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All posts by David MyersSo, what does half-time/full-time mean in betting? Well, it is simply a combination bet allowing you to predict both the result at half-time and the game’s conclusion. To win your bet, you need to be correct on both predictions.
Although a half-time/full-time bet is especially common with soccer, it can apply to almost any sport that uses halves or periods to split time. Learn more about what half-time/full-time means in betting.
What is a Half-Time/Full-Time Bet?
The meaning of a half-time/full-time bet is that you are making a first-half winner/end-of-regulation bet the same as a double. In this combination wager for both halves, you must therefore be correct on both segments, unlike other mainstream markets.
Half-Time/Full-Time Bet Permutations
Up to nine possible outcomes are available for your HT/FT betting options. In addition to selecting the team that will be leading at half-time or that will win after regulation time, this wager may involve a half-time/full-time bet of a tie on either segment.
Half-time result Full-time result Team A lead Team A win Team A lead Tie Team A lead Team B win Tie Team A win Tie Tie Tie Team B win Team B lead Team A win Team B lead Tie Team B lead Team B win In a sport like soccer, where regular season games may end in a tie in regulation, the full-time segment of the bet includes a tie.
In sports like the NBA, where a game cannot end in a tie, overtime typically counts as part of full-time for the half-time/full-time bet. In other words, if the end of regulation is a tie, the full-time segment of the bet would not settle until after overtime. This reduces the number of combinations you could have in this type of bet.
Each sportsbook may have its own rules about whether overtimes count as part of this type of bet. For example, some offshore sportsbooks do not count overtime in an NFL or NHL both halves bet, while others do. Always read the rules regarding your sportsbook’s half-time/full-time bet options for each sport before making a wager.
Types of Half-Time/Full-Time Bet Markets
What does halftime or fulltime mean in betting regarding the markets and scenarios available? Beyond just picking the team that will lead or win, you may be able to use a few other kinds of bets to use in a parlay.
Outright Winner
The most common half-time full-time bet meaning involves selecting the outright leader or winner for each segment of the bet. Depending on the sport, you also could select a tie after either segment. Many find this to be exciting enough, though there are certainly more nuanced ways to put a spin on this type of wagering, as noted below.
Correct Score
A correct score full-time/half-time bet means you select the exact score of the contest — including which team will have each score — at half-time and after the game ends. For soccer or hockey, where games usually only have a few goals, a correct score HT/FT bet may be easier. For football, where scoring can involve dozens of points in each half, this bet’s odds may be quite high, leading to a greater risk and reward.
Goals/Points/Touchdowns
With some both halves bets, you would select the total number of goals, points, or touchdowns the two teams combined will score in the first half and for the entire game. Betting sites may give you a range of points to hit to try to make the bet easier to win for high-scoring sports like football and basketball.
Cards and Corners
In soccer, you can construct a half-time/full-time bet on the number of corner kicks by both teams or the number of yellow and red cards for both teams.
Half-Time/Full-Time Bet Examples
Because the meaning of half-time/full-time in betting differs based on the sport, here are some examples of a both halves bet that may make it easier to understand this type of popular wager.
Half-Time/Full-Time Bet in NBA Basketball
When exploring how to bet on the NBA in a first and second half wager (across four quarters), you will have only six combination options in the outright winner HT/FT wager. This differs from other sports, where you typically have nine HT/FT combination options. Basketball games cannot end in a tie, which accounts for the difference.
A both halves wager example for the NBA usually will look like a grid on your sportsbook’s website. Take the following:
Houston – Houston -120 Houston – San Antonio +500 Tie – Houston +2100 Tie – San Antonio +4000 San Antonio – Houston +275 San Antonio – San Antonio +350 The first item in each box is the team leading at half-time (or a tie at half-time). The second item is the team winning at the end of regulation (or overtime). The final item is the American odds on the wager.
Half-Time/Full-Time Bet in NFL Football
Making a both halves bet on the NFL may resemble a nine-segment grid to account for every combination. The first item is for the team leading or a tie at half-time. The second item is for the team leading or a tie at the end of regulation. The last item is the American odds for the wager.
Las Vegas – Las Vegas -120 Las Vegas – Tie +4300 Las Vegas – Denver +600 Tie – Las Vegas +1000 Tie – Tie +5500 Tie – Denver +2500 Denver – Las Vegas +425 Denver – Tie +5000 Denver – Denver +400 Although most crypto betting sites do not count NFL overtime results as part of the both halves bet, some do. Read your sportsbook’s rules before wagering to know for sure. The grid may have a clear label of “regulation time only” if it does not count overtime in this type of bet.
Half-Time/Full-Time Bet in MLS Soccer
For how to wager on soccer in a full-time/half-time bet, you’ll usually see a nine-segment grid because of the potential for ties. MLS regular-season games do not play overtime. As with other HT/FT bets, the first item in each box is the half-time leader or a tie, the second item is the full-time leader or a tie, and the last item is the American odds for the bet.
St. Louis City – St. Louis City +230 St. Louis City – Tie +1200 St. Louis City – LA +1700 Tie – St. Louis City +350 Tie – Tie +400 Tie – LA +750 LA – St. Louis City +1200 LA – Tie +1300 LA – LA +550 Half-Time/Full-Time Bet in NHL Hockey
Because the NHL uses three 20-minute periods, rather than halves, for its games, the NHL HT/FT bet is a little different. Most sportsbooks use the end of the first period to mark the first item in the grid. The second item is for the end of regulation. The last item is the American odds for the wager.
Calgary – Calgary +225 Calgary – Tie +800 Calgary – Colorado +1200 Tie – Calgary +260 Tie – Tie +600 Tie – Colorado +425 Colorado – Calgary +350 Colorado – Tie +900 Colorado – Colorado +375 Most sportsbooks do not count overtime or a shootout in NHL both halves wagers when the full-time whistle goes. The grid should display “regulation only” or “60 minutes result only” when this happens.
Half-Time/Full-Time Bet in Other Sports
If your sportsbook covers a niche sport with a half-time period, such as rugby or lacrosse, you may have a first and second half betting market option.
If you want to make a half-time/full-time wager on a sport that doesn’t have a defined half-time break, each sportsbook’s rules are different.
- For hockey, the sportsbook may use the end of the first period for this wager instead of half-time.
- For baseball, the sportsbook may use the end of five innings instead of half-time.
- For volleyball, the sportsbook may use the end of the second set instead of half-time.
- For how to bet on golf with an HT/FT wager, the sportsbook may allow you to pick the leader after the second round instead of half-time.
Read the rules for your sportsbook for each sport to understand how to make two halves bets properly and get the most out of the experience.
Pros and Cons of Half-Time/Full-Time Betting
Certainly, the half-time/full-time betting market won’t appeal to everyone, as there are some pros and cons to this wager.
Positives Negatives 
Easier to make more than one bet on a single game
It’s tougher to win than a single moneyline bet Receive better odds when betting on a heavy favorite Some sports don’t offer HT/FT betting options Knowing by half-time whether your bet is still viable Some people struggle with the unusual betting rulesIs a Half-Time/Full-Time Bet the Same as Winning Both Halves?
One point of confusion for bettors is that the half-time/full-time wager is not the same as betting on one team to win both halves.
The HT/FT bet measures the score at half-time and the end of the game. Using an NFL example, if Tampa Bay is beating Atlanta 21-10 at half-time and the team wins 28-24 after regulation time, you would win your Tampa Bay-Tampa Bay two halves bet. However, you would not win your Tampa Bay to win in both halves bet, as Tampa Bay would’ve lost the second half to Atlanta, 7-14.
The win in both halves bet treats each half like its own game, resetting the score to 0-0 after half-time. The halftime/fulltime bet focuses on the entire game score, never resetting it to 0-0.
Half-Time/Full-Time Betting Strategy
If you have some interest in trying this type of wagering, we put together a list of betting tips that you can use to try to have success with two halves betting. For additional sports betting strategies, our sports betting guide has everything you need to know.
Research is KeyResearch is just as important in a half-time/full-time wager as in a single moneyline or point spread wager, so don’t neglect to take the time to understand the dynamics of your chosen sport.
You may find while researching the teams that one of them consistently starts games quickly or regularly struggles after half-time. This information can be valuable when constructing the two halves bet.
Understand the OddsThe odds of selecting a favorite to win both the first half and second halves can seem enticingly good. Always remember this is a combination bet, meaning you have to win both segments to cash your ticket, which explains the favorable odds.
Data – Highest Points From Losing PositionsOne of the most favorable odds you can receive on two halves bets involves picking one team to lead at half-time and the other team to win the game.If certain teams are especially good at overcoming half-time deficits, this can be valuable for higher odds and bigger payouts.
Importance of Half-time ResultsIf you notice through your research that one team starts games extremely fast, this can be valuable information when wagering the half-time result correctly. Even if that team is an underdog for the entire game, it might be worth betting on it in the half-time segment of the wager.
Second Half Is Often More ProlificIn most sporting events, the second half of a game involves more scoring than the first half. Teams begin to tire physically in the second half, which makes playing defense more difficult. If one team is trailing late in the second half, it’s likely to take more chances to try to score, which gives the other team more scoring chances, too.
Focus on FavoritesRather than making a straight moneyline bet on a significant favorite where the odds are poor, you can use the full-time/half-time bet to receive a bigger potential payout for the favorite being in front at the end of each half.
For example, if the moneyline odds on a heavy NBA favorite are -300, you’d have to wager $300 to make $100. However, if you bet on the favorite to win both segments of the two halves bet, you might receive more favorable odds, perhaps around -125, where you’d have to wager $125 to make $100.
Value in the DrawAlthough it may not be the most exciting bet to make, wagering on a tie at half-time or the end of the contest is always worth considering. Look at the history of the teams playing, as some teams use a strategy that results in more ties than others.
As an added advantage, you usually receive especially favorable odds on HT/FT bets where you select a tie. Sportsbooks know that most bettors ignore the possibility of ties, so they may boost the odds on ties to encourage more people to wager on them.
Responsible Betting
The top organizations helping with responsible betting are Gamblers Anonymous and the American Gaming Organization through its Responsible Play initiative.
Conclusion
The easiest way to describe the meaning of a half-time/full-time bet is that it works like a double bet on a single game. You can gain more favorable odds with this type of bet than making a single bet on the outcome.
If you feel especially confident about the outcome of a particular game, the HT/FT bet can help you cash a bigger ticket if you win. However, it’s always important to remember that winning both halves is far more challenging than winning a single bet. Apply your bankroll to this type of wager accordingly.
Half-Time/Full-Time Betting FAQs
What does half-time/full-time mean in betting?
What are the pros of halftime fulltime betting?
Can I combine both halves bets with other wagers?
Is injury or stoppage time included in half-time/full-time betting?
Can I cash out both halves bets?
Easier to make more than one bet on a single game
It’s tougher to win than a single moneyline bet
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