You may have seen various TV commercials or heard friends talk about the “1st quarter 3-way” or “2nd quarter 3-way” betting. What is this mysterious terminology and how does it work? Let’s dive into these questions and more, as well as the different types of 1st quarter 3-way bets available to sports bettors.
What Is The 1st Quarter?
The first quarter of the year in sports betting is typically referred to as the “Hurry Up” or “Early Advantage” period. The main reason for this is that many sportsbooks will give you a better deal if you place a bet or wager as soon as possible after the start of the period. There isn’t a set number of days or hours that the quarter begins or ends. It simply begins when the first day of the month falls and it ends when the last day of the month falls.
This is also the part of the year when you’ll want to be constantly monitoring the schedule of your favorite teams. Since the beginning of March through the end of June is usually the peak season for professional sports, you’ll want to make sure you’re always aware of the latest scores, news, and rumors related to your team.
What Is 3-Way Betting?
If you’re unaware, 3-way betting is when you take a wager or bet on the results of 3 different sporting events. In some cases, this might mean that you wager or place a combined total of $100 on the outcomes of the Super Bowl, World Series, and NBA Finals. While some books only offer 3-way betting in combination with parlays, there are numerous occasions where you can bet on any combination of three games, even if they’re not in the same sportsbook or organization.
To make a 3-way bet, simply locate the three sports you’d like to bet on, choose the stake for each game (the low, mid, and high amounts), and then click the button to place your bet. If you’d like to learn more about placing a 3-way bet, check out our guide on How to Place a 3-Way Bet or read our sports betting FAQ for answers to some of the more common questions related to this type of wager.
The Different Types Of 3-Way Bets Available
Depending on your bank account and how much money you can risk, you’ll have to choose which type of 3-way bet to make. For example, if you’re looking for an easy way to play and you have enough cash on hand to place a $100 wager on each of the three outcomes, you’d want to lay down a parlay. This type of bet allows you to win big if all three of your picks are winners. Of course, you’ll also need to stick around to see if all three games end in a score!
Another great option if you’re looking for a way to play but don’t have enough money on hand is to make a combination bet. With a combination bet, you’re not necessarily opting to risk $100 on each game, but rather you’re agreeing to lose that amount on one or two out of the three games. For example, if you bet $25 on the Patriots winning the Super Bowl, $25 on the Cubs winning the World Series, and the rest on the Falcons winning the NFC Championship, you’d lose $100 on the Super Bowl and the World Series, but you’d win if the Falcons win the NFC Championship. Combination bets are a great way to stack the odds in your favor and make big wins more likely!
When Are The Most Popular Sports For 1st Quarter 3-Way Betting?
Whether you’re in the mood to place a wager or you’re just looking for an opportunity to watch some sports, you’ll want to know when are the most popular sports for 1st quarter 3-way betting? As mentioned above, this is typically the peak season for professional sports. The NBA, NFL, and NCAA football seasons run from early October to mid-April, while the rest of the major sports seasons run from mid-April to mid-October.
As a general rule, you’ll want to avoid all NCAA basketball, NFL, and NHL hockey games from late November to early March, as well as most international competitions such as the World Cup and Summer Olympics, due to the lack of liquidity in those sports during that time. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you can find all the major baseball, and in particular, the World Series, from late June to late October. Finally, if you want to place a few bucks on a game, you’ll find horse racing from early March to late May, and dog racing from late May to early October.
How Does The Schedule Influence My Picks?
One of the major factors that you need to take into consideration when picking games for 1st quarter 3-way betting is the schedule. Now, in some cases, this might not be as important as you’d think. For example, if you’ve got a strong feeling about how a certain game will end, you may not need to worry about the score of the previous game. Nonetheless, it’s always a good idea to check out the previous games’ scores before making your pick, in case the combined score was unusually close or one of the outcomes was very disappointing. In other words, if you think the Giants will cover the +2.5 point spread in game one, you may not want to play the Patriots, since they’ve already beat the Giants once this year. There, now you know when and where to avoid playing and when to stack the odds in your favor!
What Should I Watch Out For?
Now that you know when and where to avoid playing and when to play, you’ll want to keep an eye out for the key things that you need to watch out for, especially, if you’re playing online. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Fraud
- Cheating
- Dishonesty
- Scamming
- Malfunctioning or faulty equipment
- System overload or downtime
- Unexpected server errors
- and, last but not least,
- Rigging
Since this is such a lucrative market for online sportsbooks, it’s likely that scammers and hackers will be targeting unwary or unsuspecting bettors. As you might imagine, this can be quite challenging to keep up with but with a little bit of research and a little bit of common sense, you shouldn’t have too much trouble keeping at least some money in your wallet.
As for what equipment you might need to get started, all you really need is a computer with a stable internet connection, a microphone, and a speaker. Additionally, you’ll need a wallet for storing your debit and credit cards, as well as some kind of gambling software. If you wanted to get really fancy, you could also download a VPN app to your phone and connect before you play, to ensure that your personal data is always kept safe while online. Keep in mind that not all gaming software is created equal and it’s important to read reviews before you buy anything. With the right software, you can lay down your wagers with the touch of a button and watch the cash roll in. What could be more exciting?!
While the above advice should be sufficient to get you started, this is still a complex topic and there are many more things you need to be aware of. For example, if you’re playing at a land-based casino, you’ll need to be even more careful, since there are more opportunities for fraud. In particular, look out for card sharks, who may try to trick you into betting more than you can afford or for longer than you should. If you’re not comfortable playing at a land-based casino, then you should avoid them altogether. Instead you should play at a more reputable online casino which also offers 3-way betting. This way, you’ll be sure to have a good experience and your money will be safe.
As with any form of gambling, this is a market that is completely legal but doesn’t come without its risks. Nevertheless, as long as you keep your eyes open and your wits about you, you should have no problems sustaining a healthy wagering habit.