Head-to-Head betting – untapped winning potentials

With the consistently exponential growth in the betting industry comes numerous betting options to stake in. Some are common on bet slips, while others are rarely an option for bettors. One of such type of betting that does not get enough attention, perhaps with untapped winning potential, is head-to-head bets. 

A lot of sports bettors have wagering strategies and sports they readily bet on. For instance, some punters would stick to just team-based sports that they are used to and never try out individual sports. While this approach is very sensible at some point, every bettor needs to expand the horizon for bigger payouts and winning opportunities. And what better way to go about these other betting options than head-to-head bets, which focus on individual sports and still require the skills that a bettor has gathered from team sports and other betting options. 

What are head-to-head bets

I’m sure the literal connotation of the term ‘head-to-head’ does most explaining for this type of bet. Head-to-head bets are two-way bets on the victory of one competitor or participant over the other. This type of bet has a common abbreviation of H2H bets, with its origin from horse racing. However, Head-to-head betting has evolved into any form of game and sports that involves counterparties. Football, for instance, offers this type of bet in the form of “Which team will get more cards”, “Which team will get more offsides,” etc. These bets can even be long term like betting on whether a particular team will get more points than another through the span of the season. It can also be short-term based on the outcome of just one half of a game. Head-to-head bets mean picking which individual or group of individuals will perform better or worse in a game of sports.  

What are the chances of winning head-to-head bets

Firstly, it is very safe to say that head-to-head bets offer some really good odds with even and fair winning probabilities. Some of the head-to-head bets in its numerous sports variants often have a 50/50 chance, which attracts small odds. On the other hand, the weaker team can have more corners than the stronger team, and the winning team can have more red cards than the losing one. Depending on the specific bet and your assessment perspective, you could say head-to-head bets come with very decent winning chances. Nonetheless, you should find comfort in the big odds that this type of bet tends to provide in riskier games. So if you choose to go for ones with just two possible outcomes and a 50/50 chance, the odds might not be mouthwatering. 

Which sports are head-to-head bets most suited for

As earlier mentioned, this type of bet gets its origin from horse racing, and as such, it is more popular with individual sports but not limited to it. Betting on a Formula 1 match and watching the game is a very thrilling form of head-to-head bets. Aside from betting on the individual driver, you can also stake on the team as team-H2H-bets. Other popular sports with this type of bet are golf, football, ski racing, and even tennis, where you can bet on which player to exit a tournament first out of the two. The numerous staking options that head-to-head bets offer is one reason why every bettor should consider it.

Head-to-head vs team based bets

These two types of bets share some similarities, especially in their approach as far as the handicapping principle is concerned. Let’s take a football match between Liverpool FC and FC Barcelona as a case study. For you to make your bets, you might need to consider the following 

• The weaknesses and strengths of each of the clubs
• The recent and season-long performance of the teams
• Team line up

Of course, there are many more parameters to look out for, but this is to mention just a few. 

Bettors can also take a similar approach in making head-to-head bets. For instance, in a tennis match between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, you can start by considering 

• Which of the two players has better performance in recent clashes and season-to-date matches.
• What type of court they are playing on
• How do they square up with regards to playing techniques?

When to stay away from head-to-head bets

Like other types of bets, there are scenarios where head-to-head bets can be a bad idea. Every player should generally avoid betting selections that you don’t have high confidence in. In match-ups that are too close to call, you might want to try other betting options instead of picking which participant will perform better straight up. In the above scenario, head-to-head bets almost have the same chances as a coin flip and, as such, should be reconsidered. Also, bettors should keep close tabs on odds associated with a game. When you notice the odds moving into an unfair position or a too-good-to-be-true position, you should consider that as a red flag and stake with caution.

Conclusion

Head-to-head bets can be a great way to multiply your bets, especially when you are taking on the underdog. Betting on the favorite participant might come with better winning chances but not with fantastic odds. More so, while head-to-head bets can increase the enjoyment level when watching a match, it is crucial that you do not just bet on favoritism but based on facts and logical analysis. Head-to-head bets offer more wagering opportunities for bettors, which require similar handicapping principles as in team-based bets. The bettor just has to choose one team or participant over the other.