Handicap betting, also known as spread betting, line betting, or Asian handicap, is a form of wagering used in various sports to make uneven contests more balanced and thrilling. It considers not only who wins but also the margin of the victory, adding an extra layer of complexity to sports betting. This comprehensive article explores different aspects of handicap betting, providing detailed insights to enhance your sports wagering journey.
Introduction to Handicap Betting
Handicap betting is a technique that bookmakers use to make a sporting event with varied odds into an even money contest by giving a “virtual edge” to some participants. This practice of “evening out the playing field” makes handicap betting a more attractive and fair betting option. The handicap is set by bookmakers to balance the playing field between opposing teams of different skill levels.
Typically, the handicap is set by giving additional points to the team seen as the ‘underdog’ or subtracting points from the ‘favorite.’ Ideally, the point adjustment should balance the possible outcomes, encouraging betting on both sides.
Types of Handicap Betting
Handicap betting comes in a variety of forms:
- Level Handicap: A level handicap is when the abilities of Team A and Team B are perceived to be equal; both teams start with 0 goals. While not common in handicap betting as it doesn’t level the playing field, it is used when teams are evenly matched.
- Single Handicap: When there’s a clear favorite, a single handicap is applicable. The superior team will have a handicap disadvantage (e.g., -1.5 goals in soccer), and the underdog will have a corresponding advantage (e.g., +1.5 goals).
- Split Handicap: If differentiating between teams becomes challenging, a split handicap is used. This approach allows the bettor to divide their wager over two different handicaps.
- Asian Handicap: A variant of the standard handicap model, the Asian Handicap, eliminates the possibility of a draw result, providing only two potential outcomes.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Handicap Betting
Like any other betting type, handicap betting has its pros and cons:
Advantages
- More betting opportunities: Handicap betting adds another dimension to sports betting, providing more betting options.
- Increased odds: Handicap betting makes uneven contests more balanced, often offering better odds than traditional match odds betting.
- Reduced risk: Handicap betting, particularly the Asian handicap, eliminates the risk of a draw, reducing the potential outcomes to two instead of three.
Disadvantages
- Complexity: Understanding and maximizing handicap betting requires some knowledge and experience, making it more complex for beginners.
- Risk of low returns: While handicap betting can offer higher odds, the risk of low returns is also present if the favorite performs exceptionally well.
How to Use Handicap Betting
To effectively use handicap betting, you need to understand how it works in practice. The primary step is identifying the handicap set by the bookmaker. For example, in a soccer match, if Team A has a handicap of -1 and Team B has a handicap of +1, Team A must win by more than one goal to cover their handicap and win the bet. On the other hand, Team B could lose by exactly one goal, win, or draw the match to cover their handicap. If Team A wins by exactly one goal, all bets are refunded because it is a draw with the handicap included.
Handicap Betting Strategies
Like with all types of betting, there are strategies you can employ to increase your chances of winning with handicap betting. These include doing your research (understanding the teams, their recent form, player injuries, and head-to-head records), considering the market (different markets have different ways of setting and settling handicaps), and understanding that smaller handicaps can result in bigger wins (smaller handicaps often require a team to perform well, leading to better odds).
Handicap Betting in Different Sports
Handicap betting is used in various sports, each with its unique point system. For example, in soccer, the most common form of handicap betting, goals are the measuring unit. In contrast, points are used in basketball and rugby, games or sets in tennis, and strokes in golf.
Understanding Handicap Betting Odds
Understanding odds is a critical part of mastering handicap betting. Bookmakers use statistical models to calculate the probabilities of different outcomes and then convert these into odds. In handicap betting, odds are set so that each team has roughly the same chance of winning, considering the handicap. This equalization of odds makes handicap betting an attractive proposition.
For instance, if Team A with a handicap of -1 has odds of 1.90, and Team B with a handicap of +1 also has odds of 1.90, a $10 bet on either team would return $19 (profit of $9) if they overcome their respective handicaps to win the game. This ‘even money’ scenario is what makes handicap betting so attractive to bettors.
Scenarios for a Draw Result
In some cases, the handicap set by the bookmaker could result in a draw. The “No Bet Draw” or “Draw No Bet” (DNB) is when the bookmaker offers a refund if the match result ends in a draw after considering the handicap. This scenario is more common in Asian handicap betting. Whole Number Handicaps, another scenario, can also result in a draw after the handicap is accounted for, leading to refunds.
Conclusion
Handicap betting is a fascinating form of sports betting that allows bettors to take advantage of their knowledge of teams and players while also providing a more level playing field. Despite its complexity, with a solid understanding and smart strategies, handicap betting can become a valuable tool in a bettor’s arsenal, adding excitement to the betting experience.