“Under 68.5”1st Half in Basketball Sports Betting - Explained with Examples + Betting Tips

What “Under 68.5 1st Half” Means

In basketball betting, the “1st Half” refers to only the first two quarters of the game.
68.5 points is the line set by the sportsbook for the total points scored by both teams combined in the first half.
Under 68.5 means you are betting that the combined score of both teams in the first half will be 68 points or less.
- If the score is 68 or lower, the bet wins.
- If the score is 69 or higher, the bet loses.

Let’s use Los Angeles Lakers vs Miami Heat as an example:

Since 67 < 68.5, the Under 68.5 1st Half bet wins.

If instead the second quarter had been:

Since 83 > 68.5, the bet loses.

Look for these situations:

Strong Defense, Slow Pace:
- Teams like Miami Heat and Boston Celtics often play a controlled pace, focusing on defense.
Low Scoring Early:
- Some teams start games slowly, scoring under 30 points in Q1.
Injuries to Key Scorers:
- If top scorers are out, total points are likely to drop.
Back-to-Back Games:
- Teams may conserve energy and play slower, especially in the first half.

Check team pace stats: Look at possessions per game. Low-pace teams favor under bets.
Review head-to-head matchups: Some teams naturally keep games low-scoring in the first half.
Quarter-by-quarter trends: If teams historically score less in the first half, it’s a good sign.
Consider betting live: If the first quarter is slow, live betting under can be safer.
Factor in overtimes: Only count the first half, overtimes don’t matter here.

Lakers vs Heat: If Lakers are missing LeBron and the Heat are on defense, betting Under 68.5 in 1st half might be smart.
Expected 1st half scoring: Lakers ~30, Heat ~32 → Total = 62 points → Safe under bet.