Ever wondered what a +1.5 or -1.25 bet offer means on a sportsbook? You’ll find odds marked as positive and negative in games like football, basketball, horseracing, or rugby. This is called “handicap”.
Handicap gives a particular team or player an advantage or disadvantage. This levels the playing field and creates a more balanced contest.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into this frequently asked question – “what does handicap mean in betting?”
What Does Handicap Mean in Betting?
Basically, the meaning of handicap betting is to give a headstart to the underdog (or a deficit to the favourites) even before a match starts. So, using a handicap bet means you are betting on that team to win or lose after the chosen handicap has been applied.
This type of betting is available in almost every points-based sport. It comes into play when an underdog is playing against the favourite. The bookmaker will add extra points to the underdog’s total, and you will see a positive handicap under their name. Similarly, the bookmaker removes certain points from the top team’s total, and you’ll see a negative handicap for them.
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Understanding Handicap Betting: How It Applies to Football
Football is one sport where handicap betting is used regularly. Handicap meaning in football is simple: points are added to the weaker teams (ranked low in the standings) and subtracted from the top teams (ranked high in the standings).
Let’s take an example of two teams: teams A and B. If the bookmaker feels Team A is highly likely to win the match and might give a -1 handicap to Team A. This means Team A needs to score at least 2–0 for your bet to win because as per the handicap, the final score will be considered as 1–0.
If the final score is 1–0, your bet will be considered a draw. And by the same logic, if the final score is 1–1, your bet will lose.
You should look at a few things before deciding to make a handicap bet. Evaluate both teams’ performance to decide who might be the favourite to win the game.
One significant rule of handicap betting is that you should avoid low-scoring matches. If a team has won the last five games with a margin of 1–0, predicting how the handicap might play out for them in the next game will be difficult.
Asian Handicap
There’s another popular type of handicap betting, known as the Asian handicap. This type of betting involves whole numbers and decimals, also known as split handicaps. This method was popularised in Asia and was discovered so that no draws were possible.
Example: Team A (-1, -1.5) vs Team B (+1, +1.5)
In this example, Team A must win the game by at least two goals to win the bet because of the handicaps applied.
These can be the outcomes of a -1 handicap
| Final Score | Bet Result for -1 Handicap |
| Win by a 2-goal difference like 3–1 | Bet wins |
| Win by a 1-goal difference like 3–2 | Stake refunded because it will be considered as a draw (2–2) |
| Match draws 1–1 | Your bet loses as the final score will be considered as 0–1 |
| Your team loses | Bet loses |
And, these can be the outcomes of a -1.5 handicap:
| Final Score | Bet Result for -1.5 Handicap |
| Win by a 2-goal difference like 3–1 | Bet wins |
| Win by a 1-goal difference like 3–2 | Your bet loses |
| Match draws 2–2 | Your bet loses |
| Your team loses | Your bet loses |
As you can see above, in the case of decimal handicaps, a draw outcome is not possible.
Handicap Betting Strategies and Tips
Handicap betting in the Premier League can be a rewarding move if done after proper research and adopting a strategy. You should focus on key factors such as team performance, player injuries, weather conditions, and home advantage to enhance your chances of winning.
Read up on team news, and compare odds on different platforms to see which handicap would work for you. If you’re exploring more games, learn how to play keno for a lottery-style experience or dive into baccarat rules to master this classic card game. On 7bet, you can choose your own handicaps using the slider under the handicap betting tab to adjust your preferred bet, selecting either a positive or negative handicap based on your research.
FAQs
What does +1.5 handicap mean?
A +1.5 handicap meaning in betting is that the goal difference should be at least 2. If the final score for Team A vs Team B is 2–0, your bet on Team B will lose. However, if the final score is 2–1, your bet on Team B wins.
What does a +2 handicap mean in betting?
A +2 handicap means that two points will be added to the final score of your team. So, even if your team loses the game 1–2, the bet will win.
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