The half time/full time betting market is not an easy one, but rewards can be great if you can identify successful bets. You are firstly betting on the match result at half time, and then betting on the full time result/outcome too. You require both the half time result, and full time result to be as you have predicted in order to win the bet. There are no rewards or returns should you get one of the two correct - it's all or nothing.
The “full time” in the half time/full time betting market refers to the full time result. A common misconception is that the full time aspect only factors in the second half result, but it uses the full time score.
Pros of Half-Time / Full-Time
- This market is a way to increase the odds on a side who you think should win comfortably, or should be quick out of the blocks.
- If you're confident a team will start well, you can get get higher odds than the outright match victory (1X2)
Cons of Half-Time / Full-Time
- By betting on the HT/FT betting market you are assuming much higher risk each time you bet, as typically teams aren't too concerned about the half time result.
- Bookmaker margins are higher on this market than mainstream markets such as Asian handicap or 1X2 (Match Betting)
What is the half time/full time bet type?
A half time/full time market bet is just one bet, but it has two criteria that need to be met in order for the bet to win. The first part is the half time bet. The second part is the full time bet, which requires the full time score to agree with your prediction.
Half time: This refers to the result after 45 minutes. Your options with this market are three way. You can bet on the home team which is represented as their name or the number 1 with bookmakers, the draw which is represented as draw or X, or the away team which is represented as their name or the number 2 with bookmakers.
If you back 1, the home team must lead at half time. If you back X, the game must be a draw at half time and if you back 2, the away team must lead at half time. Once the first 45 minutes is in the books you will know if the second half matters.
Full time: So we know now this leg of the bet is irrelevant if you did not correctly identify the score/outcome of the first half. But if you did, then your bet continues with this full time prediction.
Let's say you've bet on 1/1, which is the home team to lead at half time and the home team to lead at full time. The home team is leading 1-0 at half time, which means the first part of your bet is satisfied, correct and cannot change. The next thing you need to happen is you need your team to be leading at full time.
You aren't limited to betting on the same team to lead at half time and full time.
| 1/1 - Home HT/Home FT | The home team must lead the game at both half time and full time |
| X/1 - Draw HT/Home FT | This means the game must be a draw at half time, but see a home win at full time |
| X/X - Draw HT/Draw FT | Requires a draw at half time and also end in a draw at full time |
| 1/2 - Home HT/Away FT | The home team must lead at half time, and away team must win at full time |
| X/2 - Draw HT/Away FT | A draw at half time and away team win the match |
| 2/2 - Away HT/Away FT | The away team must lead the game at half time and go on to win the match |
| 2/1 - Away HT/Home FT | The away team must lead at half time, and home team must go on to win the match |
| 1/X - Home HT/Draw FT | The home team must lead at half time, but see the game end in a draw |
| 2/X - Away HT/Draw FT | The away team must lead at half time, but see the game end in a draw |
Who uses the half time/full betting market?
The half time/full time betting market is mostly seen as a football betting market, although it can be applied to US sports such as american football and basketball. Often it's too risky to apply it in the same way as football, so you can only back a specific team to be winning at the end of each half, but it may still be presented as the same market.
The level of risk is what matters most to a professional bettor whilst the higher odds (which reflect that high risk) are all that seems to matter to a lot of casual punters. There are good circumstances and bad circumstances to use this market, and it's typically unlikely to see a professional bettor use this market ahead of other lower margin markets. A more casual bettor may be drawn to the bigger odds and it's not uncommon on social media to see a string of Saturday afternoon accumulators packed with half time/full time betting market selections.
There are good betting strategies and there are bad betting strategies that utilise the half time/full time betting market. The odds of correctly predicting the half time and full time outcome of a list of football games are pretty slim indeed, with many variables.
Big accumulators seldom represent a good betting strategy. The bookmaker margins on this market make it tougher than some other margins to make a profit, even just betting singles, but with analysis and research, it's certainly possible to profit.
Got the hang of the different bet types? See how successful tipsters make their mark by exploring our betting strategy guides.