The basic understanding of jargon in football betting is important if you are a novice in the world of betting. It is possible that newer punters may be a bit confused by the words used in the betting world. What is handicap in football betting? In this article, let’s try to understand.
What is handicap in football betting?
A handicap is a virtual advantage or disadvantage given to a team at the start of a game. Handicap betting is usually used when two mismatched teams are competing against each other. If one of the teams is an absolute favorite to win, the match bets become boring, with extremely short odds in favor of the winning team. Putting a handicap on such a game evens out the playing field, and balances the odds for both teams.
Such bets are available at all major bookmakers like Casumo, 1xBet, and others.
For example, when Manchester United is playing against West Brom, it is almost certain that Manchester will emerge victorious, and there will be no backers for West Brom. In such a case, the bookies may give a (-2) handicap to Manchester, or a (+2) handicap to West Brom. It essentially means that Manchester will start at a 2 goal disadvantage, and will have to win by a difference of more than 2 goals to be considered a winner. This will lengthen the odds of Manchester, and shorten them for West Brom.
Types of handicap betting
What is handicap in football betting? There are two major types of handicap betting, Asian handicap, and European handicap.
The Asian handicap numbers are usually in decimals and do not take into account a draw. It is similar to `Draw No bet´ type of market. In case there is a draw, the stake is refunded. In European format, the handicap is denoted in whole numbers, and also allow punters to bet on a draw
In addition to standard handicap, punters can also bet on a team’s performance through the league, with handicaps given relative to the league favorites.
