Handicap betting is a method used in sports betting to level the playing field between teams of differing strengths. It involves giving one team a virtual advantage or disadvantage, allowing for more balanced odds and making the betting experience more competitive.
How does handicap betting work?
Handicap betting opposes the perceived differences in ability between competitors, by trying to level the playing field, and offer better value odds.
In essence, a handicap bet allows the weaker team to gain an advantage in terms of goals so as to level the playing ground.
Similarly, the stronger team receives a goal disadvantage. In this case, the evidently bigger team has to overcome the set deficit to win you the bet.
For example, if Caeleb Dressel was to swim a 300m race against an average club swimmer, you’d expect him to win almost all of the time – and the odds would usually reflect this at 1.01.
However, what if the club swimmer was handed a 100m head start? The result would become less certain, and effectively ‘even’ the contest up by handicapping Dressel.
This analogy typifies how handicap betting works; by handing one outcome an advantage and the other a disadvantage to counter the ability between the competitors.
Consequently, the odds on offer for the overwhelming favourite become more appealing, because the odds of the underdog winning are increased.
Types of handicap sports betting markets
There are a number of variations to handicap betting. I have taken the time to put together the different handicap sports betting markets and provide you with examples for each.
Handicap betting
When placing a bet on handicap markets the supposed better team will receive a point/goal handicap to erase the difference in quality for betting purposes. For instance, they may start the game with -1, -2, -3, -4 points.
- ● Assuming the Chicago Bears are playing the Miami Dolphins in the NFL. The Bears are 4-point favourites (-4 points), while the Dolphins start the game with + 4 points. This means the Bears have to win by +5 points to cover the spread. But if the score finished 21-18 to the Bears, the winner on the single handicap market would be the Dolphins because the game, based on the handicap market, finished 21-22 to the underdogs.
In a match situation, handicap betting gives a player or team a virtual deficit to overcome (a handicap) at the beginning of the event – the opponent gets a virtual start. You bet on who will overcome the handicap taken into account.
Three-way handicap betting
The three-way handicap betting offers bettors the opportunity to choose and bet on the handicap tie option. Selecting the handicap tie option allows you to bet on the match finishing with a win for the team getting the virtual deficit (-1 etc.) by the winning margin offered. Here’s an example to illustrate the three-way handicap bet.
The three-way handicap margins on Brentford vs. Arsenal are offered below:
- ● Brentford: +2
- ● Draw/handicap tie: effectively -2
- ● Arsenal: -2
- ● Assuming the game finishes 1-0 to Arsenal, backing it to win would have resulted in a lost bet as they failed to cover the spread – the game effectively finished 2-1 to Brentford. If you bet on the handicap tie, your bet would also have lost as Arsenal didn’t win by the margin contained in the handicap. Remember when placing a bet on the handicap draw, you’re betting on the margin of win and not the actual goals scored, e.g. an Arsenal win of 2-0, 3-1, 4-2, etc.
No-draw handicap betting
The no-draw handicap betting market ensures there’s a guaranteed winner, by removing the option for a draw, irrespective of the final result. It allows half-goal/point handicaps to specific outcomes.
Here’s an example to explain a no-draw handicap bet:
- ● In a football game between Chelsea and Burnley, the draw on the handicap market offers Burnley a +0.5 handicap – they’re already leading by 0.5 goals even before kick-off. Assuming the game ends 1-1, your bet on Burnley would have won because the final score in the market would be Chelsea 1, Burley 1.5.
If a no-draw handicap bet is inadvertently offered for an event where there’s a draw, all stakes will be returned as Void.