What is Head-to-Head Betting?

H2H Betting Guide

When it comes to placing bets on sporting events, head-to-head bets are among the most popular options. While they may seem confusing at first, these bets are very easy to place and they can result in some great payouts. Here, we take a deeper look into how head-to-head bets work and what sports are the best options when placing these wagers. Many professional bettors prefer these bets since there are fewer variables.

❓What is H2H?
👍Benefits of H2H
🏈Best H2H Sports
📊H2H Markets
✨H2H Strategies

What are Head-to-Heads?

To make things easy for bettors to understand, head-to-head bets are moneyline bets. It is a specific form of wagering where an online sportsbook will create two different outcomes between players or teams. The two opponents are pitted against each other and bets are placed on either participant winning the game or match. With these bets, the overall outcome does not play a role, especially when betting on events like PGA Tours or Tennis tournaments. As long as the selected team or player beats their opponent, the head-to-head bet will win.

Benefits of Head-to-Head

There are several benefits to placing these types of bets with an online sportsbook. As bettors become more experienced, they will find that head-to-head bets offer good value. Since they are offered in a number of sports, there are always great opportunities to wager. Take a look at some of the main advantages of head-to-head bets.

Added Betting Opportunities – This form of betting is perfect for sports where betting options may be limited. These bets provide a better chance of getting more action.
Low Odds and Less Risk – When it comes to odds, these bets will be appealing. Since there is a lower risk involved, head-to-head bets have become very popular.
Support Favorite Athletes – In some sports such as football, NASCAR, and even basketball, there are many players or participants involved. In many cases, it can be difficult to back the favorite. With head-to-head bets, the selected participant just has to win that matchup, not the entire event or game.

Best Sports for H2H

There are certain sports where these bets are more common and they can be a great way to generate profits. It is important to keep in mind that head-to-head betting is not suggested for all sporting events. Here, we take a look at the best sports for these bets.

Tennis

H2H betting is often used for tennis predictions. There are many tournaments played throughout the year. Since matches are not able to end in a draw, standard moneyline bets are used. The H2H market will be the match’s outcome, but it is essential to be aware that the player who progresses to the next stage of the tournament will win the bet.

Soccer

There are two main bets to consider when betting head-to-head on soccer matches. These are the draw no bet and both teams to score. The first is a market where bettors select one of the two teams to win the match. If the game finishes in a tie, the bet will be refunded. With both teams to score, both teams must score one or more goals if the bet is Yes. Other options include player head-to-head bets like most goals, most passes, shots on goal, and player to be carded.

Types of H2H Betting Markets

When placing head-to-head bets, there will be two possible markets. These include teams and players. Having these options allows for a wider range of betting options and lets a sportsbook be creative on offered markets. Team head-to-head bets will focus on moneyline wagers. Here, bettors will wager on the outcome of the game with just two possibilities.

With player markets, there is more flexibility and there are more bets that can be placed. For example, bettors can wager on most rushing yards between two athletes in the NFL or matchups for PGA events. Any bets that are beyond the moneyline will be listed as prop bets. These are everything else that could happen in a game or match. With head-to-head bets, the outcome of the game may not always be the main focus, but player and team performance are the concerns.

When to Avoid

Head-to-head betting may sound simple and the returns are quite appealing, but these bets should not be used in all situations. Many of these bets do not focus on major sports like football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. Since casual bettors often know more about these sports they may be at a disadvantage when placing H2H bets on other sports. This is why it is essential to perform research and have a complete understanding of the sport and the participants.

Head-to-Head Strategies

Head-to-head betting is one of the most exciting forms of sports betting available. It presents an opportunity for bettors to be creative by selecting specific teams and players. To be a successful bettor, there are some strategies that can be used. These can increase the chances of placing a winning head-to-head bet.

Target Player Bets When Teams Don’t Have Value – There may be times when there are not many games being played, such as on Monday nights when a single NFL game is offered. In these cases, always stake time to see what team has the best odds of winning, and if there is no value, place player head-to-head bets instead. Even if the game itself has no value, these types of bets provide multiple options that will offer value and can deliver good returns.
Always Bet on Visiting Teams in Form – When getting started with H2H betting, watch for teams that are on winning streaks or those that have a good record against the current opponent. Start by selecting visiting teams in form. Studies have shown that placing bets on teams that have won previous games against the opponent can create a +17 swing, resulting in a 104.3% ROI. These numbers become even better when placing the bet on a visiting team as the ROI is boosted to 107%.

Conclusion

These bets are perfect when placing wagers on teams or individuals that are not ranked high in the standings. As long as one beats the other, the bet will win. While head-to-head bets are not known to offer massive payouts, they can result in long-term profits. Since these are simple bets to place they have become a top choice among casual and professional bettors. With the option to engage in team vs team or player vs player betting, these sports bets provide many opportunities to take advantage of moneyline odds.

Try a H2H bet with DraftKings