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Half Time Full Time Betting Guide: Mastering HT/FT Bet Strategies

Publish Date: 20.02.2024
Fact checked by: Emily Carter

What does half-time/full-time mean in betting? There’s no trickery here folks, it means exactly what most of you will be thinking – betting on outcomes for each half of an NBA, NFL, or other sports game.

Effectively, this makes it a two-way wager for a single outcome, which can increase your odds and potential payout, but also your risk. For example, let’s say you think that the Celtics will beat the Nets, but you think the Nets will be leading at halftime, Your bet would be Nets (half-time)/Celtics (full-time).

What does half-time/full-time mean in betting?

Half-time/full-time betting does exactly what it says on the tin. It involves betting on the same market, but with separate outcomes for each half of the game. This isn’t just limited to moneyline betting though, as you can bet the over/under, spread, and game/player props on a HT/FT basis.

For a HT/FT bet to pay out, you need to get both of your calls right, as it is a single wager and not two separate ones. If we refer back to the example I used in the intro, you would need the Nets to be leading at half-time, but the Celtics to go on and win the game to get your payout.

Half-time/full-time bet explained – The pros and cons

As is the case with everything in the world of sports betting, there are both ups and downs when it comes to this type of bet. At the end of the day though, if you approach it right, with a well-managed bankroll and modest wagers, HT/FT betting can add a more fun and dynamic edge to your overall experience.

Here is a quick overview of the main pros and cons:

Advantages
  • Better odds than straight bets on a single game
  • Easy and straightforward to learn and understand
  • Adds an extra layer of interest to your bet on a single game
  • Ideal way to increase potential returns for sports and teams you know well
Disadvantages
  • Higher risk of losing than single or straight bets

In theory, half-time full-time betting works for just about any team sports market. That being said, some markets are more suited to it than others.

Here are the most popular wagers, such as the basketball predictions under over today for HT/FT basketball betting:

Double-result:You can bet the moneyline, then pick the same or a different winner for each half.
Team totals:You can bet on both or each team’s total at the end of each half. You can check out my top basketball predictions for under-over today for tips on this bet type.
Highest scoring half:A wager on which half will see the most points put on the board.
Correct score:This is better for hockey and basketball and is one of the more risky markets. For this to pay out, you need to call the exact score at the end of each half.

What is a half-time/full time bet in basketball? An example

In basketball, spread betting tends to be the more popular option, but you will still find HT/FT markets for most NBA games on the majority of US sportsbooks.

For an NBA game, the half-time/full-time line will usually look something like this:

Half-time/ Full Time
Celtics – Celtics (-395)Nets – Celtics (+360)
Nets – Nets (+680)Nets – Celtics (+485)

Here you can see that the favored outcome is the Celtics to win both halves, as the odds are very short at -395. The longest and most unlikely outcome in the eyes of the bookies is the NEts to win both halves at +680.

What does half-time/full-time mean in betting – 1×2?

As I also mentioned in my guide that explained sports betting bonus types, HT/FT betting is pretty straightforward for us basketball fans, as tied games are rare and therefore generally are not included in betting lines at all. However, in sports like soccer, where the tie is more common, then a third outcome comes into play.

While this can be more confusing if you’re a beginner, it also gives you more options. Here is an example of a 1×2 half-time/full-time soccer betting line:

Half-time/ Full Time
Real Madrid / Real Madrid (+150)Real Madrid / Tie (+1500)Real Madrid / Barcelona (+4000)
Tie / Real Madrid (+385)Tie / Tie (+650)Tie / Barcelona (+950)
Barcelona / Real Madrid (+2100)Barcelona / Tie (+1400)Barcelona / Barcelona (+600)

Half-time/full-time bet explained – Payouts

As you can see from my example above, you are given single odds for each half-time full-time market. Unlike with a parlay bet, you don’t have to use an odds calculator to add two sets of odds together, as the sportsbook has already done that for you.

With regards to calculating your payout, HT/FT odds at most US sportsbooks are displayed in American format. If you’ve never come across these before, here’s how it works:

  • The favorite (Celtics-Celtics in the above example) is at minus odds (-395). The number in this case shows how much you would have to stake to get a $100 expected profit on your payout.
  • The underdog will usually be at plus odds – see all other outcomes above. With plus odds, the number shows your expected profit with a $100 stake – e.g. a $100 bet on Nets -Celtics at +360 would see you get a total payout of $460 were you to win ($100 stake + $360 profit)

The difference between a parlay and a half-time/full-time bet explained

It is a common misconception that a HT/FT bet is a type of parlay wager, which isn’t the case. A parlay bet involves combining two or more bets into a single wager. In doing so, the odds for each market are multiplied and you need all of your picks to be correct for your parlay bet to pay out.

This is where there is some crossover, as, with a half-time/full-time bet, you need to call both halves correctly to win. However, a HT/FT is a single wager that has been created by the sportsbook and offered at a set price.

If you were to choose two different markets for each half and add them together, this would be a parlay. However, the preset HT/FT bets from the bookmaker are not parlays. For more information, you can take a look at my parlay betting explained guide.

Half-time/full-time bet explained – Conclusion

That just about sums up everything that you need to know about HT/FT betting today. To round things up, HT/FT wagers are more dynamic than straight bets and can give you larger expected payouts. However, they also have a higher risk of losing.

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Half-time/full-time bet explained FAQ

🤔 What does half-time/full-time mean in betting?

Half-time/full-time is a type of bet where you wager on an outcome for each half of the game. For example, instead of betting on the Bulls to beat the Hawks outright, you might instead bet on the Hornets to lead at half-time but the Bulls to win the game at full-time. 

💡 Is HT/FT the same as to win both halves?

While they are similar, they are not the same, a HT/FT bet can apply to multiple bet types and different winning combinations. However, with a “to win both halves” bet, you can only wager on one team to be leading at half-time and then go on to win the game. 

❓ How do you win a half-time full-time bet?

For your HT/FT wager to win, you need to predict both outcomes correctly. For example, if your half-time outcome is right, but your second half is wrong, the whole bet still loses.

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