First half/first quarter bets

[bgh2003]

I would like to know whether others agree with me regarding these bets. I think they are a joke, a suckers' bet, a freaking waste of money.

The only time I can see playing these is where a trend strongly favors them. For example, the Sacramento Kings for a while were a first quarter covering machine (not anymore, though, and the books are charging at least -120 for first quarter bets on Sacramento). Someone else mentioned the Nets in a limited situational first quarter trend, though that one lost today.

Aside from trends, is there anyone that has a system for playing either of these bets? I just don't see the value. A team only cares about winning the game. The first half of a game means nothing. Neither team cares what the score is at halftime. It's impossible to predict what either team will do or what the scoring pace will be in the first half.

[thesandman]

First Half Bets

There are times I will play just the first half when a good home team is playing a better road team. In fact, I have even played the home team for the first half and the road team for the second half. I did this on one game today, playing Kansas State at a Pick for the first half and Missouri plus points for the second half. K-State won the first half by 7 and Missouri won the second half by 17. I don't do this very often, but I do play the home team for just the first half, instead of the full game, whenever they are a small favorite or a small dog and I would have played them anyway.

My reasoning is that a good home team, playing a better road team, can use their intensity and crowd support to "play over their head" for the first half, but it is much harder to play at this level the entire game.

FWIW, I played NC Charotte plus a half point for the first half. I did not play them for the entire game. This game just started, lets see how it turns out.

I agree with you that 1Q plays are not good because of the extra vig. However, I am still playing the Kings when they are home. While it's true these plays are not winning at the obsene rate they used to, they are still covering two thirds of the time, even in games like last night when they don't cover the full game.

[thesandman]

It Worked Again.

NC Charlotte plus 0.5 wins first half by 2 but loses the full game by 10.