What is meant by Handicap?
Handicap betting is a way to make a match more even, which also makes it more interesting to bet from an odds perspective. In betting this is done by the game companies giving the weaker team an edge as it theoretically has a worse starting position to win the match, while the favorite of the match has a handicap they must overcome.
The explanation of the game form is quite simple. One team starts the match with tex. 0.5, 1 or 2 more goals.
An example:
- Åtvidaverg +2. Underdog and gets two goals lead.
- AIK -2. Favorite to win and thus get a minus handicap
In this example, you can say that the match starts with 2-0 to Åtvidaberg’s favor. If AIK wins the match with 0-1, it is then registered with the gaming companies as a win for Åtvidaberg 2-1.
European Handicap (EH)
European Handicap is a game variant commonly referred to as “handicap betting” or “3-way handicap”.
In such a bet, one / more goals (always integers) are deducted from the favorite or one / more goals are added to the underdog. You should tip which team wins the match with the team (s) negative (-) / positive (+) handicap included.
If you choose to bet on the favorite, that team must outperform its handicap in order for you to win the game. For example, if you bet on Liverpool (-2), they must win by at least three goals margin for the handicap game to enter.
The big difference between European handicap and Asian handicap is that EH does not reduce the game to just two possible outcomes but a cross is still possible.
Draw result possible
Cross – this option is winning in the event of a first team victory with a goal difference equal to the handicap awarded.
For example:
- Liverpool (-1)
- Cross (-1)
- Newcastle (+1)
The possible outcomes are as follows:
- Liverpool beat Newcastle with more than one goal: Liverpool (-1) wins.
- Liverpool win against Newcastle with exactly one goal: Cross (-1) wins.
- Match ends in draw: Newcastle (+1) wins.
- Newcastle beats Liverpool with one or more goals: Newcastle (+1) wins.
The handicap satisfies game sharks (odds are improved) who believe in a secure Liverpool win with at least two goals.
However, the handicap is meant to also minimize players’ losses in case of failed tips. How to achieve this?
This is where Asian Handicap comes into the picture. AH comes in handy as its opportunities sometimes allow the player to get back his bet or parts of it.
Asian Handicap (AH)
Asian Handicap has become increasingly popular with gaming companies such as Unibet, NordicBet and ComeOn !.
The major difference between European Handicap and Asian Handicap is that the latter only offers two betting options: Profits / losses. A draw has been removed.
If it is a draw result after calculating the handicap, then all bets are counted as ” push, void “, ie they are refunded to the player at the same amount that was bet. In some cases half the stake (split) is refunded, we will return to it.
Asian handicap can be used with decimal numbers instead of integers with the main purpose of preventing the result from ending with a cross. As we just mentioned, you can only bet if a specific team wins or loses.
Within HA, however, we distinguish between:
- Half goals: 0.5, 1.5, 2.5…
- Full Goals: 0, 1, 2…
What happens if you chose an integer number eg. -1.0 or -2.0 – unlike a half number and the handicap is matched with the actual result? In this case, you simply get your bet back.
Same as Draw No Bet
In a very even match, however, is the handicap. In a match between Chelsea and Arsenal, you may have a slight idea that Chelsea will win, but may not be entirely sure. By believing in Chelsea, you play +0 AH Chelsea, which gives you the assurance that you will get money back in the draw and win in the Chelsea win. This is a way to minimize any losses on the gaming account.
Split games
You may have seen AH where it looks like this: 0, -0.5. It’s a two-bit comma. It may look complicated, but it is not. With this type of AH game, your bet is split into two parts on the two handicaps listed.
If you have 0, -0.5:
- You win when the team you played on wins the game.
- If the match ends in a draw, you get back half the bet (0) and lose half (-0.5).
- If the team you played on loses the match, you lose the entire bet.
Let’s take an example from Bet365 and the Premier League. You choose to play at Liverpool -1.0 & -1.5 against Bournemouth:
- You win at the odds of 2,050 instead of 1.45 as usual 1X2.
- Half your bet is put on Liverpool with a -1.0 goals start,
- the other half at Liverpool with a -1.5 goals start.
As always, you just add the actual result of the match to your bet. So if Liverpool crosses or loses the match, you lose the game because you failed to defeat the handicap. If Liverpool win by only one goal, you lose half your stake (half of -1.5) and you get half your stake back (half of -1.0). If Liverpool win by two goals or more, then you win the entire bet.
