Head to head betting
The betting market is very big, with so many angles to it. These angles ensure that one takes a wide array of options to choose from. Another essence of having different varieties of choices is that, with many people of different interests in the betting market, one, having looked at the choices available with an analytical input is able to make an informed.
It is a well-thought-out choice which in the end will bring about a win. This is because eventually at the end of the day everyone is looking forward to a win. In this piece, we will be looking at head-to-head betting; one of the unique and traditional ways of betting.
Table of content:
- Head to head betting
- What is Head-to-head betting?
- Sports where Head to Head is a Possibility
- Is there a possibility of losing a head-to-head stake?
- Simple head-to-head betting tips
What is Head-to-head betting?
Head-to-head betting is probably the simplest and most natural way to bet. This betting market is particular about a certain result or outcome, especially when there could only be two possible outcomes in a game.
To buttress this, take your mind back to a point in time when you and a friend argued on two possible outcomes, with both of you pitching with one of both outcomes.
Did you do the normal, or you can call it the ‘ancient’, jamming of palms? If you did, then it is safe to say that you did a head-to-head bet at that point. Some even go as far as staking valuables, like money or some other things on these choices.
Bringing it to the sports betting market, this option is concerned with a winner emerging from both teams or individuals facing each other. Simply, it’s a winner takes all kind of bet, where a stake is made for a preferred team or individual with the best chance of winning the game. While head-to-head betting can be traced to horse racing, today it’s a very popular method as it is available for both team and individual sports.
This kind of bet is very easy to understand, and it is, most likely, the first point of call for beginners as there are not so many complexities in its approach. It is very easy. Pick a team or an individual and bet on their chances of winning the game.
Also can be interesting:
Top 25 Nigerian Bookmakers for Online Sports Betting
10 Most Important Types of Sports Bets – What You should Know
Sports where Head to Head is a Possibility:
The head-to-head kind of betting is possible in different sports, and we will take a look at some and how they apply.
1. Football:
Football, called soccer in the United States, is one of the many sports where head-to-head betting is possible. Here, a team of choice is selected and a stake is made on the team to win the game. Now, you will understand that football in its peculiar state is a game that is open to three possibilities, that is, a win, a loss, or a draw.
Hence, for football games, and especially head-to-head betting, a draw is simply not a possibility and the wager is on one of the teams to get the win. If a head-to-head stake ends in a draw, then you get your stake back. This is the security that the head-to-head market offers and this is also one of the major reasons while people wager on this market.
Furthermore, you have to understand that due to the ease and seamlessness with which the head-to-head market operates, the odds assigned to this market are slightly lesser than the normal winning (1X2) kind of stake.
A simple example will be a game involving Real Madrid and Barcelona, where both teams are major rivals and could match themselves strength for strength, a head-to-head wager will be on one of the teams to get the win.
2. Basketball:
Another team sport that offers a head-to-head stake is basketball. A head-to-head stake in basketball allows that one makes a pick of a favored team to get a win in an encounter. In a game involving LA Clippers and LA Lakers, a wager on any of the teams to win with the head-to-head market is a simple example.
3. Tennis:
Tennis (formerly referred to as Lawn Tennis) is an individual sport and as such is perfect for head-to-head betting. With basic knowledge in the sport, one would understand that the favorites in the game at every tournament are the big three: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
Thus, unless issues like injury, fatigue, or a case of an upset; where a less ranked player wins a higher-ranked player in a Tennis match, then a smart wager will be on any of these three for a win against another player considering their ability and vast experience in the game, especially in major tennis tournaments.
4. Formula 1:
Formula 1 is a racing sport and one of the very many winner-takes-it-all kinds of sports available. It is slightly close to the horse race, which is where the head-to-head betting started, and it fits perfectly and is ideal for a head-to-head wager.
With formula 1 perfectly fit for this kind of market, different bookmakers will assign odds to different drivers, according to their competitive strength and ability. One simple example is a wager on Lewis Hamilton to win the Australian Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen.
5. Golf:
Golf is another sport that bothers on individual abilities. Therefore, it fits the bill for a head-to-head wager. With different golf tournaments and different individuals gracing these tournaments, one, irrespective of the fact the sport is not as popular as football and the rest, can still be smiling to the bank at the end of the day with winnings, especially from the head-to-head market.
These and more are some sports where the head-to-head market is applicable. A bookmaker can offer more sports as the case may be, as against another. This difference may be depending on the sports’ followership in the part of the world where the bookmaker operates.
Is there a possibility of losing a head-to-head stake?
Well, with the relative ease with which the head-to-head market operates, you might ask if losing a stake in the market is a possibility. The simple saying that “you do not judge a book by its cover” will apply here and provides the answer to this question.
This is not to imply that this market is difficult, but on the contrary, with all the ease it comes with, losing a stake in this market comes also with ease. That is the simple reason why the advice will be to wager on a team or an individual whose ability you can vouch for.
Rather than taking on a team, you do not know, do what they require and ask questions that will either make you continue with the stake or better still, help you decide not to make the stake.
Interestingly, head-to-head betting is operational at different angles. Let us take a look at some and make real-time examples to help us understand perfectly.
1. Match/Race Option:
This is the one that is very pronounced among bettors. It deals specifically with a particular match, race, or game in question. For example, in a football game, this option will apply mainly to the match that will be played in the future.
Take, for instance, a Champion League encounter between Bayern Munich and Juventus. The assessment before making the stake will pay special attention to the game at hand without making reference to any future game. Here, a win is determined by the outcome of the football game.
2. Tournament option:
This option deals with the final placing of the individuals or teams at stake. That’s to say that, at the end of the league season, race season, or tournament, a winning stake will be determined by the position the individual or team who had the wager, occupies.
Also, this kind of stake will most likely be done at the beginning of the competition with different things like squad strength (if it is a team sport). That includes injuries, form, ability, and so on, coming into consideration.
For example, if at the beginning of the French Open (one of the four Tennis major tournaments that hold every year in France) a stake is made for Roger Federer to win the tournament ahead of Rafael Nadal. Then the winning will only be recorded if Roger Federer wins the tournament at the end of the day.
In the case of both players not winning the tournament, it will count as a draw and stake refunded unless it is a wager on who goes farthest in the tournament.
3. Football’s Peculiarity:
The many options available in the football market, due to its worldwide acceptance is a major feat, and it also makes the sports’ options in the head-to-head market more fun. In football, the head-to-head stake comes differently.
From teams to individuals, the options are massive. You can wager on two strikers, on who will finish as the top scorer in the season. Even on a particular game, the wager can still be on two players. The options are endless, and they differ according to what is obtainable in different booking sites or platforms.
Note that these options are available as different bookmakers best represent them.
Simple head-to-head betting tips
1. Know the team or individual:
As we have earlier mentioned, a knowledge of the team or individual’s chances, strengths, and peculiarities before making a bet is very important.
2. Understand the sport:
The different sports available have different ways of operation. Thus, have a basic knowledge of any you wish to stake on. It is very important.
3. Get expert tip:
Many betting experts provide expert analysis on different teams/individuals and their chances are available at the click of the button and they, most times, come in handy in situations such as this.
4. Bet what you can afford:
This applies to all betting markets. While betting provides an avenue to generate more money on the sideline, it can also be a problem when one begins to bet even more than the earning power of such a one.
