Handicap Betting In Football Expalined

What is Handicap Betting in Football

Handicap is the numerical figure set by the bookmaker to counter the perceived bias in abilities of opponents to provides more balanced odds. Or we can simply say Handicap are used to add value when the market prices on two teams playing each other are far apart. Let’s say that Barcelona were playing a game against Sunderland, then La liga outfit would be heavy favourites to win the match, so much so that they would be trading at a long odds-on price to win the game. That means the punter would have to risk a lot of stake for a relatively small return. But there would be little point in backing Sunderland because they would be so unlikely to win the match.

We use Handicap to make bets more attractive by equalizing the chances of the participants in the sport event, as well as to provide an opportunity for the punters to make their predictions of the outcome more precise. It helps to optimize profits, and in some cases of failure to limit and minimize their losses. Bets with a handicap are preferred by the punters most specifically in cases when there is a significant difference in the balance of forces of the teams (participants) in the sport event. By means of the handicap a balance of chances is maintained and games would be more interesting to bet on.

Types of Handicap

There are two categories of Handicap in football betting, Namely;

The European Handicap and
Asian Handicap

How Does European Handicap Betting Works

You are effectively giving one outcome an advantage, and the other outcome a disadvantage to make something you’re betting on more even. They are designated just like the main market of the event with 1-X-2 and bets made on them.

Let’s go through some examples:

-1 & +1 handicap e.g. Brazil (0:1) v Costa Rica (0:1)

Costa Rica is effectively starting the game with a one-goal advantage +1 while England with -1 disadvantage
If you’re backing Brazil they must win by at least two goals for you to win your bet.
However, if you’re backing Brazil and they only win by one goal, the result is effectively a draw and your best is lost.
If you’re backing Costa Rica, you win the bet if they win or draw the match. If lose the match your bet is lost.

-2 & +2 handicap e.g. England (2:0) v Panama (0:2)

Here Panama is effectively starting the game with a two-goal advantage +2 while England with -2 disadvantage.
If you’re backing England to win(Fig. 2.1), they must win the game by a margin of three goals or more.
If you’re backing England to win, and they win by a margin of two goals, that is a draw and bet is lost.
If you’re backing Panama(Fig. 2.2), you will win your bet providing they lose by a goal margin of only one.
If you’re backing Panama, and they lose by a margin of two goals, bet is lost.

Fig. 2.1