How Does Handicap Betting Work In Football

Handicap Betting in Summary. Handicap betting provides one team with a goal disadvantage (-0.5, -1, or 1.5 for example) for betting purposes. This can make games with a superior team more equal. Another version of handicapping is known as Asian handicap betting, which applies to football. In some ways, Asian handicap betting is a gift to punters, because it eliminates one of the possible outcomes. How does a Handicap bet work? A handicap bet will be presented with the team involved along with either a – (minus) or + (plus) numerical value next to it. For example Manchester United -1 handicap.

Handicaps look too complex to understand. But they are relatively easy to comprehend. They are also some of the best wagers in football. They also promise great value, which increases your returns on investment better than most bets.

What is a Football Handicap Bet?

Handicap betting in football. While handicap bets are available in a wide array of sports, their most common application is found in football betting, due to the large number of events you can place handicap bets on. You can place handicap bets on the final result of the game, on yellow cards, corners, the number of goals scored by each. Handicapping is essentially a combination of processes and techniques that can help you to make better decisions when betting on sports.The basic idea is to consider all the factors that can affect the.

Handicaps are an alternative way to bet on teams with extremely high chances of winning and still get good returns.

Traditionally, betting on Juventus to beat lower side Parma means getting little returns for your bets. With a handicap bet, bookies award one or more goals to underdogs Parma.

How Does Handicap Betting Work In FootballHow does sportsbook betting work

Let’s say Parma gets two hypothetical goals at the beginning of the match. For your bet backing Juventus to be counted as a win, they must beat Parma by more than two goals.

Although it’s more challenging to predict that Juventus will beat Parma by +2 goals, the handicap will usually attract better odds. And because everyone football bettor is always looking for bets promising high returns, handicaps provide plenty high-value odds.

European vs. Asian Handicap: What’s the difference?

Bookmaker bookmakers offer two kinds of handicap bets: European and Asian. There’s a slight difference between the two wagers, but it can make a significant difference in your betting returns.

European Handicaps

European handicaps are typically listed in whole numbers. In an example, you want to bet on Liverpool to beat Bristol FC in the FA. A bookmaker could offer a +2 handicap so that your wager on the reds is only awarded if they win by over two goals.

If Liverpool draws, loses or fails to win by the specified margin, you lose your bet. Keep in mind you also lose if Liverpool wins by two goals. Your wager is only awarded if the reds win by three or more goals.

Asian Handicaps

With Asian bets, there’s the possibility of getting your stake back. Also, odds feature a decimal point format so that instead of +3 or -1 handicaps you get +1.65 or -1.75 handicaps. This makes Asian handicaps a tad bit challenging to understand.

Nonetheless, they share the same concept with European handicaps. One team perceived to be an underdog is awarded several goals before the start of a match. This also works by deducting the favourites one or more goals.

As we mentioned above, handicaps also come with improved odds. A game where Liverpool would get odds 1.20 for beating Bristol FC would mean odds 1.90 for the reds in a handicap wager. Needless to say, this would result in more returns for your investment.

So, when do bookies return your stake in Asian handicaps? If you wagered on two teams whose total handicap is +3 goals, it would imply they must score four or more goals for your prediction to be correct. If there were to score three goals, it would be counted as a draw.

But lucky for you, draws aren’t counted as losses in Asian handicaps. A tie is considered a push and you get your stake back when this happens.

Should you bet on Handicaps?

Betting experts advise newcomers to gain gambling experience on regular wagers before branching into handicaps. It makes sense if you consider the amount of research you need to do be confident one team could beat the other by multiple goals.

Still, you can venture on handicaps as a beginner punter. European handicaps, for instance, are easy to play. They’re also available in nearly all top betting sites. Check a list of the best bookmakers with handicap bets on this page. Research betting markets skillfully and pick the best teams.

Handicaps’ Betting Tips

How Does Sport Betting Work

Although some teams have a long history of defeating specific opponents by multiple goals, it doesn’t mean that will always happen. To help you pick the right clubs when betting in handicaps, use the following tips:

  • Examine the importance of a match

Football teams relax all the time, mainly when tasked to play matches with little importance. But if a team is motivated to win a game for any reason, they will fight to win games. Of course, you want to find matches in which one side aims to win by huge margins.

In European knockout matches, for example, score lines can help determine which team qualifies. As such, teams will always try to score multiple goals.

  • The Odds Given

How Does Sportsbook Betting Work

Most handicap odds look impressive on the surface. But when you dig deeper to assess the competitiveness of a game, you might realize the odds are not worth the risk. As such, compare odds from different bookmakers and wagers and bet on matches that offer the best value.

  • The Opponent’s Level of Motivation

Head to head statistics can help you identify teams to bet on. However, you should also use motivation to enable you to predict whether the favourites will be motivated to blow out their opponents in the next match. Motivation can also help you know whether the underdogs are better prepared or they will likely ship in multiple games.

  • Playing Styles and Manager Philosophies

Some teams like Bayern Munich have no problem beating their opponents by +5 margins. They romped up FC Rottach 23-0 in a pre-season friendly over the summer. Man City also outscores premier league opponents by +2 goals consistently.

Soccer Handicap Betting

By comparison, former Man united Coach Jose Mourinho has a philosophy of scoring a few goals and defending them to the end. When wagering in handicap games, you want to back teams whose playing styles and manager philosophies lead to maximum goals scored.

How Does The Handicap System Work In Football Betting

In Conclusion

Handicaps are an alternative betting method for people that want to bet on traditional favourites and still get decent returns from the stakes. The wagers work by awarding or deducting one team several goals before the start of a match. For a bet to be considered a win, your preferred team must win by a specific margin of goals.

Consider practising with European handicaps before trying out Asian handicaps as well. Also, use the tips shared above to help you identify the best betting matches.

How Does Handicap Betting Work In Football Betting

The handicap market is where you bet on a team that begins the game with a disadvantage (or handicap) and needs to score more goals in order to beat the opposition. Alternatively the opposition is given a head start at the beginning of the game, and can win the game by just drawing the match (or winning outright).
Handicap Market (90Min)
Man United (-1)
Burnley (+1)

Draw
The handicap market is an exciting market that makes one-sided games more interesting. This market makes the “playing field even” when one side is better than the other. In this bet a handicap is given to the team that is considered better than their opposition. It means that instead of just winning the match, they have to win by greater than the handicap in order to win in this market. By the stronger team having to score more goals, the weaker team in reverse is given an advantage to win in the match. The weaker side no longer has to win the game, as they are given a number of goals start before the game starts.
In this market the stronger team will start with negative goals at the start. If you back the stronger team to win the game on the handicap, you will need them to win the game by more goals than what they were deducted at the start.
In this market the weaker team will start with more goals than the stronger side. Therefore they have to either win the game, or they need lose the game by less goals than they were given at the start.
Here is an example:
Chelsea is playing Wolves, and Chelsea is the stronger team. The handicap market could well look like this:
Chelsea (-2) vs Wolves (+2)
Because Chelsea is the stronger team here, they will start the game 2 goals behind. If you believe Chelsea will win the game by more than 2 goals, then you will back Chelsea (-2). Chelsea must win by 3 clear goals for this to be a winning bet.
Because Wolves are the weaker team, they will start the game 2 goals ahead. If you believe that Wolves will either win the game, or lose by less than 2 goals, then you would bet on Wolves (+2). If Wolves win the game outright or lose by just 1 goal, then this option is a winner.
Note that the goals are only deducted or added to the team that you bet on. It does not take off goals from both sides.
Here is a score line scenario:
Chelsea 4-1 Wolves
Here are the difference between the scores is 3 goals.
Therefore if you bet on Chelsea (-2), you would minus 2 goals from Chelsea’s score.
Chelsea scored 4 goals, if you minus 2 the score line will now be Chelsea 2-1 Wolves.
Here Chelsea has still won the game even though they had a handicap of 2 goals. If you bet on Chelsea (-2), then you would be a winner.
If you bet on Wolves (+2), you would add 2 goals to the Wolves’ score. Wolves scored 1 goal and adjusting for the handicap the result would now be Chelsea 4-3 Wolves.
Therefore even though Wolves had a 2 goal head start, they still did not manage to win the game on handicap.
You can also bet on the game to be a tie/draw. For instance if the score line was:
Chelsea 3-1 Wolves
Chelsea are (-2), then you would minus 2 goals from Chelsea’s score. The score line is now Chelsea 1-1 Wolves, so the game is a handicap draw.
Likewise, Wolves are (+2), and you add 2 goals to the Wolves score, the score line would be Chelsea 3-3 Wolves
Therefore the scores are tie, and if you bet on the tie on the handicap, you would have a winning bet.
If the result was a draw at 90 minutes with the score Chelsea 1-1 Wolves then you must adjust for the handicap, in this instance Wolves (+2) would be the winning selection, with a handicap result of
Chelsea 1-3 Wolves
The handicap is an exciting and fun bet, especially when the handicaps are very high! It can make the most average games very enjoyable to watch.