In sports competitions, it can happen that two teams that meet do not have the same levels. To make the prediction a little tighter, bookmakers have thought of inflicting a handicap on the team that is visibly better off. We explain what a sports handicap bet is in practice.

What is a handicap bet

Handicap betting is a somewhat special type of sports betting in that one of the two teams starts the game with a small lead. It is a way to even out games where the outcome seems predictable.

In other words, handicap betting is favored in matches where the probability of a certain team winning is higher. Sports betting sites will therefore offer a virtual goal advantage to the team that looks weaker. This one therefore starts the game with a virtual lead of one, two, three goals.

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Imagine a match between two teams X and Y. In the standings, team X is ranked first while team Y is ranked twentieth. So the odds seem to be more on the side of Team X. The Handicap bet is to start the game with a virtual goal advantage for Team Y. If you opt for the 2 goal Handicap bet, you will only win if Team X is at least 3 goals ahead. Thus, the virtual 2 goal lead would be made up.

The main advantage of this type of betting is that you get relatively higher odds. The added handicap makes the prediction tighter and the odds higher. Obviously, the Handicap bet reduces the odds of winning and there you have to think twice before making your prediction.

The origins of handicap betting

The origins of handicap betting go back a very long way. The United Kingdom was one of the first countries where it was practiced. It is also widely practiced in Asia.

The Asian handicap betting has the distinction of being simpler than the classic handicap. In the latter case, the lead/lag is necessarily a whole number, while in the other case it can be a decimal number. Exactly two outcomes are possible with this type of bet.

The Asian 0 handicap bet corresponds to the Draw No Bet. You get your bet back in the event of a draw. With the Asian handicap (+0.5; -0.5; + 1.5; - 1.5) you do not have the option of getting your money back since there cannot be a draw.

The third type of Asian handicap bet is called a "split" (+0.75; -0.75; +0.25; -0.25). Let's say you make a bet on a H-0.75 handicap bet. Your bet is split into two separate bets (H-1 and H-0.5). You win the entire bet if your team wins with a difference greater than or equal to 2. You will win one game (H-0.5) and get your money back on the other (H-1) if your team wins by one goal. You lose if there is a tie or if your team loses.

How to win a handicap bet

Match analysis is the ultimate tip for making your sports bets profitable. First of all, it implies to visit the course of the different teams that are playing each other, to see the average number of goals scored per game. In addition, handicap betting may be more advisable when the two teams have a relatively large gap in terms of performance.

Thus, a good preliminary analysis is required before making the bet. It is also useful not to focus only on the statistics. You also need to take into account possible absentees and injuries. All of these factors could therefore quickly swing the odds one way rather than the other.

There is also a betting "cover" technique that can be considered. Indeed, in the world of sports betting, some bets are called "hedges," meaning secondary to the initial bets. When they are won, you receive all or just part of your initial bet. This type of bet is found for almost all sports.

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Let's say you're pretty sure that Team X will win. Then you can make a clean bet on this event. To secure your bet, you can bet a secondary amount on the desired handicap. If you lose the handicap, the first bet you make should ensure that you do not lose.