Love betting on football? Have you ever heard about Handicap betting before? If not, then let us tell you that it’s one of the most exciting bets sports betting can give you. It’s for balancing the odds when a football team is much stronger than its opponent.
At Maxim88, we make both teams worthy of your bets by giving a virtual advantage or disadvantage. So, understand Handicap betting with this guide and add real scope for strategising in every upcoming football match.
What is the Idea Behind Handicap Betting
Essentially, Handicap betting’s main motto is making football matches fairer and more exciting for bettors. In many matches, one team is much stronger than the other. Now, such scenarios should force us to set lower odds with smaller rewards on Maxim88.
But we level this one-sidedness by giving a ‘headstart’ to the weak team and a ‘goal deficit’ to the stronger one. Such virtual adjustment brings both sides somewhat on the same plane. Hence, the sportsbook can give you more balanced options to choose from.
This way, football betting becomes more about bettors’ knowledge and adjustments and not picking obvious choices.
How Handicap Betting Works – Step-by-Step
Handicap betting gives an advantage or disadvantage to football teams before the match starts. So, this is how it happens.
Step 1: We place handicap values, like ‘-1’ for the favorite or ‘+1’ for the underdog, on fooball teams.
Step 2: You bet on the team you think will win with the handicap value.
Step 3: Teams’ real scores appear by adding or subtracting handicap values.
Step 4: Your bet wins or misses. It depends on that final score settled with the handicap value.
So, here’s an example. Assume Team A has a ‘-1’ handicap. If it wins by 2-0 score, it will become 1-0. Your bet still wins. But if Team A scores 1-0, it becomes a draw, and you get your wagered money back.
Types of Handicap Betting Explained
In sports betting, there are many kinds of handicap bets so that everyone finds one suitable for them. So, here are some of the main types of bets you can see in Maxim88 online sportsbook.
Level Handicap (No Handicap)
We apply a level handicap to teams that have equal strength. Therefore, there’s no need to add any advantage or disadvantage. You can simply bet on the match winner.
Single Handicap (Whole Numbers like -1, +2)
This form of handicap betting is most common. When a favorite gets a -1 handicap. It means the team needs to win the match by more than one goal. Because if they win by only one goal’s difference, the match will be tied.
Half-Handicap (e.g., -0.5, +1.5)
When a half-handicap gets activated in a match, there can no longer be a draw. Team A with ‘-0.5’must make you win your bet. It’s because even if a draw happens, the bet fails.
Asian Handicap (Quarter or Split Handicap, e.g., -0.25, +0.75)
This is an advanced bet where your bet splits into two separate handicaps. This creates chances of half-wins, half-losses, and half-refunds. Asian handicaps are quite admired among players since they remove all chances of draws.
Examples of Handicap Betting in Action
So, now, let’s get into some real-like action and understand how handicap betting works in our sports betting platform.
- Match: Manchester City vs Everton
- Handicap: Man City -1.5
So, assume you have backed Manchester City, and it has won 3–1. Then, the applied handicap will make the result 1.5–1. Your bet wins even in this scenario because your team has reached the 1.5 goal line.
But in case the City’s score was 2–1, the handicap will deduct it to 0.5–1. Then, you will lose as they haven’t won by two or more goals.
Now, let’s shift to another scene. You have a bet on Everton +1.5. Therefore, even if the team loses the game by one goal, you will win the bet.
So now, you know how handicap values can influence your payouts.
Key Terms Beginners Should Know
Before going all in, you should learn a few basic terms about handicap betting first. Once you get them, it would be easier to dive deeper into sports betting on Maxim88.
- Handicap Line: These are the numbers (like -1 or +1) that are given to teams so both sides stay kind of balanced in strength.
- Push: This happens when the applied handicap makes the final result end up as a draw. Then players normally get their stakes back.
- Half Win / Half Loss: It basically means you won half of your bet and lost the other half.
Smart Tips for Beginners
Although placing handicap bets might seem a bit tricky, it’s not! You just need the right approach. So, just go through these tips to be on the right track.
- Start Simple: In the beginning, it’s better to bet using whole-number handicaps first. The trickier ones like Asian lines can come later when you get more used to it.
- Focus on Research: Always try checking team form, past stats, or injuries before placing a bet — don’t just go blindly with your gut.
- Avoid Emotions in Betting: Try not to bet on your favorite team just because you like them. That’s where most players end up losing easily.
- Track Your Results: Keep track of all your bets, so later you can see where you did good and where things went wrong.
- Always Bet Responsibly: Go with smaller bets and always keep a budget you’re fine losing if things don’t go your way.
Advantages of Handicap Betting
Sports betting gets a sense of balance from handicap betting. It creates more scope for implementing strategies. Hence, you can have more control over your bets irrespective of your experience level.
So, here are a few reasons why it’s a popular choice among bettors.
- Fairer Odds: It removes the strength difference between two competing teams.
- Better Payouts: Players get higher payouts than ordinary sports bets.
- Refund Options: Many handicaps exist that give back your wager on draws.
- Skill-Building: It increases players’ critical thinking ability for considering match outcomes.
- Exciting Gameplay: Even one-sided matches become thrilling and worthy of following till the last minute.
Handicap Betting: A Smarter Way to Bet
Handicap betting is that part of sports betting that has more fairness, strategy, and excitement. Just understand it properly first. Then, you will see how football matches become more exciting and rewarding for you.
