Handicap betting is fast becoming one of the most popular forms of wagering for punters looking for value football bets on the top UK betting sites. It evens the playing field, increasing your chances of winning when betting on an underdog. Besides giving weaker teams a fighting chance, handicap betting allows you to match up the odds and back the firm favorites at more attractive prices. In this guide, we’ll look at the types of handicap betting and the best strategies for wagering these betting markets.
Understanding Handicap Betting
Imagine if Manchester City were playing a League One team in the FA Cup. The odds of the Citizens winning would be something like 1/20. If you wager £100 on Man City, you would make a £5 profit should they go on to win. Doesn’t sound appealing, does it? But if you gave the League One team a 2-goal head start (-2.5), you now have a winnable bet at more attractive odds. To win, Man City would need to outscore the other team by three goals, be it 3-0, 4-1, or similar. That’s the gist of handicap betting in a nutshell. The stronger team is given a negative handicap to overcome for your bet to be successful. On the other hand, the weaker team has a positive handicap, which it has to maintain. For instance, in the case above, to win if you backed the League One team, they need to win, draw, or lose by one goal.
Types of Handicap Betting
There are several variations of handicap betting in football, which you can pick from depending on your betting preferences and strategies.
European Handicap
The European Handicap offers three-way betting, allowing the outcome to be a home win, draw, or away win. One of the teams is given a goal handicap, which is then added to the final score to determine the result. The handicap values are whole numbers, such as -1, +1, -2, or +2. Regardless of the handicap, you can bet on a win or a draw. This makes it popular for punters who prefer the familiar 1×2 betting format.
Asian Handicap
Asian Handicap (AH) eliminates the possibility of a draw by providing fractions of goals as handicaps. For example, if you bet on a team with a -0.5 handicap, they must win the match for your bet to be successful. In addition, AH also offers split handicaps, allowing you to split your stake between two outcomes. This provides insurance against a loss with a half-win outcome. For example, if you wager a -0.25 handicap, half of your bet is on -0.5, and the other half is on 0. If your pick loses, you lose the bet. If they draw, you lose half your stake and get a refund on the other half.
Draw No Bet
Also known as the Handicap 0, the Draw no Bet wager allows you to get your stake back if the match ends in a draw. It offers better odds than the win/draw standard bet allowing to enhance your profits without increasing risk.
Strategy for Successful Handicap Betting
Handicap Betting is one of the best ways to spot value bets in football and improve your profits. But just like traditional win, draw, lose bets, you need a workable strategy to beat the bookies.
Compare Team Performances
Before you place a bet, research the teams to get an idea about the team’s form. Look at past results as well as the head to head between the two teams
Analyze the Team News
Additionally, you should look at the team news to see if there are important players missing through injury. If the favorites are missing star players, you can use handicap betting to give your wager on the underdogs an even better chance of winning.
Bankroll Management
You should always only bet what you can afford to lose. Before you begin handicap betting, create a budget, stick to it, and avoid chasing losses at all costs.
