NCAAB 1st Half ATS Betting

NCAAB 1st Half ATS Betting Stats

Table Legend

• ATS: The team’s current record against the spread in the 1st half
• Cover %: The percentage of games covered ATS in the 1H
• ATS +/-: Average ATS margin in the 1H
• Last 4: The team’s record ATS in the 1st half over the last 4 games

NCAAB First Half Spread Betting

Needless to say, the spread is one of the most popular options for many basketball bettors.

Those who are fond of this betting market will be glad to hear that they can also place spread bets on the first half of NCAAB games instead of sticking to the standard point spread bets that cover the entire game.

This can be an excellent alternative since you can settle your bet early on instead of waiting for the entire game.

If this sounds like a great option, we’ve put together an in-depth guide that will show you everything you need to know about ATS college basketball 1st half betting, from the basics to a few tips and strategies that will help you boost your bankroll.

Plus, we’ve featured our BestOdds standings to help you make informed basketball wagers.

Sounds good? Let’s dive in!

NCAAB 1st Half ATS Betting

NCAAB 1st half spread betting works the same way that standard ATS betting does.

In case you’re not familiar with spread betting, this is when a sportsbook places a virtual handicap or advantage on a team.

The favorite team is given a handicap, i.e., the team with the (-) sign, which means they have to win by a margin greater than the handicap (the spread).

On the other hand, the less favored team is awarded a points advantage and is denoted by the (+) sign on the spread. The underdog technically has an easier task, as they could win the bet by simply avoiding defeat or ensuring that the loss isn’t greater than the spread margin.

The same principles also apply to 1st half ATS betting, but the key difference here is that only the first-half result is considered with such wagers.

So any points scored during the 2nd half won’t affect your wager, which means you can quickly settle a 1st half ATS bet instead of sitting through an entire NCAAB game.

If you enjoy this kind of bet you might enjoy our NBA 1st Half ATS stats for betting as well.

Sounds like time-saving to us!

How Does NCAAB 1st Half ATS Betting Work?

As we’ve mentioned, 1st half spread betting only focuses on the first half of the game. So any points scored or conceded in the 2nd half of NCAAB games won’t affect your 1st half spread bet.

For instance, let’s say you’ve placed a wager on Towson (-5.5) vs. William & Mary (+5.5) by backing Towson to cover the first-half spread. At half-time, Towson leads 40-34, so your bet is in safe hands since the team is ahead by +6 points.

Even if William & Mary dominates the 2nd half and reduces Towson’s lead, your bet won’t be affected since it was graded and settled by the half-time interval.

On the other hand, if Towson were ahead 40-36 at half-time, regardless of how many points they score in the 2nd half, your wager would have already been settled as a loss.

How Do NCAAB 1st Half ATS Odds Work?

The odds for the 1st half spread are typically -110 on both sides, similar to how the standard spread is usually priced.

Here’s an example:

Team	Game Spread	1st Half Spread
Towson	(-10.5) -110	(-5.5) -110
William & Mary	(+10.5) -110	(+5.5) -110

This is the moneyline odds system, where negative odds show the amount that you need to wager to win $100, while positive odds show how much you’ll win from a $100 wager.

So if you back Towson (-5.5) with the spread at -110, you’ll need to wager $110 to win $100.

The reason why the spread functions like this is because the handicap system in play is used by the oddsmakers to try to balance both teams, therefore making it a theoretical 50/50.

Since the bookie has to get his share of the cut, the odds will be priced at -110 instead of +/-100. This extra commission is commonly known as the juice or the vig.

Some sportsbooks may give you extra leeway by letting you buy a hook (half a point), while others may offer alternative lines.

For instance, instead of getting Towson (-5.5) at -110, you may choose to increase your odds by picking -6.5 at +110 or by decreasing the price by selecting -4.5 at -125.

Additionally, lines with a hook, e.g., -5.5, don’t offer the possibility of a push. So if you want the safety net of a refund when backing the spread, always go for rounded figures.

Using The BestOdds.com NCAAB 1st Half ATS Standings Table

With the BestOdds 1st half ATS table, you can make informed wagers that will increase your chances of landing your bet.

You can filter by many useful stats and metrics, such as the team with the best ATS record during the season. This will help save you time as you’ll be able to spot the teams that consistently beat the 1st half spread as opposed to those that rarely do.

On top of that, you can search for a specific team or conference and check individual records.

If you want, you can even filter by home/away games to find out the teams with the best first-half ATS record at home and those that consistently do better on the road.

NCAAB 1st Half ATS Betting Strategies

To be successful in sports betting, you have to use tips, tricks, and strategies to your advantage. Here are a couple of key ones that will boost your chances of winning 1st half ATS wagers:

• Don’t Blindly Look At A Team’s W/L Record: When evaluating a team’s chances of covering the spread, you shouldn’t prioritize the team’s win/loss record, but, rather, the team’s overall record when it comes to covering the spread. 
• Consider The Team’s Past First-Half Performances: Since you’ll be placing a first-half wager, it’s important to consider how the team in question usually kicks off their games. Do they dominate from early on? How quickly do they score points? Do they concede more in the first half instead of the 2nd? Doing such research will expose you to crucial factors that other bettors tend to overlook.
• Chase Value: As we’ll discuss further below, you should always go for the sportsbook that offers you the best odds and value, as this boosts your potential winnings.

Shop Around

Shopping around is a simple strategy that many bettors tend to overlook.

Essentially, the crux behind shopping around is that you’ll expose yourself to the best odds and lines. This not only increases your chances of winning (since you’re getting more favorable lines), but the increased odds means that you stand to win more.

Here’s an example:

Game	BetMGM	DraftKings	FanDuel
Central Michigan vs. Bowling Green	Michigan +4.5 (-115)	Michigan +4.5 (-115)	Michigan +3.5 (-104)
	Green -4.5 (-115)	Green -3.5 (-118)	Green -4.5 (-115)

It’s clear that FanDuel offers the better value here, especially for those who want to pick Bowling Green to cover the spread.

While DraftKings and BetMGM offer -4.5 at odds of -115, bettors are guaranteed a better line at FanDuel (-3.5). Plus, the tradeoff of the odds isn’t that bad when you consider that -3.5 is easier for the Greens to achieve than -4.5.

If you’ve placed tons of wagers, you know how crucial one point can be in deciding a bet.

Looking for more stats? Check out the NCAAB Winning Margin stats for betting.