<p>The NBA All-Star Game has been played 74 times since 1951. In that span, the league has changed the format more often than most punters change their betting strategy.</p> <p>East vs. West ran for decades. Then captains picked schoolyard-style. Then came the Elam Ending. Then a four-team first-to-40 tournament in 2025. And in 2026, the league rolled out a U.S. vs. World round-robin format with timed 12-minute games.</p> <p>For anyone looking to have a punt on the All-Star Game, that constant tinkering matters. On one hand, because you should never bet on something you don't know or an event you don't really understand the rules of. On the other hand, which is almost equally important, because new formats create new opportunities, particularly when bookies are still trying to figure out how to price an event that's never been played before.</p> <p>This guide covers the format, the key betting markets, the strategies that actually hold up in exhibition basketball, and the historical context that separates sharp bets from hopeful ones.</p> <h2>What Is the NBA All-Star Game?</h2> <p>The NBA All-Star Game is the league's annual mid-season exhibition, typically held on the third Sunday in February.</p> <p>This year, the <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nba/nba-news/when-is-the-nba-all-star-game-2026">2026 NBA All-Star Game</a> will be played on February 15, in Los Angeles, California at the Intuit Dome, the home of the LA Clippers.</p> <p>Twenty-four of the best players from the Eastern and Western Conferences are selected through a combination of fan voting (50%), player voting (25%), and media voting (25%) for starters, with head coaches selecting the reserves.</p> <p>It's the centrepiece of a massive 'All-Star Weekend', a three-day event that also includes the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, plus the Slam Dunk Contest, Three-Point Contest, and Skills Challenge on Saturday.</p> <p>The All-Star Game MVP receives the Kobe Bryant Trophy, named in honour of the late Lakers legend who won the award four times, tying him with Bob Pettit for the all-time record. The award was permanently renamed after Bryant following his passing in January 2020.</p> <h2>How the Format Has Changed Over the Years</h2> <p>Anyone betting on the All-Star Game needs to understand one thing above all else: the NBA can't stop changing it.</p> <p>For most of its history, the game was straightforward. Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference. Four quarters. The team with more points at the end won. Simple. The kind of event we all understand.</p> <p>That changed in 2018, when the league introduced a captain draft system. The two leading vote-getters from each conference picked their teams regardless of conference, playground style. The idea was to inject some competitive juice into a game that had become an afterthought defensively.</p> <p>In 2020, the Elam Ending arrived. Named after Purdue professor Nick Elam, the untimed fourth quarter set a target score 24 points above the leading team's total after three quarters, honouring Bryant's jersey number. It worked reasonably well for a few years.</p> <p>Then came 2024 in Indianapolis. The East won 211-186. Nobody played defence. The game was widely panned. The league went back to the drawing board.</p> <p>In 2025, the NBA introduced a four-team tournament format at Chase Center in San Francisco. Three teams of All-Stars (Team Shaq, Team Chuck, Team Kenny) were joined by the Rising Stars Challenge winners. Games were played first-to-40, with a $1.8 million prize pool.</p> <p>Shaq's OGs won the event, and hometown hero Stephen Curry took home the MVP with 12 points in the final, punctuated by a half-court buzzer beater.</p> <p>The 2026 edition, set for February 15 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, changes things yet again. This time it's a U.S. vs. World format with three teams:</p> <ul> <li>USA Stars</li> <li>USA Stripes</li> <li>Team World.</li> </ul> <p>The round-robin features four 12-minute timed games, a major shift from 2025's untimed first-to-40 format.</p> <p>The 2027 game heads to Phoenix at Mortgage Matchup Center (February 21, 2027), though no format details have been announced. Do we expect a new format to be introduced also in 2027? You bet (pun intended).</p> <p>For punters, the constant format changes are both a headache and an opportunity because bookies don't have historical data to lean on, and that uncertainty means odds can be softer than you'd find for more established events.</p> <h2>The 2026 Format: U.S. vs. World Explained</h2> <p>The 75th edition of the All-Star Game debuts the U.S. vs. World concept. Here's how it works.</p> <p>In 2026, the NBA is using a USA vs. World concept: two teams of U.S.-based All-Stars and one team of international players compete in a short round-robin, with the top two advancing to a final. Each game is a timed 12-minute contest.</p> <p>The 16 American All-Stars were split by age, with the younger group going to USA Stars and the older group to USA Stripes.</p> <p>Team World has nine players after the NBA moved Karl-Anthony Towns (Dominican heritage through his late mother) to the international side and commissioner Adam Silver added Kawhi Leonard to the USA pool.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Game 1</strong>: USA Stars vs. World</li> <li><strong>Game 2</strong>: USA Stripes vs. winner of Game 1</li> <li><strong>Game 3</strong>: USA Stripes vs. loser of Game 1</li> <li><strong>Game 4</strong>: Championship (top two teams from round-robin play)</li> </ul> <p>Each game runs 12 minutes. If all three teams finish 1-1 after the round-robin, point differential serves as the tiebreaker.</p> <p>The game tips off at 5 p.m. ET (9 a.m. AEDT, Monday February 16 for Australian viewers) on NBC and Peacock.</p> <p>This format matters for betting. Timed games produce different scoring patterns than first-to-40 contests. Game management, clock awareness, and pacing all become factors, which means over/under markets and team totals should behave differently than they did in 2025.</p> <h2>NBA All-Star Game Betting Markets</h2> <p>The All-Star Game won't generate the depth of markets you'd find for a regular-season game or a playoff clash, but there's still plenty on offer.</p> <p>Here at Sportsbet, for example, we carry <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/basketball-us/nba-all-star-game">all the All-Star Game key betting markets</a>.</p> <h3>Tournament Winner</h3> <p>This is the most straightforward bet. Pick which of the three teams wins the 2026 All-Star Game outright. With three teams instead of two, you're getting longer odds across the board, and the round-robin structure means upsets are more likely since every team plays at least twice.</p> <h3>Match Betting</h3> <p>Each of the round-robin games is available as a standalone market. You're simply picking which team wins each individual 12-minute contest. With three matchups on the card (USA Stars vs. USA Stripes, USA Stars vs. World, and USA Stripes vs. World), you can bet on each game independently rather than committing to an outright tournament pick.</p> <h3>Handicap Betting</h3> <p>Spreads are available for each individual game in the round-robin. Given the exhibition nature and the talent parity across rosters, the handicap lines are tight, typically sitting around 1.5 to 2.5 points.</p> <p>These are worth watching if you think one team's style or energy level gives them a clear edge in a particular matchup but you're not confident enough to back them on the head-to-head line.</p> <h3>Total Points Scored</h3> <p>Each game has its own over/under line. The switch to 12-minute timed games in 2026 means the total scoring environment will differ significantly from 2025's first-to-40 format. In a 12-minute exhibition quarter with reduced defensive effort, bookies have set initial lines in the low-to-mid 80s, but this is genuinely uncharted territory.</p> <p>Keep an eye on how the first game plays out before diving into live betting on the later contests. The opening matchup sets the tempo for the entire event.</p> <h2>Betting Strategies for the All-Star Game</h2> <p>Exhibition basketball plays differently than competitive basketball. Any strategy that doesn't account for that is going to struggle. Here's what actually matters.</p> <h3>New Formats Favour Underdogs</h3> <p>No one, including the bookmakers, has reliable data on a format that's never been used. The 2026 U.S. vs. World round-robin is brand new.</p> <p>Team World might be the most talented single roster in the field with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić, and Victor Wembanyama, but the two USA squads have numerical advantage in the round-robin structure.</p> <p>Odds on the perceived underdog often carry value in these situations.</p> <h3>The Narrative Drives MVP Voting</h3> <p>Forget about who has the best statline. The MVP often goes to the player with the best story. Curry won in 2025 playing at home in San Francisco. LeBron James won three MVPs across his career, often in memorable settings.</p> <p>Anthony Davis won in 2017 when the game was in New Orleans, his home city. Fifteen All-Star MVPs in history played for the host city's team.</p> <p>In 2026, the game is in Los Angeles. Luka Dončić (Lakers) and Kawhi Leonard (Clippers) are the two players with local connections. If either puts up a strong performance, the voters will lean their way. That's a genuine edge if the odds don't already reflect it.</p> <h3>Prize Money Creates Incentive</h3> <p>In 2025, the league offered a $1.8 million prize pool: $125,000 per player on the winning team, $50,000 for the runner-up, and $25,000 for semifinal losers. These figures are expected to be similar in 2026. For context, that's more than many G League players earn in a full season.</p> <p>The money alone won't make superstars play at playoff intensity, but it does prevent the game from becoming the defensive no-show that plagued the 2024 edition. Players at least have something tangible on the line beyond bragging rights.</p> <h3>Timed Games Change the Scoring Dynamic</h3> <p>The shift from first-to-40 (2025) to 12-minute timed games (2026) has real implications for totals betting. First-to-40 games could end in six minutes or stretch beyond 15.</p> <p>Timed games provide a fixed window, which means scoring output is more predictable, but also potentially lower since there's no incentive to push pace if you're already ahead.</p> <p>In a 12-minute exhibition quarter with reduced defensive effort, a reasonable estimate for total scoring per game sits somewhere between 60 and 90 points combined. But this is genuinely uncharted territory, so bookies may set initial lines conservatively.</p> <h3>Watch for Late Roster Changes</h3> <p>All-Star rosters are announced roughly two weeks before the game, but injury replacements happen right up to tip-off. In 2025, LeBron James sat out with foot discomfort, and Anthony Edwards missed the tournament with a groin injury. Giannis Antetokounmpo also withdrew due to a calf issue.</p> <p>These late changes can shift MVP odds significantly. A replacement player on a team that suddenly needs more scoring from its remaining stars can create value in prop markets that haven't fully adjusted.</p> <h3>Generational Splits Create Mismatches</h3> <p>The 2026 format divided U.S. players by age. USA Stars is loaded with young, explosive talent: Anthony Edwards, Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Maxey, Devin Booker. USA Stripes brings veterans: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Jaylen Brown. Team World arguably has the deepest talent pool overall.</p> <p>The youth-vs-experience dynamic could create mismatches that bookmakers don't fully account for. Young players in an exhibition setting often play with more energy and fewer inhibitions. Veterans tend to coast through early games and lift for the final. That's worth considering when betting game-by-game markets.</p> <h2>NBA All-Star Game: Key Records and History</h2> <p>A few numbers punters should know heading into All-Star betting.</p> <p><strong>Most All-Star Selections</strong>: LeBron James holds the record with 22 consecutive selections (2005-2026). He's also the All-Star Game's all-time leading scorer with 434 points across his appearances.</p> <p><strong>Most All-Star Game MVPs</strong>: Kobe Bryant and Bob Pettit share the record with four each. Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Oscar Robertson, and LeBron James have three apiece. Curry has two.</p> <p><strong>Home-Court MVP Advantage</strong>: Host-city players have occasionally had a narrative edge in MVP voting, especially when they deliver the game's signature highlight. The trend is clear and consistent so, even in Los Angeles, players with local ties may attract extra attention in MVP voting if they produce the game's defining moment.</p> <p><strong>International Winners</strong>: Only three non-American-born players have won the All-Star MVP: Tim Duncan (U.S. Virgin Islands), Kyrie Irving (Australia), and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece). Given Team World's stacked 2026 roster, that could change.</p> <p><strong>Format Changes Since 2018</strong>: Captain Draft (2018-2023), Conference Format with Elam Ending (2020-2023), Conference Format without Elam Ending (2024), Four-Team Tournament first-to-40 (2025), U.S. vs. World Round-Robin with timed games (2026). That's essentially a new format every two years.</p> <h2>Upcoming All-Star Game Dates and Venues</h2> <p><strong>2026</strong>: February 13-15, Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California (75th edition). U.S. vs. World format. Game tips off February 15 at 5 p.m. ET (9 a.m. AEDT Monday February 16).</p> <p><strong>2027</strong>: February 19-21, Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, Arizona (76th edition). Format to be announced.</p> <p>Locations beyond 2027 have not been confirmed.</p> <h2>NBA All-Star Game Betting: Frequently Asked Questions</h2> <h3>Can you bet on the NBA All-Star Game in Australia?</h3> <p>Yes. Sportsbet offer markets on the NBA All-Star Game, covering the tournament outright winner, match betting, handicap betting, and total points scored for each individual game in the round-robin. Markets usually open around a week before the event.</p> <h3>What time does the NBA All-Star Game start in Australia?</h3> <p>The 2026 NBA All-Star Game tips off at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 15, which is 9 a.m. AEDT on Monday, February 16, 2026. It airs on NBC in the U.S. and is available through NBA League Pass in Australia. For more viewing options, check out our guide on <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nba/nba-news/how-to-stream-the-nba">how to watch NBA in Australia</a>.</p> <h3>Is the All-Star Game MVP worth betting on?</h3> <p>It can be. The key is understanding that MVP voting is driven by narrative as much as statistics. Players with local connections, big-moment performances (buzzer-beaters, flashy dunks), and name recognition tend to win. Odds typically range from $6.00 to $21.00 in decimal format, which offers solid value if you identify the right narrative early.</p> <h3>How does the new U.S. vs. World format affect betting?</h3> <p>Significantly. Three teams instead of two means longer odds on tournament winners. The round-robin structure ensures every team plays at least twice, so a single bad game doesn't necessarily eliminate anyone. The switch from first-to-40 (2025) to 12-minute timed games (2026) also affects totals and scoring pace. Expect bookies to set lines cautiously.</p> <h3>What happened at the 2025 NBA All-Star Game?</h3> <p>The 2025 game at Chase Center in San Francisco introduced a four-team, first-to-40 tournament format. Shaq's OGs defeated Chuck's Global Stars 41-25 in the final. Stephen Curry won MVP with 12 points, highlighted by a half-court shot. It was a marked improvement over the 2024 game where the East beat the West 211-186 in a widely criticised affair.</p> <h2>Keep Reading</h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/how-to-bet-on-the-nba">Everything you need to know before betting on the NBA</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nba/nba-news/nba-cup-format-rules">The NBA Cup explained — how the in-season tournament works</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nba/nba-news/most-triple-doubles-in-nba">The players who've racked up the most triple-doubles in NBA history</a></li> </ul>