If you’re interested in learning about handicap betting, you’ve come to the right place. In this beginner’s guide, we will explain what handicap betting is, how it works for football matches, and what an Asian handicap is. But first, let’s give you a brief overview:
Handicap betting involves giving one team a goal disadvantage (-0.5, -1, or 1.5, for instance) for betting purposes. This can level the playing field in games where one team is considered superior, making them more interesting to bet on. To win a bet, a team must score at least one more goal than their handicap.
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What is Handicap Betting?
Handicap betting is a unique way to place bets on certain events. For example, in a 100-meter sprint race between a professional sprinter and an average person, it’s predictable that the professional would win every time. This would make the betting process less interesting and yield unfavorable odds. But what if you gave the average person a 50-meter head start? This would make the race more unpredictable and exciting to bet on.
This is precisely how handicap betting works. You give one outcome an advantage and the other outcome a disadvantage to even out the betting odds.
How Does A Single Handicap Work?
Let’s use football as an example since it’s the most popular sport in the UK. The number in brackets next to the team name indicates the advantage or disadvantage given to the handicap. Here are some examples:
0.5 handicap (e.g., Arsenal (-0.5) vs. Newcastle (0.5))
- Newcastle starts the game with a half-goal advantage.
- If you bet on Arsenal and they win the match, you win your bet.
- If you bet on Arsenal and the match ends in a draw, you lose your bet.
- If you bet on Newcastle, you win the bet if they win or draw the match.
1 handicap (e.g., Arsenal (-1.0) vs. Newcastle (1.0))
- Newcastle starts the game with a one-goal advantage.
- If you bet on Arsenal, they must win by at least two goals for you to win your bet.
- If you bet on Arsenal and they only win by one goal, your stake is refunded.
- If you bet on Newcastle, you win the bet if they win or draw the match. If they lose by one goal, your stake is refunded.
1.5 handicap (e.g., Arsenal (-1.5) vs. Newcastle (1.5))
- Newcastle starts the game with a one-and-a-half-goal advantage.
- Since it’s more than a single goal, a draw is not possible.
- If you bet on Arsenal to win, they must score at least two goals for you to win your bet.
- If you bet on Newcastle to win, they must either win, draw, or lose by only one goal.
2 handicap (e.g., Manchester City (-2.0) vs. West Ham (2.0))
- West Ham starts the game with a two-goal advantage.
- If you bet on Manchester City to win, they must win by a margin of three goals or more.
- If you bet on Manchester City to win and they win by a margin of two goals, your stake will be refunded.
- If you bet on West Ham, you win your bet as long as they lose by only one goal.
- If you bet on West Ham and they lose by a margin of two goals, your stake will be refunded.
2.5 handicap (e.g., Manchester City (-2.5) vs. West Ham (2.5))
- West Ham starts the game with a two-and-a-half-goal advantage.
- If you bet on Manchester City, they must win by a margin of three goals or more for you to win your bet.
- If you bet on West Ham, you win your bet as long as they don’t lose by a margin of three goals or more.
Different handicap betting options
Handicap betting is a popular type of sports betting that aims to level the playing field by giving a virtual advantage to the underdog and a disadvantage to the favorite team. Here are some examples of different handicap betting markets:
- Handicap betting: In this market, the favorite team is given a goal/point handicap to eliminate the difference in quality for betting purposes. For instance, if the New England Patriots are playing the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL and the Patriots are 4 point favorites (-4 points), while the Cowboys start the game with +4 points, the Patriots have to win by 5 points or more to cover the spread.
- 3-way handicap betting: This market gives bettors the option to bet on the handicap tie, which means betting on the match finishing in a victory for the team receiving the virtual deficit (-1 etc.) by the exact winning margin offered. For example, if the three-way handicap margins on Burnley vs. Chelsea are offered as Burnley +2, Draw/handicap tie: effectively -2, and Chelsea -2, and the game finishes 1-0 to Chelsea, the bet on Chelsea to win would result in a lost bet, as they didn’t cover the spread.
- No draw handicap betting: This market ensures a guaranteed winner by eliminating the option for a draw, irrespective of the final result. The no draw handicap markets allow half goal/point handicaps to certain outcomes. For example, if in a football game between Liverpool and Southampton, the draw no handicap market offers Southampton a +0.5 handicap, they are already leading 0.5 goals before kick-off.
- Asian handicap betting: This market is perfect for football traders looking for an alternative to the more traditional 1X2 betting markets. Asian handicap betting is a variation on the no draw handicap match betting market, whereby the draw is eliminated. They also offer the possibility of split handicaps, whereby your selection is made up of a selection of whole, half or quarter numbers. For example, if you want to bet on Leeds United who are -1 on the single Asian handicap market against Aston Villa, if Leeds win by two goals or more, your bet is successful. If they win by a margin of one goal, the result is a push, and your stake is returned. If the game ends in a draw or a win for Aston Villa, you lose your bet.
What Sports Can Handicaps Be Used For??
Handicap betting is not exclusive to football, as there are other sports where handicap markets are commonly available. Rugby is an example where one team will start with a points advantage, and the points handicap may be higher due to the higher point-scoring nature of rugby. In golf, bookmakers allow you to place handicaps on players’ rounds, such as adding +3 shots. In tennis, handicaps can be applied to either sets or games, and all games from the match will be added up to form the outcome.
Asian Handicap betting is the name given to handicap betting specifically in football. The name has become popular due to the massive popularity of handicap betting in Asia. The goal of Asian Handicap betting is to offer each team an equal chance of winning, so that as close to even odds will be offered on each team.
Handicap betting for football is similar to that of other sports, such as golf, tennis, and darts, to name a few. Essentially, one team is given a virtual deficit or advantage in a specific match. Handicap betting for football is particularly popular in matches that are predicted to be relatively one-sided.
What Is Asian Handicap Betting?
Asian handicap betting is a type of handicap betting that is primarily used in football. It is called “Asian” handicap because it originated and gained popularity in Asia. The main goal of Asian handicap betting is to give both teams an equal chance of winning, so that the odds offered on each team are as close to even as possible.
Handicap Betting For Football
Handicap betting in football is similar to that of other sports like basketball, tennis, and golf, among others. It involves giving one team a virtual deficit or advantage in a particular match. Handicap betting is popular in football for matches that are expected to be one-sided.
Football Handicap Betting Example
We have given an example of football handicap betting for the match between Manchester City and Manchester United. In this example, we are betting on Manchester City to cover a -1 handicap, which means we need them to win by at least two goals. If they win by one goal, draw the match, or lose the game, our bet would be considered a losing one.
First Half Handicap
Handicap betting in football is a simple concept where you bet on a team to start with either a disadvantage or an advantage. For instance, if you place a bet with a minus one handicap for a team in the first-half, they will have to be leading by two goals at half-time for your bet to be a winner. However, if they fail to score or are losing by half-time, then your bet will be a loser.
Handicap Draw
A handicap draw is when the score of an event is level after the handicap has been applied. It’s not possible for a handicap draw to occur when the handicap being offered by the bookmaker involves a decimal (e.g. 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, etc.), but it can happen when a whole number is offered.
For example :
- if Liverpool has a handicap of -1.5 and Fulham has a handicap of +1.5, a handicap draw is not possible.
- However, if Liverpool has a handicap of -2 and Fulham has a handicap of +2, a handicap draw is possible. In the case of a handicap draw, stakes will be returned, which means that the final result of the match is drawn after including the whole number handicaps.
What Is A Goal Handicap?
A goal handicap is a type of betting market in football where one team is given a certain number of goals disadvantage or advantage. This type of market is often used in games where there is a clear difference in quality between the two teams. Bookmakers offer goal handicaps to provide value to their customers, and the odds offered can potentially result in a sizable profit.
In football, the number of goals scored can have an impact on handicap bets, and therefore, the goal handicap market takes into account the number of goals that a team will concede or receive before the match starts.
If you’re new to goal handicap betting, international football matches can be a good starting point, for example, games featuring teams like England and San Marino.
What is Handicap League Betting?
Handicap League Betting is a type of football betting where you place a wager on a particular team’s performance throughout the entire season. At the start of the season, different odds are assigned to each team, and you place your bet on the team you believe will win.
The league favorite is given a “SCR” or zero advantage. Other teams in the league receive odds based on the bookmaker’s expectation of their performance, with weaker teams given a greater advantage. This ensures a level playing field and creates more betting opportunities.
The main difference between handicap football betting and handicap league betting is that instead of only applying the advantage to the team you bet on, it is applied to all the teams in the league. This means that your wager is on a team’s overall performance throughout the season rather than just a single game.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HANDICAP AND SPREAD BETTING?
The difference between handicap and spread betting is mainly in the terminology used, depending on the region. Both types of betting involve giving a virtual head start to one team to level the playing field and create an even contest. In handicap betting, the favored team is given a goal/point disadvantage, while in spread betting, the favored team is given a spread or margin of victory that they need to win by. Ultimately, both types of betting aim to make the contest more competitive and provide better odds for betting.
