What is Handicap Betting: Complete Guide to Understanding Handicap Betting

Handicap betting is an extremely popular method of football betting in the UK, and is really quite simple to understand when you know what's going on with it.

This football beginners betting guide will take you through exactly what a handicap bet is, how it works, what to look out for and the best betting sites you can use for this.

What is a Handicap Bet?

A handicap bet is quite commonly found among bookmakers these days and is at its heart a bet on who will win the game.

They are normally shown by a team name followed by either a + or - sign and then a number, this is called a line.

Like so:

• Manchester City -1
• Tie +1
• Manchester United +1

The best way to think of it is if the team you have backed starts the game with the numerical value added or subtracted from the starting score of 0-0.

The favourite would start the game with a deficit, while the underdogs would start with an advantage.

So for this line, if you backed Man City, they would start the game 0-1 down.

Or if you backed Man Utd they would start the game 1-0 up.

The game will then play out, bearing in mind the handicap score, and this will dictate the winners of the bet. The favourite will have to overcome their deficit, while the underdog must maintain their lead.

For this example, If you bet on Man City -1, you will need them to win by two or more goals, for your bet to win, with your bet losing if they win by one, draw, or lose the game.

If you bet on Man Utd, you will need them to win or draw the game to win your bet, with your bet losing if they lose the game by one or more goals.

The Handicap-Tie market will always apply +1 value to the underdog, in this case, Man Utd. So if the match ends with Man Utd losing by one goal, then your bet will win, because the match ended as a draw, with the handicap value in mind.

The Best UK Bookmakers for Handicap Betting

Lots of different sportsbooks offer the option of handicap betting so it can sometimes be difficult to tell which is the best and why.

We have compiled this list of the best betting sites that offer handicaps with in-depth analysis of each.

bet365

bet365 are one of the best and most popular betting sites in the UK and their handicap betting options hold true to this assessment.

Not only do they provide some generally favourable lines, with some impressive odds, especially for the underdog, but they also provide alternative handicaps.

These allow you to pick your own line if you think the favourite will win convincingly or if players want a bit more cover for the underdog. This gives the player more freedom and variation in their handicap betting.

bet365 also allows players to include these handicaps in their bet builder selections, and handy and unique feature that few other bookmakers provide.

• Get your bet365 bonus code

Betfred

Betfred makes this list due to their exceptional range of football selections, oftentimes with some extremely competitive odds, this extending to their handicap offerings.

Players have the opportunity to choose their own lines, generally between one and three goals, but are also allowed to switch the favourite or underdog.

This is something that not very many other bookmakers provide, and gives players a great opportunity to get some of the best prices around, especially when betting on the expected underdog and giving them a deficit.

If one is convinced that the other side will win, with a decent margin the odds and in turn, potential profits can be exceptional, all because of Betfred’s switch option for the handicap.

• Get your Betfred promo code

William Hill

William Hill has been a long-time favourite of many bettors in the UK and their handicap betting markets no doubt play a major part in this.

They offer what is perhaps one of the widest range of handicap selections, their minus line sometimes going as far as four or five, offering some impressively high odds for this.

This gives players the freedom to get truly unique with their bets and get some great prices, especially if they are convinced of a 5-0 or 6-0 win.

Players can also include their handicap bets in bet builders with William Hill, allowing for the boosting of these odds to some stately levels.

• Get your William Hill promo code

Sky Bet

Sky Bet is another impressive option for players looking to play on handicap betting markets.

This is not only because of some of their unparalleled football odds but because they too offer the option of switching the favourite and underdog around.

This is exceptionally handy, especially if you are convinced one side will win, and want some great odds for this selection.

Sky Bet is also one of the only betting sites around that will sometimes include their handicaps in their bet boosts sections.

This allows players to potentially get some of the best odds around, especially as other bookmakers do not enhance these selections.

Their handicap odds can also be included in their bet building options and is another nice feature for customers to explore.

• Get the Sky Bet new customer offer

Parimatch

Parimatch are a relative newcomer to the UK bookmaking scene but are making a name for themselves due to their impressive range of football markets, offering odds on almost everything that can happen in a game of football.

This can be seen in their handicap markets, giving an impressive range of lines for users to play on.

They also offer something quite unique in that players can also see these extended lines for the draw handicap selection as well. This is something that very few other bookmakers offer and gives the players more freedom in their handicap betting.

Their odds are nothing to sniff at either offering an impressive set of prices on a wide selection of football markets.

• Get your Parimatch welcome offer

Handicap Betting FAQs

What is Handicap Betting?

Handicap betting is a method of levelling the playing field between two sides. It is done by either attributing a minus or plus score to a side at the start of a game.

This means the favourite starts at a disadvantage and the underdog with an advantage.

This can allow players to get better odds or some insurance when betting on football matches and is extremely popular.

What is the best Handicap Betting Site?

bet365 or Betfred have to be some of the best handicap betting sites around.

This is mainly due to the odds they provide, the variety of games with handicap betting available on them, and their range of lines provided.

Is Handicap betting only for football?

No, handicap betting can be found and wagered upon for a variety of team sports.

This can be rugby, NFL, basketball, ice hockey and much more, with the lines scaled accordingly.

What is a Line?

A line is the handicap amount chosen by the bookmaker that players are able to bet on, this is normally the same plus or minus.

Many bookmakers also offer different lines for players to bet on giving variety and freedom to handicap betting.