Handicap Betting Tips: A beginners' Guide

• What Is Handicap Betting?
• Example of Handicap Betting
• Advantages Of Handicap Bets
• Asian Handicap / Asian Lines
• How Do Asian Handicaps Work?
• Example of Asian Handicaps
• Are Asian Handicaps Better?
• Handicap Betting Summary

Match bets, next goalscorer, and goals scored bets are all well and good, but sometimes punters aim for something different and handicap football betting is a popular choice among punters.

This is where handicap betting comes in. They work by evening the proverbial playing field and make, for example, a previously-predictable sporting encounter a lot more notable.

Let’s take a look at handicap betting in more detail and explore what benefits it’ll bring to the average bettor.

What Is Handicap Betting?

Handicap betting offers a different option to more conventional bets by making an event a more even one. If, for example, an elite Premier League side is facing a lower-league side in a cup competition, then the former is extremely likely to win comfortably. Therefore, a conventional bet won’t yield anything of value to the punter. If, on the other hand, we add a handicap, football betting takes on another dimension.

However, if we gave the inferior team an advantage, and put a restriction on the stronger one, then the bet suddenly becomes a lot more exciting and unpredictable.

Handicap betting evens out the playing field and makes a previously-written off team or athlete a much more appealing betting prospect.

As well as football, basketball handicap betting tips for competitions such as the NBA are also popular among fans.

Example of Handicap Betting

If we stick to our football example and pretend that Manchester City are playing Peterborough in the FA Cup, then a -3 handicap bet would look something like this:

Manchester City starts the game, in terms of the bet, 3 goals down and would need to win by at least four goals for the bet to be a success.

If City wins, then we need to subtract the handicap (3) from the final score, which is why a 3-0 on pitch City victory would not be a successful bet, as that would essentially be a 0-0 draw. However, a 4-0, 5-1, or 6-2 victory would be a success.

Alternatively, we could put a +3 handicap bet on Peterborough, meaning that they start the game 3-0 to the good. For the bet to win, Peterborough would have to not lose by more than two goals. A 0-3 loss would render the game even from a betting point of view, whereas a 0-2 loss would translate to a 3-2 Peterborough victory.

A 3-0 City victory would level the scores and nullify the bet completely - in essence creating a 0-0 draw.

Handicaps aren’t merely limited to football, however, as you can utilise them in rugby, basketball, cricket, American football, and so on and so forth.

Advantages Of Handicap Bets

Handicap bets put more of an incentive to back a weaker team (or individual performer, depending on the sport) and make a previously-monotonous bet that much more interesting.

Handicap bets are a common sight in the world of football as mismatched games happen quite regularly, particularly in the FA Cup and League Cup.

Asian Handicap / Asian Lines

An Asian handicap gets its name due to its popularity in the region. It's also known as Asian lines betting.

The bet has the same purpose as a regular handicap - to even the playing field and make bets more exciting - the only difference being that it eliminates the possibility for a draw.

Asian handicap betting is possible on many sports but Asian handicap football betting is by far the most popular.

A regular handicap offers three outcomes - win, lose, or draw, whereas an Asian handicap makes only a win or loss possible. Premier League handicap betting, for example, is particularly popular with fans.

How Do Asian Handicaps Work?

The whole purpose of an Asian handicap is to remove the possibility for a draw by making it possible to bet on non-integral numbers.

For example, Asian handicaps can put a -1.5 goal handicap on a stronger side, and since it’s not possible to score .5 of a goal, a winner or loser is a certainty.

Asian handicaps with full numbers are called full lines, whereas numbers with values ending in .5 are called half lines. It’s even possible to find quarter-line bets, which are numbers ending in .25 or .75.

Example of Asian Handicaps

Let’s say you come across an Asian handicap with the following values:

Tottenham Hotspur - 1.5

West Bromwich Albion + 1.5

This may look a little confusing (as, again, it’s not possible to score half a goal) the important thing to remember is that if you choose to bet on Tottenham Hotspur to win with a -1.5 handicap, then Spurs will need to win by 2 or more goals for the bet to come in.

If the game is a draw, West Brom win, or Spurs only win 1-0, then your bet will not be a success.

It’s possible to find Asian handicaps on games with two similarly-matched teams, but the handicap will often not be as big.

For example, if Liverpool (-0.5) plays Arsenal (+.05) then we find a much thinner advantage to the Reds.

Arsenal is given half a goal in advance of kick-off. Should the match be a draw, then Arsenal will win (in terms of the bet) due to their 0.5 goal advantage.

A bet on the Gunners will come in thanks to either a draw or a victory. To put it simply, you’ll be hoping they don’t lose.

However, a Liverpool bet will only come in if the Reds take all three points, making the bet much more exciting and giving what could be a cagey, defensive matchup a much-needed sense of urgency.

Are Asian Handicaps Better?

There’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing the type of betting handicap. However, one thing Asian handicaps have in their favour is the elimination of draws. This makes them far simpler, and more exciting, than conventional handicap bets.

Handicap Betting Summary

Handicap bets work by giving a predetermined advantage or deficit to a team before a match gets underway and make a bet that was once obvious a lot less predictable. Asian handicaps offer the same principle, however they remove the possibility of a draw and allow the punter to bet on smaller, more incremental handicaps.