NFL Highest Scoring Quarter Betting Stats

Malcolm Darnley

Updated: Mar 29, 2024

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NFL Highest Scoring Quarter Stats

Legend

  • GP: Games played by the team
  • PF in Q1: Points scored by the team in 1st quarter
  • PF in OT: Points scored by the team in overtime
  • PA in Q1: Points allowed in 1st quarter
  • PA in OT: Points allowed in overtime
  • League: Average for all the above table headers

Highest Scoring Quarter Betting

Some NFL teams have an offensive game plan similar to a heavyweight fight.

Some coaches prefer to start conservatively, trying to establish physical dominance.

Other teams have a philosophy that is much more offensively aggressive.

These coaches will prepare a game plan with their team throwing the ball early and often trying to catch their opposition off-guard.

When it comes to scoring points in the NFL, one of the more interesting prop bets now available is which of the four quarters will be the highest scoring?

Traditionally, because of a lack of information for bettors, we had to use our instincts when placing this bet.

Trying to think along and strategize with a team’s coach and philosophy.

However, BestOdds.com is changing all of that.

Now, we have the NFL Highest Scoring Quarter Standings Page – tracking all 32 NFL teams and their ability to score in each of the four quarters.

For those looking for an exciting prop bet with a potential edge against the sportsbooks, the BestOdds.com Highest Scoring Standings Page is for you.

If you enjoy betting on NFL’s highest-scoring quarter, we recommend you also check out our NHL highest-scoring period stats page.

What Is NFL Highest Scoring Quarter Betting?

As the name suggests, our job is to pick the quarter where the most points will be scored.

There is a method to the madness with this bet, as not all quarters are created equal, and historically speaking, some quarters consistently yield more points than others.

With this wager, a tie is also one of our betting options, although ties are less common than you might think.

The odds for a tie are generally attractive and definitely something to consider when developing your overall strategy.

How Does NFL Highest Scoring Quarter Betting Work?

The sportsbook will provide individual odds for each of the game’s four quarters and an option in case two or more quarters tie.

TB Buccaneers vs DAL Cowboys

WagerOdds
1st Quarter+600
2nd Quarter+180
3rd Quarter+600
4th Quarter+170
Tie+650

A bettor will first notice that sportsbooks do not believe all quarters have an equal chance of being the highest scoring.

Through some long-term data analysis, it has become clear that the second and fourth quarters are higher scoring than the first and third quarters.

The second and fourth quarters are the highest-scoring over time because the first and third quarters start with a kick-off, and teams most commonly start at their own 25-yard line.

Meanwhile, the second and fourth quarters begin where the first and third quarters left off.

The second and fourth quarters also have the added element of finality. T

eams do not continue with their possession once those quarters end.

How often do we see a long-field goal attempt before the clock strikes zero to end the second quarter?

All of that leads to increased scoring during the second and fourth quarters.

What Is The NFL Highest Scoring Quarter Standings Page?

The NFL Highest Scoring Quarter Standings Page is where BestOdds will compile and share relevant and important information for all 32 NFL teams regarding this interesting prop bet.

2022-23 Points For By Quarter – League Averages

1st QTR2nd QTR3rd QTR4th QTR
4.17.14.56.0

The small table above is the information we quickly grabbed from the Highest Quarter Standings page.

A bettor can get a great sense of what the league-wide average for points scored looks like broken down for each of the four quarters.

This past regular season, the second quarter was an entire point higher than the fourth, earning the title of the highest-scoring quarter in 2022-23.

How To Use The Standings Page For Betting

The BestOdds.com NFL Standings page does a great job of tracking important information for all 32 teams regarding this prop bet.

Points For refers to how many points a team scores, and the standings page has each team’s scoring average broken down by quarter.

The page also breaks down Points Against, which refers to how many points each team allows. Of course, they break down this stat by individual quarter as well.

As a bettor, we can see how each team performs offensively and defensively in each of the four quarters. We can use this information and compare it to the odds offered by the sportsbooks.

When we see opportunities where the odds don’t necessarily match a team’s percentages, we can decide if that is a potential opportunity for us to bet.

NFL Highest Scoring Quarter Betting Strategies

When developing strategies for NFL Highest Scoring Quarter betting, one option to consider is dividing a betting unit into multiple wagers.

Let’s explain:

TB Buccaneers vs DAL Cowboys

WagerOdds
1st Quarter+600
2nd Quarter+180
3rd Quarter+600
4th Quarter+170
Tie+650

Using the Bucs vs Cowboys odds above, let’s play out two different betting strategies for this game.

Option A:

Bet – 1 Unit ($25) on 2nd QTR (+180).

If the second quarter is the highest-scoring quarter, our profit would be $45.

The +180 odds suggest the second quarter has a 35% chance of being the highest-scoring quarter.

Option B:

Bet 1 – $15.00 on the Fourth QTR (+170).

Bet 2 – $10 on the Third QTR (+600).

If Bet 1 wins ($15 | +170), our profit would be $25.50 minus our $10 wager on the 3rd QTR, for a total of $15.50.

If Bet 2 wins ($10 | +600), we win a profit of $60 minus our $15 wager on the 4th QTR, for a total of $45.

When you convert +170 and +600 into a probability %, the odds suggest there is just over a 50% chance either the third or fourth is the highest-scoring quarter.

Always Shop Around

When it comes to betting on the NFL Highest Scoring Quarter, there is no greater advantage for a sports bettor than their ability to shop around for the very Best Odds.

Jacksonville vs Kansas City

Sportsbook1st QTR2nd QTR3rd QTR4th QTRTIE
FanDuel+650+170+550+180+700
PointsBet+800+135+550+210+800

In our example above, we quickly compare the odds provided by FanDuel and PointsBet for the Jacksonville vs Kansas City playoff game.

The difference in pricing for some of the individual quarters is extremely significant.

Looking at just the first and second quarters alone shows why it is always in the best interest of a bettor to shop around.

For a $25 wager, the profit of winning a bet with +650 odds is $162.50.

The profit of winning a $25 bet with +800 odds is $200.

Over time, gaining edges against the sportsbooks, as we have shown above, can lead to an additional 20% ROI or more.

Looking for more stats? Check out the MLB No Run First Inning (NRFI) stats for betting.

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About the author

Malcolm loves to watch all kinds of different sports. He also writes about them.