NBA Halftime Betting Lines

Betting on the second half of the game gives smart players a real edge, because they have the foresight of seeing how the game has progressed during the first half. Players can then make a smart and informed bet based on the knowledge they have about the first two quarters. Halftime is when the oddsmakers regroup and set the odds for the remaining half of the game. It is a good opportunity for bettors to consider whom they want to back during the second half. You can bet that the NBA 2nd half odds will fluctuate, and a heavy favorite during the first half might be an underdog by halftime, and vice versa. Basketball is different from, say, football because there is much more scoring overall, and things can change with the drop of a hat. It moves at a faster pace, and the odds change more rapidly. This is a plus for bettors learning how to bet on the NBA who enjoy pacier type of betting.

Another reason that players like halftime betting is it gives them the chance to hedge their bets. Let’s say you made a bet on the over for the Lakers, which would probably be a big mistake, seeing as they are at the very bottom of the Western Conference standings. But whatever, it’s Kobe Bryant’s last game and you say, “What the hell, I’ll take the over,” which happens to be 194 points. Well, by halftime, if it looks like the Lakers aren’t going to be able to score anywhere near that many points, you can make a second bet on the under. This is called hedging your bet, and it is a smart thing to do when it looks like your team is going to lose. One winning bet cancels out the losing bet, and you break even. You are only down as far as the juice you have to pay your bookmaker.

It can be hard to tell whom to bet on simply based on the line set by the oddsmakers. The whole point of what they are doing is to have an even number of bets on both sides. To do this, they may try to draw bettors away from one side by skewing the line in favor of the underdog, especially if the favorite looks like they are going to win. One of the major reasons why people like halftime betting is because they gain a slight edge over the bookies. If a person is smart, they will look at the actual numbers to determine who to back. For example, a favored team might be losing by halftime, but many people will bet on them anyway simply because they are the favorites and it is assumed that they will make a comeback. Sometimes going against public opinion is a smart move. With NBA halftime lines, the player has several sources of information from which to draw: the score up to the halfway point, the tide of popular opinion, and the odds set by the bookmakers.

There are all sorts of ways to bet on the second half of an NBA game. A straight moneyline bet on the second half is the easiest type. It is just a bet on who will win the second half of the game. Another common way to bet is on the over/under. This is also known as a totals bet, and it is a wager on the combined number of points scored by the two teams. What you are actually betting on is how much higher or lower the total will be as compared to the predicted total set by the bookmaker. Point spread betting is also very common for betting on NBA. The spread is a handicap created by the bookies in order to get an even number of bets for both teams. To this, they give points to the underdog and subtract points from the favorite. For example, if the Memphis Grizzlies are the underdogs but have a spread of +16, it means that they will have 16 points added to their score. People will obviously be more willing to put money on the underdog if they know they will receive an additional 16 points. Interestingly enough, the underdog team could lose the actual game but still win because of the wide spread.

There are some terrific online sportsbooks that let you bet on NBA halftime lines. While not all betting sites are trustworthy, the ones that we recommend most certainly are. We have tried out many online sportsbooks over the years, so we know exactly what to look for. Things like variety, ease of use, good customer service, ability to get money in and out of your account…these are all things that are important. When you factor in bonuses, live in-game play, and mobile betting, you start to get an idea of what a good, well-rounded online sportsbook should like for. Below are a few of our favorite picks.