In our early days of sports betting on basketball and American football, we wondered how quarter bets worked. Fast forward to today, we now know what it is and how we can use it to our advantage.
Quarter betting lets you zoom in on specific segments of a game, specifically the first, second, third, or fourth segments, rather than betting on the final outcome. Well, if you want to know more about it and how it works, you don’t have to worry because we’ll throw more light on it in the later parts of this guide.
A quarter bet is a type of wager that focuses on the outcome of a single quarter in a game, instead of the entire match. This means you’re practically predicting what will happen during just 12 or 15 minutes of play, depending on the sports. It could involve betting on which team will score the most points in that quarter, whether the total points will go over or under a set number, or how the spread plays out within that short window. Basically, you’re breaking down the game into smaller parts and betting on those.
Furthermore, quarter bets are commonly used in sports like basketball and American football, where games are naturally divided into four equal quarters. In basketball, for instance, each quarter lasts 12 minutes, offering four betting opportunities throughout a match. You can bet on the first-quarter spread, second-quarter total points, third-quarter moneyline, or even live bet during the last quarter. On the other hand, each quarter in American football lasts 15 minutes long and also uses similar betting options as basketball, including moneyline and point spread.
Different Types of Quarter Bets
So many sportsbooks, including our recommended ones, offer a range of betting options for your quarter bets. You practically get access to almost all of the available betting markets. Without saying much, let us tell you about some popular betting options you can include in your bet:
Quarter Moneyline
A quarter
moneyline bet
is a very straightforward wager on which of the teams will win a particular quarter. For instance, if you place a moneyline wager on the Los Angeles Lakers to win the first quarter, your bet will win only if the team wins the first quarter. However, if the team fails to win the first quarter, your bet is gone, even if they later win the match. In essence, it’s a bet on which team to win a particular quarter.
Quarter Point Spread
This is where the
spread betting strategy
can come into play. With this, you get to bet on a team to win a particular quarter by a certain number of set points. Let’s say Los Angeles is a -2.5 favourite for the first quarter; this means they must outscore their opponent by at least 3 points in that quarter for your bet to win. If they win the quarter with just 2 points or fewer, the bet loses.
Quarter Totals
Quarter total bets can be in a different form. It could be a bet on the total number of points from the two teams in a particular quarter. It could also be a bet on the total number of points from a team in a particular quarter. For instance, let’s say the Milwaukee Bucks are playing the Miami Heat, and the first quarter total is set at 50.5. You can bet on whether the combined score will go over or under that number. Alternatively, you might find a line like “Bucks Over 27.5 points in Q1,” which means they must score at least 28 points in the first quarter for your bet to win.
A Summary of Popular Quarter Betting Options
Here’s a table summarising popular quarter betting options and their meaning:
Quarter betting options
Meaning
Quarter team totals
Bet on whether a specific team’s points in a quarter will go over a set number.
Quarter moneyline
Bet on which team will win a specific quarter.
Quarter point spread
Bet on a team to win a quarter by a certain point margin.
3 way quarter betting
Bet on either team to win or a tie for a quarter.
3-way Quarter Bet Explained
The 3 way quarter bet is just like every other quarter bet that you can place on any quarter of the event. However, it comes with a twist. Instead of getting the freedom to select any bet, you’re just left with 3 possible outcomes of the event to bet on. These outcomes are: the home team to win, the away team to win, or the quarter to end in a tie.
For instance, if you’re betting on a 3rd quarter 3 way bet in a game between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, the only available options for the bet will be for you to back either of the teams to win the 3rd quarter or it end in a draw. The same logic also applies to a first quarter 3 way bet, where you get to predict who will be ahead or whether the first quarter will end in a draw.
Half Time, Full Time Bet Vs. Quarter Bets
Half-time, full-time bets might appear to be very similar to quarter bets at first glance because they both allow bettors to bet on different divisions of the matches. However,
half-time, full-time bets, as explained
in most sports betting guides on our site, are predominantly used in football betting and focus on predicting the result of the events at half-time and again at full time. Some popular options you can bet, include which team wins the half or full time, the total number of goals in half time or full time, or whether both teams will score in a particular half.
On the other hand, quarter bets are more common in basketball and American football, where matches are usually divided into four quarters. It allows bettors to place wagers on outcomes like which team wins a specific quarter, the total points scored in that quarter, or even more niche markets like 3 way quarter bets.
Advantages of Quarter Bets
One of the things we quickly realised while experimenting with quarter bets is how versatile and rewarding they can be when used correctly. Here are some of its advantages:
🏈 Quick Betting Outcomes
Quarter bets offer faster results since they cover only a short segment of the game. You’ll know the outcome of your bet within 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the sport you’re betting on. It’s ideal for bettors who prefer instant results or multiple betting rounds during a single match.
📅 More Betting Windows per Match
Because American football and basketball have four quarters, you get four separate chances to place bets.
🎮 Perfect for Live Betting Enthusiasts
Quarter bets are great for live betting enthusiasts as well as those learning
how to bet on football. You can watch the first quarter unfold, then react and place smart quarter bets in the second quarter and beyond.
Place Your First Quarter Bet in No Time
You don’t need to do much before placing your first quarter bet on your preferred event. The first thing to do is create an account on any of the reputable betting sites we recommend on the banner shown on this page. Don’t worry – their registration processes don’t take time. Once you’re ready, you can follow the easy sign-up process below:
Choose one of the sites and tap on its registration link
Once the registration page opens up, enter all the required details, including your name, home address, phone number, etc.
Verify your phone number, email address, and identity
Once your account is verified, you can make the initial deposit
Go to the betting area and select your preferred sports (basketball and American football)
Make your quarter bet selections
Enter the amount you wish to stake
Confirm and place your bet
However, during registration, ensure you provide your correct details, including name, home address, and phone number. This is very important if you want to avoid unnecessary issues during account verification. Also, ensure your first deposit is up to the minimum amount required to trigger the welcome offer.
Quarter Bet Pros and Cons
Pros and Cons
Beginner-friendly
Great for live betting
A variety of betting markets to choose from
Not available on all betting sites
Our Final Say on Quarter Bets
In conclusion, Quarter betting is a smart way to capitalise on specific moments in basketball and American football games. Instead of waiting for the final whistle, you get to cash out within just 12 or 15 minutes if your bet returns a win. Also, you get to know quickly if things go south. The best part is that it offers a range of popular betting options you can explore, including moneyline, point spread, totals, and even 3 way markets. Therefore, if you’re ready to try out your hand at quarter betting, what’s stopping you from creating an account on any of our recommended betting sites on the banner of this page?
Quarter Betting Faq
Quarter bet is a wager placed on the possible outcome of a particular quarter (first, second, third, or fourth quarter) in an American football or basketball event rather than the full match.
Quarter bets are most commonly available in basketball and American football. These sports are usually split into four quarters, making them ideal for this type of segmented betting.
No, quarter betting is not available on all betting sites, but all of our recommended betting sites on the banner of this page give you the opportunity to place quarter bets on your preferred events.
