What is Handicap in Sports Betting?

Regular customers of sportsbooks know what handicap betting is. A handicap is a numerical value that the sportsbook adds to the result of a team or athlete for a selected playtime: game, half, period.

Betting on the handicap is an attempt to predict the score difference between opponents at the end of the game: the gap in the number of goals, pucks, points, corners, yellow cards.

Handicap is a popular market in sportsbooks painting, lagging behind in the number of bets only from outcomes and totals. Players bet on handicaps if they are not confident in the accuracy of the forecast or want to reduce the risk of loss.

The essence of the European handicap is to choose a winner when there is a score advantage in favour of one of the opponents. The user theoretically sets the score at the beginning of the match, not 0:0, but 2:0, 0:1, depending on the handicap value.

The value can be negative or positive; the countdown starts from 1 or -1. Options for marking in the line: H1 (+1), H2 (-3). A positive number implies added virtual goals, and a negative – is conditionally subtracted team points.

Features of European handicap:

• whole values;
• high odds;
• no return;
• number of outcomes – 3: victory and a draw.

The coupon passes if the chosen team ends the meeting with an overlap of the handicap.

For example, a customer bets on the outcome of a football match – H2 (+2). The guests enter the field with a virtual advantage of 2 goals; the conditional score at the beginning of the meeting – 0:2.

Variants of calculation:

1. The clubs finished the game with a score of 1:0 or a draw, the final score on the scoreboard considering the conditional advantage – 1:2 or 0:2, 1:3, 2:4 and so on – the coupon wins.
2. The guests failed to overlap the handicap – the bet is lost.

Asian handicaps - more complex for calculations, can be whole and fractional, multiple of 0.5 and 0.25. Symbols - H2 (+1), H1 (-1.5), H1 (5.75).

Features:

• whole and fractional values;
• quotes are lower than for European handicaps;
• possibility of returning the bet on all handicaps.

Whole handicaps

Sportsbooks calculate both Asian and European handicaps alike. On a draw with the Asian market, it is impossible to bet. The bookmaker returns the bet amount if, considering the other team's advantage, the match ends in a draw.

Return reduces the risk of losing; sportsbooks set lower odds for the Asian markets than for the European handicaps.

Values ​​multiple of 0.5

A bet on an Asian positive handicap corresponds to a bet on a European handicap with a positive value.

A fan will get a win if, with H1 (+1.5) the first team wins, ties the game, or loses with a difference of 1 goal. A two-point and over advantage in favour of rivals means the bet is lost.

The Asian version of H2 (-1.5) matches the European value of H2 (-1).

H1 (-0.5) means betting on the victory of the first club with an edge of at least 1 point.

Double handicaps

Asian handicaps with quarterly values - "double handicaps".

A bet includes 2 parts for handicaps with adjacent values ​​multiple of 0.5, for example:

• H (+1.25) = H (+1) and H (+1.5);
• H (-0.25) = H (0) and H (-0.5).

The betting company divides the bet amount in half and determines the result for each deal separately - the client can get the entire win, part, or lose the whole amount of the coupon.

The zero handicap is similar to the "Double Chance" market. The coupon only loses if the selected team loses, the score does not matter.

Marking in the line:

• H1 (0) – win if the hosts win;
• H2 (0) – the bet will pass if the guests win.

In case of a draw with any score, the sportsbook pays out with odds of 1.00.

The feature of the bet is the reduced risk of loss; the drawback is the quote is lower than for the victory.

In sports betting, handicap depends on the specifics of the chosen discipline.

Handicap in football betting

The most common type of handicap is the number of goals scored. Additionally, you may encounter markets for:

• corners;
• yellow cards;
• throw-ins;
• fouls;
• shots on goal;
• time of ball possession.

Advantages of football betting:

• a small range of score values;
• the number of goals rarely exceeds 5;
• draw - a probable outcome that allows the return of the amount spent on the bet.

Handicap in hockey betting

In the hockey market, sportsbooks take into account the number of:

• goals scored;
• serves;
• penalties;
• penalty shots.

Handicap in basketball betting

The range of handicap in basketball is the widest: from 0.5 to 40–50 points, depending on the course of the match and the difference in the strength of the opponents. Sportsbooks accept bets with an advantage for regular time and overtime.

Markets:

• the final score of the game;
• half-time or quarter score;
• fouls;
• rebounds;
• assists;
• 2-point and 3-point shots.

During important competitions, sportsbooks offer to guess team indicators and individual athletes' results.

A feature of a zero handicap – the sportsbook will not calculate a return if the basketball players tied during regular time.

Handicap in volleyball betting

The volleyball line does not contain a large number of markets due to the nature of the game. Sportsbooks offer handicap markets on indicators:

• the total score of each team;
• score in the set;
• number of sets;
• out of bounds serves.

By default, sportsbooks give an advantage on the overall score in volleyball to the first 3 sets. The match is played to 3 wins and contains 3–5 sets.

Handicap in tennis betting

In tennis, fans place handicap bets on indicators:

• sets;
• games;
• aces;
• double faults.

Difficulties in forecasting:

• the winner may score fewer games than the opponent;
• a large number of games increases the number of outcomes;
• the court surface is important for confident play by the athlete.

Experienced players prefer to bet in disciplines that make it easier to analyze statistics and make forecasts.

Bookmakers often use the market in football listings. In football handicaps, fans will find high limits and a wide range of values.

Popular strategies for betting:

• Draw with a handicap - in a match with a clear favourite, bet on a draw with a plus advantage of 1-2 points for the weak opponent;
• the victory of an outsider with a handicap - you should consider values from H (+1) to H (2.25), if the outsider has high chance for victory, and the favourite has a replacement of the leading player or important games ahead;
• the victory of the favourite with a negative handicap - a way to increase the coefficient and insure money, if a large score gap is likely, you should choose H (-1) or H (-2), in case of a risk of a draw - H (0);
• "threesome" - the fan chooses "draw" outcomes in 3 main meetings of leading championships and bets on favourites with H (-1);
• "reinsurance" - if the user is sure of the victory but cannot calculate the score gap, the double Asian handicap H (-0.75) will help, the chance of at least half the bet passing is very high.

Cases when professional players recommend betting on H (0):

• the leading player is absent from the favorite, a new coach has been appointed or the team plays several difficult matches in a row;
• a weak opponent is in good shape and has chances for a win;
• opponents are approximately equal in strength and occupy close places in the leaderboard;
• quotes on the market are 1.60 and above.

On European sportsbook forums, high quotes are given and no money is refunded.

In the Asian markets, the bookmaker can refund the bet value, but offers lower odds.

Betting on a zero handicap is the safest but least profitable deal.

Professionals recommend betting on handicaps if the player understands the principle of calculation, made a high-quality forecast, and the sportsbook has set high odds.