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.

Pros and Cons of Handicap Betting

Handicap betting is steadily growing in popularity, and with it now even being able to be included in some bet builders' and accumulators' bets, there are even more chances to make the most of it.

Helping to balance out the playing field, helps to keep clashes more interesting, as instead of rooting for just one side to merely win the game, players are in the hunt for goals or a tight clash.

Depending on which way punters have decided to bet they are looking for the favourites to rack up the score, or the underdogs to keep it tight, battling out for a draw or close loss.

This helps to change the dynamic of the clash for the punters, as they are no longer rooting for just one side to take the victory instead there are multiple ways for their wagers to cash, as any goal or in-match occurrence brings its own intriguing spin to the clash.

Of course if one is backing the underdog handicap these odds, and in turn payout, will be lower than if they were backed straight up, but it does of course have a better chance of winning.

This fact then goes hand in hand of course with the fact that the favourites odds will be improved, offering better profits, but it will require them to score more goals and win convincingly, in turn making the bet harder to win.

The opportunities with handicap bets are endless, all coming with their benefits and risks.

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.