WHAT IS QUARTER BETTING?
As the name doubtless suggests, quarters betting is the act of betting on the individual quarters of a basketball game.
Splitting the game into smaller sections like this can be done in advance or on the fly as you prefer. The latter is becoming more and more popular. This is surely a result of many factors that are beyond our ability to comprehend or explain here. Suffice it to say that the added excitement that can be gleaned from live betting on the game you are watching as it unfolds is not to be underestimated.
Serious bettors are clearly finding valuable niches too. We will try to point out some of the ones we have observed ourselves here at The Jump Hub.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF LIVE QUARTER BETTING?
One way to get an edge over the bookmakers is by reacting to on-court incidents and action quickly and decisively. Let’s say you witness a key player take a knock and start to hobble a little. It may be that he just needs to run off a dead-leg or other knock but it’s certainly possible that it will affect his performance that quarter.
Jump on any player props bets that you think best reflect the new situation. Alternatively, quickly bet that his team will lose that particular quarter if you think it is serious enough.
Rapid decision-making is required and this is the kind of betting that requires a great gut instinct. We are very much of the opinion that a gut instinct can and must be cultivated over years of experience and study. But some people have a great one to start with. Use every skill and tactic you have at your disposal to beat the bookies. And remember that is always the goal.
Beat the bookies
They already have the deck stacked against you so you have to raise your game even more.
Flying by the seat of your pants in this way is certainly exhilarating and spices up any game for sure.
But…
IS IT AN EFFECTIVE BETTING STRATEGY?
There are three main markets that you can make use of when placing your bets on individual sections of a game.
The Moneyline bet – who will win the designated section of the game.
The handicap spread – who will win the designated section of the game based on an agreed handicap line.
The total points line – how many points will be scored by both teams in that particular section of the game.
In its most basic form, the money line is the simplest way to place your NBA wagers.
Yes or no. Win or lose. It’s a straight choice
If you wish to add a touch of value to straight bets like a Moneyline, then the handicap line can offer you that. Instead of backing one team to win you are adding the extra caveat that they must win by the specified amount.
Check out our in-depth article and others for a better understanding of how those individual bets work in more detail – ‘What is line betting NBA?’
STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESSFUL HALF AND QUARTER BETTING
So, if you’re delving into half and quarter betting for the first time and are looking for a useful strategy to follow, here are a few simple tips:
Do your research!
This is not an excuse to just bust out lots of on-a-whim bets during a game because you need more excitement. It can be, but you need to prepare yourself to lose money hand over fist.
If you want to incorporate this as part of your overall NBA betting strategy then that’s fine. But it requires the same level of work and commitment.
Look at the teams involved. How do they typically fare in each quarter of the game? Are they stronger after the break? Is that only when behind on the scoreboard?
Analyze-it to death
Make some informed observations and base any betting on those. If one team tends to come out of the blocks slowly then it might be prudent to drop a few dollars on their opponents to take the first quarter. But not if they’re sluggish too!
Look for teams who tire when the pace is high. Are they playing a rapid side? Been carrying a couple of injuries lately?
Then you know what to do
See – it’s not just about spontaneous guesswork and getting lucky.
It is rare (but not unheard of) for an NBA team to win all 4 quarters of a given game.
It might be that the underdog rallies and gives it a huge effort in one quarter. There might be injuries or player rotations that are tactical and reflect a lopsided scoreline. Whatever the reasons, statistically it is considered unusual and that means there is room for some informed wagering.
Even if this is an artificially created situation because the dominant team has substituted some players in order to rest them, your ticket will still be a winner.
If you bet on the team that lost the first quarter then the chances of them winning the next one have just increased. Should they lose that also then (if you wish) you can increase your bet on them winning the next quarter and then finally the last.
Ramping the amount up after each loss is a way to compensate for the lost stake from the previous bet. Of course, if this is one of those statistical anomalies where the favorites do win all four quarters then you are merely increasing the amount of money you’re going to give to the bookmakers.
Welcome to gambling folks
THE 3RD QUARTER
Right after the half-time break is a period when a lot of things can change in an NBA game. Any adjustments to the tactics made at the interval might take a moment to gel. Substitutions might mean players aren’t fully warmed up and focused as the quarter begins.
It is often seen as the second most important quarter when it comes to how games are won and lost. The first quarter being the most influential. It stands to reason that getting off to a blazing start is the best possible tactic. It not only gives a team a healthy lead but also demoralizes and shocks their opponents.
Playing catch up is not easy. It can be a great motivator under the right circumstances but can also be a death knell.
Bring that ethos to the start of the second half and it’s easy to see why the 3rd quarter is so important.
The fourth quarter is clearly the last chance that a team has to pull off a comeback. It tends to be the third quarter where the hard work and psychological damage is done.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Across an entire NBA season, there will be lots of ideas and strategies that come and go as you hone your skills and learn to play the betting markets like a fiddle.
Well. That might not happen.
If you’re throwing down a few dollars for NBA betting every weekend then this is all a bit superfluous really. There’s no harm in spicing up the game with a bit of skin in the game. Enjoy your weekend and remember:
WHEN THE FUN STOPS, STOP…
Too many people refuse to accept the fact that they have a gambling problem and the number of lives that have been ruined as a consequence is surely too many to count.
If you’re taking things a tad more seriously then that’s cool too. But just know that it requires work and focus to have any chance of success.
