After the chess match that is the first quarter of an NFL game, it’s time for the action to start in the second quarter. This is typically the highest scoring quarter of the game and the one where one team may start to pull away.
The second half is key to any game and with over 13 points scored on average, it is often the quarter with the most action. There are many reasons for this, but it usually boils down to teams seeing something exploitable in the first quarter and then doing that. Football is a game of adjustments and after the feeling process is over, it can lead to more scoring.
This article we will cover the NFL second quarter and how betting for it works. What to look for, betting options and our strategy for doing it.
Where To Bet NFL 2nd Quarters:
America: Bovada is one of the best places for football on the web and they offer betting lines on all the quarters. Not only can you bet the 2nd quarter point spread, but they also have lines on a second quarter total and second quarter moneyline.
Canada: If you’re Canadian and you want to bet NFL quarters, look no further than Sports Interaction. They have point spreads, moneylines, over/unders, and more on the second quarter and beyond.
Everywhere Else: One of the top sportsbooks in the industry has you covered for making second quarter bets and loads of other NFL props. They have moneylines, point spreads, totals, double bets, and much more available for you at 888.
What are NFL 2nd Quarter Bets?
A 2nd Quarter bet is when you make a bet on the outcome of the second quarter and the second quarter only. It could be 35-0 after the first quarter, but that number wouldn’t matter. Only the score of the second quarter itself. For all the people who say there is a game within a game taking place, this is literally that! The “game” you are betting on is only the second quarter.
For the second quarter bets, you can do moneylines, over/unders or point spreads.
A moneyline bet is just who is going to win the second quarter. So only points scored in that fifteen minute period will count. The team that scores the most will win the moneyline bet. A tied quarter would equal a push and your bet will be refunded.
Over/unders and points spreads will feature a number set that needs to be hit. A total of 13.5 will mean that an under is 13 points or less, an over means that you need 14 or more to win the bet. While point spreads will see a team favored by, for example, -6.5 and they need to outscore their opponent by 7 points to cover the spread.
Many sportsbooks also offer team over/unders where you can bet on the amount of points scored by only one team. These can work out well when you feel a lot more confident in one team’s offense or defense and you want to put your money behind it.
Common NFL 2nd Quarter Betting Questions:
Do the sportsbook adjust for the second quarter being high scoring?
Typically, yes. The sportsbooks don’t simply divide the total of the game by the fourth quarter. A game with a total of 48 might see the second quarter have a total of 14 points, a fourth quarter with a total of 12 points and the first and third at 11.
Sportsbook will typically adjust their second quarter lines based on what is happening in the game and do the same for later quarters as well.
How long is the break between the first and second quarter?
There is a 2-minute break at the end of the first as teams change ends of the field and prepare for the second quarter. This is a short window for getting your bets in, but with online sportsbooks you will often see the line put up near the end of the first quarter. Some sportsbooks also allow you to still place bets after the first quarter has officially started, barring any scoring.
A lot of people use the end of the first quarter to grab a beer or go to the bathroom, but sports bettors know it is the time to get your second quarter plays in!
How To Bet NFL Second Quarters:
When you are at Bovada they list the sports right at the top so just click football and find the game of your choice and click it. If you want to see quarter lines from all the games, you can select “Quarters” from the drop down menu.
At Sports Interaction and 888, just scroll to the American Football section, click NFL and then find the game of your choice. A click of the “+” with a number beside it will give a large variety of betting options for this game.
NFL 2nd Quarters Betting Strategy:
This is definitely one situation where watching the game does you a lot of favors. If a team is favored and starts out sluggish, this can be a sign that they are going to show up big in the second quarter.
The second quarter can often be one of the highest of the game because of a lot of factors. One of the big ones that few people think of is field position. A team can be mid-drive and at the other team’s 40-yard line and in a great position to score. Or, even better, in the red zone. This is a great time to bet the over as that is basically a “free” score if they put points up in the first few plays. You can then get 14 minutes to get the rest of the over.
Paying attention to the game is important and the field position is a big part of that.