Betting on NBA First Quarter and First Half Totals

NBA First Quarter and NBA First Half Totals Betting Explained

If you’re the type of bettor that prefers to wager on quarters and halves for a quicker turnaround on action, or to find an edge that bookmakers may be overlooking – first quarter and first half betting could be what satisfies your appetite. 

With the ebbs and flows of an NBA Regular Season game, often times bettors prefer to bet on teams that tend to start a little quicker than others or a little slower than others.   

The following tables will help you identify which teams are better at this than others, as well as their home and away splits and look at their last 10 games.  

How Does 1st Quarter / 1st Half Betting Work? 

Very similarly to hockey—where you can bet on individual periods, or football where you can bet on individual quarters—first quarter betting in basketball will offer you a line/total that’s typically about 25% of the main line/total.  For example, if the Lakers and Clippers are facing off with the Clippers favored by 3 and a total of 220, the first quarter line will likely be close to a pick em’ with a total around 55.  

First half betting is identical to first quarter betting, only it typically is about half the spread/total as opposed to a quarter of that line.  Using the same example above, one would project the first half line to be around 2 with a total near 110.  

Why Should You Make a Wager on NBA 1st Quarter and NBA 1st Half Lines

Simply put – value.  As is the case in any sport, some teams simply come out of the gates quicker than others and identifying this can give you a strong edge.  Not to mention, many bettors prefer to avoid the end of games where many backdoor covers and totals are born.  Betting the first quarter or first half figures to save you from the agony of the 9th man off the bench drilling a three at the end of an already decided game to spoil your bet.   

First Quarter NBA ATS Standings (Through Feb. 25)

First Quarter Over/Under Standings (Through Feb. 25)

First Half NB ATS Standings (Through Feb. 25)

First Half NBA O/U Standings (Through Feb. 25)