Handicap betting is an important tool in any player’s arsenal. It can provide fantastic value even in games with a clear favourite at our online sports betting site. However, what does handicap betting mean and when is the best time to use it?
The handicap bet is a unique type of wager as it seeks to level the playing field between two teams. It assigns a virtual advantage or disadvantage to make the game more interesting. Say it was Ireland vs England in an international soccer game. Many would expect England to win, so they would receive a handicap to overcome. Your bet would be successful if they beat Ireland by a margin greater than the assigned handicap.
While this may sound confusing, our handicap betting guide is here to explain everything you need to know. Below, you will find useful handicap betting tips and examples to help you place effective wagers.
What is Handicap Betting?
If you are looking to place a wager on a sporting event, you will notice the handicap option. This market can appear across many point-based sporting events, like soccer, rugby, and even GAA events like football or hurling. For this wager to payout, you need the favourite to win and score more points or goals than the handicap.
The handicap is assigned virtually by a bookie. The size of the handicap can vary from game to game, and in some instances, you will see a decimal place. Decimal places ensure there are no draws or pushes when placing this bet, as neither team can score half a point.
This wager is a popular choice, as it can make an obvious game more interesting. Say Leinster was playing Zebre at home in the United Rugby Championship. Betting on the match result is not much of an option as it is 1/10 for the home side and 10/1 for the Italians. A handicap makes this game far more interesting as Leinster will need to outscore the opponents by a certain amount. That means you can secure a much better payout compared to a prediction on the winner of the game.
How Does Handicap Betting Work?
Handicap betting works rather simply. When two teams play each other, they are assessed to determine which one is more likely to win. In games where there is a clear favourite, they will receive a larger handicap to overcome, making the game more interesting. In matches between two evenly matched teams, a much lower handicap will be assigned.
For the example above, we have the Irish Giants Leinster versus Zebre. In this game, the handicap could be as many as 15 points, meaning Leinster would need to win by 15 points or more for this handicap wager to win.
However, what if Leinster faced provincial rivals Munster? In this circumstance, the handicap will be much smaller, as Leinster would only have to win by five points or more for this wager to come true. Your bet would win if it finished 30-20 but it would lose if it finished 30-28.
For Handicap betting to work, one team will receive a penalty and the other gets an advantage. This is signalled to players with the use of a plus and minus symbol. Teams with a minus symbol mean they must overcome this deficit. Think of it as instead of Liverpool starting 0-0 against Fulham, they are two goals behind before a ball is kicked. In this example, Fulham will get a two-goal head start, making them a better candidate for a wager.
If you bet on Fulham +2, you need Fulham not to lose by two goals or more. If the fixture against Liverpool finishes as a draw, this wager is a winner, as they had a two-goal advantage thanks to the handicap. Betting on Liverpool to win requires them to outscore the opposition with three goals. Your bet would fail if it finished 4-2, as it would technically end as a draw. This is where decimal places come in handy, as it removes the possibility of a draw. If it was a -2.5 handicap, then you would know for certain they must score at least three goals for your bet to win.
When Can You Place a Handicap Bet?
You can place a handicap bet on a wide range of sports at Novibet. This market is often available throughout games, meaning you can even place a live bet using the handicap. However, handicap betting is usually only available for sports where points are scored. Events like boxing, MMA, and horse racing do not allow players to place a handicap bet. Whether this market is available is often clearly displayed, no matter which platform you use.
There are often no time limits when placing a handicap wager. You can bet a week in advance, the day of the event, or even halfway through the fixture. The only aspect to watch is the potential returns. The later you leave a handicap bet, the less you can win from a successful wager. That does not mean you should rush into your bet slip. Instead, you can browse the handicap markets and look for greater returns.
Types of Handicap Bets
Handicap betting is popular across a wide range of sports, like soccer, GAA, and basketball. The most common type of handicap involves the result of the fixture and the total points scored. You can place these wagers as straight bets or include them in accumulators. However, you may see different handicap bets depending on where you play. Below, we outline the names for handicap bets and exactly what they mean.
No Daw Handicap
No draw handicaps eliminated the possibility of your bet failing because of a tie. So instead of Manchester City receiving a +3 handicap in the Champions League, they could receive +3.5, eliminating the chance of a draw.
European Handicap
The European Handicap is another name for what we have outlined throughout this guide. Not only will you need your team to win for your bet to succeed, but it must be by a clear margin of points or goals. Essentially, this is another way of saying handicap bet.
Asian Handicap
This type of wager is like a no-draw handicap with some crucial differences. The size of the Asian handicap goes up in quarters, meaning it can be as little as -0.25 or as much as +2.00. What this means is there is a chance to win, lose, have your stake refunded, only lose half your stake, or claim half the winnings.
For example, when betting on soccer games, you could see Manchester City (-0.25) and Liverpool (+0.25). Man City must win for this wager to be successful. If they draw, half your wager fails, and they will return half your stake. If City lose by any amount, Liverpool wins both handicap markets.
Let’s say they assigned -1.25 to City and +1.25 to Liverpool, your bet would have four outcomes. Liverpool losing by two goals or more results in your bet becoming a winner. If Manchester City only wins by one goal, you lose half your bet. Any other outcome, including a draw or defeat, is a complete loss of your stake. If you wagered on Liverpool, a draw and win means your bet was successful. You can half-win if Liverpool loses by one goal, any more than that and your wager has failed.
This is a tough wager for new players to understand, but it offers more cover to punters. There are multiple ways to avoid losing your entire stake thanks to an Asian handicap.
Spread Betting
Spread or points betting is another term used to describe handicap wagers. This is typically used in North America and is incredibly popular when betting on the NFL and NBA. You will hear the term “cover the spread” which means winning the handicap. When a team covers a -5 spread, they have won the fixture by six points or more.
Example of Soccer Handicap Betting
If you are interested in betting on soccer games, you can make a handicap wager. Most of the soccer games available online have a handicap market, allowing players to bet on the result and effectively the winning margin. For this wager to come true, you must guess the correct team to win and they must clear the margin determined by the sportsbook.
Say you wanted to bet on Arsenal as they faced Chelsea. The bookmakers expect this London Derby to close, so they assign a handicap of -1 to Arsenal and +1 to Chelsea. For your bet on Arsenal to come true, you need the Gunners to win by two goals or more. If the hosts only win by one goal, your bet fails as the handicap scoreline will be a draw. For the handicap bet on Chelsea to come true, they can win the game by any amount or draw the contest.
At Novibet, you will find a handicap, match result, and over/under betting. Each of these wagers is available as standard in almost every soccer match. However, most games also allow players to choose their margins. If you browse the handicap market, you can select an even bigger target for Arsenal to overcome. This is where you can maximise your returns as the higher the handicap, the larger the potential winnings.
Example of Rugby Handicap Betting
Rugby handicap betting is like soccer. You can choose the highlighted handicap next to the match result or scroll through the bets on offer to find alternative handicaps. Assuming you found a rugby bet worth placing, what should you do?
Let’s say you are betting on the Six Nations this year. In Ireland’s first game, they face Scotland in Dublin. The Irish team is in better form and has the advantage of the home crowd, so they enter the game as favourites. The handicap is -9.5 for Ireland and +9.5 for Scotland. That means Ireland must win this game by ten points or more to win the handicap. Anything less and it will either be a draw or Scotland will win.
For the Scots to triumph, they simply need to avoid losing by 10 points or more. If they lose by nine or less, they win the bet. As this market has a decimal place, there is no possibility for a draw as neither side can score half a point.
Handicap Betting Tips
We have some handicap betting tips to help players get up to speed with this type of wager. These tips can guide you towards winning wagers and avoid potential duds.
- Do Your Research: As these markets often rely on the total points scored, there are a couple of aspects to research. First is the form of either team heading into this match. Next are the historical results between the teams. Is it historically a low-scoring affair? Lastly, consider the injuries and other news surrounding star players. If you are relying on a large margin between the teams, you need the best players firing on all cylinders.
- Examine the Options: At most sportsbooks, you can secure fantastic returns by looking at the variety of wagers on offer. For handicap wagers at Novibet, we list a range of different options to consider. You can choose to extend the odds by selecting a larger handicap. Or you can play it safe by reducing the margin between the teams.
- Consider the Returns: Before placing a handicap bet, examine a wager on the match result. This will help tell you if the handicap is worth placing as you can see how much it returns compared to an outright wager. If there is little between the two types of bets, you can select a different handicap, or look for a more profitable market.
- Keep it Simple: When first making handicap bets, it pays to keep them separate and straightforward. Once you have some experience, you can experiment with accumulators and other types of wagers available at Novibet.
What is the Difference Between Spread and Handicap Betting?
While it may sound like these wagers are nothing alike, they are the same. Conquering the spread is a fancy way of saying a team has overcome the handicap. The term spread betting is popular in North America and has started to make its way over to Ireland. However, this term is what we are all accustomed to, so there is no need to brush up on another type of wager. However, if you are looking to polish up your sports betting terminology, we have a fantastic guide for you. Stay tuned for more betting guides in the future.