Best Online NBA Playoffs Contests in 2023

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If you’re an NBA fan, I’m sure you’re excited about the postseason and have certain expectations of which teams can go all the way. If that’s the case, I strongly recommend joining a 2023 NBA Playoff contest! It’s free (in most cases), entertaining, and can bring you cool prizes.

I’ve selected the four best online contests, both free and for real money, to get you started! The list includes NBA playoff bracket contests, squares, and more.

$10,000 NBA Playoffs Bracket Contest by BetOnline

  • Entry Fee: Free
  • Prize Pool: $10,000

BetOnline offers one of the best free NBA Playoff contests. Entering is easy – you just need a valid BetOnline account to register for the contest. Each player only gets to submit one entry, and only completed brackets qualify for prizes.

The idea here is simple. You pick the winners of all 15 series in the 2023 NBA playoffs, from the first round to the finals. Points are awarded based on the accuracy of your predictions. After you submit your bracket, you have until April 17 at 8 p.m. to make any changes.

The 10,000 Bracket Contest by BetOnline adheres to a point system. You earn and accumulate points with accurate predictions as the postseason progresses. Here’s how the point system works:

  • 1 point in the First Round
  • 2 points in the Conference Semifinals
  • 4 points in the Conference Finals
  • 8 points in the NBA Finals

To qualify for prizes, you must bet at least $25 on each round of the playoffs. Anyone who finishes in the top 500 will receive a piece of the $10,000 prize pool. If there’s a tiebreaker, BetOnline will determine a winner based on the closest answer in terms of total points.

Prizes are awarded as Free Play money, which includes a 3x rollover requirement. BetOnline will deposit the money into your account 72 hours after the NBA Finals are completed

Free NBA Bracket Challenge

  • Entry Fee: Free
  • Prize Pool: Various
  • Grand Prize: $1 million (perfect bracket)

The NBA also offers a bracket challenge that’s free to enter. You have to predict the winners in every round of the postseason. Entrants are also awarded points based on the accuracy of their predictions. The purpose of the contest is to make as many correct picks as you possibly can.

The number of points awarded to entrants will vary in every round. Here is how the point system works for the NBA Bracket Challenge:

  • 200 points in the First Round
  • 400 points in the Conference Semifinals
  • 800 points in the Conference Finals
  • 1,600 points in the NBA Finals

Prizes are doled out once the points are tallied and the NBA championship is completed. Participants are limited to just one entry in the contest. If you exceed entry limitations, you’ll be disqualified from the contest.

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IMPORTANT:

You must access the Game Registration page to enter the contest. Simply log into the Game Play page with your username and password. Registration is free, and participants must ensure that their contact info is up to date.

The prizes also vary in this particular contest. A perfect bracket earns you $1 million. First place will get courtside seats. Anyone who finishes 2nd-5th will receive two tickets to an NBA game next season. 6th-55th place earns you a $100 Ticketmaster gift card.

ESPN NBA Bracket Challenge

  • Entry Fee: Free
  • Prize Pool: $2,500 + smaller prizes

Here’s another one of my favorite NBA Playoffs contests for 2023. ESPN also has a bracket challenge, and the grand prize is worth $2,500. Participants are limited to two entries, and mass entry attempts will result in disqualification.

The purpose of the contest is to accumulate the most points through accurate predictions. You have to submit your picks for all 15 series in the playoffs. The participant who claims the most points will win the $2,500 grand prize.

ESPN also makes use of a point system, and here’s how it works:

  • First Round: 40 points per correct pick
  • Conference Semifinals: 80 points per correct pick
  • Conference Finals: 160 points per correct pick
  • NBA Finals: 320 points per correct pick

Your picks must be submitted before the First Round gets underway. The deadline is April 15 at 1 p.m., and any selections submitted afterward are invalid. If there’s a tie, entrants must correctly answer an open-ended Tiebreaker Question.

Only one person will receive $2,500, which is awarded to the entrant with the most cumulative points. The winnings will be awarded in the form of a check or direct deposit. Winners will have to wait around 8-10 weeks to receive their prize.

Squares Contest by BetUS

  • Entry Fee: Various
  • Prize Pool: Various

BetUS is offering a 2023 NBA Playoff contest that you can’t pass up. It involves betting pools with other participants, and you have to pick squares in a 10×10 grid. Once the squares are sold, numbers are randomly generated to determine the values.

Before selecting a square, make sure you’re looking at every position on the grid. Once you purchase the square, it can’t be refunded. If multiple players purchase the same square, the person who purchased it first will receive it.

Winners are determined by the last digit of the score from each team at the end of every quarter during a game. Prizes are split per quarter, and the earnings will vary according to certain percentages. Here’s how it works:

  • 1st Quarter – 12.5%
  • Half-time – 25%
  • Third Quarter – 12.5%
  • End of Game – 50%

Prizes are awarded directly to your BetUS account, and it’s possible to win multiple prizes per game. There is no rollover, but you must satisfy any existing requirements before requesting a withdrawal. At least 35% of the grid must be purchased for any action to take place.