In a world where bet builders, special bets, and accumulators stand, handicap betting stands as the most popular and best betting option for fans of sports like football, rugby, and basketball, where points are scored. Handicap betting is offered in many sports markets and helps betting sites balance a match by giving one team or player a virtual advantage or disadvantage to even the competition.

A team receives a virtual deficit to overcome, and your bet wins if, after applying the handicap, their final score is higher. Though handicap betting may seem confusing, here is a simple guide to help you understand it, along with some useful tips and the key differences between handicap and regular betting.

What is Handicap Betting?

What exactly is handicap betting, then? Simply put, a handicap bet is still a gamble on which player or team will win a competition, with the exception that the bookmaker assigns a virtual handicap to one of the participants. This option is not as popular as the 1×2 or the double chance but is one of the safest betting options any bettor can bet on.

Whichever team you wager on begins the game with that amount added to or deducted from the starting score since this handicap will level the playing field and give one team a virtual deficit to overcome. With the handicap taken into consideration, you are placing a wager on which team will prevail.

However, the terms “the spread” and “points betting” are also frequently used to describe handicap betting.

How Does Handicap Betting Work?

In handicap betting, a particular team starts with a virtual advantage, while the opposing team has a deficit. For example, if Manchester United plays Manchester City, you might see the following odds: Man City (-1) or Man United (+1).

If you bet on “Man City -1,” you’re betting that, even after the handicap of minus one goal is imposed, Man City’s score will still be higher than Man United’s. So, if City wins 3-1, your bet will be successful. If they won 2-1, your bet would have lost since the handicap would have made the result 1-1.

In this scenario, you would win if the game ended in a draw because you would be betting on Manchester United’s score to be higher than City’s after the handicap has been applied if you were to support “Man Utd +1.” You are betting on the winning margin being equal to the handicap offered, which in this case is one goal if you choose to place a wager on the handicap draw.

Because handicap bets are offered on a specific sub-section of each relevant event on a betting site, they can add excitement to a market, particularly when there is one clear favorite. Keep in mind that the handicap is applied only to your selected selection, not both sides and that the handicap must be covered for the bet to be successful.

What Markets Use Handicap Betting?

Many sports, including basketball, rugby, football, and more, are popular for handicap betting; generally, it is used for point-scoring sports.

Match result (or goal) markets are the most popular for handicap betting, with bettors placing the virtual handicap on the team of their choice. This is typical for rugby, football, and other sports matches.

No draw Because teams are given a half handicap advantage, such as +4.5, handicap betting removes the chance of a handicap draw. As a result, there is no chance of a tie once the handicap has been applied.

A comparable idea, but one that is used over a league season, is handicap league betting. At the end of the season, the handicap scores of each team are added to their actual point total to decide the “winner.” The favorite begins the season with a handicap of 0, and each other team is granted a virtual point advantage.

Types of Handicap Bets

In addition to “normal” handicap betting, two other popular types of handicap betting are Asian handicap and European handicap.

Your wager for European handicaps requires a team to win a game and win by a specific, unambiguous margin of goals. This type of handicap is frequently utilized in European markets and is the same as what we in the UK simply refer to as “handicap betting.”

While split handicaps are an option, Asian handicaps are comparable to no-draw handicap betting in that no draws are permitted. This is where your choice may have a half-number handicap and a whole-number handicap. A £10 wager would be £5 on each of the two handicaps since your stake is split equally between them.

Consider football betting sites that provided the following odds, for instance: Comparing Manchester United (+1, +1.5) against Manchester City (-1, -1.5). To win this game, City must win by a score of two goals or more. Half of your stake is refunded if they win by a single goal, losing the -1.5 market and drawing the -1 market. United wins both handicaps if City loses.

Football Handicap Betting

With options for leagues and individual games, football handicap betting is one of the most well-liked handicap betting markets.

Although you can wager on handicap league betting, where the favorite begins with a handicap of 0 and each other team is given a lead of a specific number of virtual points (based on how likely they are to win the league in the first place), individual matches, like those in the aforementioned examples, are the most popular market. The league “winner” is decided at the end of the season by adding the handicap scores of each club to their overall number of points.

Handicap Betting Tips

There are many handicap betting strategies to take into account:

1. Always remember to do your homework. Examine both teams’ records, any pertinent player data, and current performance patterns.

2. It’s also critical to have a solid understanding of the key teams; if they are clear favorites, is their top striker likely to start? Consider stuff such as this.

3. Examining head-to-head records and any additional qualifying elements is also worthwhile. If this is a “derby game”, for instance. Additionally, always value home advantage.

4. To get the greatest deal, don’t forget to compare odds from other online bookies. A handicap betting calculator can be useful if you’re lost.

5. Remember to search for value in games when the handicap may not accurately represent the actual disparity in skill between the teams or players.

Explaining handicap betting is helpful since it might be another betting strategy to add to your toolkit, particularly when you’re wagering on a game with a definite favorite.

To put it simply, handicap betting is placing a wager on a team or individual to win or lose after the selected handicap has been applied, so providing that team or player a virtual advantage or disadvantage.

Depending on the match or league, you might discover value in specific deficits, and handicap betting is a helpful technique to wager on markets with underdogs.

However, if you do choose to engage in handicap betting, keep your spending under control and remember to wager sensibly, even when using free bets. At Masterpredict, Our team of analysts is always available to offer you some professional guidance.