For the first time, the National Basketball Association (NBA) will broadcast its games on free-to-air television stations (TV5, ONE Sports) and with over-the-top streaming services to Filipino fans.
The NBA solidified the plan to broadcast in the Philippines when the league announced this past Monday that they had reached a multi-year deal with Cignal TV Inc. NBA Asia Managing Director Scott Levy told the media that NBA fans in the Philippines are among the most passionate and dedicated NBA supporters in the world and that they are excited to partner with Cignal and to broadcast NBA games nationwide.
The NBA is set to relaunch its 2020 season on July 30th. There will be eight seeding games before the start of the 2020 NBA playoffs. The postseason will resume with its traditional format of 16 teams, eight from both divisions. The only difference to the postseason is that all games will be held inside a Disney World bubble in Orlando, Florida.
The first broadcast will be aired on Friday. TV5 and ONE Sports will air select seeding games between the two networks and televise the entire Conference Finals leading up to the NBA Finals.
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) season was on hold until the Department of Health, Games and Amusement Board, and the Philippine Sports Commission signed a joint administrative order to allow professional sports to return to practice. However, PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial added that teams can only resume workouts and training for now after all players and staff undergo COVID-19 tests next week.
Betting on NBA games has been popular across the island nation for some time now, partly because Philippine gambling laws do not allow domestic sportsbooks to accept bets on events held in the Philippines. To bet on domestic events like PBA games, PH bettors have to turn to offshore sportsbooks that operate within the law.
Offshore sportsbooks offer Filipino bettors a legal way to bet on sports worldwide and domestic sporting events. The Philippine legal sportsbooks listed in our betting guides provide Filipinos convenient ways to fund and withdraw their accounts while offering incentives to sign up, such as a “Welcome Bonus.”
While bonuses are great for some players, we only suggest taking a bonus offer if you intend on betting a lot since there are rollover requirements attached to the bonus funds. Avid sports bettors will often receive these offers knowing that they will reach the rollover throughout the season.
To learn more about betting on PBA games or the NBA restart, see our sports pages where our industry professionals break down the science of betting on sports and show first-time bettors how to get the most bang for their buck.