When you bet on a team to win both halves during a game of football, you’re picking them to outscore their opponents in the first and second period. So, the market requires you to view each half separately and wager accordingly, based on your detailed analysis of both competing teams.
Interestingly, this market is often confused with Half-Time/Full-Time betting. But what’s the cause of the confusion, and which sites offer the best experience when engaging in both halves wagering? Read our detailed betting guide to find out more!
Important to note – This expert betting guide is designed for educational purposes only. Ultimately, backing a team to win both halves is inherently risky and cannot guarantee a financial return. It’s also important to gamble responsibly and only engage in this type of wagering if you understand the market’s conditions and functionality.
What is To Win Both Halves Betting?
This is a fairly self-explanatory betting market, in which you back a team to win both halves during a particular football match. This is a popular iteration of half betting in football, and one which typically unlocks lengthy and highly competitive odds.
The odds here are certainly higher when compared to traditional match winner bets, as your pick will have to outscore their opponents during the first and second 45 minutes.
However, such odds also carry prohibitive implied probability values, which means that there’s a significant risk of you losing your stake amount.
How To Win Both Halves Betting Works
To provide further clarity when backing a team to win both halves, let’s look at a practical example. Let’s say that you’re wagering on the Championship clash between Burnley and Stoke at Turf Moor, and fancy the Clarets (who are the heavy 1×2 betting favourites) to dominate throughout.
In this case, you can back Burnley to win both halves at incredibly competitive odds of 4.60. So, a successful £10 stake here would yield a total return of £46.00 (inclusive of your original stake), although the odds imply just a 21.73% probability of your wager being successful.
But how do these odds compare to backing Burnley in the match winner, half-time/full-time and similar markets? Here’s an at-a-glance summary:
| Alternative Market and Odds | Stake/Return | Implied Probability |
| Match Winner – 1.62 | £10.00 / £16.20 | 61.72% |
| Half-time/Full-time – 2.50 | £10.00 / £25.00 | 40.00% |
| -1.5 Handicap – 2.70 | £10.00 / £27.00 | 37.03% |
Each of these alternative win and handicap bets unlock lower potential returns but a much higher chance of winning. The contrast with the half-time/full-time market is particularly striking, as this wager enables Burnley to be outscored in the second half and still win the game.
With half-time/full-time betting, you’re wagering on the position of two competing teams both at half and full-time. Even if you were to leverage this market and back Burnley to be in front at the end of each half, they could theoretically lose the second period without compromising your payout.
How to Place a To Win Both Halves Bet
If you decide that you want to pursue the enhanced returns available through the ‘to win both halves’ market, the question that remains is how can you place your wager? Here’s a step-by-step guide, using the All British Sport site as an example:
- Login to Your Account: First, click through to the All British Sport website or open the native app. Then, navigate your way to the ‘Login’ button in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
- Select Football and Your Chosen League: Next, click through the ‘Football’ tab on the left-hand side menu. You can then browse a variety of leagues and competitions before selecting one. The most popular leagues can also be accessed in one click above the fold.
- Choose Your Match: Now, browse the available games and pick one. If you select Burnley vs Stoke, select ‘All’ markets and scroll down to find the available half betting lines.
- Place Your Bets: Select the Clarets to win both halves, at which point this pick should automatically populate your bet slip in the bottom right-hand corner of the lobby. You can then set your stake amount for hitting ‘Place Bets’.
Best Bookmakers for To Win Both Halves Betting
All British Sport is our pick as the best sportsbook when wagering on a team to win both halves of a football match. However, there are alternative sportsbooks that also offer exceptional coverage of this market, each of which has its own unique betting features and selling points.
These betting sites are also secure and licensed to operate in the UK market, while they offer access to a range of reputable banking methods.
Let’s take a closer look at these operators and why you should consider them when picking teams to win both halves!
Best To Win Both Halves Betting Site: All British Sport
All British Sport features a diverse selection of half betting markets, including the option to back the winner of both halves in a selected match. You can also wager on teams to win just the first or second half, while several variations of half-time/full-time betting are also available here.
Keep your eyes peeled for odds boosts when wagering with All British Sport too. These are applied to specific events including high profile football matches, enabling you to potentially back sides to win both halves of a game at significantly enhanced odds.
Best Odds for To Win Both Halves Betting: Rhino.bet
When it comes to pre-game and in-play odds, Rhino.bet is another football sportsbook that offers frequent boosts across selected football matches. These include everything from Championship acca spins to half betting boosts, although the nature of this offer will vary from one day and market to the next.
In addition to backing a side to win both halves here, you can also select teams to win the first or second period individually. These markets tend to be competitively priced by Rhino.bet, while you can access similarly generous odds when betting the over/under on how many goals will be scored in each half.
Best Promotions for To Win Both Halves Betting: Cosmobet
When you register with the Cosmobet sportsbook, you can access a generous welcome offer that incentivises half betting. This comprises a 150% deposit match up to the value of £1000, while all qualifying wagers must be placed at odds of 1.30 or greater. This should unlock numerous opportunities when backing a team to win both halves of football.
You can also access full and auto cashout offers at Cosmobet. So, if you’ve backed Burnley to win both halves against Stoke and they score first in the second half (after outscoring the Potters by 3-1 in the first 45 minutes), you can cashout your bet and guarantee an incremental return.
You can check our our complete Cosmobet review here
Best Betting Features for To Win Both Halves Betting: Bet442
When it comes to wagering features, Bet442 comes highly recommended. The standout feature is the site’s ‘Bet Builder’, which enables you to combine up to 30 markets from a football match in a single wager. This includes half betting markets, so you back a team to win both halves of a game as part of a highly lucrative combo wager.
Bet442 also operates an accessible full cashout feature, which allows for early settlement of wagers and lets you minimise losses. You can boost your potential acca winnings by 77% up to the value of £11,000 here too, while incorporating your choice of half betting markets and picks.
You can read our full Bet442 review here
To Win Both Halves Betting Tips & Strategy
Now that you know the best sites for engaging in this type of half betting, the next step is to develop a viable wagering strategy. Here are some expert betting tips to help you in this regard!
Target Match Betting Favourites
To win both halves of a game, teams must have a measure of control throughout the 90 minutes. Ideally, they’ll also dominate the ball and spend most of the game in the offensive third of the pitch. So, we’d recommend prioritising heavy betting favourites to win both halves of football, especially as you can back such sides at significantly enhanced odds.
Minimise Your Stake
Even when backing favourites, you’ll virtually always be able to access odds of 4.50 and greater when betting on a team to win both halves in a game. This also enables you to minimise your stake and exposure to loss, without overly compromising on your potential returns.
Leverage Betting Offers and Promotions
Most free bet offers and promotions carry minimum odds requirements, usually between 1.30 and 2.00. Due to the lengthy odds associated with the ‘to win both halves’ betting market, you can leverage the majority of bonuses to place wagers of this type and seek out enhanced returns.
Target Various Leagues and Sports
Interestingly, backing a team to win both halves of a game isn’t exclusive to football betting. You can also access this and similar markets when wagering on Rugby Union, Rugby League and basketball (which also unlocks quarter betting opportunities). By browsing markets across different leagues and sports, you can identify the best betting opportunities over time.
To Win Both Halves Betting Example
In addition to Burnley vs Stoke, a quick glance at the Championship fixtures also highlights that Millwall are favourites to defeat struggling Oxford at The Den. At the time of writing, the Lions have won six of their 12 matches at home in 2024/25, while Oxford are winless on the road in 10 games.
You can subsequently back Millwall to win both halves in this match at odds of 4.33, implying a 23.09% of this outcome occurring. However, the actual probability of this outcome occurring may be a little higher, while a successful £10 stake here will also yield a total return of £43.30.
Interestingly, All British Sport is also offering odds of 1.40 on Millwall to win either half against Oxford. These odds imply a 71.42% probability of success, although a winning £10 stake here would only see you bank £14 in total.
Disclaimer: This image is a screenshot from the All British Sports website.
Pros & Cons of To Win Both Halves Betting
As with any betting market, of course, there are pros and cons when backing a team to win both halves in a specific football match. Here are some of the key considerations when placing this type of wager:
Advantages of To Win Both Halves Betting
- Bank Generous Payouts: Due to the lengthy odds and low implied probability values associated with this type of half betting, it typically generates higher payouts. This is especially true when compared to the match winner market, and even backing a side to win with a -1.5 goal handicap.
- Back Heavy Favourites at Enhanced Odds: As we’ve already touched on, engaging in this type of half betting helps you to create value when backing favourites. This is because you’re placing conditions and restrictions on their victory, as they’ll have to outscore their opponents in each half.
- Successfully Leverage Data Analysis: If you’re a knowledgeable or studious bettor, picking a team to win both halves of a game can be especially rewarding. This is because you can use form and H2H data to better inform your selections and identify potential value wagers.
- ‘To Win Both Half Markets’ are Widely Available: ‘To win both half markets’ are available across most football leagues and matches, alongside a raft of additional sports including rugby, basketball and American football. So, you can compare odds and probability across a huge range of markets and maximise your chances of banking a return.
Disadvantages of To Win Both Halves Betting
- There’s a Much Higher Level of Risk Involved: When it comes to the disadvantages of ‘to win both halves’ betting, one of the most obvious is the increased level of risk involved. Remember, higher odds translate into lower probability values, so placing this type of bet incurs a significantly higher risk of loss when compared with moneylines.
- It Can be Hard to Predict Half Outcomes: A number of variables impact the outcome in specific halves of football, while attempting to treat each half as a separate game can be challenging. So, selecting the right matches and teams is fraught with risk and may result in a series of losses over time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid with To Win Both Halves Betting
OK, we hear you ask, but what are the most common mistakes when picking a team to win both halves of a sporting event? Here are a couple to keep in mind:
- Misreading Match Context: Teams that dominate the first half of a match may take their foot off the gas in the second, as they look to manage the game and rotate players ahead of upcoming encounters (especially during busy periods). This could lead them to lose or draw the second half.
- Committing an Overly Large Stake: Remember, backing a team to win both halves unlocks extended odds and the potential for significant returns, even when laying only a nominal stake. So, avoid the temptation to commit an excessive stake amount due to the high risk of loss.
Responsible Gaming
Due to the relatively high risk nature of ‘to win both halves’ betting, it’s more important than ever that you engage in responsible gambling practices.
These include setting a conservative bankroll and managing this using customisable deposit limits. You should also wager with sportsbooks that offer reality checks and entry into GAMSTOP’s self-exclusion scheme, especially those that are also partnered with responsible gambling charities such as GamCare or GambleAware.
It’s also crucial that you only ever wager at a UK site that’s licensed by the UKGC. You can verify a sportsbook’s licensing credentials simply by entering their name or parent company details into the Gambling Commission’s website.
Your To Win Both Halves Betting FAQs
What does ‘win both halves’ mean in betting?
This market requires you to bet on a team that you think will outscore their opponents in both halves of a particular game. Being ahead at half and full-time is not what matters here, with the market settled based on which team scores the most goals in each half.
How do you win both halves in betting?
There’s no strategy that can guarantee a win when engaging in ‘to win both halves’ betting. However, you can optimise your chances of success by engaging in detailed form and data analysis and prioritising heavy win market betting favourites. Also, opt for lower stakes that minimise the extent of your losses over time.
Is halftime/fulltime the same as ‘win both halves’ betting?
No, there are significant differences between these two markets. With half-time/full-time betting, your pick can effectively lose the second period without nullifying your wager. Using our previous example of the game between Burnley and Stoke, you could select the Clarets to be in front at half and full-time. However, your bet would be successful even if Burnley won the first half 3-0 and lost the second 1-0, whereas this wouldn’t be the case in the ‘to win both halves’ market.
What does win either half mean in betting?
When backing a team to ‘win either half’ in a game of football, you’re backing them to outscore their opponents in at least one of the two 45-minute periods. This unlocks much lower odds but a far higher chance of winning, so it may be more appealing to risk-averse punters.
What is a ‘both team to score’ in both halves bet?
This type of half betting is recommended ahead of or during potentially high-scoring games. In this market, you’re backing both competing teams to score in the first and second halves, irrespective of the final score or result. This is also a relatively high-risk betting market that can unlock competitive odds!