What is a Handicap in Volleyball Betting?

The handicap in volleyball is popular in the markets of sportsbooks. Users of sportsbooks choose the winner of the sets, points in the match, or in a separate party, taking into account the conditional lag or advantage. Bets on handicaps can be placed in pre-match and live lines.

As a pro bettor, it is necessary to understand what a handicap means in volleyball for placing successful bets over the long run. In national championships of this sport type, a great difference in class between the opponents is often observed by experts.

An obvious favourite is established, and the bookmakers suggest betting on the victory of a superior side with odds not higher than 1.10-1.20. Handicap bets in volleyball allow customers to play at higher quotes. The first number in the market indicates the team chosen by the user, the second one - the value of the handicap.

For example, H1 (6.5) means:

- H stands for the market abbreviation;
- 1 stands for betting on the home team or, if the match is held on a neutral ground, on the first team in the listing; - 6.5 stands for the value of the handicap, either positive or negative. A volleyball match goes on until one club wins three sets.

To win each set, a team must score 25 points. The final advantage of the winner is a minimum of 2 points. In a 2:2 score, the fifth set is played in a shortened format. To win, it is enough to score 15 points. The rule of the minimum overall advantage continues to apply. 

Types of volleyball handicaps:

• positive and negative;
• whole and fractional;
• Asian.

Negative

Negative handicap - market on the winner with a conditional lag in the number of won games or points. Sportsbooks give negative markets to the favorite of the meeting. Fractional and whole handicaps are differentiated.

For example, a bet on H (-2.5) in a volleyball set will bring profit if the team wins with a minimum advantage of 3 points.

Sportsbooks include whole handicaps in the notation for handicaps on sets in volleyball.

The bet H (-1) in volleyball will pass if the club wins with an advantage of 2 or 3 games.

With a score of 3:1, the sportsbook will make a return, a result of 3:2 or a loss with any result will lead to a loss of bet money.

Positive

Positive handicap - a bet on a win with an initial advantage. Positive handicaps in the notation for volleyball can be found on the performance of the trailing side.

The sportsbook user will make a profit even if the chosen team loses if the scoreboard's final difference does not outweigh the market value.

Handicap (+4.5) in a volleyball set will bring the sportsbook client income if the team wins with any score or loses with a maximum lag of 4 points.

H 1 (+2) in volleyball for the match's outcome will bring a win if the hosts lose 2:3 or win with any result. If the team loses 1:3, the sportsbook will return the bet to the player; a loss in 3 sets means a lost bet.

Zero

In the event of a draw, the sportsbook arranges a return on a zero handicap. There is no bet with insurance from a zero handicap in the volleyball notation. Draws are excluded from the discipline at the end of the match and individual game.

The player placed a 900 naira bet on a handicap (-5.5) in volleyball in a set with odds of 1.86:

• victory of the team with a score of 25:19 or larger – win: 900 * 1,86 = 1674 naira;
• club's win with the score 25:20, a smaller margin, or defeat – loss of the bet.

The sportsbook customer made a bet of 5000 naira on the handicap H(-2) with odds of 2.12:

• score 3:0 – win: 5000 * 2,12 = 10600 naira;
• the club wins 3:1 – return: 5000 * 1 = 5000;
• the team won with a score of 3:2 or lost with any result – loss.

The user placed a bet of 1200 naira on the handicap (+5.5) in volleyball in a set with odds of 1.70:

• winning with any score, losing 20:25 or with a smaller margin – win: 1200 * 1,7 = 2040 naira;
• losing 19:25 or bigger – loss.

Bet 1700 naira on the handicap (+2) in volleyball with a quote of 1.39 on the outcome of the match by sets:

• any victory and defeat 2:3 – win: 1700 * 1.39 = 2363 naira;
• loss 1:3 – return: 1700 * 1 = 1700 naira;
• losing three straight sets – losing the bet.

When betting on Asian markets, the player places a bet with insurance - the bookmaker will calculate half of the bet amount to be either refunded or won if the event's outcome coincides with the market's value. The sportsbook divides the bet amount into 2 parts between adjacent handicaps - fractional and whole- and calculates them separately. In Asian bets, 4 calculation options are possible.

The player places a bet of 2000 naira on H (-7.25) with odds of 1.92. The sportsbook will divide the bet between H (-7) and H (-7.5):

• win 25:17 or with a larger difference – bet wins: 2000 * 1.92 = 3840 naira;
• team wins 25:18 – refund for H (-7) and loss for H (-7.5): 1000 * 1 = 1000 naira;
• score 25:19 or victory with a smaller advantage, any loss – loss of bet money.

A bet of 3000 naira is placed on H (+5.25) at odds of 1.92, and the sportsbook divides it between H (+5) and H (+5.5):

• any success of the chosen team, defeat 21:25 or with a smaller difference – Asian market wins: 3000 * 1.92 = 5760 naira;
• defeat with a score of 20:25 – refund for H (+5) and win for H (+5.5): 1500 * 1 + 1500 * 1.92 = 4380 naira;
• score 19:25 or loss with a more significant difference – loss of bet.

A bet of 1300 naira with odds of 1.75 is placed on H (-7.75), and the sportsbook will separately calculate 650 naira for H (-7.5) and H (-8):

• win 25:16 or with a larger advantage – win: 1300 * 1.75 = 2275 naira;
• success 25:17 – win for H (-7.5) and refund for H (-8): 650 * 1.75 + 650 * 1 = 1137.5 + 650 = 1787.5 naira;
• loss, win 25:18 or with a smaller difference – loss of bet.

A bet of 4000 naira is placed on H (+10.75) at odds of 2.30, and the sportsbook will divide it between H (+10.5) and H (+11):

• any success and defeat 15:25 or with a smaller difference – payout: 4000 * 2.3 = = 9200 naira;
• defeat 14:25 – loss of H (+10.5) and refund for H (+11): 2000 * 1 = 2000 naira;
• score 13:25 or even larger difference – bet loses.

There is the possibility to place handicap bets on volleyball matches both on the points difference in a set or match, and on the opponents' advantage in games.

Sportsbook players highlight 4 strategies: 2 for positive markets and 2 for negative ones.

Strategy for the negative market according to games

A bet on handicap (-2.5) in volleyball will pass if you win in 3 sets. Sportsbook clients apply the recommendation when the leader is obvious, and the sportsbook offers too low odds for betting on the favorite.

Criteria for choosing a match:

• the favorite is playing at home;
• the leader's class is higher than that of the opponent;
• the hosts are playing stably - out of the last 10 games, at least 6 victories were won in 3 games.

Betting strategy for the positive market according to sets

The player makes a bet when a motivated middle-ranking team or outsider plays at home, for example, choosing a handicap 1 (+1.5) or handicap 1 (+2.5) in volleyball.

The bet will make a profit with any win of the home team or defeat with a maximum lag of 1 or 2 parties respectively.

Factors to use the strategy:

• the hosts rarely lose in 3 sets - no more than 3 0:3 defeats in the last 10 meetings;
• the outsider won at least 1 game from the favourite in 60% of matches in personal meetings;
• the leader has solved the tournament task for the current championship segment, for example, guaranteed a ticket to the playoffs;
• The outsider is motivated to accumulate points to continue performing in the championship.

Betting strategy on the difference in points in the set or match

To choose a negative or positive market, fans analyze the opponents' lineups.

Factors to bet on the favourite with a negative handicap:

• there are no disqualified volleyball players; the players of the main lineup will appear in the starting six;
• there is at least 1-2 athletes with a strong serve on the court; the volleyball players have 1-2 aces - serves out - in each match;
• a strong playmaker is playing;
• regularly 1-2 powerful diagonal forwards come out and score 6-7 balls per game.

To use the strategy for the positive market, the user takes into account criteria:

• 2-3 tall volleyball players capable of organizing a productive block are announced for the meeting;
• a reliable libero comes out in the main lineup - accepts up to 20% serves per game;
• An invincible team, the games often reach the balance - at least in 3 matches out of the last 5 there was a set in which clubs scored more than 25 points to win.

The choice of the numerical value of the market depends on the results of the pre-match and statistical analysis.

Fans bet on negative and positive handicaps in volleyball competitions at more favourable odds after conducting pre-match analysis, if they determine a clear favourite or outsider of the meeting.

Some markets correspond to bets on the exact score, for example, a handicap on sets (-1.5) in volleyball - analogous to a bet on 3:0 or 3:1.