Handicap betting in football is a popular method, evening out the chances between the two teams when one team is clearly superior. Rather than a simple win/loss bet, handicap betting allows for addition or subtraction of goals into one team’s final score, affording the bettor new angles on how a match might unfold.
This kind of bet is used in football, and sometimes other sports, when one team is usually highly stronger than the other, offering more balanced chances for the bettor and different types of bets.
Handicap betting in football – What Does It Mean?
Handicap betting, also called “point betting” or “line betting,” is used to even out the playing field between two un evenly matched teams. The house gives a virtual advantage to the weaker team and a virtual disadvantage to the stronger side.
Unlike Moneyline betting, Handicap betting gives them an edge over the stronger team should you be betting on it to win, and the chances would have evened out. If the bookmaker had not placed a handicap, the stronger side would actually have won against the weaker team and it would become monotonous and predictable.
Handicaps are displayed in brackets following the naming of the team. Suppose that you are betting on a match between Real Madrid and Manchester United. If the bookmaker declared a handicap of 1.5, these would be the results.
Real Madrid (1.5) vs. Manchester United (-1.5)
Real Madrid will start the game with a 1.5 goal advantage in handicap over their opponents.
There couldn’t be a draw because the advantage is greater than one goal but not two.
This means that when placing a win bet on Manchester United, starting from the handicap, they must score at least two more goals for you to win the stake.
Real Madrid wins the match, or the match is a draw, or Leicester loses with just one goal.
How does Handicap betting in football work?
Handicap betting in football simply means that one of the teams is given an advantage or disadvantage of some sort before the kick-off. This “handicap” adjusts the final score for the wager outcome.
Typically, the odds-on favorite would be given a minus handicap of -1, -2, or more goals, while the underdog would be given a plus handicap, such as +1 or +2 goals. The handicap is finally applied to the match’s final score to work out whether the bet is a win or loss.
Types of Handicap Betting in Football
Single Handicap (Level Handicap)
In simple terms, this is when a specific handicap is assigned to one side in a match. For instance, when you bet on a team that has a -1 handicap, that team would need to win by one and a half goals for the bet to come through. A team that is given a +1 handicap would have to end the match with a draw or a win to beat the handicap.
Asian Handicap
Asian handicap betting in football is a form in which a handicap of half or quarter goals eliminates any possibility of a draw, usually in football. As a form of handicap betting, Asian handicap presents the bettor with the possibility of either winning more or receiving a refund. Examples of this include:
- Half Goal Handicap: Cannot draw; the bet will tide over either way. The possible handicaps are -0.5 or +0.5.
- Quarter Goal Handicap (-0.25 or +0.25): A bet divided into two halves, whereby one portion of the stake is placed on a whole goal handicap and another one on a half-goal handicap. The result is that the customer can win or lose partially.
3-Way Handicap
In a 3-Way Handicap, the underdog will be given a certain number of goals; the bettor may choose to bet on three possible outcomes: win, loss, or draw after applying the handicap. This kind of handicap betting on football is proper for matches with a huge favorite or huge underdog because the bettor will receive extra betting outcomes.
Why use handicap betting in football?
There are a number of reasons why handicap betting is popular with football enthusiasts.
- Handicap betting evens the odds in matches where a clear favorite exists by adding an element of difficulty to the favorite or an advantage given to the underdog.
- Higher Odds and Payouts: Gamers can often ensure higher odds and, thereby higher payouts with the handicap feature, compared to a traditional match result bet.
- The complexity and, of course, the excitement that handicap betting brings into football wagering allow the adjustment of scores to open different ways in which the game can be interpreted.
Key Issues in Handicap Betting in Football
While handicap betting is an excellent means of creating exciting options, there are a few things to bear in mind:
- Match Dynamics: Ponder the form of teams their defensive and offensive capabilities, and consider player injuries also, as these may affect performance against the handicap.
- Know the options on handicaps: Understand the various options in handicap betting, such as Asian and 3-way handicap, to understand which is best suited for your selected analysis of a matchup.
Final thoughts Handicap betting in football
Handicap betting is one of the most popular forms of sports betting globally. It is even more popular in the Asian markets, and this can be a reasonable explanation for the fact that sometimes it’s referred to as Asian Handicap. The main difference between the Asian handicap and the European one lies in the fact that during an Asian handicap bet, the draw or tie does not exist.
It’s fun when the performance of the whole team is considered instead of relying on the outcome of just a single match. PHSPIN believes that handicap betting in football is highly regarded on today’s online betting scene and would be well liked by many new punters if they don’t know what it is yet.
