18+ | Commercial Content | T&C's Apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure
online-betting.me.uk is an independent professional comparison site supported by referral fees from the sites which are ranked on this site. The sites and information we present are from companies from which online-betting.me.uk receives compensation. This compensation may impact the rankings of the sites. Other factors, including our own opinions, your location, and the likelihood of signing up, may also impact how the ranking of the sites appears to a particular user. online-betting-me.local cannot and does not present information about every betting/casino site or betting/casino site offer available.

Handicap Betting Explained

Handicap Betting - © Nikolai Sorokin - Fotolia.com

When you are more established in your sports investing career, you may develop an interest in handicap betting. As handicap betting has implications for odds and outcomes, new players may want to be mindful of them until they become more familiar. A betting handicap can work for or against you as a punter, so understanding them is a good bit of knowledge to add to your arsenal.

Handicapping is not done in all events. It is most prominent in events that earn points, although it is also seen in horse racing events. However, you are more likely to encounter it when you are betting on football (soccer), basketball, rugby and tennis.

We only recommend bookmakers for handicap betting that live up to the highest standards of quality. Our list of best online bookmakers is compiled with expert knowledge.

What is Handicap Betting?

Handicap betting essentially adds points to one side or the other before the actual event. This is done to try and level the playing field between a competing underdog and favourite. If you see both sides with a handicap something is amiss or your bookmaker has been drinking. Steer clear of that! You should see only one handicapped side in a given match up.

Betting handicap teams requires a bit of thought. For example, if the handicap adds 1 to the score of Germany, then it means that Germany are underdogs because they are being given a head start. So a bet could be taken on Germany to hold on to that positive handicap, by drawing or winning the match. If you wanted to bet on England overcoming their -1 Handicap, then they would need to win by one clear goal. Thus, if the regular match is a draw, the handicap match will show Germany as the winner.

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 of a match. In a typical match, you would have a winner, a loser, or face a draw. With Asian handicap betting, the draw is no longer an option.

Instead, the Asian handicap adds goals (whole, quarter, half and three quarter goals) so that there are no draws. While a whole goal handicap can produce an even result in a match, making a handicap drawn (a -1 handicap on a team winning 1-0 for example), in Asian Handicap betting, this instead is called a Push. A push always results in the punters getting their stake refunded. This is an intricate, yet easy to use betting system and because it does eliminate one of the possible outcomes, the odds are finely tuned with only bigger goal margins, or backing underdogs in positive market options, really paying off.

The odds are very fine – they even go down to a quarter goal to allow the bookmakers to draw as fine of a line as possible. It’s not a very profitable venture for bookies as you don’t get long odds with this style. However, it does eliminate one of the possible outcomes which can simplify things – you won’t make millions but you have an even shot at a prize.

All in all, handicap betting adds a bit of variety to your wagering experiences. Be sure you understand the nuances before betting handicap odds so that you don’t think you’ve won but end up a loser once the extra points are added on. Watch for Asian handicap betting if its football, but be sure that your expectations are in line with the outcomes so that you can be a cheerful one at the end of the day.

Betting Articles
Bookmaker Reviews
Bookmakers’ New Customer Offers
Sports Betting News