Head to Head Betting Guide

H2H betting refers to placing bets on a single participant competing against another participant in a sports event that involves multiple participants, such as golf or auto racing.

Betting on head to head matchups offers an enjoyable and potentially profitable option to wager on events featuring numerous participants, without the need to predict the overall event winner. Simply put, it is a bet solely on determining the winner of a specific matchup, rather than on the outcome of the entire event.

When placing a head-to-head bet, choose either a golfer, driver, or similar competitor to outperform another.

Continue reading to discover all the essential aspects of head-to-head betting in Michigan. This comprehensive guide covers the most popular sports for this type of wager, provides insights on calculating payouts for head-to-head bets, and offers valuable advice on when it is advisable to steer clear of head-to-head betting.

What is head-to-head betting?

Head-to-head wagering involves placing bets on the outcome of a sporting event with multiple participants, specifically on one participant to finish ahead of another.

In a PGA golf tournament, there could be a total of 100 golfers competing. In head-to-head betting, you select a golfer to outperform another. Similarly, a NASCAR race typically commences with 40 drivers. Through head-to-head betting, you choose one driver to cross the finish line ahead of another.

The outcome of the tournament or race is irrelevant; what truly matters is the winner of the matchup.

You can find the specific matchups listed at Michigan sportsbooks, where you have the option to place head-to-head bets at moneyline odds.

One of the participants will be considered the favorite to finish ahead of the other, with odds expressed as a negative number. This negative number indicates the amount you need to bet in order to win $100 plus your initial bet. On the other hand, the other participant will be considered the underdog, and their odds can be expressed in two ways. The first way is as a positive number, indicating the amount you can win, plus your initial bet, for every $100 bet. The second way is as a smaller negative number compared to the favorite, indicating the amount you need to bet in order to potentially win $100 plus your initial bet.

Team-to-team betting

Head-to-head matchups for team sports can also be found on Michigan sportsbooks.

Team-to-team bets function similarly to head-to-head bets, but with one key distinction. Instead of solely wagering on the outcome between two teams, team-to-team bets involve predicting which team will outperform another in a multi-team tournament or an entire season.

One possible rewrite could be: As an illustration, you could place a wager on Michigan outperforming Michigan State in the Big Ten basketball tournament or the Detroit Pistons surpassing the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Eastern Conference Central Division.

In head-to-head bets, the actual victory holds minimal significance; what truly matters is surpassing the opposing team in the matchup.

Head-to-head betting tips

Participating in head-to-head betting adds an exciting twist to large-scale events, providing an extra level of engagement.

Nevertheless, there are instances where the risk outweighs the potential reward in a head-to-head bet. This occurs when one contender significantly surpasses the other as the clear favorite.

As of June 2020, Bryson Dechambeau, the talented golfer, held the 11th position in the global rankings. With remarkable performances in the Charles Schwab Challenge, RBC Heritage, and Travelers Championship events, he was on the verge of entering the top ten, having secured three consecutive top-ten finishes.

Meanwhile, Bubba Watson, the winner of the Masters in both 2012 and 2014, found himself ranked at the 46th position globally. Unfortunately, his performance was deteriorating as he had recently failed to make the cut at the Travelers Championship just a week ago.

When analyzing the head-to-head matchups for the Rocket Mortgage Classic starting at Detroit Golf Club, it is evident that Dechambeau is the favored player with odds of -185, while Watson stands at +150.

Given that you would need to gamble a significant $185 to potentially win a mere $100 on Dechambeau, the reward in this particular competition is hardly justified by the risk involved. Dechambeau’s performance might decline this week after three consecutive successful ones, whereas Watson has demonstrated his ability to consistently perform well in golf tournaments, despite recent downward trends in his results. In simpler terms, there is a high level of uncertainty in this matchup, making any outcome possible.

Head-to-head betting involves evaluating the balance between potential rewards and risks. When the odds become excessively high, the potential rewards may no longer justify the wager. To obtain significant profits from heavily favored moneyline bets and head-to-head matchups, substantial betting amounts are typically necessary. However, considering the associated risks, such bets often do not offer a worthwhile investment.

Which sports offer H2H betting opportunities?

Betting opportunities that involve direct competition between individuals or teams can be found across a wide range of sports.

Head-to-head betting typically focuses on individual sports with a considerable number of participants, such as golf and auto racing. In these sports, H2H betting involves placing bets on one specific participant competing against another in events that feature multiple participants.

Take a glance at the sports in Michigan that commonly feature head to head betting markets.

NASCAR head-to-head betting

At Michigan sportsbooks, head-to-head NASCAR betting allows you to place bets on a specific driver finishing ahead of another driver in races that typically begin with a field of 40 to 60 competitors.

Michigan sportsbooks frequently post a wide selection of head to head NASCAR matchups prior to many NASCAR events.

In every matchup, one driver will have an advantage over the other. The favored driver’s odds will be represented as a negative number, indicating the amount you need to bet in order to win $100 plus your initial bet. On the other hand, the underdog’s odds will be expressed as either a positive number, indicating the potential winnings for every $100 bet, or a smaller negative number than the favorite’s, indicating the amount you must bet to potentially win $100 plus your initial bet.

Browse through the assortment of NASCAR matchups displayed on Michigan sportsbooks, select a driver whom you predict will surpass another driver, and place a wager on that chosen driver based on the existing moneyline odds. If your selected driver outperforms the other driver in the matchup, you will secure a victory.

Head-to-head NASCAR betting offers a significant advantage compared to traditional moneyline NASCAR betting. The outcome of the race itself becomes irrelevant, as the focus lies solely on determining the winner between two drivers. This means that the driver you place your bet on doesn’t necessarily have to win the race; they simply need to outperform the other driver to secure your victory.

One drawback is that you will not benefit from the attractive odds provided by standard moneyline NASCAR betting. Given the large number of participants in most NASCAR races, no driver is typically considered a clear favorite. As a result, standard moneyline bets on NASCAR wins often yield even higher payouts compared to betting on underdogs in head-to-head matchups.

Head-to-head golf betting

At Michigan sportsbooks, you have the opportunity to engage in head to head PGA Tour betting, where you can wager on a golfer to outperform another golfer in events that typically commence with around 100 participants.

Ahead of most PGA Tour events, Michigan sportsbooks offer a wide range of PGA Tour matchups for you to explore.

In each matchup, one golfer will be considered the favorite while the other will be the underdog. The favorite’s odds will be stated as a negative number, representing the amount you need to bet in order to potentially win $100, along with your initial bet. On the other hand, the underdog’s odds will be expressed as either a positive number, indicating the potential winnings for every $100 bet, or a smaller negative number than the favorite’s, indicating the amount you have to bet to potentially win $100 plus your initial bet.

Peruse the PGA Tour matchups listed on Michigan sportsbooks, select a golfer to outperform another, and place a bet on the golfer with favorable moneyline odds. Should your chosen golfer outperform their opponent in the matchup, you will emerge victorious.

The main benefit of head-to-head PGA Tour betting, as opposed to standard moneyline PGA Tour win betting, is that the outcome of the entire tournament is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is which golfer emerges victorious in their matchup. It is not necessary for the golfer you wager on to win the tournament on Sunday; they simply need to outperform the other golfer and finish higher on the final leaderboard.

By opting for head-to-head bets, you will be sacrificing the opportunity to take advantage of the lucrative odds typically offered in standard moneyline PGA Tour win betting. Due to the substantial number of participants in PGA Tour events, no golfer can be confidently labeled as the clear favorite to win. Consequently, standard PGA Tour win bets often yield substantial payouts. However, head-to-head bets do not present the same level of potential reward.

Head-to-head tennis betting

In the ATP Tour, WTA Tour, and Grand Slam tennis events, the expansive tournament format allows you to place bets on a player’s performance, even if they do not directly compete against each other.

Most major tennis tournaments at Michigan sportsbooks typically feature a range of matchups. Each matchup will have one player who is considered the favorite over the other.

In NASCAR, the moneyline operates similarly, with the favorite represented by a negative number and the underdog indicated by a positive number.

At an online sportsbook, you can explore the matchups of a tournament, select a player to outperform another, and place a bet on that player based on the current moneyline odds. If your chosen player defeats the opponent in the matchup or progresses further in the tournament, you will secure a victory.

Head-to-head tennis betting offers clear advantages compared to standard moneyline tennis betting. Your chosen player only needs to win the matchup, not the entire tournament. Furthermore, whether or not they participate in the game becomes irrelevant; as long as your player progresses further, you will still receive your payout.

Naturally, standard win bets typically provide larger payouts. In most tournaments, the competition is fierce enough that even the top seeds are considered underdogs when it comes to winning the whole tournament. Unfortunately, head-to-head betting does not allow you to capitalize on this opportunity.

Head-to-head props

Prop betting is frequently seen in professional team sports such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL, where it intersects with head-to-head betting.

Prop betting typically revolves around placing bets on whether a player or team will succeed in reaching a specific statistical milestone or not.

Head-to-head proposition bets may include placing a wager on which player will reach a particular statistical milestone before the other. It could also involve betting on whether a player can outperform another in a specific statistical category during a game or throughout the entire season.

A head-to-head prop bet covers:

• One NFL quarterback surpassing another in terms of yards and touchdowns thrown.
• One NBA player outscoring/outrebounding/outassisting/outblocking another player in specific categories.
• Another MLB player having fewer hits/home runs/runs/stolen bases than another.
• One NHL player surpassing another in terms of goals, assists, and penalty minutes.

Calculating potential head-to-head payouts

With the leading sports betting apps in Michigan, determining your potential winnings from a head-to-head bet will be a straightforward process.

Simply click on the desired player in any posted matchup, and a bet slip will be generated immediately. Enter your preferred wager amount, and the potential payout will be promptly shown.

Currently, if you are able to locate the odds that are currently posted, you can easily calculate your potential winnings from any head to head bet using basic mathematics.

To calculate the potential payout if you win, divide 100 by the current moneyline odds and multiply the result by your bet. Add your bet to this amount to determine the total potential payout.

Imagine a scenario where the DraftKings Sportsbook App for the PGA Tour’s 2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit on the Fourth of July weekend features a matchup between Bryson Dechambeau and Webb Simpson. The odds posted for this match were Dechambeau at -118 and Simpson at -106.

If you are considering placing a bet on Dechambeau, calculate -0.85 by dividing 100 by -118. By multiplying this result by $20, you will get approximately $16.95. By adding this amount to your initial $20 bet, you can determine that a successful bet on Dechambeau over Simpson would result in a total payout of $36.95. It is worth noting that Dechambeau did indeed emerge victorious in this scenario.

If you bet $20 on Webb Simpson at -106, you have the opportunity to win a larger amount. To calculate your potential payout, divide 100 by -106, resulting in approximately -0.94. Multiply -0.94 by $20, giving you $18.86. Add this amount to your initial $20 bet, and you will have a total payout of $38.86 if Simpson finishes ahead of Dechambeau on the final leaderboard.

Key takeaways on H2H betting

The main takeaway from the information above is that engaging in head-to-head betting can add excitement and enjoyment to sporting events with a significant number of participants, such as NASCAR races and PGA Tour events.

In head-to-head betting, you can place a bet on a specific participant in a sporting event that involves multiple participants, competing against another individual. The great thing about this type of bet is that you don’t need to predict the overall winner of the event to receive a payout, but only the victor in that particular matchup.

Although the chances of an individual golfer or race car driver defeating another are significantly lower than their chances of beating the entire field, it is still worth considering placing bets on multiple matchups for most events. This is because the cumulative payouts from several head-to-head bets can accumulate rapidly.

In addition to NASCAR races and PGA Tour events, head-to-head betting extends to various other sports at Michigan sportsbooks. This includes the option to bet on a wide range of head-to-head matchups and head-to-head props.

One can expect that adding up and engaging in head-to-head betting will emerge as one of the most favored methods for wagering on various sports at Michigan sportsbooks.