What Does ‘Second Half Bet’ Mean in Sports Betting?
A “Second Half Bet” is a wager placed on the outcome of the second half only.
It works exactly like a “Quarter Bet,” but it covers the entire second half (3rd Quarter + 4th Quarter).
⚠️ The Most Important Rule: The “Reset”
When you place a second-half bet, you must pretend the score is 0-0 starting at halftime.
Whatever happened in the first half doesn’t matter. You are betting on which team will score more points from halftime until the end of the game.
- Example: At halftime, the Chiefs are leading 21-0.
- The Bet: You bet on the Raiders -3.5 for the 2nd Half.
- The Game: The Raiders play great in the second half and score two touchdowns. The Chiefs score nothing.
- Final Score: Chiefs 21, Raiders 14.
- Your Result: The Chiefs won the game, but you win your bet. Why? Because in the second half, the score was Raiders 14, Chiefs 0. The Raiders covered the -3.5 spread easily.
Does Overtime Count?
This is the #1 question people ask, and the answer depends on the sport:
- 🏈 NFL & NCAA Football: YES. Overtime is almost always included in the second-half score.
- 🏀 NBA & NCAA Basketball: YES. Overtime is almost always included.
- ⚽️ Soccer: NO. Second-half bets are usually for the “Regular 90 Minutes” only.
Why Bet the Second Half?
It’s the perfect way to bet if a game is a blowout. If a team is down by 30 points at halftime, they often play harder in the second half against the other team’s backups. You can use a second-half bet to profit from that meaningless scoring.