Half time full time betting is a sportsbook market typically offered on football matches. It combines a win on the half time result and overall match result into a single bet.
It does this by allowing them to bet on both the outcome of the match at half time and the final result of the match. It also allows them to back two different teams in a single match.
While the half time full time market is associated with football, it is sometimes offered for other team sports.
Half time full time betting is known as double result betting at some bookmakers.
How half time full time betting works
A half time full time bet comprises two sub-bets:
- The first bet is on what the score will be at half time
- The second bet is on what the result will be at the end of regulation time
To place the bet punters must pick one of the three results for each sub-bet:
- Home team
- Away team
- Draw
Some bookies may also display a list of all nine possible outcomes of away team/home team/draw that are possible in this market, along with the associated odds.
Once a halftime fulltime bet is placed, both of the sub-bets must win for the bet to pay out.
Therefore if you accurately predict the half time part of the bet but your full time results prediction is incorrect you will forfeit your stake and lose the bet.
Half time full time bet example
Chelsea meets Manchester City in the 2021 Champions League final.
A punter foresees a close match edge by Chelsea in the second half. He backs a draw as the half time result, and a Chelsea win as the full time result at odds of 7/1 with a stake of £1.
By half time neither team has scored. In the second half Manchester City scores while Chelsea is unable to score.
As a result the punter forfeits his stake and loses the bet.
Half time full time betting system
There are two important things to take into account when placing a halftime and fulltime bet.
Firstly, although the odds on this market are better than what you'll find in the match betting market, picking two correct results in one match is also going to be twice as hard as picking just one correct outcome.
Secondly, between 55-60% of goals are scored in the second half of football matches. All things being equal, a bet on a half time draw is more likely to win than bets on either team leading at half time.
Draw/win half time full time betting
Because more goals are scored after the break, betting on a first half draw followed by your team winning the match is a good betting tip for this market.
This is particularly true where teams are up against a strong defense that could take time to wear down.
The Manchester City vs Chelsea Champions League final provides an excellent example of this type of dynamic.
If you were to back Man City to win the match outright you'd get odds of 17/20. However, betting on Manchester City to draw the first half and win the match offered odds of 15/4!
Backing dominant favourites
Half time and full time betting can be a great strategy when one team is a heavy favourite in a football match.
In this case its reasonable to assume that the dominant team has a better chance of scoring in both halves. In which case you can back that team leading at half time and winning the match.
Using an example of Manchester United playing Villareal in the2021 Europa League final, a back bet on Manchester United in the match betting markets offered odds of just 17/20.
However, a half time full time bet on Manchester United leading at half time before taking the game offered odds of 19/10 .
The means that this bet on a dominant Manchester United performance will pay out more than double what you'd get from a straight back bet on United - provided the Premier League side wins both legs of the bet.
Backing the draw
Another useful scenario for using half time full time bets as a strategy is when both the home team and away team have strong defenses and are likely to draw.
In this situation you can back a draw for half time and a drawn match, which will provide you with better odds than backing the draw in the match betting markets.
Using the Manchester City and Chelsea example, the draw/draw option on the halftime fulltime betting market generated odds of 17/5 compared to the 12/5 in the match odds market.
Half time full time betting in-play
Some bookmakers make half time full time live betting markets available during football games.
This provides additional opportunities to win your halftime fulltime bets as you will have an opportunity to read the game and home team and away team form before committing to a bet.
If your timing is excellent, you can secure good odds by placing your bet just before scoring opportunities - for example just before a team takes a free kick or corner kick.
This strategy gives you favourable odds just before an event occurs in the game that drives up the probability of your bet winning.
Where to place halftime/fulltime bets
You can place halftime/fulltime bets at the following reputable bookmakers:
- William Hill (market labelled as double result)
- Paddy Power
- bet365
- Boylesports
Halftime fulltime bets FAQ
Is injury time covered in half time full time bets?
Is extra time or penalties covered by half time full time bets?
Is a halftime fulltime bet the same thing as a double result bet?
Is a halftime fulltime bet a double bet?
No, a halftime fulltime bet is not strictly speaking a double bet because only one set of odds is offered on the bet, rather than separate odds on the half time result and full time result.
However, that is really the only difference, because as is the case with a double both first bet and second bet need to win in order to generate a payout.