If you are a newcomer in the world of sports betting, you will have to acquaint yourself with different types of bets, including handicap betting. A handicap in betting is becoming extremely popular among punters because of its increased winning capacity. Delve deeper into this in-depth guide to learn more about handicap bets.
Handicap Betting: How It Works
Bookies use handicap bets to make sports events more interesting. The handicap meaning in betting revolves around creating a circumstance where success or progress becomes challenging. This bet is particularly beneficial when one team is way superior to its opponent. The purpose of a handicap bet is to make the playing field more level.
For instance, Tottenham Hotspur will be a total underdog when they are playing against Real Madrid. In that case, the moneyline odds will be 1/10, which is not an attractive odds for placing wagers.
But the bookmaker can introduce a handicap. Suppose a handicap of 0.5 points is provided to Tottenham Hotspur. So, if the two teams manage to score one goal each during the match, it will usually end in a draw. But since Tottenham were already given a handicap, it means that their score will be 1.5 after the match. In that case, the underdog will win the match.
FAQs About Handicap Betting
- What is handicap in betting?
You should know handicap is a type of bet in the world of sports betting. It revolves around bookies giving a handicap to one selection in any sports event. Winning the bet requires overcoming that handicap.
- Which sports accept a handicap bet?
You can place a handicap in football, rugby, horse racing, basketball, and several other sports.
- What is Asian handicap betting?
Asian handicap betting is placing handicap bets in football. An Asian handicap odd is always listed in decimal and includes a single handicap market.
- Are handicap bets suitable for beginners?
Handicap bets can be a little confusing for beginners. You must have a comprehensive understanding of this type of bet before placing them.
- What is single handicap betting?
A single handicap in betting involves adding or subtracting a particular number of goals or points from the final score to deliver a betting outcome.
- How can I calculate handicap lines?
You will succeed in calculating handicap lines according to the advantage of one team over the other.
- What is the reason behind introducing a handicap?
Bookmakers introduce a handicap to make the playing field when an underdog is playing against a strong favorite.
- What do you understand by a +1.5 handicap?
A +1.5 handicap indicates the addition of 1.5 points or goals to the final score of the game.
- What is the pro of handicap betting?
One of the significant pros of handicap betting is that it increases your chance of winning.
- Are handicap bets risky?
Even though handicap bets are risky, they come with high chances of winning.
Pros and Cons of Handicap Betting
Some advantages of handicap bets are as follows:
- Increased chances of winning due to elimination of draw results
- Less possible outcomes in an accumulator to increase winning odds
- A high chance of winning even when your team loses the match
Some disadvantages of handicap bets are as follows:
- Handicap bets can be complicated for beginners to understand.
- Compared to Asian handicaps, fixed odds have better odds for underdogs.
Features of Handicap Betting
Some of the key features of handicap in betting are as follows:
- Feature 1: Familiarity with the Team’s Offense
When you are placing a handicap bet, you should know the number of goals or points the team with the handicap is likely to score. For instance, Brighton has a single goal handicap in a match against Crystal Palace. After going through the stats, you might realize that Brighton is likely to score only one goal more than their opponents.
If that’s the case, you should know that a slight risk is present for the bet. It will alter the odds in such a way that no traditional moneyline bet will do. Crystal Palace won’t need to have a major attacking force if you take into consideration our example. Having one goal lead for the purpose of the bet is enough.
- Feature 2: Familiarity with the Team’s Defense
You must have an idea about the defensive approaches of both teams when you are engaged in handicap betting. If you want Brighton to be the winner of your bet in a match against Crystal Palace, they should score as few goals as possible. Moreover, they need to score two more goals than their opponents.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace should come with a good defense. You will not want them to give more than 2 goals than what they actually score. It will have an effect on the recent forms of both teams to show how each of the teams performs defensively.
- Feature 3: An Understanding of How Teams Traditionally Play Against One Another
You must have an idea of how teams traditionally play against one another to succeed from handicap bets. You don’t need to focus much on it when you are betting on traditional money lines because one team is always better than the other.
In case of handicaps, everything gets leveled out. Therefore, you should have an idea about the tactics each team uses against one another. It is particularly important when you are comparing the underdogs with bigger and better-performing teams. The bigger teams will usually be more defensive and not so offensive. Therefore, you might have no clue about how the present game will go on.
Insider Tips for Handicap Betting on Fair Play
After knowing what is handicap in betting, you need to learn about the top platforms where you can place this type of wager. Fair Play is one of the best platforms for placing handicap bets. If you are thinking about placing handicap bets on Fair Play, the following tips can help:
- Check the initial betting line and react according to how the line moves.
- Remember to check how the teams perform on their home ground as well as in other locations.
- You must target wagers as per trends related to failing and succeeding to cover spreads.
- When it comes to handicap in betting, you must be updated with all the latest news surrounding the teams and the players.
- Remember that handicap betting is all about how points can be achieved against the opponent. Therefore, remember to establish a plausible score for the match and check out how it reflects the spreads set out on Fair Play.
In-Play Betting
Fair Play will let you place handicap bets while the match is going on. Usually, the odds of in-play handicap bets are much higher than those of pre-match bets. But the odds keep changing, and you will be able to place your in-play handicap bets till the end of the match.
Live Streaming
When it comes to handicap in betting, you will also be able to check out the live streaming of the matches on Fair Play. The live streams are useful for understanding whether you have a chance of winning the in-play bets. You will have to proceed to the in-play betting section of the Fair Play betting app and click on an ongoing match to watch it live and place your bets accordingly.
Handicap Betting on Fair Play: Strongly Recommended
If you want to try out a handicap in betting, Fair Play is one of the best platforms. You will be able to place live as well as pre-match handicap bets. Moreover, the odds on Fair Play are competitive enough to impress punters.
