Handicap bet

With a handicap bet, the provider gives a team a notional head start or deficit. This value is applied to the real result after the match. Only from this total does it emerge whether your tip has won. The real result on the pitch is of course unaffected by this. It only counts for the settlement of your bet.

A typical example is a handicap of minus one for the favourite. You then only win your bet if this team wins by at least two goals. The one handicap goal is deducted from the real result. With a win by exactly one goal's difference, a mathematical draw arises and you usually get your stake back.

In this way the odds on the favourite rise, because it has to win by a margin. At the betting shop you'll find handicap markets on many bigger fixtures at the terminal or at the counter.

Suppose you stake 10 euros on the favourite with the handicap minus one at odds of 2.00. For this, one goal is deducted from the favourite in the real result. The settlement only emerges from this notional score. The following table shows four typical final scores and their effect on your bet.

You calculate the payout with the formula payout = stake times odds. At 10 euros and odds of 2.00, that is 20 euros gross, i.e. 10 euros pure winnings plus your stake. Note the third row: if the favourite wins only 1-0, after the deduction it is mathematically 0-0. This mathematical draw leads, with the minus-one line, to the return of the stake, not to a win. This is exactly where the handicap bet differs from the simple win bet, where a 1-0 would be enough.

The classic handicap works with whole goals. Depending on the balance of strength, the provider offers different lines. The more clearly the favourite is assessed, the higher their minus handicap turns out.

• Handicap minus one: the favourite has to win by at least two goals' difference
• Handicap minus two: at least three goals' difference are needed, often with very clear favourites
• Handicap plus one: the underdog may lose by one goal and the tip still comes in
• Handicap plus two: the underdog may even lose by two goals, the odds are correspondingly low
• Handicap zero: in a draw the stake is returned, otherwise the winning team wins the bet

The Asian-handicap lines with half and split values form a family of their own. They completely rule out the draw and work with partial refunds. This special form is explained in detail in its own entry. For getting started, the classic handicap with whole goals is entirely sufficient.

The handicap plays to its strength whenever the forces are very unevenly distributed. When a top team faces a clear underdog, the pure win odds are often 1.15 or 1.20. Such a tip brings hardly any return, even if it comes in. With the handicap minus one, you lift these odds to a value close to 2.00, but in return you take the risk that the favourite wins only narrowly.

Conversely, you can also back the underdog. If you believe the weaker team will sell itself dearly and lose at most narrowly, the plus handicap is an option. With plus one, your tip even wins on a defeat by one goal's difference. In this way, a cautious assessment can be translated into a concrete bet.

The important thing is that you factor in the form of both teams. A favourite who has recently won only narrowly rarely fulfils a handicap minus two. At the betting shop on site, you can have the current lines displayed at the terminal and compare them at your leisure.

The handicap bet has strengths and weaknesses.

• Advantage: a low favourite's odds of around 1.20 often become odds close to 2.00 through the handicap minus one
• Advantage: even a narrow win for the underdog can still be a winner with a plus handicap
• Advantage: the zero line protects you in a draw with a return of the stake

• Disadvantage: the favourite can win and your bet still lose
• Disadvantage: the settlement is less intuitive than on the simple win bet
• Disadvantage: a narrow win leads, with the minus-one line, only to a return of the stake instead of a win

Always apply the handicap to the final result first before you assess your bet. Don't confuse the minus-one line with a simple win bet, because a narrow win isn't enough here. Also check whether, in a mathematical draw, the stake is returned or the bet is lost; that depends on the line. Only stake money you can spare. Play responsibly. Gambling is only permitted from the age of 18 (21 in Bremen). There is an overview of all bet types in the guide single bet, accumulator and system bet compared.