<p>Picture this: you're watching an absolutely cracking basketball game. Back and forth all night. The score's tied. Ten seconds left. Someone takes a shot, it clangs off the rim. Buzzer sounds. Game over, right?</p> <p>Not quite. <strong>Now we've got overtime.</strong></p> <p>If you've ever <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nba/nba-news/how-to-stream-the-nba">watched an NBA game</a> go to OT and thought "how long does this actually last?" or "can they just keep playing forever?" – you're in the right place. Overtime in basketball is straightforward once you understand it, but there are some quirks that trip people up.</p> <p>Unlike football where overtime rules seem to change every other season, basketball keeps it simple. Five minutes. Play until someone wins. That's the gist.</p> <p>But there's more to it than that. Team fouls carry over (which matters massively). Timeouts work differently. And if you're betting on the game, overtime completely changes the equation.</p> <p>If you're trying to follow a nail-biting playoff game, you are looking at the <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/basketball-us">NBA odds</a> and want to understand why your over/under bet just got interesting, or just want to know if NBA games can actually end in a tie, this guide will sort you out.</p> <p>Let's break down exactly how NBA overtime works.</p> <h2>How Long Is Overtime in the NBA?</h2> <p>Right, let's start with the most basic question: how long is an NBA overtime period?</p> <p><strong>Five minutes.</strong></p> <p>That's it. Each overtime period is five minutes long. Not three minutes, not ten minutes. Five.</p> <p>It's the same length whether you're in the regular season or the playoffs. Whether it's a Tuesday night game in November or Game 7 of the Finals. Five minutes.</p> <p>The shot clock stays at 24 seconds, same as regulation. All the normal rules apply. It's basically like adding a tiny fifth quarter to the game.</p> <p>Here's what doesn't reset in overtime, and this is crucial: team fouls. Your team's foul count carries over from the fourth quarter straight into overtime. So if you were already in the bonus at the end of regulation, you're still in the bonus to start OT.</p> <p>This matters enormously. Teams playing careful defense at the end of the fourth quarter because they're in foul trouble? Still in foul trouble in overtime. Can completely change how the game is played.</p> <p>Each team gets a minimum of two timeouts per overtime period. If you had more than two timeouts left at the end of regulation, you keep those. If you had zero or one, you get bumped up to two. Keeps things somewhat fair.</p> <p>Personal fouls also carry over. If you had five fouls at the end of regulation, you've still got five fouls in overtime. One more and you're watching from the bench. Players in foul trouble have to be incredibly careful in OT.</p> <p>So when someone asks "how many minutes is overtime in the NBA," you can confidently say five minutes. Simple as that.</p> <h2>How Does NBA Overtime Work?</h2> <p>Alright, you know overtime is five minutes long. But how does it actually work? What happens at the start, and what happens at the end?</p> <p>Let's walk through it.</p> <h3>Jump Ball to Start</h3> <p>Overtime begins with a proper jump ball at center court. Proper jump ball, not the possession arrow nonsense you see during regulation.</p> <p>The ref tosses the ball up, two players jump for it, whoever tips it to their team gets possession. Old school.</p> <p>This is different from jump balls during regulation, where they use the possession arrow after the opening tip. In overtime, they go back to actually jumping for it.</p> <p>Why? Honestly, it's just tradition. Overtime feels like a mini fresh start, so they treat it like the beginning of a game.</p> <h3>First Team to Lead When Time Expires Wins</h3> <p>Here's the key thing about NBA overtime: it's not sudden death.</p> <p>In the NFL, certain overtime scenarios end the moment someone scores. Basketball doesn't work like that. You play the full five minutes, and whoever's ahead when the clock hits 0:00 wins the game.</p> <p>Could be a one-point game. Could be a blowout if one team goes on a run. Doesn't matter. Play the full five minutes, look at the scoreboard, higher number wins.</p> <p>This is important because you'll see teams playing different strategies. Sometimes a team will try to burn the clock and hold for the last shot. Other times they'll push the pace and try to build a lead.</p> <p>It's proper basketball for five minutes. Not some gimmicky sudden death situation.</p> <h3>What Happens If It's Still Tied?</h3> <p>Right, so you've played five minutes of overtime. The clock hits zero. You look at the scoreboard and it's still tied.</p> <p>What now?</p> <p>Another five-minute overtime period. That's what.</p> <p>The game just keeps going. Five minutes at a time, until someone finally wins. There's no limit. You could theoretically play ten overtime periods if both teams keep matching each other.</p> <p>It doesn't happen often, but it can happen. And when it does, it's absolutely mental.</p> <p>Before each new overtime period, there's another jump ball at center court. Team fouls carry over again. Everyone gets at least two more timeouts. And off you go for another five minutes.</p> <p>The longest NBA game ever went to six overtime periods. Six. That's 30 extra minutes of basketball beyond regulation. Absolutely exhausting for everyone involved.</p> <p>But here's the thing: there <strong>will </strong>be a winner. Eventually, someone pulls ahead and holds on. The game doesn't end until that happens.</p> <h2>Can NBA Games End in a Tie?</h2> <p>Short answer: <strong>No. Never. Not happening.</strong></p> <p>NBA games cannot end in a tie. Full stop.</p> <p>They'll play as many five-minute overtime periods as necessary until there's a winner. Could take one overtime, could take six. Doesn't matter. Someone's winning before everyone goes home.</p> <p>This is different from some other sports. The NFL used to allow ties in regular season games (though they've mostly eliminated them with rule changes). Soccer leagues allow draws. Hockey can end in ties during the regular season (though not playoffs).</p> <p>Basketball? Nope. Always a winner.</p> <p>It's actually one of the great things about basketball. You never get that frustrating feeling of "we watched three hours of sport for... nothing?" There's always a conclusion.</p> <p>The closest thing to a controversial "tie" situation in NBA history was probably a game where the refs missed something at the buzzer, but even then, someone technically won on the scoreboard.</p> <p>So if you're ever watching a game and it's tied at the end of regulation, settle in. Could be there a while, but someone's definitely winning.</p> <h2>Regular Season vs Playoff Overtime: What's the Difference?</h2> <p>Here's where people often get confused, probably because they're thinking of NFL rules.</p> <p>In the NFL, playoff overtime rules are different from regular season overtime. Different possessions, different sudden death situations, whole different beast.</p> <p>Basketball?<strong> No difference whatsoever.</strong></p> <p>Regular season overtime: five minutes, play until there's a winner.</p> <p>Playoff overtime: five minutes, play until there's a winner.</p> <p><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/basketball-us/nba">NBA Finals</a> Game 7 overtime: five minutes, play until there's a winner.</p> <p>It's all the same. The rules don't change just because the stakes are higher.</p> <p>I reckon the confusion comes from two places. First, people assume playoffs must be different because they're more important. Second, other sports do change their overtime rules for playoffs, so it seems logical that basketball would too.</p> <p>But the NBA keeps it simple. The rules are the rules, whether it's October or June.</p> <p>This actually makes sense when you think about it. Basketball overtime already guarantees a winner. There's no need for special playoff rules to avoid ties because ties don't exist in the first place.</p> <p>So don't let anyone tell you playoff overtime is longer, or there's sudden death in the playoffs, or any of that rubbish. It's five-minute periods, unlimited, same as always.</p> <h2>Historic NBA Overtime Games</h2> <p>Right, let's talk about some of the mental overtime games that have happened over the years. Because while most overtime games are just one extra period, occasionally you get something absolutely bonkers.</p> <h3>Longest Overtime Games in NBA History</h3> <p>The record for most overtime periods in a single NBA game is <strong>six overtimes</strong>. Six.</p> <p>This happened way back in 1951 between the Indianapolis Olympians and the Rochester Royals. The Royals won 75-73 after six overtime periods. That's 30 extra minutes of basketball on top of regulation.</p> <p>Bear in mind this was 1951. Slower pace, lower scoring, no shot clock (that wasn't introduced until 1954). So six overtimes at that pace must have felt like an eternity.</p> <p>The modern record for most overtimes is five, which has happened a handful of times. Most recently in 1989 when the Seattle SuperSonics beat the Milwaukee Bucks 155-154 in five overtimes.</p> <p>155-154. What a scoreline. Twenty-five extra minutes of basketball. Players must have been absolutely knackered by the end.</p> <p>In the modern era with the shot clock and faster pace, multiple overtimes are rare. The most recent quadruple overtime game (four OT periods) was in 2019 when the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Denver Nuggets 140-137. That game lasted nearly four hours. Absolute marathon.</p> <p>Triple overtime games happen maybe once or twice a season if you're lucky. Anything beyond that is genuinely special.</p> <h3>How Often Do NBA Games Go to Overtime?</h3> <p>Not as often as you might think.</p> <p>Roughly <strong>6-7% of NBA games go to overtime.</strong> With 1,230 games in a regular season, that's about 75-85 games.</p> <p>Add in the playoffs and you're looking at around 100 overtime games per year across the entire NBA. Out of 1,300+ total games, that's pretty rare.</p> <p>Multiple overtimes are even rarer. Maybe 5-10 games per year go to double overtime. Triple overtime or beyond? You'll see one or two per season if that.</p> <p>Most overtime games are just one extra period. Someone goes on a little run, builds a 4-5 point lead, and closes it out. Quick and relatively painless.</p> <p>The marathons are the exception, not the rule.</p> <h3>Famous Overtime Moments</h3> <p>Some of the most iconic moments in NBA history happened in overtime or directly led to overtime.</p> <p><strong>Reggie Miller's 8 Points in 9 Seconds</strong> might be the most famous. 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Pacers down by 6 with 18 seconds left. Miller goes absolutely mental, scores 8 straight points, Pacers win in regulation (didn't even need overtime because of how insane the comeback was).</p> <p>But that game is forever linked with overtime drama because of how close it came.</p> <p><strong>Michael Jordan's flu game </strong>in the 1997 NBA Finals went to overtime in some people's memories, but it actually didn't – the Bulls won in regulation. Still, plenty of Jordan's legendary performances happened in overtime throughout his career.</p> <p><strong>LeBron's block and Kyrie's shot</strong> in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals – that game felt like it should have gone to overtime given how tense it was, but Kyrie's three-pointer with 53 seconds left decided it in regulation.</p> <p>The point is, overtime games become legendary because of the pressure. Everything's amplified. Every possession matters. Players are exhausted. It's pure drama.</p> <p>When a playoff game goes to overtime, especially in a closeout situation, it becomes must-watch television.</p> <h2>College Basketball Overtime Rules</h2> <p>Since we're talking about basketball overtime, it's worth covering how college basketball handles it. Because there are some key differences that matter if you watch both the NBA and <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/american-football/college-football">NCAA</a>.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Length:</strong> Same as the NBA. Five-minute overtime periods.</li> <li><strong>Format:</strong> Same as the NBA. Unlimited overtimes until there's a winner. No ties.</li> <li><strong>Jump ball:</strong> Same as the NBA. Each overtime starts with a jump ball at center court.</li> </ul> <p>So far, all the same. Where it differs is in the foul situation.</p> <p><strong>Team fouls reset each overtime period in college basketball.</strong> This is huge.</p> <p>In the NBA, remember, <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nba/nba-news/basketball-fouls-violations-explained">team fouls carry over</a> from the fourth quarter into overtime, and then from overtime to overtime. You could start an overtime period already in the bonus if you fouled a lot in the fourth quarter.</p> <p>College basketball wipes the slate clean. Each overtime period starts with zero team fouls for both teams. You need to commit four team fouls in that specific overtime period before the other team gets into the bonus.</p> <p>Why the difference? Honestly, just different philosophies. The NBA wants continuity – your fourth quarter mistakes carry consequences into OT. College wants each overtime to feel like a fresh mini-period.</p> <p>From a strategic standpoint, the college rule means teams can be more aggressive defensively to start each overtime. In the NBA, if you're already at 4 team fouls going into OT, you're playing incredibly careful defense because one more foul puts them in the bonus.</p> <p>Both systems work. They're just different approaches to the same problem.</p> <p>The other quirk in college is the bonus threshold: <strong>4 team fouls per overtime period</strong> (compared to 5 in the NBA). And college has the one-and-one free throw situation at 7 fouls (in a half) versus double bonus at 10. But in overtime, they go straight to double bonus since it's a separate period.</p> <p>If you're watching March Madness and a game goes to overtime, now you know why teams seem to be fouling more freely than you'd expect – because those fouls reset.</p> <h2>Overtime and Basketball Betting</h2> <p>If you know <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/how-to-bet-on-the-nba">how to bet on basketball</a>, then you already know that overtime changes everything. And I mean <strong>everything</strong>.</p> <h3>Does the Over/Under Include Overtime?</h3> <p><strong>Yes.</strong> Always.</p> <p>Every sportsbook, including Sportsbet,&nbsp; includes overtime when settling over/under bets. The total points scored in the game – including however many overtime periods there are – is what counts for your bet.</p> <p>So if you bet over 220.5 points, and the game is 108-107 at the end of regulation (215 total), you're sweating. But if it goes to overtime and ends 118-117? That's 235 total. You just hit your over thanks to overtime.</p> <p>This works both ways, obviously. You can also lose an under bet because of overtime.</p> <p>The important thing to remember: when you place an over/under bet on a basketball game, you're betting on the final score including any overtime periods. Not just regulation.</p> <h3>How Overtime Affects Betting</h3> <p>Overtime impacts basically every type of basketball bet:</p> <p><strong>Over/Under</strong>: As mentioned, OT adds points. A game that was looking like an easy under can suddenly flip with five minutes of extra play. Especially if it's a high-scoring overtime – which isn't uncommon because teams are more aggressive knowing time is limited.</p> <p><strong>Spread Betting</strong>: The point spread is based on the final score including overtime. So if you bet Celtics -5.5, they need to win by 6+ points at the end of the game, whenever that is. If they win by 3 in regulation but win by 8 in overtime, your bet wins.</p> <p><strong>Player Prop Bets</strong>: Points, rebounds, assists – all of these include overtime. If you bet LeBron over 27.5 points and he has 25 through regulation, you're praying for OT. Those extra five minutes give him more chances to hit the over.</p> <p><strong>Moneyline</strong>: Interesting thing about moneyline – overtime doesn't really matter in the sense that you're just betting on who wins. Doesn't matter if they win in regulation or after six overtimes. A win is a win. But the overtime drama can be absolutely brutal if you've got a moneyline bet on a close game.</p> <p><strong>Live Betting During Overtime</strong>: This is where things get wild. Sportsbooks offer live betting during overtime periods. The odds shift dramatically based on who's ahead and how much time is left. If you're into live betting, overtime is when you can find value because everything's so volatile.</p> <p>The key thing to understand: if you're betting on NBA games, you need to factor in the possibility of overtime. A game that looks like a lock at the end of the third quarter can go sideways in the fourth, head to OT, and completely change the outcome of your bet.</p> <p>This is especially true for totals. An overtime period typically adds 10-20 points to the total score. So if the total is set at 220, and you're betting the over, you're basically hoping it goes to overtime if it's tracking low.</p> <p>Some experienced bettors actually want overtime when they've got an over bet that's not looking good. Five extra minutes can save their bet.</p>