Last updated on March 11th, 2025 at 01:48 pm
Handicap betting remains a staple on online sportsbooks as a popular bet type. It turns a match into an even money contest by giving a team or player a virtual advantage or disadvantage.
Handicap betting levels the playing field, giving punters betting on heavy favorites better odds by giving their team a virtual deficit to overcome. The same is true for punters betting on major underdogs handicap betting gives them a virtual advantage to begin the game with. Depending on the sport, these handicaps are represented as numbers indicating the margin of goals, points, or runs favorites or underdogs need to cover.
What Is Handicap Betting?
In essence, handicap bets are wagers on which team or player wins a match. Handicap betting evens the odds calculation of a sporting event with a clear differential in strength between two participants, giving bettors more value regardless of which side they bet on.
Another popular betting option is over/under betting, where bettors wager on whether the total number of goals, points, or other key stats in a game will be over or under a specified line set by the sportsbook. This type of bet adds more variety and strategy, allowing bettors to focus on the overall performance of both teams, rather than just picking a winner.
For instance, if Manchester City lined up against a Sunday league team, you would expect the professionals to beat the average Joes every single time. Betting on the winner would be a boring proposition, with odds favoring City being infinitesimal. But if you give the amateurs a head start of 7, then that would make the outcome harder to predict by reducing the gulf in quality between them. Now we’ve got a ballgame.
Effectively, handicap betting gives one outcome an advantage and another a disadvantage to make a betting market more even.
Point Spread (European Handicap)
The European handicap, also known as a three-way handicap or handicap betting in the UK, requires a team to win a match with a clear margin of victory. Depending on the sport, the latter could be in goals, points, runs, or sets. European handicaps also give punters a chance to bet on the handicap tie.
Asian Handicap
The Asian handicap, meanwhile, is a variation where the betting on the draw is eliminated. Asian handicaps also offer the possibility of “half wins” and “half losses” based on split handicaps, allowing the margin to consist of positive or negative whole, half, or quarter numbers (e.g., -0, -0.5, -1, -1.25, -1.5, or -1.75, etc.)
How Handicap Betting Works
Handicap betting levels the playing field and offers better value on odds by evening out the perceived differences in ability between two competitors. Handicaps grant the weaker team a headstart in terms of goals, points, or runs and the stronger team a deficit to overcome. The following sections will provide examples.
Positive and Negative Handicaps
Let’s take a hypothetical European handicap market on elite Premier League side Manchester City and third-division side Wrexham with the following three-way handicap:
- Manchester City -3
- Wrexham +3
- Draw: -3
Suppose the result is a 2:0 win for Manchester City. Backing City to win would have resulted in a loss because they didn’t cover the -3 goal spread. With the European handicap, the game effectively finished 2:3, or a win for Wrexham.
Had you wagered on the handicap draw, you would have lost since City didn’t win by the specified margin. When you bet on the handicap draw, you’re wagering on the margin of victory instead of the actual goals scored. This means City needs to win by an exact 3-goal margin for the handicap draw bet to win.
If the Cityzens beat Wrexham by over a 3-goal margin (e.g., 4:0, 5:1, 6:1), and you bet on Manchester City covering the -3 goal spread, you win. In the event of an unlikely Wrexham upset or if they lose within the 3-goal margin Wrexham punters win. The handicap implies that Wrexham starts the game with a 3-goal advantage.
Whole, Half, and Quarter Handicaps
Asian handicaps, which allow whole, half, and quarter handicaps to specific outcomes, ensure there is a guaranteed winner by removing the draw option. Here’s how they work.
Let’s take the following Asian handicap on a hypothetical matchup involving Manchester City and Manchester United:
- Manchester City -1, -1.5 (may be represented as -1.25)
- Manchester Utd +1, +1.5 (may be represented as +1.25)
If you bet on City, Manchester City needs to win the match by a two-goal margin. If they win by just one goal, you lose the -1.5 market and draw the -1 market, meaning half of your stake is returned.
If City loses, United wins both handicaps, resulting in a win for United backers. If the match ends in a draw and you back the Red Devils, you draw the +1 market and win the +1.5 market, meaning you win half your stake.
Advantages of Handicap Betting
Handicap betting is favored by a growing number of punters for the following reasons.
Better Odds
The main draw of handicap betting is the significantly better odds they offer to punters backing either side. Had this been your conventional 1×2 betting market (where you simply pick the outcome between a home win, draw, or away win), the odds would have been overwhelmingly in favor of City.
Assuming third-division side Wrexham were playing an in-form Manchester City side at the Etihad, you can expect the odds to look something like this:
- Manchester City 1.08
- Draw 8.25
- Wrexham 21.50
That means bookmakers overwhelmingly expect City to win at a 92% probability. If you were to back City to win the match, a wager of $1000 would net you $1080 or a profit of $80. That’s terrible value for money relative to your stake.
Flexibility in Betting
A European or Asian handicap brings the odds closer to even money for an overwhelming favorite, given the virtual deficit they are handed. Handicaps shorten the long odds for major underdogs by giving them a head start in goals. This gives bettors greater flexibility regardless of who they choose to back.
Strategies for Handicap Betting
Handicaps are based on a variety of factors. To give yourself the best chance of predicting whether a favorite or underdog could cover the spread, consider the following betting strategies.
Analyze Team Strengths
Some teams have the financial capability to buy the world’s best players. This is reflected in the odds. Manchester City is worth €853 million in transfer fees, while Wrexham is worth €7.2 million. While anything is possible in football, teams with financial backing have a decisive edge.
Consider Recent Form
Another major factor determining the handicap value is recent form. For instance, Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal went on a 34-game winning streak in all competitions until April 2024, basically printing money for backers throughout their run. Likewise, teams could be on losing streaks, making them a good bet to fade.
Weather and Venue Factors
Weather and venue factors could also play a factor. Football matches played during inclement conditions tend to be low-scoring, which could favor an underdog being given a goal advantage. Likewise, the home team tends to win the majority of the time due to their better knowledge of the pitch and the fan support they receive.
Conclusion
Handicap betting is useful to add to your repertoire, particularly in games where there is a clear favorite. This wager is an excellent choice to leverage on markets by finding value in the handicaps given to certain fixtures, sports, or leagues. The concept is simple: you are simply betting on a team to win or lose after the handicap has been applied.
This gives backers of overwhelming favorites better odds by giving them a deficit while shortening the long odds for backers of major underdogs by giving them a head start. The best way to learn handicap betting is by practicing it with small bets why not test out your newfound knowledge at Lucky Block’s wide selection of sports betting markets and juicy odds?
FAQ Section
What happens in handicap betting if the result is a draw?
European handicaps offer an option to bet on a handicap draw. This means betting on the score of an event being equal AFTER the handicap has been applied. This has no bearing on the actual result of the game ending in a draw.
How does Asian handicap differ from European handicap?
European handicap uses whole numbers. Asian handicap uses a combination of whole, half, and quarter numbers for punters.
Can I use handicap betting in sports other than soccer?
Yes, handicap betting is available for most sports ranging from basketball, baseball, American football, rugby, tennis, baseball, and esports.
Is handicap betting suitable for beginners?
Since handicap betting offers better odds regardless of which side you bet on, it is suitable for beginners.
How do bookmakers set handicap lines?
Bookmakers set handicaps by considering team form, player injuries/suspensions, league standings and tables, statistical analysis, and weather conditions.