How Does Handicap Betting Work In Football

Find out the meaning of soccer handicap betting, how it works and the different types of soccer handicap betting markets available at Pinnacle. Continue reading to become a handicap betting expert.

In soccer as is an all competitive sports there is normally a difference in perceived quality of the opposing teams; the size of that difference varies depending on a complex range of influences ranging from historical dominance and financial backing to situational factors such as home field advantage or player injuries/availability. Soccer betting interprets these factors and represent them as chances of success for each side in the form of odds.

Handicap betting explained

Where the perceived difference in abilities is significant the betting odds on the favourite will be so small that it provides minimal returns and therefore little incentive for bettors.

How does a point spread bet work? A point spread bet is also referred to as betting the spread or handicap betting. Point spread betting is a sports betting market in which a team either has to win. Handicapping is essentially a combination of processes and techniques that can help you to make better decisions when betting on sports.The basic idea is to consider all the factors that can affect the. Handicap betting in football. While handicap bets are available in a wide array of sports, their most common application is found in football betting, due to the large number of events you can place handicap bets on. You can place handicap bets on the final result of the game, on yellow cards, corners, the number of goals scored by each. Handicap football betting involves making the perceived difference in quality between the two teams redundant in terms of a bet. Essentially, it levels out the playing field when there is an overwhelming favourite in a football match. In terms of football. One of the most popular forms of handicap betting is handicap league betting, whereby you make a handicap bet on a team's performance across the course of a season. In handicap league betting, you.

A numerical figure set by the bookmaker to counter the perceived bias in abilities of opponents - this provides more balanced odds.

To counter the perceived bias in abilities, and to provide more balanced and appealing odds, bookmakers offer what is known as handicap betting. In the context of soccer, the Handicap odds level the playing-field by accounting for difference in perceived strength of the participants by literally applying a goal handicap - positive and negative - to each side. This gives bettors the opportunity to find more value than when backing a heavy Favourite in traditional 1X2 bet - the most common way to bet on soccer.

The handicap is applied to the actual outcome of the game in order to grade (result) the bet. There are three types of Handicap bets you need to be aware of before betting:

Level Handicap

A level Handicap is where there is no perceived difference in abilities between Team X and Team Y, so no Handicap bias is assigned and both teams start with 0 goals.

To win a bet, the bettor must identify the team which they think will score more goals than their opponent. This type of handicap isn't relevant for one-sided encounters but is useful in that it eliminates the draw; if the game ends in a tie all bets are refunded because on a zero handicap neither team has any advantage.

Single Handicap

A single Handicap occurs when there is a perceived difference in abilities between Team X and Team Y.

The alleged superior team will be given an appropriate goal handicap to level the playing field for betting purposes i.e. -0.5 goal, -1 goal, -1.5 goals etc.

For example, if you bet on Team X with a handicap of -1 goal, they must win by more than one goal to cover their handicap and win you your bet.

If they only win by one goal, the result with the handicap applied is a draw for betting purposes, so your bet is refunded. If Team Y draw or win, you will lose your bet on Team X.

Split Handicap

A split Handicap occurs when the difference between the two teams’ abilities is small; allowing you to spilt your stake over two handicaps.

A split Handicap occurs when the difference between the two teams’ abilities is small; allowing you to spilt your stake over two handicaps.

For example, Team X might be offered at (0 & -0.5). If you bet on Team X and they lose, you will lose both bets, as they did not cover either handicap.

If the match ends in a draw, half of your stake at (0) will be refunded, and the other half at (-0.5) will lose. If Team X wins however, both handicaps will be covered, so both bets win.

If you’re stuck in the past slavishly following three-way fixed odds betting, the chances are you’re not getting a decent return on your investment, and your betting might benefit from the fresh perspective that soccer handicap betting provides.

Now that you know how handicap betting can be used to increase your profits, don't miss out on our number one most popular article - Staking: One method to improve your betting.

Handicap betting video explainer

Found this article useful? Why not check out our videos that details how Handicap betting works.

Asian Handicap video explainer

You can also understand how Asian Handicap betting works by watching this helpful video.

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Handicaps look too complex to understand. But they are relatively easy to comprehend. They are also some of the best wagers in football. They also promise great value, which increases your returns on investment better than most bets.

What is a Football Handicap Bet?

Handicaps are an alternative way to bet on teams with extremely high chances of winning and still get good returns.

Traditionally, betting on Juventus to beat lower side Parma means getting little returns for your bets. With a handicap bet, bookies award one or more goals to underdogs Parma.

Let’s say Parma gets two hypothetical goals at the beginning of the match. For your bet backing Juventus to be counted as a win, they must beat Parma by more than two goals.

Although it’s more challenging to predict that Juventus will beat Parma by +2 goals, the handicap will usually attract better odds. And because everyone football bettor is always looking for bets promising high returns, handicaps provide plenty high-value odds.

European vs. Asian Handicap: What’s the difference?

Bookmaker bookmakers offer two kinds of handicap bets: European and Asian. There’s a slight difference between the two wagers, but it can make a significant difference in your betting returns.

European Handicaps

European handicaps are typically listed in whole numbers. In an example, you want to bet on Liverpool to beat Bristol FC in the FA. A bookmaker could offer a +2 handicap so that your wager on the reds is only awarded if they win by over two goals.

If Liverpool draws, loses or fails to win by the specified margin, you lose your bet. Keep in mind you also lose if Liverpool wins by two goals. Your wager is only awarded if the reds win by three or more goals.

Asian Handicaps

With Asian bets, there’s the possibility of getting your stake back. Also, odds feature a decimal point format so that instead of +3 or -1 handicaps you get +1.65 or -1.75 handicaps. This makes Asian handicaps a tad bit challenging to understand.

Nonetheless, they share the same concept with European handicaps. One team perceived to be an underdog is awarded several goals before the start of a match. This also works by deducting the favourites one or more goals.

As we mentioned above, handicaps also come with improved odds. A game where Liverpool would get odds 1.20 for beating Bristol FC would mean odds 1.90 for the reds in a handicap wager. Needless to say, this would result in more returns for your investment.

So, when do bookies return your stake in Asian handicaps? If you wagered on two teams whose total handicap is +3 goals, it would imply they must score four or more goals for your prediction to be correct. If there were to score three goals, it would be counted as a draw.

But lucky for you, draws aren’t counted as losses in Asian handicaps. A tie is considered a push and you get your stake back when this happens.

Should you bet on Handicaps?

Betting experts advise newcomers to gain gambling experience on regular wagers before branching into handicaps. It makes sense if you consider the amount of research you need to do be confident one team could beat the other by multiple goals.

Still, you can venture on handicaps as a beginner punter. European handicaps, for instance, are easy to play. They’re also available in nearly all top betting sites. Check a list of the best bookmakers with handicap bets on this page. Research betting markets skillfully and pick the best teams.

Handicaps’ Betting Tips

Although some teams have a long history of defeating specific opponents by multiple goals, it doesn’t mean that will always happen. To help you pick the right clubs when betting in handicaps, use the following tips:

• Examine the importance of a match

Football teams relax all the time, mainly when tasked to play matches with little importance. But if a team is motivated to win a game for any reason, they will fight to win games. Of course, you want to find matches in which one side aims to win by huge margins.

In European knockout matches, for example, score lines can help determine which team qualifies. As such, teams will always try to score multiple goals.

How Does Handicap Draw Betting Work

• The Odds Given

Most handicap odds look impressive on the surface. But when you dig deeper to assess the competitiveness of a game, you might realize the odds are not worth the risk. As such, compare odds from different bookmakers and wagers and bet on matches that offer the best value.

• The Opponent’s Level of Motivation

How Does Sport Betting Work

Head to head statistics can help you identify teams to bet on. However, you should also use motivation to enable you to predict whether the favourites will be motivated to blow out their opponents in the next match. Motivation can also help you know whether the underdogs are better prepared or they will likely ship in multiple games.

• Playing Styles and Manager Philosophies

How Does Handicap Betting Work In Football

Some teams like Bayern Munich have no problem beating their opponents by +5 margins. They romped up FC Rottach 23-0 in a pre-season friendly over the summer. Man City also outscores premier league opponents by +2 goals consistently.

By comparison, former Man united Coach Jose Mourinho has a philosophy of scoring a few goals and defending them to the end. When wagering in handicap games, you want to back teams whose playing styles and manager philosophies lead to maximum goals scored.

In Conclusion

How Does Handicap Betting Work In Football Teams

Handicaps are an alternative betting method for people that want to bet on traditional favourites and still get decent returns from the stakes. The wagers work by awarding or deducting one team several goals before the start of a match. For a bet to be considered a win, your preferred team must win by a specific margin of goals.

Consider practising with European handicaps before trying out Asian handicaps as well. Also, use the tips shared above to help you identify the best betting matches.