How does second-half betting work in the NBA?

At the conclusion of the first half of an NBA basketball game, sportsbooks will issue a new point spread, betting total, money line, and often team totals that include just the result of the second half only.

Bettors can place bets on this segment of the game often at either at a brick-and-mortar sportsbook, online sportsbook or through a mobile betting app.

Bettors who place second-half bets must also factor in the result should the game go into overtime.

Points accrued in regulation are always factored into the last betting segment of the game, whether it be the second half or fourth quarter.

Some gamblers, including many professional bettors, use second-half wagering to form hedges (“middles”) after leading a possible winning bet at halftime.

For example, the bettor who placed a wager on the Golden State Warriors at -8 may opt to bet on the opposing team in the second half.

If the Warriors are winning the game by at least five-to-six points or more, they may still be offered as a reasonable favorite in the second half.

A bettor could take the Milwaukee Bucks in the second half plus the points, say for this example (+4) while trailing the game by 7.

This gives the bettor a window (“middle”) opportunity for the final score to land in between the spreads of the two wagers, giving gamblers a high reward win (often around 200 percent) with very little risk (often around five percent).

The drawback is the stronger possibility of splitting the two wagers when it seemed that the original bet was already winning after completion of half of the game.

Professional bettors employ this strategy for more than casual sports gamblers.