What Does Half Time/Full Time Mean in Betting?

What Is Half Time/Full Time Betting?

These bets relate to what will happen at half time and full time in a game. It only applies to sports that are played in two halves or four quarters. Football, soccer, basketball and rugby are examples of the types of sports for which you can find these betting markets.

The most commonly placed bet in the half time/full time market is a wager on the result at half time and full time.

‘Instead of picking the outright winner of the game, you need to predict the outcome at both the halfway stage and at the end of the game.’

The number of possible outcomes depends on the sport. In basketball, there must always be a winner at the end of a game. If the scores are level at the end of the regulation time, then the two teams need to play overtime until there is a winner. This is different from soccer, in which games can end in a tie, and do quite regularly.

Half Time/Full Time Betting Odds & Example

In a soccer game between the Red Bulls and Inter Miami, you want to place a half time/full time bet. Let’s say that the moneyline odds are the following:

While the Red Bulls are the favorites to win, the odds suggest there is not a massive gap between the two teams. This will show in the half time/full time results too.

No matter which moneyline you pick, adding a first half result drastically lengthens the odds. For the first bet to win, Red Bulls/Red Bulls, you will need the Red Bulls to win the first half and then win at the end of the game. They can go behind in either half, but as long as the half ends with the correct result, your bet pays out.

How to Place a Half Time/Full Time Bet Online

This is a singular bet that is offered by a sportsbook. You do not need to create a parlay bet from a half time bet and a moneyline, as the sportsbook constructs the half time/full time bet for you.

Generally, half time/full time bets are offered in categories such as game props, game combo, or double bets. This depends on the sportsbook though, as some may have them listed in the popular bets category. Another thing to be aware of is that some bookmakers call half time/full time wagers “Double Result” bets.

Placing a half time/full time bet is just like a moneyline. The bookmaker presents you with the different options and your job is to pick one and bet on it.

Half Time/Full Time Bet Types

Half time/full time bets do not exclusively relate to the outcome of the two periods either. There are a lot of different types of half time/full time bets with their own requirements.

Winner

The examples given were winner half time/full time bets. These are wagers on the results at the halfway line and the end of a game. The only requirements for this bet is that you pick the correct results at both time intervals. It does not matter how many goals or points were scored, who scored them first, or any other game stats.

Correct Score

Regular correct score bets are in stark contrast with correct score half time/full time bets, in which you need to predict the exact scoreline at the end of the first half and the end of the game. You are not only giving the result, but the exact number of goals each team will or will not score at half time and full time.

Goals

This is a bet on the number of goals scored in the first half and at the end of full time. It is a total bet, which uses the over/under betting format. This means that the bookmaker supplies a betting line and you have to bet on whether there will be over or under that number of goals. These bets are quite popular, as there is a lot of statistical information that bettors can look up prior to staking their wagers.

Corners

This betting market also uses the over/under format, but it relates to how many corners will be conceded during the first half and the full game. If you have never bet on corners before, this bet may seem abstract. After all, if you have not made a bet on corners, you would not count them during a game. However, it is a promising betting market as you can do just as much research for it as you would for goals, and the results may be more consistent.

Bookings

Bookings are an intriguing betting market, as you are basically predicting how dirty and bad-tempered the game may be. It is a part of any sport, and, perhaps surprisingly, it can turn a good profit. In soccer, a bookings half time/full time bet is a wager on how many yellow cards the referee will give out after the first half has ended and at the end of the game. There are many useful applications for this bet, especially for top team rivalries, historic derbies and games between defensive-minded teams.

What Does HT/FT 1×2 Mean?

Half time/full time bets for these sports that can end in a draw use the 1×2 wager format. 1 represents the home team winning, x represents a draw, and 2 is a bet on the away team winning. When placing a half time/full time 1×2 bet, you are betting on 1, x, or 2, for the first half and then 1, x, or 2, for the full game.

This means you have 9 possible outcomes to pick from. For example, say there is a soccer game between LA Galaxy and Austin FC in which LA Galaxy plays at home.

1, x and 2 represent the three different possible outcomes. Applied to the half time/full time bet, here is what you can bet on.

Most Popular Sports for Making Half Time/Full Time Bet

Bookmakers can only offer half time/full time bets for sports in which there are two, or four, separate periods. For hockey games, in which there are three periods, they cannot offer these bets. The same goes for racing sports, tennis, golf, and various other sports.

🏈 Football

Football games are split into four quarters, and it is possible for two teams to be level at half time and even for the game to end in a draw. However, this is only possible during the regular season. In post season games, there must be a winner at the end of a game, so instead of a 9-way bet you have 6 possible outcomes. Draws are uncommon in football, so the odds on those outcomes tend to be far longer.

⚽ Soccer

Soccer games are played in 2 halves and can end in a draw, meaning there are 9 different results you can bet on. As draws are more regular than higher scoring sports such as football or basketball, the odds on each outcome are more evenly spread. The odds are still much longer than what you could expect for a moneyline.

🏀 Basketball

Basketball games are split into four quarters, and overtime is added at the end of a game if the scores are level. In basketball games, there is always a winner, so you have to pick from 5 different scenarios. It is a high-scoring sport, so while draws can occur at the halfway stage, they do not come often.

Half Time/Full Time Betting Strategies & Tips

There are lots of different ways to approach half time/full time bets. Just to get a feel of how they work, it can be useful to try a few out with small stakes. If you want to use them more regularly, here are a few tips to help get you started.

Do Your Research

A good place to start is researching the form of the two teams. The last few fixtures of either team can be a good indicator of what strategies they employ and how they may approach the upcoming game. Specifically, you can look up statistics such as which half they scored the most points in, whether they tend to take the lead or go behind in the first half, and whether there are any substitutions that can change the outcome of a game.

You can also check stats such as the home/away record of the teams, whether either team has player injuries, how many goals/points they score and concede during a game, and so on.

Try Different HF/FT Markets

If you are not making any money on winner half time/full time bets, then perhaps you should consider another market. Goals, corners and bookings are aspects of games that you may have more luck predicting. Just like with winner bets, there is a lot of research that you can do to find out which bets have the best chance of winning.

Evaluate the Odds

Check the moneyline bet first before placing your bet. If the odds on the winner half time/full time bet you pick are not that much longer than the moneyline, then it might be better to avoid it. The winner bets in these markets that bring the longest odds are the ones where the result is reversed. These are longshot bets that are far less likely to come through, however, you can turn quite a hefty profit if you do get lucky, and it will definitely make for an exciting game too.

Half Time Full Time Betting Pros & Cons

All betting comes with its risks and rewards. Half time/full time bets should be treated just as any other bet in that you should know when they can be useful and when it is better to pass on them.

Betting on what happens in both halves requires more thought than considering the game as a whole. By breaking it down into two separate halves, you have to do more research and try to imagine what will happen throughout the course of the game. If you are quite analytical in the way you bet, it could suit your style well.

Though they are offered as single bets, half time/full time bets are practically two leg parlays. If only one of your predictions comes through and the other does not, you are not getting any money.