Pros and Cons Of Betting On A Full Game Versus A Half Time Wager

The NBA sees plenty of betting, but half time bets are a rarity. Let’s take a look at whether full-time, or half-time bets have more value, and when you should pick either. 

Full Games are the Safe Bet

Full games are the ones that are usually bet on. Also keep in mind which kind of bet you are making, as that could make the difference. Most bettors take on full game wagers, especially when just starting off. That makes half bets more nuanced and less attempted. 

For full game bets, you find the value in the opening line. The lines come out usually around 7 or 8 am EST on the day of the match. Getting an opening line at the cheapest is possible when you buy it the moment it comes out, or soon after. Half bets, in comparison, also have value when taken early, but come out later in the day. There’s another reason full games are easier to bet on -  because the stats are available easily for you to look at before betting. It is harder to find first, and second half stats in the way you can find full game stats. It means more effort before making a pick. 

This holds good for newbies and veterans. If you are new, you will find it easier to find to read about full games. If you have watched for a long time, you have a general feel of how the teams play. You will know who plays better at home, if any of the teams have unbeaten records, etc. But it isn’t easy to retain this info on for the first or second half. 

Half Time Bets are Worth It

Second half bets are all the more alluring because they are the deciding half and where many teams don’t think twice before going all-in with their effort. It also helps make better decisions, because you can watch the first half and make a call during the game about the second half.

But whether you prefer the first or second half, they are of great value. One, because sportsbooks don’t look at it as closely as they do with full-time bets. This means you can get wagers at great prices. The sportsbooks obviously pay attention to it, but not in a manner where they watch matches and deduce half-time outcomes. It would be near impossible, given there are many games happening simultaneously. As a trend, the wagers tend to be sharper for the first half than the second.

Another value add is how the teams are perceived publicly. If a team like the Lakers is playing, and they’re losing at the end of half-time, the audience is still likely to back the Lakers. But if you watch the match and you know the opponent is on a roll, you stand to gain by making a half-time wager on the opponent. This is because oddsmakers are also influenced by the audience, and what they expect, so the wager on the opponents will be cheaper than it ought to be. This is how odds are made, and it is a known fact that popular teams have the highest prices to bid on. This makes underdogs affordable in the second half.

The first half bets are also great value, but you end up going in a blind. They need a lot more research because you don’t get to watch enough of the match to make the best call. Of course, watching the whole first half is somewhat helpful, but might not be sufficient. But second-half bets have way more leeway for you to watch the match and make a call. First-half bets require trend research more than watching the ongoing match.

A good example of the value in half-times is the Miami Heat. If you look closely at their trends, they are the best team in the first half while playing at home. They are straight-up number 1 in offense and a little behind at number 8 in defense. But this doesn’t hold good for them while playing away from home. Their first-half gameplay is much better than their second-half even at home. Another good example is the Milwaukee Bucks. They aren’t anything great generally, but they are nearly impossible to beat at home during the first half. If you look for such value, you are likely to get wagers that pay off handsomely in the end. But you have to make sure your picks are right, or you stand to lose. This is why full-time bets are more straightforward.