NBA 2026 Playoff Contests, Brackets, and Pools: Free and for Real Money

• Entry Fee: Free
• Prize Pool: $10,000
• Contest Type: Bracket

The first NBA betting contest playoff on the docket comes from BetOnline, where you can enter for free into a bracket contest with a $10,000 prize pool!

This NBA betting contest, which closes on April 20, 2026, at 7:30 PM ET, is free to enter, but you do need to bet a minimum of $25 in the sportsbook, casino, or racebook between April 13-20 to qualify for the prizes.

Pick the winner of each playoff series in the NBA playoffs, starting with the first round, and you can win $500 for first place. You’ll get one point for each correct pick in the first round, two points for the second round, four points for the conference finals, and eight points for the Finals.

First place wins $500, $300 for second place, $200 for third place, $150 for fourth place, and $100 for fifth place. If you finish from sixth place to 500th place, you’re guaranteed between $10 and $80.

How to Play:

• Create an account at BetOnline and register for the contest.
• Bet at least $25 in the sportsbook, casino, or racebook to qualify for the prize pool.
• Make your selections for the entire NBA playoff bracket from the first round to the Finals.
• There is a tiebreaker if necessary.
• Winning are paid out to your account with no rollover.

• Entry Fee: Free
• Prize Pool: $10,000
• Contest Type: Bracket

Sportsbetting.ag has their own NBA playoff betting contest bracket to offer you, with a $10,000 prize pool. It is free to enter. However, you still have to bet $25 between April 13 and April 20 to ensure you qualify for the prizes, with $500 going to first place, and the top 500 players finish in the money.

How to Play:

• Register an account at Sportsbetting.ag and sign up for this contest.
• Wager $25 minimum  in the sportsbook, casino, or racebook to qualify for the prize money.
• Make your picks for the entire NBA playoff bracket for all four rounds.
• There is a tiebreaker if one is needed.
• Winning are paid out to your account with no rollover with 72 hours of the NBA Finals ending.

• Entry Fee: Per Square
• Prize Pool: $100 to $1,000 per game
• Contest Type: Squares

MyBookie’s Squares contest continues to run throughout the NBA playoffs, and you can get in on the action for every game. There are four prize pools: $100 ($1.25 per square), $250 ($3.00 per square), $500 ($6.00 per square), and $1,000 ($12.00 per square). You’re trying to pick the total score for each team at the end of each quarter.

The last number in each team’s toal score is matched with the grid, and whoever owns those numbers where the grid intersects is the winner. For example, if the end of the first-quarter score is Oklahoma City 24, San Antonio 20, whoever owns the Thunder number 4, and the Spurs number 0, wins the prize.

How to Play:

1. Sign up and register for an account at MyBookie. Head to the Contests link and select “Squares”.
2. Pick your squares on the board, then submit your purchase.
3. When you purchase your squares, your name will go on the the square.
4. All contests have a 100% payout regardless of whether all 100 squares have been purchased.
5. Winnings are paid in cash to your account.
6. If the contest is cancelled, your money is refunded.

• Entry Fee: Free
• Prize Pool: $5,000
• Contest Type: Pick ‘em

Our final NBA betting contest is from Everygame, which is the $5K Hot Hoops Chase! Every bet you make on the NBA season (as well as college basketball) will be counted, and the player with the highest amount of qualifying bets receives $1,000. Second and third place get $750 each, while fourth and fifth will receive $500 each. From sixth to 20^th in the standings will get $100 each.

To qualify, these wagers must be at least $20. But parlay bets are included, along with single wagers, both pre-game and in-play bets. Moreover, the odds for the wager must be a minimum of -200.

Everygame will update the leaderboard regularly so you can see how you stack up against the competition as the season goes on!