The 2026 NBA Playoffs are here! The Play-In Tournament tips off April 14th, with the first round of the NBA Playoffs beginning April 18th. It’s time to fill out your brackets and compete for some great prizes. Below you will find a list of free NBA Playoff bracket contests from around the web with some solid prizes up for grabs.
I will be adding new NBA Playoff bracket contests to this page as I find them, so check back often!
If so, please email info@sportsbetlistings.com with a link to the contest and we will add it right away.
***If you’re looking to bet on the NBA Playoff games, check out our how to bet on the NBA online guide.
Free NBA Playoff Bracket Contests
Here is a list of free NBA Playoff bracket contests from around the web. These contests are generally open to American and/or Canadian residents. I’ve included the key details for each contest including prizes, eligibility, and deadlines so you can decide which contests are worth entering.
- Total Prizes: $10,000 cash prize pool
- Entry Fee: Free to enter, but you must wager $25 or more in BetOnline’s sportsbook, casino, or racebook before the end of the NBA Playoffs to be eligible to win prizes.
- Deadline: Monday, April 20th at 7:30pm ET
- Eligibility: Must have a valid BetOnline.ag account to register.
- Payouts: Winnings are paid as cash — no rollover requirements.
- Top 500 finishers win a piece of the $10,000 cash prize pool. The payout breakdown is as follows:
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $500 |
| 2nd | $300 |
| 3rd | $200 |
| 4th | $150 |
| 5th | $100 |
| 6th | $80 |
| 7th | $75 |
| 8th | $65 |
| 9th | $55 |
| 10th | $50 |
| 11th-15th | $45 each |
| 16th-25th | $40 each |
| 26th-35th | $35 each |
| 36th-50th | $30 each |
| 51st-100th | $25 each |
| 101st-200th | $20 each |
| 201st-350th | $15 each |
| 351st-500th | $10 each |
This is the same contest as the BetOnline bracket above, but you can also enter with a SportsBetting.ag account. BetOnline and SportsBetting are sister sites that share the same contest platform. All rules, prizes, and deadlines are identical.
- Perfect Bracket Prize: $1,000,000
- How It Works: Pick the winners of each playoff matchup and predict the length of each series to earn points and climb the leaderboard.
- Deadline: Brackets close at tipoff of the first Game 3 on April 23rd.
- Eligibility: Open to USA residents 18+ and Canada residents 19+ (excluding Quebec). No purchase necessary.
Leaderboard Prizes (Top 50):
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | Courtside seats for two to a 2026-27 NBA regular season game |
| 2nd-4th | Signed NBA memorabilia + $500 gift code to NBAStore.com |
| 5th-10th | $500 gift code to NBAStore.com |
| 11th-20th | $250 gift code to NBAStore.com |
| 21st-50th | $100 gift code to NBAStore.com |
- Total Prizes: $50,000
- Entry Fee: Free
- Max Entries: Up to 2 brackets per user
- How It Works: Pick the winners of each playoff series and crown your 2026 NBA champion. You can also create or join a group to compete against friends and family.
- Game Locking: Picks lock when the first matchup of each round begins.
- Event Dates: April 18, 2026 – June 19, 2026
NBA Bracket • NBA Contests • NBA Playoffs