Well with basil, they need heat... the closer to 80 degrees the more likely they will sprout. They like to be damp but not sopping... that's all the advice I have!

I've wintersowed multiple kinds of basil with no problems. check out www.wintersown.org

Barbi

Basil also needs light to germinate. Place them on top of your seed-starting mix and spray with water. Then cover with clear plastic to let in the light and slow down the drying out of the soil. They will get a gray jell on them, that's natural, don't fret about it, it's not mold tho it looks like it. Let them sprout and after they do, water them from the bottom by setting them in a tray of water, not by adding water to the top.
Another thing you can do with Basil seeds, you can sprout them on a new, clean sponge. They have a strong basil taste from day one. Use these sprouts for salads within a couple weeks after they sprout. You can do this inside in winter.