2024 NBA All-Star Game: Format, Players, Odds, Lines, Best Bets, Predictions & Tips

After having team captains select the All-Star teams from 2018 to 2023, the game returned to its old East vs. West format. There are 12 players chosen from the Eastern Conference and 12 players from the Western Conference.

Fan ballots account for 50% of the vote, while media members and current players make up 25% apiece.

Starting lineups can include any five players regardless of position. There does not need to be one point guard, one shooting guard, one small forward, etc.

Scoring has also been altered for the 2024 All-Star Game, reverting to a traditional scoring method rather than the “Elam Ending,” which used a target score to keep games competitive. The “Elam Ending” was in place from 2020 to 2023 but has been replaced by normal scoring rules with four 12-minute quarters.

According to the NBA, the following players were selected as starters for the game.

Eastern Conference Starters

• Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
• Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
• Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
• Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
• Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks

Western Conference Starters

• LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
• Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
• Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
• Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Note: Embiid will not play due to injury.

According to the NBA, the 30 coaches in the league pick the reserves. They vote for two guards, three frontcourt players and two players from any position. Commissioner Adam Silver is tasked with selecting replacements for anyone who can’t compete.

Eastern Conference Reserves

• Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
• Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
• Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
• Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
• Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
• Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
• Julius Randle, New York Knicks

Western Conference Reserves

• Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
• Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
• Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
• Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
• Paul George, LA Clippers
• Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
• Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves

The following online sportsbooks offer NBA All-Star Game bets:

• FanDuel
• DraftKings
• Caesars
• BetMGM
• Bet365
• Fanatics

When you pick a sportsbook, make sure to use their respective bonus promotions.

The account creation process is simple. You are required to provide basic information such as your name and address, but it only takes a few minutes. Once the sportsbook verifies your info, you will be able to bet on the NBA All-Star Game.

The game’s history, format, and notable statistics are covered below and should help you decide whether betting on the game is worth it.

Let’s get into betting specifics, tips and trends for the NBA All-Star Game.

The NBA All-Star Game was inaugurated in 1951, and the rules of the game were almost entirely the same as regular season or playoff games. The All-Star Game consists of two teams, each with 12 players. There are 12 players chosen from the Eastern Conference and 12 players from the Western Conference.

However, the game’s format has changed in recent years.

Instead of East vs. West, which is what the game was for decades, the format from 2018-23 assigned a “captain” from both conferences, who then drafted their teams based on the remaining 22 NBA All-Stars.

The captains were selected by acquiring the most votes in their respective conferences. A year after this new format was introduced, the captains’ draft, where the captains select their teams, became televised.

For the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, the league returned to the classic East vs. West format. There is no draft.

The NBA All-Star Game selection process has been changed a few times throughout the game’s history, but now it’s weighted in three different categories: media, fan, and player voting.

Fan voting makes up 50%, while media voters and current players make up 25% apiece.

Another recent change is the starting lineup featuring non-specific positions. It is now made up of two guards and three frontcourt players from each conference instead of each player being forced to be at a specific position.

Still, the differentiation between a “backcourt” and “frontcourt” player has caused controversy in an era of truly “positionless” basketball.

In the past few seasons, the NBA All-Star Game implemented a new element called the “Elam Ending,” which utilizes a “target score” format that keeps the game competitive in the fourth quarter, even if a team has a somewhat sizable lead.

The 2024 NBA All-Star Game returns to the traditional scoring system with four 12-minute quarters.

Similar to regular-season games, the NBA All-Star Game has records that have been kept since its creation more than 70 years ago. Take a look at some of the single-game records and other notable all-time marks.

Single-Game Records

• Most Points: Jayson Tatum – 55 (2023)
• Most Rebounds: Bob Pettit – 27 (1962)
• Most Assists: Magic Johnson – 22 (1984)
• Most Steals: Rick Barry – 8 (1975)
• Most Blocks: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 6 (1980)
• Most Three-Pointers Made: Steph Curry – 16 (2022)

Other Notable Records

• Most MVPs: Kobe Bryant, Bob Pettit – 4
• Most Triple-Doubles: Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant – 1
• Most Team Points: 196 – West (2016)
• Most Combined Points: 374 (2017)

There is no way to guarantee a profit wagering on sports, including on the NBA All-Star Game. Still, there are some strategies to help your money last longer when gambling.

MVPs Fluctuate

One of the most interesting trends in the All-Star Game is how scarcely there is a repeat MVP. Russell Westbrook (2015, 2016) and Bob Pettit (1958, 1959) are the only two players to win back-to-back MVP awards during the game’s history.

This trend is likely not going to stop anytime soon, either, with the game being so high-scoring and volatile. Very little defense is played, and the player who gets hot at the beginning of the game will probably see the ball more than someone who doesn’t hit their first few shots.

Centers Scarcely Win MVP

The traditional big-man role in the NBA has slowly been phased out over the past decade. It is rare for a back-to-the-basket big man with no jump shot to have a place in the league unless he does something else at a high level, i.e. rim protection, defense, etc.

Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic are the two best centers in the NBA, but recent All-Star Game MVP history has not been kind to big men. Shaquille O’Neal is the only center to win the award since 1994.

While it doesn’t make sense to eliminate Jokic or Embiid as a potential All-Star MVP candidate, you should only take their sports betting odds to win if they are quite long. Ball handlers and shooters have dominated the award in recent years, so keep that in mind.

Trends Lack Relevance for All-Star Games

Steph Curry hit 16 three-pointers in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game on his way to winning the NBA All-Star Game MVP. Was Curry on fire leading up to that game?

Nope. In the 13 games before the NBA All-Star Game, Curry was shooting merely 35% from behind the arc, which is much lower than his career average of nearly 43%. Betting on All-Star Game MVPs is not as simple as which player has been the hottest leading up to the event.

Dunks & Threes

The NBA All-Star Game, much like the NBA, now revolves around three-point shooting and spectacular finishing. Mid-range shooting, defense and post-moves are virtually non-existent, especially in this game.

For that reason, players who make their living shooting threes and finishing around the rim have the best chance to win the NBA All-Star MVP.

Avoid the Total with Elam Ending

There is no longer a “final target score” (the NBA’s wording), so the point total is worth betting in 2024. Let’s rehash what the so-called “Elam ending” did to wagering on the over/under.

The Elam ending complicates betting on the point total. This format sets a target score in the fourth quarter, inherently making the competition level increase for that quarter as time can’t run out and teams that are behind can make a comeback if they play strong enough defense.

It was a great concept for an NBA All-Star Game, and we have already seen why adding in the Elam ending is fun, but it adds another layer of complexity to betting on the point total.

It also can shut down an “Over” bet if the first three quarters of the game haven’t been incredibly high-scoring.

The NBA All-Star Game is a yearly celebration of the Association’s best that features plenty of dunks, jaw-dropping plays and no defense. Every year, the game ends with one player being named MVP.

In February 2020, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver renamed the award the NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant MVP Award in honor of Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash the previous month and won All-Star Game MVP four times in his playing career.

Who Has Won The Most NBA All-Star Game MVPs?

As of 2024, Bryant and Bob Pettit are tied for the most NBA All-Star Game MVPs with four. LeBron James is right behind them with three, however, and has a chance to win his fourth this year.

Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal are the other three-time winners. Bob Cousy, Julius Erving, Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, Karl Malone, Allen Iverson, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant have all won the award twice.

Can You Bet on NBA All-Star Game MVP?

Yes, you can wager on the award at NBA betting sites, but it’s not easy.

There have been only two repeat winners (Russell Westbrook in 2015-16 and Pettit in 1958-59), which shows that anyone can win the award in any given year.

Additionally, Shaq is the only primary center to win All-Star Game MVP in the 21st Century, so it’s best to place your bets on guards and forwards.

Keep in mind that it’s also possible for two players to share the award. It’s happened four times in NBA history, most recently in 2009.

Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

You might now be wondering whether or not you should bet on the NBA All-Star Game.

It depends on your goals. It adds an extra layer of entertainment to a game that already features high-flying dunks, deep three-pointers and flashy passes. Occasionally, the lack of defense can pull your attention away, so betting can keep you engaged from start to finish.

Due to the scoring volatility, point totals are challenging to bet on and have been made even more difficult due to the newly implemented “Elam Ending.”

As far as All-Star Game bets are concerned, wagering on the moneyline, spread and player props is generally more straightforward. Still, this game is highly unpredictable, and there is no reliable way to make money betting on the NBA All-Star Game.