Learn how to bet NFL quarters.

Key Points

– Betting NFL quarters is similar to betting a full game.

– Devise an NFL quarters betting strategy and stick to it.

How to Bet NFL Quarters

The National Football League (NFL) has become the most popular betting market in the world of sports gambling. Bettors participate in moneyline bets, spread bets, and totals wagers during each and every week of the regular season. 

When you factor in all of the proposition bets like anytime TD scorer, futures, and specials such as parlays and teasers, the NFL betting board at your go-to sportsbook is packed with a variety of wagering opportunities.

Bettors also have the option to wager on each quarter of an NFL game. They can place their wagers on the moneyline, the point spread, and the total score for just one quarter. In the past few years, there has been an increase in the popularity of betting on NFL quarters. It’s an easy way for NFL bettors to increase the size of their bankrolls. They simply have to know how to bet NFL quarters.

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How It All Works

Betting on a single quarter of an NFL game is functionally equivalent to betting on the game as a whole. You could, for instance, wager on a game between the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings. You can also wager on each of the game's four quarters individually.

Take this example, for instance.

• Green Bay -3 (-110) O 48 -180

• Minnesota +3 (-110) U 48 +200

The above represents the lines on the Packers-Vikings game. The point spread is 3, the total is 48, and you can see that Green Bay is a -180 moneyline favorite.

Now, NFL bettors can also wager on the outcome each of the four quarters. Bettors are able to get a better feel for predicting what may happen in the game by first breaking it down into smaller and smaller segments. During the same game, the line and odds for the first quarter might look something like this. 

• Green Bay -1.5 (-110) O 10.5 -120

• Minnesota +1.5 (-110) U 10.5 +105

In this case if you wanted to win $100 on Green Bay on the first quarter spread, you would have to place a $110 bet on Green Bay -1.5. The Packers must win the quarter by at least two points for your bet to cash.

There is also the option of betting on the first quarter total. To win a bet on the Over, the two teams would have to combine for at least 11 points. The only numbers that matter when betting the first quarter are those that occur in the first quarter.

So, how do you become successful betting NFL quarters? That’s what we look at next.

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Bet NFL Quarters Strategy

You have to realize that betting point spreads in quarters will be a bit more difficult as the spreads are often low. The point spread for a quarter typically ranges between 1.5 and 4.5 points most of the time.

Now, you can look at teams that typically start games slowly or quickly. Let's say that the Green Bay Packers are a team that scores more than 13 points in the first quarter on average. Taking the Packers at a minus 1.5 point spread in the first quarter of this game would be a reasonable bet if you are familiar with the key numbers in NFL scoring.

If Green Bay scores its first quarter average or even comes close, there are a number of different ways the quarter could end: 13-0, 13-3, 13-7, 13-10, 10-7, and 7-0 are just some of the more common possibilities.

You could employ the same tactic with a team that has a strong finish, such as one that scores between 10 and 14 points in the fourth quarter of a game.

Bettors should also make sure they have a quality football sportsbook where they can put their strategy to work.

ICYMI: HOW TO BET NFL TOTALS

Using Averages

Bettors who use quarter averages have a better chance of winning their totals bets than those who don't. The typical total in an NFL quarter is in the range of 7.5 to 14.5. A bettor might consider betting on the Under if they believe that two teams with strong defenses won't, for instance, allow more than one touchdown to be scored in a particular quarter of the game. Most often, this would be a case where you would bet the first quarter.

Teams with strong defenses will usually feel each other out at first. Offenses make adjustments and find ways to score based on what was done earlier in a game. 

NFL quarters bettors can also try to improve their odds by taking advantage of the halftime break. You have more time to come to a conclusion that is better researched when you do it during halftime rather than during the few minutes that are between quarters.

The NFL halftime lasts 13 minutes. That allows bettors time to look for the best lines and odds and determine if there is a strong totals bet worth taking.

Look at Coaching Staffs When You Bet NFL Quarters

When you bet NFL quarters, it pays to take a look at a team’s coaching staff. Some teams have coaching staffs that adjust better and seem to come out of the locker room at halftime reinvigorated. You will frequently find this characteristic in the teams that have the best coaches in the league. They are also teams that seem to win more games.

There are coaches that typically take shots early in a game. Some may save those shots for later. This is information that a quarters bettor can use to his advantage.

It is possible to generate a lot of money through profitable wagering on NFL games by focusing on individual quarters. However, you need to do it in the correct manner. For the best possible outcomes, devise a plan and strategy and then stick to it.

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