What “Home +3 Handicap” Means
A handicap bet is when the bookmaker gives one team a “head start” or “deficit” before the match starts, to make odds more balanced.
- Home +3 = The home team starts the game with +3 goals advantage before the actual score is counted for your bet.
- After the match ends, you add 3 goals to the home team’s score. If, after adding, the home team’s result beats the away team, your bet wins.
This market is useful when the home team is a big underdog against a very strong visiting team.
How Settlements Work
Here’s how “Home +3” works:
| Real Match Score | Add +3 to Home Score | Handicap Result |
|---|---|---|
| Home 0–3 Away | Home 3–3 Away | Push (Stake refunded) |
| Home 0–4 Away | Home 3–4 Away | Lose |
| Home 1–3 Away | Home 4–3 Away | Win |
| Home 2–5 Away | Home 5–5 Away | Push |
| Home 1–5 Away | Home 4–5 Away | Lose |
Key Rule:
- You win if (Home goals +3) > Away goals.
- You push (stake returned) if (Home goals +3) = Away goals.
- You lose if (Home goals +3) < Away goals.
Example with Real Clubs
Let’s take an example: Manchester City (Away) vs Sheffield United (Home)
- City are heavy favorites.
- Bookmaker offers:
- Sheffield United +3 (Home +3) at odds 1.70
- Manchester City -3 (Away -3) at odds 2.10
Scenarios:
- Actual Score: City 3–0 Sheffield
- Add +3 to Sheffield: 3–3
- Push → Stake refunded
- Actual Score: City 2–0 Sheffield
- Add +3 to Sheffield: 3–2
- Win → Bet on Home +3 wins
- Actual Score: City 5–1 Sheffield
- Add +3 to Sheffield: 4–5
- Lose → Bet on Home +3 loses
Betting Tips for “Home +3”
Use it for heavy underdogs:
Choose this market when a weaker home team faces a very strong away team. It gives you a safety buffer of 3 goals.
Check team news & motivation:
If the favorite away team rests key players or rotates squad, your +3 bet becomes even stronger.
Look at historical margins:
If the big club rarely wins by 4+ goals away, +3 on the home team is a solid value bet.
Weather and pitch conditions:
Bad pitches or heavy rain slow the game, which favors underdogs and helps your +3 bet.
Look for odds movement:
If the line shifts from +2.5 to +3, it means punters expect the favorite to win comfortably. Enter at the best price.
Quick Formula
Handicap Result = (Home Score + 3) – Away Score
- If > 0 → Win
- If = 0 → Push
- If < 0 → Lose
Example Betting Slip:
- Match: Barcelona (Away) vs Mallorca (Home)
- Bet: Mallorca +3
- Stake: $100 at 1.60
- Actual Result: Barcelona 3–1 Mallorca
- Handicap Result: Mallorca (1+3)=4 vs Barcelona 3
- You Win $60 profit.
Would you like me to also explain the difference between Home +3 and Home +2.5 (Asian Handicap)? (It changes your push/lose conditions.)