What Does "1st Quarter 3 Way" Mean in Basketball Betting?

If you‘re new to NBA betting, you may see an exotic wager like "1st Quarter Winner (3 Way)" on your sportsbook app and wonder—what gives?

As an experienced basketball gambler, let me explain exactly what this betting market means:

The "1st Quarter 3 Way" allows you to bet on which team will be winning after the first 12 minutes of play…or if the score will be tied.

So there are 3 potential outcomes to wager on:

• Team A is ahead
• Team B is ahead
• The game is tied

This differs from a typical "1st Quarter Moneyline" where you would only bet on Team A or Team B.

The extra "tie" outcome with 3-way betting leads to higher odds and bigger payout opportunities!

Intrigued? Read on as I dive into everything you need to know about quarter-based 3-way betting…

Why Bet the 1st Quarter 3 Way in Basketball?

Wagering on a single period allows you to take advantage of…

• Live betting
• Momentum shifts
• Fast starts
• Slow starts

Rather than sweating out the entire 48 minutes, you just need your pick to lead after those first intense 12 minutes of play.

You can also middle opposing bets:

For example, take the Grizzlies 1Q 3 Way and the Warriors on the full game moneyline.

If Memphis jumps out to an early lead but Golden State rallies back, you could win both sides!

Let‘s compare the payouts on a typical moneyline vs. the 3 way:

Risking $100:

With the extra tie outcome, the odds on both teams get better AND you can take a flyer on a 12-12 first quarter at a juicy +600!

In the next sections, I‘ll break down exactly how to bet quarter winners 3 way across all major sports…

Betting 1Q Winners 3 Way in Basketball

The first quarter wager remains open until the first break in play after 12:00 minutes. Overtimes count towards the eventual result.

Here‘s how the line may look on your sportsbook:

• Los Angeles Lakers +120
• Boston Celtics -101
• Tie +850

The home team Celtics are favored at -101 odds. If you bet them $101 and they lead after 1 quarter, you‘d get back $201.

The Lakers are moderate underdogs at +120. A $100 wager would net $220 if LA is ahead after 12 minutes.

And if you believe the score will be knotted up? A $100 bet on the tie would return $950!

To find value, you need to estimate the probability for each outcome.

• How often does the home team jump out in front?
• How likely is a sluggish start by the road team?
• What‘s the chance of a back-and-forth quarter ending in a draw?

From there, compare your projections to the odds and bet any over/unders.

For example, Boston leads after the 1Q 42% of the time. Anything above +130/+140 on their line starts to have value.

Betting NHL 1st Period Winners 3 Way

Hockey is perfect for period betting since teams go all out over short, frantic shifts.

A typical line may look like:

• Maple Leafs +110
• Lightning -130
• Tie +290

Tampa Bay is expected to start hot as the home favorite. But thanks to the perceived likelihood of a draw, we‘re getting plus-money on Toronto!

Over the last 3 seasons, away teams have led after the 1st period 26.7% of the time. So I actually think +110 is great odds on the Leafs based on historical data.

In 321 games last year, there were 65 ties after 20 minutes of play—a 20.2% probability. So +290 on the draw seems inflated. Hammer that at nearly 3-1!

How to Bet NFL 1st Quarter Winners 3 Way

NFL games often swing wildly between quarters, making the 1Q lines quite lucrative.

A typical NFL quarter spread may look like:

• Kansas City Chiefs PK (-110)
• Philadelphia Eagles PK (-110)
• Tie +750

Here both teams are priced evenly (PK means no spread). The tie sits at +750, implying just a 12% chance of a 7-7 first quarter.

But history says otherwise…

In 2022, 15.7% of NFL first quarters ended in ties. So there‘s nearly a 1 in 6 chance of a draw, making +750 excellent odds.

No matter which side you like, I‘d recommend sprinkling on the tie for upside. Then if the game starts slow, you can hedge by live betting the 2H over.

When to Consider Each Way 1st Quarter Betting

New to all these exotic wagers? Each way bets are a great intermediate step.

Here‘s how they work:

An each way bet contains two components – a win bet and a place bet:

1. Win: Team A Victory
2. Place: Team A or Tie

So you get paid if your team is:

1. Winning after 1Q
2. Tied for 1Q lead

Effectively, the place bet doubles your chance to cash while reducing the payout odds.

Using our previous Chiefs vs. Eagles line:

• Chiefs 1Q Win – PK (-110)
• Chiefs 1Q Place – PK (-155)

While the Place bet has worse odds, you‘ll now win if KC is leading or tied 7-7. Well worth it at just -155!

Here are the key benefits of each way betting for newbies:

• Doubles your chances of winning
• Returns a payout even if your team ties
• Good for introductory quarter betting
• Useful in games expected to start slow

And risks to note:

• Reduced payout odds
• More likely to just recoup original stake
• Still need your team to avoid falling behind early

Choose each way when you expect a low-scoring start but aren‘t confident picking a winner.

Or pair it with the tie at +750 for ultimate security!

Advanced 1st Quarter Betting Strategies

Once you‘ve mastered the basics of quarter winners 3 way, try these advanced tactics to really maximize value:

Middling Opposing Sides

Also known as a "middle bet", this technique wins both sides of a game.

The key is betting the 1Q underdog and the full game favorite.

For example:

• Houston Rockets 1Q ML (+180) $100
• Golden State Warriors Game ML (-280) $400

If the Rockets lead after 12 minutes, you win $280
If the Warriors come back to win, you net $640

As long as Houston doesn‘t get blown out early, both cash!

Live Arbitrage

Watch for big line movement after tipoff and pounce on mismatches.

For example, if Philadelphia jumps out to a quick 10-0 lead over Toronto, you may see:

• 76ers 1Q -2000
• Raptors 1Q +800

Hammer the Raptors before the line corrects! Even if Philly is up 15, Toronto only needs one bucket to cover as dogs.

Hedging Your Bets

Hedge out of dangerous positions rather than sweating till the bitter end.

For instance, if you take Miami 1Q but they face an early 10-point deficit. You could bet Boston‘s 2H line to recoup losses if the Heat continues to flounder.

Smart hedging helps you get back to even by exploiting line mismatches.

The Bottom Line

While quarter betting lines may look confusing initially, there‘s real strategy built into these exotic markets.

Focus on landing the draw when odds overestimate the probability of a clear cut winner early on.

Then as you get more comfortable, start middling sides and scouring for live arbitrage opportunities.

Within no time, you‘ll be crushing your bookie on those lucrative quarter and period betting lines.

Have any other questions on 1st quarter 3 ways or other prop bets? Hit me up on Twitter and let‘s keep the winning conversation going!