What is a Half Time Full Time Bet? - HT/FT Betting Explained

Q: What is a half time/full time bet?

With this type of betting you are trying to predict what the result of a match will be at half-time and then at full-time. So if Arsenal are 2-0 up at half-time and that is the final score, the result in this market would be Arsenal half-time/Arsenal full-time.

Q: Is extra time and penalties covered by half time full time bets?

No, only normal time in football games is covered with these type of betting markets. For a game to go into extra time and then penalties, it would need to be a draw at full-time, which is one of the possible options with these bets.

Q: What makes a good half-time/full-time bet?

Ideally you would be able to identify a team that are adept at scoring early goals, or alternatively, a team that tends to concede early. The other option is to look out for a team that tends to keep things tight in the first-half, before coming on strong after the break.

Q: Is a half time full time bet the same as win both halves?

With win both halves, you are betting that one team will score more goals than the other in the first-half and to then do so again in the second half. With half time/full time results, a team could go 1-0 up in the first-half and then draw the second-half 0-0, to still win the game 1-0.

Q: How to read half time full time betting odds?

Odds for this betting type work in the same way as other markets. With fractional odds that you see at UK football bookmakers, the second number represents your stake and the first number represents what you could win. So with odds of 9/2 a £2 bet would win you £9.

Q: Is a half-time/full-time bet the same as double result?

Yes, these are just two different names for the same bet. You have to predict the result at half-time and and then what the result will be at the end of the match.

Dan Fitch

Pro punter

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A half time full time bet is a wager that tasks you with predicting what the result of a football match will be at half-time and then the final result at full-time. We’re going to explain everything that you need to know about this type of bet, so you can confidently place one yourself.

How Does Half Time Full Time Work in Betting?

A half time full time bet is essentially two wagers in one. You will of course have seen a regular match betting market, in which you have to predict the result of a match. There are also half-time bets available where you predict what the result will be at the break.

With a half-time/full-time betting market you must first predict the result at half-time and then the result at full-time. Both parts of the bet must be correct for it to be a winner.

It’s not a straight double bet, as this form of sports betting is subject to related contingency. If Manchester United are ahead at half-time in a match, then it naturally increases their chance of winning the match at full-time.

The half-time/full-time market exists to combine these two bets into one package, with odds that properly reflect the likelihood of the nine half-time and full-time betting combinations as follows:

Home Win / Home Win
Home Win / Away Win
Home Win / Draw
Draw / Home Win
Draw / Away Win
Draw / Draw
Away Win/ Home Win
Away Win / Away Win
Away Win / Draw

It’s one of the most popular bets in football online and in betting shops, so next up we’re going to give you an example that shows you why.

Half Time/Full Time Bet Example

Let’s give you a half time/full time bet example that demonstrates one of the most common scenarios that sees punters place this bet type when wagering.

Imagine that Manchester City are playing Liverpool at home. Though Liverpool are a strong team, Manchester City are still a short price to win the match at 4/7.

That price might not be appealing for what seems likely to be a competitive encounter. Double result betting, another way of describing the half-time/full-time market, is thus a method of finding some extra value.

Your research might tell you that if Manchester City win the game, then it is likely that they will be ahead at half-time. The Manchester City half-time/full-time market price is 13/8, which is significantly bigger than the 4/7 on offer for a straight win.

Alternatively, you might think that Liverpool can hold on for a draw at halftime, but are likely to go behind after the break and ultimately lose the game. The draw/Manchester City double betting result is priced at 4/1.

Half-time and full-time bets are more difficult to predict, but the potential rewards are greater. In certain instances half-time full-time betting makes more sense than placing a wager on the match result.

Half Time Full Time Bet vs. Correct Score

Another football betting market that brings extra value when predicting the result of a single match, is the correct score. As the name suggests, you have to rightly predict the final score of a match.

With the need to be very specific when predicting the correct outcome of a game, there are big betting odds available with this type of sports bet. There are more potential outcomes than is the case with half-time and full-time bets, so naturally the prices tend to be bigger.

Just as the results in the half-time/full-time betting market are more difficult to predict than a straight match result in the 1×2 betting, the correct score market is more challenging still.

In terms of which market is best, it can very much depend what you’re looking for. The casual bettor might be content to place a wager on one correct score bet and outcome, just as a fun bet to provide some extra interest in a match.

More serious punters would consider this to be something of a lottery and are more likely to bunch together a number of correct score bets. That means some stakes will be lost, so in this instance it might be better to accept that the odds are a little shorter when predicting half time/full time results, as it’s easier to get a winning bet.

Pros & Cons of the Half Time Full Time Bet

These are the advantages to placing a half time full time bet as we see them:

Pros

Bigger odds than normal match result soccer betting
Variant for extra value betting when result price is short
Widely available mainstream markets for football
Half time full time tips increase your chance of winning

Cons

Difficult to get a half time full time prediction right
Your bet could be a loser by half-time

Effective Half Time Full Time Tips & Strategy

It is always a good idea to be armed with some betting strategy when taking on bookmakers. These better-informed betting strategies for predicting half time/full time results, will help your profitability.

Look For Early Scorers

With this bet you need to get the half-time portion correct, as otherwise the second-half prediction is pointless. Do your research and look for teams that tend to be ahead at the break in games that they ultimately win. This is often the case for sides that are dominant in their leagues and are winning games by big margins. You will get bigger prices at betting sites for a team to win half time full time meaning that it could be a better option than simply backing the win in the match result market.

Strong Finishers Are Even More Valuable

Sometimes teams look to keep things tight in the first-half, preserving their energy for a big effort in the second-half when the opposition will be tired. Tottenham under Antonio Conte’s management adopted this strategy and while it wasn’t successful in the long-run, in the short-term it provided profitable betting options for full-time sports betting professionals. Such teams will have a lot of results where they come on strong in the second half, such as the draw HT/win FT, lose HT/draw FT, or even lose HT/win FT. All of these result types tend to come with big odds, so if you find a team that tends to come strong late, you could be onto a good thing.

Don’t Be Afraid of a Perm

As we have pointed out, this form of betting provides better odds than a straight match result, but is more difficult to predict. Even with betting tips available from profitable experts, you are bound to have some losing wagers when you dabble in this risky market. For this reason it can make sense to perm a few different selections. You might for example, find four favourites at home and back the draw half-time/home win full-time result, which will typically be available at odds between 3/1 and 5/1. You could then cover these bets with singles, doubles, trebles and accas, knowing that if a couple come in, you should turn a profit.

Best Bookies for a Half Time Full Time Bet

As this is one of the most popular betting markets for football, which in turn is the most popular sport at bookmakers, you will have no trouble finding this market. Even for the most obscure games it will be an available option. Therefore, what will differentiate a bookie is the odds for this market. It tends to be the biggest bookies that have the financial strength to consistently offer the best odds, so go for one of the giants of the industry such as bet365, William Hill or Paddy Power.

Conclusion

You should now know what does half time/full time mean in betting. It’s a pretty easy bet for casual punters to understand and start using themselves. You should certainly be in such a position right now, so what are you wanting for. Sign up with one of our recommended sites for football betting like William Hill and give it a try.

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