through late fall, providing gambling opportunities for most of the year.

What Was The Philippine Basketball League (PBL)?

The Philippine Basketball League (PBL) was a semi-professional league that was founded in May 1983. It ran all the way up until 2011. This league had far more teams than the PBA, but a number of PBL clubs had high rates of turnover and financial issues.

At one point, it was thought that the PBL would join with other regional leagues in the hopes of keeping itself afloat, but these plans didn’t materialize. The final nail in the coffin came when the PBA announced its D-League, causing most PBL players to move over to chase opportunities with the major league. Most online sportsbooks do not offer betting lines on PBA D-League action.

Resources For Philippine Basketball Fans: