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Halftime betting guidelines
Following Line Movement
Halftime odds offer you the ability to get a fresh line and follow it until it
comes off the board. Without going into another article about line movement,
watching a normal line through its lifespan is something that can take anywhere
from half of the day to a week. A 2nd half bettor watching multiple books is
able to get a great feel on which way the line is headed and pounce on the
offering that suits his play. He may use the same techniques in a span of only 5
minutes.
Weak Lines
A weak line is one that deviates from the consensus. Bookmakers only have a
short span of time to take in action, and on occasion will stray from the pack
in order to take the bets it desires. Other bookies will consistently be the
last one to move their numbers which offers value when it has changed against
you at most other sportsbooks.
In the course of setting full game odds, bookmakers will
frequently peek at what one another are offering. Many will base their odds on
what their neighbor is doing and go from there. During halftime there is little
opportunity for them to consult with others. Out of five sportsbooks at least
one book’s opinion will likely drastically differ from the rest. This line will
adjust quickly as people bet into it, but this initial soft line offers the
occasional shot at an extra two points you may not see offered again during the
intermission.
The Half-Time Line Advantage
Hypothetically, let us say you wanted to play the over on a NBA total that was
set at 190. You were able to follow the line movement and earn a valuable 3
points towards your bet. From time to time, these big line moves do happen, and
they also happen to 2nd half odds. Even though you are wagering on half of the
event, that doesn’t necessarily mean you will get half of the line movement.
Getting 3 points from that 190 is a great find, but getting 3 points on the 2nd
half over/under total of 95 provides an even better advantage. It is a larger
percentage of the line you are trying to beat. Think of this advantage as a head
start in a race. A 20-foot head start would be much more effective in a sprint
than in a marathon.
A Level Playing Field
I have heard gamblers say that they do not like this quick betting style because
it does not offer adequate time to crunch numbers and trends. My response is
that bookies have already utilized much of the information you are weighing into
your normal capping.
At a game’s intermission, the player may gain the knowledge edge. Linesmen are
often forced to offer odds on many mid-game events at the same time. It would be
impossible for them to follow every individual game as closely as the one you
are watching, and a week’s worth of inside information no longer comes into
play. This line is largely based on what happened in the first 24 minutes.
While you have to make a quick decision with a lot of numbers thrown out at you
in a short amount of time, halftime bets sometimes can be the best bet of em
all.