Half-time – full-time (HT-FT) results are one of the most difficult to predict when it comes to football. This betting market has a lot of variables to consider and is seen as high-risk even for professional punters.
To win half/time- full/time football bets you have to predict the correct score at half-time and the correct score at full-time in the 1X2 betting market, considering all the variables and statistics before the game starts.
In his article, I will show you how to position yourself better before placing HT-FT bets. If you want to know what is a half/time – full/time bet, check out our tutorial.
Back top teams to win against underdogs
Picking a top team to win will always be the easiest choice, but how do we know if they will lead at half-time as well? Let’s have a look at the Premier League match between Bournemouth and Arsenal.
In this case, Arsenal/Arsenal means Arsenal to lead at halftime and win the match. The odds are significantly higher when compared to backing Arsenal to just win at full-time.
Remember, pre-match analysis is the most important factor between winning or losing your bet. Using stats, let’s break down why backing Arsenal using the HT-FT market was an obvious choice.
Looking at the above results we can see that Bournemouth’s confidence was at an all-time low compared to Arsenal who were fling high. Averaging 1.83 goals scored/match in the Premier League, with Bournemouth conceding 1.83 in all matches, was the perfect scenario for Arsenal’s firepower to be unleashed.
Find other top teams from less popular leagues (PSV, Feyenoord, Sparta Praga, Ferencvaros etc.) where the league is not so competitive. These teams are dominating the entire game getting in front at halftime and winning the match. You can use the same strategy when these teams are playing at home but the odds will drop significantly. Use these types of games for half-time/full-time 1/1 and 2/2 backing the favourites.
Betting on overperforming teams when they play at home
Wagering on teams that are playing in front of their fans, exceeding all expectations, can give you substantial profits since the odds are generally high. The perfect game will depend on choosing the right opponent, a team that is out of form or has lower value.
The bookies miscalculated the odds disregarding the fact that Girona was over-performing every round, being undefeated in the League before the match with Mallorca. At 2.98, backing the home team to lead at halftime and win the game was a no-brainer.
Let’s see why Girona dominated this match winning at the end comfortably with a 2-goal difference.
Girona started their 2023/2024 La Liga campaign with a well-deserved draw at Real Sociedad. Michel’s players were on fire after the initial round winning every game and averaging 2.5 goals/match before the fixture with Mallorca. The visitors had a poor start of the season winning only at struggling Celta Vigo. The side-to-side results show us who will be the clear winner and that Girona will score many goals. This pattern repeats in many other leagues. In-form overperforming teams with a higher value than their opponent will go on to lead at halftime and win the match.
Back in-form teams to win against under-performing top teams
Every season we have top teams that struggle to perform at their level, being hammered by less valuable teams that are in excellent form. Manchester United and Chelsea are the perfect example, the 2 heavyweights of the Premier League suffered embarrassing defeats against sides that are less valuable on paper. Let’s have a look at the Manchester United – Brighton match that ended with a 3-1 victory for the Seagulls.
Being informed about the latest news before kick-off can often give you an edge before placing your bet. The waters were murky at Old Trafford with many players injured, suspended and left out of the team due to disciplinary reasons. Coming back from a 3-1 defeat at Emirates with Arsenal, an in-form highly confident Brighton was expected to offset the odds.
Manchester United were not convincing enough at Old Trafford, winning narrowly against Wolverhampton and Nottingham Forrest. In both games played at home, United failed to take the lead at half-time, as expected, showing a lack of accuracy upfront and making costly mistakes at the back. On the other hand, Brighton was in top form, winning and leading at halftime in 3 of their 4 matches played. An inefficient United with big problems in the back line was the perfect victim for Brighton’s quick counter-attacks. This type of game repeats in all the football leagues and can bring you a lot of profit due to the high odds bookies offer.
Use in-play betting to get better odds
HT-FT betting can be extremely beneficial if you use live games since the odds are shifting all the time. Let’s use as an example the match between West Ham and Manchester City played in the Premier League on September 16 this year.
Let’s say for this fixture you were backing Manchester City to win at full-time pre-match. You and your mates are at the pub watching the game live. You decide to go on your phone to your betting app and check the live markets. After 30 min of play, City dominated the game and West Ham had a few chances to score on a counter-attack (see below).
You still are very confident Pep’s team will bag 3 points. The score is 0-0 after 30 minutes of play with West Ham increasing their chances to score. You take a risky decision and decide to place a half/time – full/time bet, West Ham/Manchester City. The Hammer scored 10 minutes before the break leading 1-0 at halftime. City got 3 on the scoring board in the 2nd half and won the match. You just won some money to buy more pints of lager for your mates.
The pre-match odds were 23, extremely high. City were favourites to score, looking at the 1st half live statistics. Just before you placed your bet the odds skyrocketed.
Don’t wager too much money on this outcome because the probability of winning is very low!
Top 5 tips to win half/time – full/time football bets
- Back top teams to win against underdogs.
- Bet on over-performing teams when they play home.
- Back in-form teams to win against under-performing top teams.
- Use in-play betting to get better odds.
- Manage your bankroll and calculate your stake for each bet.
- Soccer News Like
- Be the first of your friends!
