Head To Head Bets Explained

Head to head (H2H) betting is probably the most popular and widely used type of bets in sports betting. You are simply placing a bet on a team or player winning or losing.

It’s appealing to novice bettors because it’s a very simple bet to place with no complexities involved.  It also appeals to more experienced bettors as they can utilise data to increase their potential as part of a strategy.

This article will cover how H2H betting works, which sports you can apply it to, the pros and cons of H2H betting and how to maximise your chances using this type of bet.

What Is A Head To Head Bet?

In its simplest form, it’s a bet that requires you to pick the winner of a competitive event with two possible outcomes between two participants.  This can include teams, individual athletes or specific player head to heads within a bigger event. 

Because H2H betting focuses on two possible outcomes, it removes the complexities of more advanced, multiple bets and boils down to which team or person will win a match.

Main Features of Head to Head Bets

• Two Outcomes: You choose one of two options. Individual A or Individual B / Team A or Team B wins.
• Markets: The markets available for Head to Head betting are vast so you can pick sports or events that you prefer if you wish.
• Simplicity: H2H bets are very straight forward with no aggregate scores or variables involved. This makes them ideal for both novice and experienced bettors.
• Flexibility: Head to head bets can be done as a normal Single bet or as part of a combination bet such as an Accumulator. 

Head To Head Betting Odds

We’re sure you probably already know about betting odds but just in case, let’s do a quick run through to be sure.

As we know, the odds set by bookies are meant to reflect the likelihood of each team or person winning.  However, don’t forget that all bookies put a slight margin in their favour which is known as the house edge. 

Odds in the UK are mainly displayed in two formats:

• Decimal Odds: Decimal odds are easier to grasp than fractional odds and are the go to format for matched betting.  This could look like 2.0 for Player 1 and 2.5 for Player 2.

You may have guessed that the person or team with the lower odds, is the favourite to win.

• Fractional Odds: This format is used by most gamblers in the UK. The same decimal odds as above but in fractions would be 1/1 (evens) for Player 1 and 6/4 for Player 2.

Calculating Returns

The calculation for working out potential winnings is very easy.  You just multiply your bet stake by the odds:

• Betting £10 on Player 1 at decimal odds of 2.0 would see a return of £20. This would be your £10 stake back and £10 profit.
• Betting £10 on Player 2 at decimal odds of 2.5 would see a return of £25. This would be your £10 stake back and £15 profit.

Popular Sports For Head To Head Bets

With the amount of sports shown on TV and online these days, the opportunities to place head to head bets has never been easier. Thanks to the amount of betting markets available, there can be exciting chances for betting on opponents that are closely matched.

This doesn’t restrict you to betting on one golfer against another though.  You can bet on the top two Formula 1 drivers on the final Grand Prix race of the season, or the two of them to get the fastest lap.  

Football is the most popular sports betting market in the UK but you aren’t limited to the team win only market.  You can look at markets such as the most bookings, goals scored or overall winners of the Premier League.

If you’re still unclear about using head to head bets, here’s some examples of the types of sports bets you could consider:

Tennis: Who will win the Australian Open? Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner?

Football: Who will score the most Premier League goals in a season between Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah? 

Cricket: Who will score the most runs in the second innings of the upcoming Test match? Australia or England?

Rugby Union: Who will win this year's Six Nations tournament? Ireland or France?

Snooker: Who will hit the first 147 break in this year's Masters tournament? Ronnie O’Sullivan or Judd Trump?

Golf: Winner of the US Masters - Scottie Scheffler or Tommy Fleetwood?

Formula 1: Who will get a podium finish at the opening Grand Prix between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc?

The above examples of head to head bets doesn’t even scratch the surface when it comes to what’s actually available for you to bet on. 

These are just a small sample and show that head to head bets don’t have to be just Team A or Player A winning.  There’s plenty of opportunities to mix it up a little.

Head To Head Betting Outcomes

The outcomes of most head to head bets can usually be allocated to three categories; win, lose or draw.  This does however, depend on the market you have bet on.  Let’s briefly look at these:

Win: The perfect scenario. If your selection wins, you get the winning payout based on the odds and stake used.

Lose: This is very straight forward. If you selection doesn’t win the bet, you lose your stake.

Draw: There are some betting markets and sports where a tie or draw can take place. If this does happen, the outcome is very much dependent on the bookies' terms for that bet.

• Two-Way Markets: If there is a draw, your stake is refunded. A typical market for this would be Draw No Bet. 
• Three-Way Markets: These markets offer the win, loss and draw so if it ends in a draw and you didn’t back the draw, you lose the bet.

Unusual Situations: There may be occasions where the outcome isn’t one of the above scenarios. These might include:

• A Dead Heat: For example, two golfers tie for a position. This might result in dead heat rules being applied and your returns might be halved.
• Postponements: If a fixture has to be postponed or cancelled, pretty much all bookies will void your bet and refund your money.

Head To Head Betting Strategies

The principle of head to head betting is simple but that doesn’t mean you should throw money at anything in a haphazard fashion.  Success can be the result of a strategic approach.

Here are some considerations to think about when deciding which H2H bets to place:

Research Is Key

• Check Form: Look at how players or teams have been performing recently.
• Head to Head: look at previous data of where the same players or teams have met and see if there’s any glaring indicators or patterns.
• News or Updates: Check social media and related publications for any indications of team news or injuries. An injury to a star player can significantly impact a team's performance.
• Venue: Which team is at home. This often provides a significant advantage, but not always.
• Weather: Check for any adverse weather conditions. Some players and teams perform better than others in certain conditions. 

Odds Comparison

• Odds often fluctuate due to industry news or leaked information that cause bettors to lump on. 
• The trick is to catch the odds when they are at their highest. Using more than one bookie would allow you to check odds across them all to see who is offering the best odds.
• H2H bets don’t always have the most attractive odds but the lower odds come with lower risks which a lot of punters find appealing. There are many bettors that make profits from placing regular head to head bets with lower odds.
• You can utilise websites like Oddschecker to which bookies are offering the best odds for the betting markets you’re interested in.
• Keep an eye out for special offers and odds boosts that the bookies offer. These can give you an extra edge.  

Bankroll Management

• Set affordable betting limits and stick to them.
• Use realistic stakes. A common approach is to use 1-2% of your total bankroll on each bet.
• Keep records of all of your bets including wins and losses.
• Choose a staking strategy and try to keep it consistent.

Avoid Emotional Draw

• Remain objective and follow the statistics. Following your emotions by betting on your favourite player or team rarely works without proper analysis.
• Disciplined decision making is the more logical approach to use.

Consider Betting In-Play

• Don’t rule out placing bets during a match or event, it can be advantageous. 
• You can react to changes during a match such as a swing in momentum, injuries, weather changes or substitutes.

Head To Head Betting Advantages

There are various benefits to H2H betting so let’s take a glimpse at some of them:

• Simplicity: Thanks to how easy H2H bets are to place, makes them suitable for levels of experience. In fact, people new to betting are more likely to place head to head bets before they try anything else.
• Opportunities: You can find head to head betting markets on pretty much all sports. With the amount of online bookies and betting markets available now, there’s virtually unlimited opportunities to find what you want.
• Utilise Your Knowledge: If you have good knowledge on specific sports or players, H2H betting is ideal for you to focus you expertise on and apply your skills to the research.
• Value Opportunities: With the right analysis, it’s possible to find value bets where the odds offered by the bookie don’t reflect the probability of the result.
• Managing Risk: As there are only two outcomes from head to head bets, the risk is lower than doing multiple bets like accumulators or yankee bets.

Limitations Of Head To Head Betting

No betting strategies and types of bets are guaranteed and every single one of them has its challenges.  Head to head bets are no different:

• Smaller Returns: Because H2H bets are binary in nature, it’s likely that any payouts will be less than some more extravagant bets. However, this does sit in line with the lower risks involved.
• Research: As mentioned, researching your bets is integral to increasing your chances of success. However, this can be time consuming at times. 
• Risk Of A Draw: A lot of the sporting markets allow for a tie or draw as a result which isn’t always covered off in a head to head bet.
• Reliance On Favourites: It’s easy to get carried away and increase stakes for favourites. As with any sport, upsets happen from time to time. This can lead to unnecessary losses.

Summary

Head to head betting is a simple yet fun way to engage yourself in sports betting.  It keeps decision making straight forward and offers the potential opportunity to combine your betting strategies with making profit.

No matter what level of experience in betting you have, H2H betting can be easily adapted to your betting armoury provided you remember the rules and potential outcomes.

Head to head betting is an easily accessible and versatile option for anybody who likes to bet on sports. 

As with any type of gambling, success is normally dependent on careful research and responsible bankroll management.