Is there a way to successfully middle pre-game and halftime lines? The rise in popularity of online sports betting over the last couple of decades has completely changed the game.
Players can place wagers at any time regardless whether it’s the morning of the game day or right before tip-off or even during the games. Now they have the luxury of waiting until the last second or even beyond it in the case of in-game betting.
The majority of online sportsbooks offer halftime bets in both football and basketball as they create new point spreads for the second half alone. Those are based on the score and what they saw in the opening two quarters.
While this actually does create an opportunity for bettors that are looking good on their initial bet to make an even bigger profit it also creates a situation where they can give money back.
What Is The System?
The premise behind betting halftime middles is to basically try and hedge their initial game bets by betting the other way at the half.
For example, if the player bet New England at -7 against the Denver Broncos and they led 27-10 at the half and the Broncos were listed at -3 for the second half they would then bet Denver for the second half hoping both bets would hit.
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The Broncos could cover the -3 in the second half but not score enough points to cancel out the initial bet of New England -7. The point of betting the halftime middle is to try and guarantee a profit. However, it can also hurt the bottom line.
What Are The Numbers?
If in the example listed about the Patriots won the game 34-20 then the initial bet of New England -7 would hit as well as the halftime bet at Denver -3. In that case, the bettor would double up on their profit.
However, there is also the case where the Patriots go on to win 41-20 and all that the player has done is just cut in to the profits that they would have originally made. There are so many factors that can change the outlook of a game from one half to another. Just because one team is down through two quarters doesn’t mean they are bound to make a push in the second half.
Verdict
Bettors have to realize that the best way to make a profit is to treat each bet individually. The same can be said about betting halftime middles as while it might seem like a good idea to hedge an initial bet in order to guarantee a profit the reality is that it could end up costing them a ton of money.
The smarter approach is to look at the halftime odds and make an independent decision. Base that on other factors as those will determine how the rest of the game plays out. Then decide whether or not it is worth taking that risk.
Betting halftime middles can guarantee a profit in some situations. At the same time, it can also really cut in to a potential profit in others so make sure to make each bet stand on its own.
