In this article we will explain NFL halftime picks, how they can be used and what to look for when placing a wager.
How It Works
Most of you are probably familiar with betting lines and point spreads, the standard for sports wagering throughout the globe. Over the last few years, the concept of additional wagering possibilities has become increasingly popular among sportsbooks and bettors. One of the most widely exercised bets revolves around halftime picks. A sportsbook offers a wager based entirely on action that occurs in the second half, presenting you with top picks, point spreads and other elements available before the game starts.
With the typical sports events, you can handicap a game well in advance, giving you more than enough time to shop for the best line and increase your chances of winning. With halftime bets, you have little to no to time to study teams or shop for the best line. You do however, have the advantage of watching both teams play. Considering the fact that many games are essentially determined at the half, knowing how to select the top picks can make this type of wager very profitable.
Why It's Offered
Sportsbooks offer top picks on halftime wagers for several reasons, mainly because it gives them an opportunity to receive more action. The more action they receive, the better. While halftime bets obviously provide ways for sportsbooks to balance out their pockets, this type of wager gives you many advantages as well. For one, betting on the second half is more likely to keep you interested in the game, especially if the first half lines were questionable. There's also a chance of selecting top picks from a few games the bookmakers do not have a chance to watch, meaning you can pick up on various elements and use them to your advantage.
Hedging and Middling Strategies
One of the biggest advantages of halftime picks is having the ability to hedge your original wager with the probability of winning both bets. When hedging a bet, you take position contrary to the initial wager in order to limit risks and maximize profits. This gives you a better chance to lock in some form of profit or even reduce a portion of the wager when the game is already in process. Hedging is often viewed as a sportsbettor's insurance policy. Of course it will cost you a bit more, but also gives you a chance to win at both sides of the same game, making it a great tool for wagering on NFL halftime picks. This type of middling opportunity is every sportsbettors dream.
Lets go over an example of how you can use a hedging and middling strategy to benefit with your halftime picks. Suppose you place a wager on the Atlanta Falcons' first home game against the Detroit Lions at -4. At the half, it's no surprise that the Lions are trailing 20-3 yet the halftime line comes their way at -2.5. This type of scenario gives you several options. If you're not confident that Atlanta will keep up the intensity despite a huge lead, then placing a wager on a Lions comeback would be a good move. If Detroit happens to get clobbered in the second half, you can push for the day, win the initial bet on Atlanta but lose the halftime pick on the Lions. This is a worst case scenario that still results in profit. The best scenario would be the Lions storming back only to lose by a score of 28-21. This means you win the original bet on Atlanta and Detroit all in the same game. The Falcons covered the -4 for the game while the Lions covered the -2.5 for the second half. This is a minimal risk situation that resulted in you winning on both sides of the same game. A coveted middling opportunity like this is the key to succeeding with all NFL halftime picks.
For those of you new to placing bets on halftime picks, we strongly recommend that you keep your wager below the size of the standard wager. Just as with any type of sportsbetting, there is a steep learning curve with little time to make decisions. Once you become more proficient and begin to win on regular basis, increase the size of your bets and look for middling opportunities to maximize your profits. While the final decision is up to you, sticking to a few guidelines will go a long way in succeeding with halftime handicapping.
